A Train Ride To Denmark

When I moved to Sweden, pretty much all I knew was that it was going to be cold. It was, in fact, very cold - but the worst was the darkness and the mental weight of winter. At first it was very exotic and even cozy to see the darkness coming at 2 in the afternoon, but after a while I could sense that my whole surroundings were hibernating, which I sure wasn't used to, growing up in sunny Portugal. Nature was frozen and asleep, people were hiding in their houses as much as they possibly could and interesting events or activities were suddenly harder to come across. So, as usual, my mind started drifting towards yet another trip.

After some weeks of planning, I was sitting on a train headed to Copenhagen and, as usual, it felt amazing to be going on an adventure. The extreme cold outside made it extra cozy to sit on the train and admire the wintery landscape passing by, with frozen lakes and snowy forests that looked like they came straight out of a movie. The amount of woods that we saw on the way made it clear just how empty Sweden really is, which felt kind of daunting but amazing and peaceful at the same time.

A beautiful train ride from Stockholm to Copenhagen

If you are visiting Stockholm and want to get out of the city in order to discover other parts of Sweden, consider such a train trip down to Copenhagen. It will give you a totally different perspective of the country at the same time as you combine it with a visit to another beautiful capital. If you are interested in such a train trip, you can book your tickets here on SJ's website. As you can see below, if you choose a direct high-speed train you can go from Stockholm to Copenhagen in 5 hours. Book as much in advance as you can, to get the best prices available - the example below is for a random date, 2 months ahead.

After many relaxing hours on that gorgeous train ride, we reached the bridge that connects Sweden to Denmark, and as we realized we were close, the excitement just grew bigger and bigger. Suddenly we were crossing the narrow channel that divides Sweden and Denmark, having amazing water views on both sides - something we wouldn't have had if we took a flight. That train ride definitely felt like the perfect choice.

Stepping out of the train and in to the city showed us straight away how beautiful Copenhagen really was. Despite the cold wintery weather and the grey boring sky, the architecture was beautiful and the city felt vibrant and exciting. We quickly made our way to our Airbnb to drop off our bags and then headed straight back to the streets to explore.

In a way, the city felt very similar to swedish cities, but somehow it felt very different at the same time. The atmosphere was more dynamic and the people walking around the city seemed more open and talkative than the swedes I had grown used to. Suddenly there were groups of happy people walking around, talking to each other and laughing; there were groups of friends sitting in coffee shops drinking hot chocolate while happily giggling about inside jokes. Amazingly enough, those were things that weren't so common in Stockholm during winter. People got together but somehow the city was very quiet and the atmosphere didn't feel nearly as vibrant as the one in Copenhagen. It felt so weird and fascinating to be able to go to a country which is so close to Sweden, and yet feel like a World apart in terms of culture. But the grey and freezing weather was a constant reminder that we were still in the North. Still, it didn't prevent us from fully exploring that gorgeous city.

Tivoli Gardens

We were unlucky to visit Copenhagen during a time when the famous Tivoli Gardens were not open, but if you are traveling to Denmark's beautiful capital make sure to check the opening times and seasons of the amusement park here. Many people are mistaken about it being open only during summer, so make sure to check if you can visit the park even if you are visiting during fall or winter, since they open for Hallowen and Christmas time as well.

If you are lucky enough to catch the Tivoli Gardens open for the season, make sure to visit even if you are not the adrenaline type who is looking forward to jump on a rollercoaster. The Tivoli Gardens are the second oldest theme park in the whole World and they have much more to offer than just pure fun and games. From lush gardens to an aquarium where you can admire 30 meters worth of tropical coral-reef, there is something for everyone in that renowned place. If you're hungry after all those impressions, you will be pleased to find out that you won't have to go out of the Tivoli Gardens in order to find a great place to sit down and enjoy a tasty meal, as there are more than 40 restaurants on-site where you can enjoy food from all over the World.

If you are a Christmas lover, you will be pleased to discover that the Christmas market and atmosphere at the Tivoli Gardens are some of the best in Europe, which in itself might justify a trip to wintery Copenhagen.

Nyhavn

This might very well be the most photographed place in the whole city, therefore being what most people associate with Copenhagen when they hear of it. "Nyhavn" is Danish for "New Harbour" and what today is such a famous place in the capital of Denmark, used to be a shady part of the city for most of its existence, being best known for alcohol and prostitution back then. Now, on the other hand, the famous colorful 17th and 18th century buildings surrounding the channel are full of cozy and cool coffeeshops and restaurants where you can take a break from all the sightseeing the city has to offer.

The ships docked at the famous channel make for beautiful pictures of your trip to Copenhagen but they are much more than meets the eye, contrary to what many tourists might believe. Some of the ships you are likely to see when visiting Nyhavn have lots of History and are actually considered museum-ships, being a part of the National Museum of Denmark, as you can read here.

The "Little Mermaid" Statue

The famous Danish writer Hans Christian Andersen is known for writing many great books but one is arguably the most famous of them all: "The Little Mermaid", which later inspired the world-famous Disney cartoon. The author, who actually used to live in one of the emblematic colorful buildings at Nyhavn, has had his work translated into more than 125 languages across the World and was quite an interesting character aside from his remarkable literary talents. It is believed that he suffered from many phobias, including a terror of mistakenly being considered dead and accidentally being buried alive, which apparently lead him to write a note every night stating "I only appear to be dead". That and many other fascinating, if slightly messed up, details about him sure match the typical quirky personality of talented artistic people. Plus, he was even considered a national treasure by the Danish Government before he died.

Understandably, the Little Mermaid statue in Copenhagen has become an absolute landmark for both visitors and locals. Even though you will probably find it to be way smaller than you imagined, you surely will find it interesting to walk along the Langelinie promenade and look for the famous statue sitting on a rock.

If you got a taste for more information about the fascinating life and personality of Hans Christian Andersen and if you have some time to spare on your trip to Denmark, you might be looking to honor the life of the World-famous danish writer with more than just a visit to the Little Mermaid statue. If that is the case, a train ride of little more than 1 hour will take you to the author's city of birth: Odense. In that cute danish city, you will be able to visit both his childhood home and a museum where you can learn more about his work.

Strøget

Walking along this famous pedestrian street is a must if you are visiting Copenhagen. At more than 1 km of length, it is among the longest shopping streets in the whole Europe. It is no surprise that the fanciest and most expensive shops are located there, but window-shopping doesn't cost anything so tourists are always found strolling down the popular street just to admire the architecture and to get a feeling of the place.

With its privileged location right at the center of the town, you won't even have to go out of your way to find this popular street. It is the easiest thing to include on your travel plans if you are anyway going to make your way to other important places in that area.

The Round Tower

This 17th century tower is a nice place to include on your Copenhagen list if you are interested in seeing the city from above. Having been built due to the great achievements of Danish scientists involved in Astronomy, it is nowadays used by both locals and visitors in order to get a privileged view of the capital.

For 40 Danish crowns, you can climb up to the top of the tower and get an uninterrupted view of Copenhagen's beautiful streets and buildings. Please note that there is no elevator available at the Round Tower.

While up there, you will be able to visit a hall which nowadays houses different exhibitions, but which used to be a library where Hans Christian Andersen used to go to find inspirations for his literary work. Apart from that, you can stand on glass as well, to see all the way down to the bottom - if you don't have a problem with heights.

If this landmark tower caught your attention, read more about it and buy your ticket here.

View from the top of the Round Tower in Copenhagen

Christiansborg Palace

On the island of Slotsholmen in the center of Copenhagen, travelers can find the building that is arguably the most important in the whole city. Christiansborg Palace is not only a Palace but a Government building as well, housing the Parliament, the Supreme Court and the Office of the Danish Prime Minister. Other sections of the Palace are used by the Royal Family of Denmark.

Apart from the Palace's beauty, which makes it well worthy of a visit, there is something really unique about the place: nowhere else in the whole World can you visit a building that houses all branches of government (executive, legislative and judicial power).

Seeing the Palace from the outside is on most people's sightseeing list when they visit Copenhagen, but if you want to go one step further and visit the beautiful rooms of Christiansborg's Palace, make sure to check your ticket options here - make sure to visit the Palace's interior if you are under 18 years old, as you will be able to do it for free.

Rosenborg Castle

This is another beautiful Castle that you shouldn't miss in Copenhagen. If you are wondering about what you can see inside, check the exhibitions and the several rooms open for visitors here. If you are willing to pay for visiting the inside of the Palace, make sure to check your ticket options here (free for visitors under 18 years old).

If, on the other hand, you would love to see the Palace interiors but you are looking to keep money in your wallet, do what so many tourists opt for: admire the Palace from the outside. The Palace Gardens are a beautiful green area very popular among locals and tourists alike and you are free to enjoy them for free, while you get a closer look at the beautiful Palace building.

Christiania

When we got to Copenhagen and made our way to the Airbnb we had booked, our host asked what we were planning on visiting and as we answered, she said "You should also go to Christiania, it's very popular and it's really nice there". I found it very strange that such a popular place wasn't in my carefully planned travel list, but I just assumed that I had somehow missed it. After that recommendation, we went out into the dark afternoon that had set in the wintery Danish capital, heading to Christiania.

When we finally got there and went through the "Christiania" gate, we had no idea the place we were about to experience. Suddenly we were surrounded by people who were clearly high, people chasing us trying to sell us drugs and people smoking questionable cigarettes around fires.

I'm not the one to get scared in shady places while travelling, but that place certainly took me by surprise and I couldn't get out of there fast enough, while trying not to make eye-contact with anyone. When exiting, I read "You are now entering the EU", and I thought "I never realized I left it but it feels good to be back".

That weird and slightly creepy experience is a funny memory nowadays. Anyone who knows me, knows that Christiania is not my kind of place - I don't even drink or smoke at all. But that is what travelling is all about: you go out of your comfort zone and learn tons about yourself and our beautiful World, while creating memories for life.