Denmark Dream
Copenhagen
Rick Steves says, two days in Copenhagen is enough to see the city and get the flavor of things. I wholeheartedly and respectfully disagree. We satyed for 8 days and by then we were just beginning to scratch the surface.
Denmark
Denmark is the mythical land of Vikings, and Hans Christian Anderson. Though after spending time in Copenhagen, we found out it was that and so much more. It is also the land of Rosenborg Castle, Tivoli Gardens, beautiful green spaces, the oldest continuing monarchy in the world, the Little Mermaid, Legos, New Nordic Cuisine, great hot dogs, fresh seafood, delicious pastries, frikadeller, awesome friends, HYGGE, and my favorite, Smørrebrød.
However, before we get to Smørrebrød, there is HYGGE.
So, what is HYGGE?
Pronounced "hoo-gah," This Danish expression is an attitude towards life that emphasizes finding joy in everyday events. Danes see “HYGGE” as a way of life, it’s that reposeful yet valuable time together with family and friends. The connection to others is especially important and they make it a priority.
This was very evident as we spent our days exploring Copenhagen and meeting their friendly citizens.
With that being said, there is a dark irreverence to the Danish sense of humor, and we experienced it firsthand. The jokes and stories that were shared around the dinner table were epically hilarious and suited us perfectly.
So, let’s get to the food. What the heck is Smørrebrød?
Pronounced: “Schmurr-broad”
What was initially a humble Danish farmers’ lunch, Smørrebrød is now Denmark’s traditional dish and a vehicle for serious culinary artistry. This open-face, knife and fork sandwich typically consists of a slice of good bread, (rye, white or whole grain) butter then, topped with (and not limited to), curried chicken salad, shrimp, meatballs, fried fish, fish cake, salmon, herring, roasted meats, or vegetables, finished with a dollop of a delicious sauce and herbs.
It was love at first bite,
About every restaurant in Copenhagen serves a variation of Denmark’s beloved sandwich throughout the day. I admit, we ate a lot of fantastic Smørrebrød while we were in Copenhagen and Hallernes was our favorite spot to try something new.
Below is Hallernes in the Magasin du Nord department store in Copenhagen
Hallernes has taken the humble Smørrebrød and have made it into a true piece of delicious edible art.
Smørrebrød
Copenhagen Highlights
What we found, there was so much more to Copenhagen than fighting the hordes of tourists trying to get a photograph with the little mermaid.
Nyhaven
The brightly painted townhouses of Nyhavn are a reminder of the colorful, yet seedy history of this one time bustling seaport. King Christian V built Nyhavn Canal between 1670-1673 using Swedish prisoners of war as laborers.
The Canal was a busy port for at least three centuries and was a dangerous place to be unless you were a sailor or prostitute. It also became a popular hangout for artists, writers and colorful hard partying characters that you could find regularly at Nyhaven. One of those characters was none other than writer, Hans Christian Anderson.
Nyhavn is now a tourist destination, it is the place to take a photograph, find a good restaurant, purchase souvenirs, have a drink or do a canal tour.
Rosenborg Castle
Rosenborg castle is a 400-year-old Renaissance summerhouse for the King and Queen that was built by Christian IV.
The castle opened to the public in 1838, it is a beautifully kept, yet intimate residence that is not overwhelming and can be toured in about an hour.
There is a stunning collection of royal art, including portraits of the royal family through the ages, tapestries, statues, and a few oddities.
One of which was The Trouser Watering Chair that was from the time of Frederik III. It was an ingenious device that would grab hold of a guest using hidden bindings in the armrests. A bound person would then be subjected to running water, which came from the backrest through a pipe in the seat. When the victim was released and could stand up again, a toot sounded from a trumpet hidden in the seat: Yep, you guessed it, it was the first whoopie cushion!
Then of course there are the crown jewels, a must see!
Torvehallerne Market
Frederiksborggade 21
1360 København K
Denmark
Torvehallerne is an fantastic open market that focuses on quality, diverse products, and freshness, it is a foodies paradise. On our first visit it was obvious there was high respect for ingredients, food cultures and seasonality. You virtually can get anything your heart desires there.
Coffee, tea, herbs, spices, beer, wine, aged steaks, designer chickens from France, tacos, Danish specialties, fresh seafood, seafood salads, pastries, artisan breads, Smørrebrød, fresh vegetables, fresh fruit, Japanese knives, hand made pasta, chocolate, sausages, and the list goes on and on. It was a great place to visit, get some provisions and head to a nearby park and have a picnic.
It is a must visit when in Copenhagen.
In closing:
There is much, much more I could write about our amazing trip to Copenhagen but time is of the essence as I gotta get this thing done and I’ve barely scratched the surface. Though I will say this, the esteemed Rick Steves (among others) says, two days in Copenhagen is enough to see the city and get the flavor of things. I wholeheartedly and respectfully disagree. What we found is, there was so much more to Copenhagen than fighting the hordes of tourists trying to get a photograph with the little mermaid. We were there for 10 days and we were just beginning to get to the essence of what is Copenhagen. It is an amazing city that is culturally diverse and proudly Danish at the same time. If you decide to one day go to Denmark, please whatever you do, take your walking shoes and go hungry!
HUGE Thanks to: Our lovely Danish friends that made this trip one we will never forget.
