Copenhagen Trip Highlights

While I have allotted several posts to Copenhagen, I will provide an overview of the trip and my favorite photos here:

Day 1 and 2:

I took the train directly from the Copenhagen Airport to the lovely town of Lund in southern Sweden, where my darling friend Gizem is completing her Masters degree in Human Rights. Lund is a beautiful medieval town, built by Sweden to establish roots at a time when the region was predominantly Danish. The town is absolutely beautiful. The campus is in the heart of the town and it is surrounded by beautiful parks, full of old trees with vivid orange, red and yellow leaves.  Students from all over Europe come to Lund to pursue their studies and complete their degrees. Old cobblestone streets lead you around the town and a beautiful cathedral sits in the middle of the city. I spent my first day exploring Lund, playing in the leaves and meeting some of Gizem’s wonderful friends. The following day, I had the unique opportunity to go to Malmo, to explore the 3rd largest city in Sweden and experience Swedish nightlife. 

Halloween in Copenhagen

The bakeries were full of ghosts, eyeballs, witches and bloody hands. Tivoli, the amusement park in the middle of the city opens for two special weeks to celebrate Halloween. We bought an unlimited pass and spent most of Saturday night jumping from ride to ride, and celebrating Halloween with all of its charms and quirks. We even dared to enter a Haunted House! For this homesick American, it was a perfect escape…

Copenhagen: First Impressions

More colorful than Berlin, friendlier than Paris, cozier than London and hipper than Rome, this city seems to have elements of all of my favorite cities, with a magic entirely of its own.

It is hard not to feel at home in Copenhagen. With bright colors, friendly people, innovative design and a wholesome approach to living, this city has something for everyone. There are more bicycles than cars. The royal palace grounds are open to all. Beautiful institutions of culture line the waterfront. People are outgoing, helpful and articulate, all while speaking perfect English. Every type of food can be found on along the city’s cobblestone streets. Warm cafes lure you in with modern designs and the enticing scent of freshly ground coffee beans.

Fathers push strollers of smiley babies. The weather does not keep anyone off the streets. No table is complete without a candle. Home decor stores, cafes and bakeries seem to dominate the streets. Hot dogs are the street food of choice. Runners glide along the waterfront.

And! It was Autumn! Vibrant red, orange and yellow leaves cover the streets. Every restaurant and shop had pumpkins, gourds and Halloween decor. The city’s amusement park opens for two weeks simply to celebrate Halloween. Seeing as we are still blessed with sunshine and warm weather in Istanbul, this was a wonderful surprise, which provided me with the opportunity to experience a taste of all my favorite Autumn experiences from home…

I am still sorting through photos  and catching up on work, but stay tuned for more photos and stories!

Copenhagen, here I come!

Photo Credit

In just 5 days, I depart for Copenhagen. This city is full of buzz and color. It is constantly ranked at the top of any list that assesses urban quality of life. It is constantly gaining recognition for huge strides in eco-friendly living. It is famous for its design, bicycle-filled streets and the numerous Michelin starred restaurants. The city is full of museums, colorful cafes and the oldest amusement park in the world. It is also home to an autonomous counter-culture community housed in a former military  base. This city seems to charm each and every one of its visitors with its captivating and global art scene, innovative culinary accomplishments and colorful streets… Additionally, I have learned that Copenhagen is crazy about Halloween! Read more here. A flash light tour of the palace?! Yes, please.

I have also used this trip as an excuse to explore some new blogs and websites. My favorites?

VisitCopenhagen.com: A wonderful list of all the best foods, shops, restaurants, streets and attractions in Copenhagen! You can make a list of your favorites and compile your own guide. You can find a link to my guide here!

Stay.com: This website serves as an interactive trip planner and guide. You can read profiles about each of the city’s trademark tourist attractions and it will help you build a list of places to see, while also helping you to plan each day of your trip. I cannot wait to try it!

My Sweet Copenhagen: This website is full of wonderful photographs. The writer presents the mystique and charms of Copenhagen for the whole world to see. I will certainly write down some of the restaurant recommendations before I go!

Classic Copenhagen: This blog is written by locals determined to share their city, their world and their daily observations with their readers. There are numerous posts about Copenhagen’s eccentric, wonderful and surprising street art. Take a look!

Eat Copenhagen: This wonderful blog highlights the numerous culinary options in Copenhagen. This established foodie has photos, lists and ideas for every person and budget!