We experienced Nordic romance in 2013. We chose to get hitched on a Danish island called Aeroskobing. By that year too, Denmark had taken the top spot on the United Nation’s World Happiness Report.

Definitely, we are convinced.

Freedom to make life choices is surely one of the reasons why this country is among the happiest. We are equally glad that the Danes share this value with foreign couples like us.

But before we headed to the Danish island, we went and stayed in Copenhagen first.

Walk around the city

In Copenhagen, you will actually find a lot of different ways to experience the city.  There are themed tours to match your specific area of interest like food, culture or adventure.  You can also do sightseeing by bike, boat, bus, Segway, kayak, or just simply on foot.

We first chose the most classic thing to do to explore a city like Copenhagen – walking around leisurely.

Since he’s been in Copenhagen before, hubby was my personal tour guide. Nothing much was planned, but rather we did a more spontaneous tour, randomly taking streets that piqued our interests.

Free walking tours are actually available. You can take the classic tour that starts at the city hall. It leads you to major attractions like Stroget, Tivoli (from the outside), Nyhavn, and Amalieborg Palace.

There’s also a Christianshavn tour. It takes you on a journey around the Christianhavn area. The highlight is visiting the Freetown Christiania.

There are also several themed walking tours. A guide tells you bits and pieces of every place you visit.

Take a boat tour

I always find it enjoyable taking boat tours. Especially here in Europe, some of its cities have beautiful canals and rivers.

So far, the most interesting places I’ve seen are in Amsterdam and Venice. I’ve also enjoyed the Duoro River in Porto and Brugge and Ghent in Belgium.

Then at Copenhagen, of course, you find yourself in an old harbor and maritime city. It is more pleasant to experience it by cruising around its waters.

Hang out at Nyhavn

Nyhavn, more popularly “pronounced” in English as New Haven, is a picturesque 17th-century harbor. It served as a gateway from the sea to the old inner city at Kongens Nytorv (King’s Square). At this place, ships would lodge cargo and the fisherman’s catch.

At its early heyday, Nyhavn was a go-to place for sailors coming to Copenhagen. They would drink beer or meet some “ladies.”  Hans Christian Andersen also happened to live here.

Old sailing ships adorn the water canals. The colorful facade of old houses enhances Nyhavn’s charm. It is now among the most favorite hangouts for both tourists and locals alike!

As we expected, there were lots of people in Nyhavn.  We stayed rather briefly. Yet, I find this side of Copenhagen pretty pleasant. A Danish beer at hand quenched our thirsts after a full day of exploring the Danish city. It’s a good reward!

Did you know that Nyhavn is where H.C. Andersen lived and died?

In 1835 he wrote his first fairy tale in House number 20. In between, he lived in the number 67 for nineteen years. He ended his life in House number 18.

Try Danish dishes

Gastronomical food joints in Denmark are very known for serving fresh, high-quality meals using local ingredients. Copenhagen hosts a few of the best restaurants in the world. These restaurants revolutionized Nordic cuisine. This led to a rebirth of classic Danish dishes.

I attempted to try pickled herring smørrebrød (open-faced sandwich). But, since I’m not a big fan of anything raw and pickled, I didn’t quite like it. I was pleased with these special curry dishes and Danish beers, Calrsberg and Tuborg.

And oh, these Danish butter cookies too, it did bring back good childhood memories. These were my favorite delights that my dad brought home once when I was a kid.

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