Copenhagen is without doubt one of my favourite places to visit in the world.
It's clean, funky, flat, easy to get around, family-friendly and has the BEST coffee
It wasn't somewhere I actually chose to go, but ended up there visiting my husband at work (don't ask) We first went in May a couple of years ago, and I'd say this is a good time to visit. The sun was out, the weather held and we were able to cycle around the city and see it in all its glory. We went back one December and I was naively unprepared for just how bitterly cold it would be. If you do visit in winter months, it's truly magical and - like most European cities - has great Christmas markets, but being Nordic, it is SO cold, so make sure you pack your thermals.
Our visits to Copenhagen were short and we made the most of them by hiring bikes both times. Our daughter was old enough to be out of the pram so we hired a Christiana bike with space for her to sit at the front. The bike lanes are incredible there and we felt totally safe, but they do get quite busy at peak times and there's a knack to turning left that includes a hand signal I'd advise you learn!
I've heard from other people - and noticed the prams left outside - that a lot of eateries don't have room for prams, so if you do have a little one, maybe take a lock for your pram and a carrier as back up.
We stayed at --- in ----. It's not cheap but it was lovely, and there's also plenty of air b&b's which is how most of my friends who've visited the city have got their accommodation sorted.
Tivoli gardens is a theme park right in the centre of the city. It oozes old school charm and has enough to keep you entertained all day. The gardens themselves are beautiful, there's rides and amusements for all ages, little stages with lots going on, gift shops and restaurants, but - like everything else in Copenhagen - they aren't cheap. The tickets for entry I personally thought were reasonable for what you get, and you can get them cheaper if you book online in advance.
There are parks everywhere in Copenhagen and heath and safety doesn't seem to be such a feature there as at home. As a result the planes and boats for the littles to clamber all over provide much fun and excitement. In the park we spent a lot of time in, there were also free trikes to grab and play, and a play house full of toys. We also picnicked a lot, and found the city to be generally clean and friendly - the Danish seem to really know how to do civic pride. If you are with kids, maybe avoid Freetown, the 'perfume' alone would probably put you off ;)
The Danish are very welcoming of children and you'll find places for buggies on public transport and plenty of attractions to visit, though in summer months, simply cycling around, hanging in the parks, taking a boat ride and visiting Tivoli will keep you going.
If you do want a little more, there's the iconic little mermaid statue to visit the Blue planet aquarium, Copenhagen Zoo, Children's museum, the nature playground and so much more to keep your kids entertained.
We visited Torvehallerne, a beautiful street food market in the city centre, great for grabbing a drink and a bite to eat and watching the world go by (while the little has a nap!)
And we took her on a Go Boat - a small boat you can hire to take a ride around the canals while enjoying your own picnic and a glass of vino. The littles would have to be old enough to sit nicely and wear a life jacket for these, but there are plenty of boat choices and it's a great way to get around and see the city from a different perspective.
It turns out I'm not the only Seatkickers member to have been to Copenhagen, so let's look at what YOU have to say about the place:
Julia, a software seller visited with her husband Alex and son Felix, here's her take on this beautiful city:
We went from Friday to Sunday. I was at a conference in Malmo and my husband and son, then 15 months old came out on Friday, picked up the keys to our AirBnB and then got on the train to Malmo to pick me up. That in itself is worth a trip as you simply take a train to Sweden and 15/20 minutes later you're there (not so exciting if one does it every day, but it was a thrill for us).
Malmo is pretty, too and has a really nice sea-front/beach with good shower/change facilities,
if Copenhagen is full or too expensive, staying in Malmo is a good alternative.
Anyway, back to Copenhagen. Our AirBnB had a gorgeous bakery at the corner and was just a short walk to the underground/tram, however on Saturday morning we walked into the city. It took us about 40 minutes. There are playgrounds around every corner and I thought it was ideal for travelling with kids because of the many green spaces, playgrounds and it seems to be friendly to pedestrians and cyclists alike. It's easy to get around on foot. We considered renting "Christiana bikes", but then decided to do the harbour trip instead and loved it. We used "Hey Captain". The boats are fairly small, they are great with kids (there was another family with two kids on board) and they offer drinks, too - it's a bit more personable. Pure coincidence: when we got back to the mooring we came past the royal family boating for the royal yacht.
We then walked to the city centre, had great smorgasbord, but again had to leave our buggy outdoors. This was one drawback, because we didn't find any eateries that would have allowed buggies apart from the ones in Tivoli Gardens. We proceeded with our walking tour through the botanic gardens, which has a beautiful greenhouse that houses butterflies in the summer season.
The botanic gardens are free otherwise. We walked back to our AirBnB, picked up food at the supermarket and stayed in for the evening, resting our feet.
The next morning we packed our bags, had breakfast at the bakery, went to the tram and made our way over to the main train station to store our luggage. From there we simply had to hop over the road and queue for Tivoli Gardens. We got our tickets online, to beat the queues. We found out that on this Sunday the city of Copenhagen invites any school children who play in a school band to come and play at the venue. This is absolutely fantastic, as you have live music everywhere in the park and there is so much to do.
Tivoli Gardens is just so versatile with amusement/entertainment for the very small to the grown ups.
The playground on the far side of the venue blew our mind and there are rides for any age group and food for all, from vegan to BBQ to sushi, to cotton candy.
Unfortunately the time went far too quick and we had to go home, but looking to go back next year at the end of May again. I will in all likelihood go to the same conference and we would be thrilled to go back. We'd love to spend more time soaking up the city, Tivoli Gardens, maybe the Zoo, the playgrounds and perhaps visit the Experimentarium, depending on the weather.
We found the city really attractive, gorgeous architecture, spacious, is it's easy to get around, has plenty of playgrounds, lots of good food as long as you leave the buggy at home or take a lock, lots of green spaces and parks, an ace amusement park right in the city centre. We would recommend a canal/harbour tour and an open sandwich feast and can't praise Tivoli Gardens high enough.
Emma Netherwood is co-founder of Hello Cain and Ivy - Creators of bespoke handcrafted keepsakes and magical letters for children, here she tells us her experience of Copenhagen:
After a whirlwind 24 hours of networking and research, we headed for Tivoli Gardens. Myself and my four-year-old daughter, were visiting Copenhagen, with a friend and her two children, aged six and eight. Dressed for Christmas, the gardens were a dream of sparkling lights, snow and mulled wine. The place itself is eerily enchanting; that old-style fairground, reminiscent of Pinocchio, and it's hard not to imagine that somewhere within the depths there are little boys being turned into donkeys! The air was filled with Christmas classics and the rides are all magical and tempting, after swapping euros for tokens, the children had a blast! There are several little shops filled with everything you could need for that wonderfully hygge inspired lifestyle; thick, handmade blankets, beautiful scented candles, books, chocolates and so many little trinkets. Our time spent in the gardens created memories we still treasure now and it is most definitely on our list of places we would like to return to.
SO, make sure Copenhagen is on your list of paces to visit, it's a great city with a flight time of under two hours from the UK, and of course, let us know what you think when you get back!
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