24 Hour Layover in Copenhagen, Denmark
Intro
Early in 2024, I took my mom to Europe for her first time. It was incredible to watch her experience new countries, people, and food for the first time. It was especially hilarious to witness her attempting to pick up phrases of languages that she’s never attempted before. Needless to say, the 10+ days of bonding time were well worth it.
To get across the pond, we flew SAS, a popular Scandinavian airline with plenty of affordable routes direct from the U.S. to the Nordics. SAS, like TAP Air Portugal, does a good job at enticing you to extend your trip while traveling through it’s Nordic hub cities. You can do the same with layovers in Oslo and Helsinki too. These quick turnarounds present the perfect opportunity to build an extra bit of fun and exploring into your trip.
Getting to Copenhagen was the easy part. Deciding how to spend just 24 hours in one of Europe’s most bustling cities was a daunting task. Luckily, food is the guiding light to all good itineraries, and Copenhagen is in no shortage of great food. In fact, it’s home to the the beginnings of the globe’s modern dining movement. Restaurants like Noma have almost literally wrote the blueprint for how we dine out these days. Sadly, Noma has closed it’s doors, and it’s chefs have gone on to work on other projects, but it’s definitely left its mark on the city. From morning pastry shops to daytime Smørrebrød to high-end tasting menus in the evening, the Danish capital has it all.
Arrival
Our flight arrived from Vienna to Copenhagen around 5pm. The airport is pretty close to the city center, so checking into the hotel (Hotel Sanders, which was incredible) and getting ready to take on the night was an easy task.
Pre-Dinner
Since Hotel Sanders is nice enough to offer a complimentary drink in their lobby, it would be foolish not to make this the first stop. A posh, modern library-esque lobby space makes the aperitivo even more refreshing.
Stop 2, a short stroll over to Ruby for some pre-dinner cocktails and light bites. The main seating area is dotted with comfy lounge furniture which made it easy for us to make ourselves at home after a long day of traveling. I opted for the Saint Negroni which gave me the boozy punch with a coffee kick I needed to keep me going throughout the night. Their seasonal menu changes with the weather so you’re sure to find something that suits your mood anytime of the year.
Next up, a quick Uber ride to Bar 1656. Don’t let the industrial looking outside fool you. The vibe and the drinks here match that of any of your favorite classic bars at home, but with a tiki twist. Just like the negroni before it, I made a boozy choice. The Icelandic tender working the bar couldn’t have been more hospitable. I finished with a shot of bartenders choice (because why not?) before taking the short walk to dinner. Nothing like sitting down for an exciting meal with a few drinks flowing through your system. Time to dig in.
Dinner
We booked a 9pm dinner reservation at Kodbyens Fiskebar in the city’s meatpacking district. Think lively seafood raw bar serving up small plate dishes straight out of the sea. We feasted on the freshest razor clams, brill, pink shrimp, and salmon; all raw and dressed with fresh ingredients of the season. We finished the meal with fish and chips and their north sea squid, which put an exclamation point on our night out. Pair all of that with a few cocktails or glasses of wine and you can’t go wrong.
Morning Pastry Stroll
We don’t have a lot of time before we have to leave for the airport to catch our 12pm flight back home, so a 7am wakeup to explore the city on foot with the morning commuters is the move. Luckily, the hotel is right next to Copenhagen’s most photographed spot, Nyhavn. So that box was easy to check. It may be beautiful, but to me its really just a photo spot. No need to spend much time.
Next, a walk over the Inderhavnsbroen pedestrian bridge and through the quaint neighborhoods lined with canals that reminded me of Amsterdam. I headed through the lively Christianshavn neighborhood on my mission to supposedly one of the best breakfast cafes in town, Andersen Bakery. The Danish culture meets Japanese execution bakery put out quite possibly the best morning pastry I’ve ever had. I can’t tell you what it was, but the poppy seed crusted croissant-like dough was able to stand on its own due to the hardened sweetened parmesean-ish cheese layer in the middle. I paired that with a coffee and another pastry of choice for a more than satisfying taste of heaven.
After a final stroll back to the hotel, it was time to pack up and go. Yes, I missed a whole hell of a lot of attractions, but honestly, in 24 hours or less, I felt like a fast-tracked foodie tour was the perfect itinerary. Next time I’ll learn about history and all that other academic stuff.
