Copenhagen, Denmark

Copenhagen is a beautiful, quaint, and extremely clean city. I am impressed with its well organized infrastructures and the friendliness of local Danes. In search of the perfect local meal, a local Dane saw our confused faces and offered to give a helping hand. I asked her if she had any favorite local restaurants. She said because eating out is too expensive, most Danes eat at home. She, therefore, was unable to suggest any restaurants. She did suggest trying the smörgåsbord, a Scandinavian open faced sandwich with capers, red onions, and pickled herring. By walking around purposefully aimlessly, we finally found a cute and rather inexpensive Danish restaurant. I had the open face herring sandwich and it was delightful!

Our local friend was right, everything was expensive in the city because of the 25% value added tax. Living costs are high and income taxes, as I learned from another local friend, varied between 40-60% of your income (this particular friend failed to accurately calculate her tax and was therefore charged the maximum 60%). The benefit, of course, was that everyone receives universal health care and an excellent education!

We stayed at the stylish Adina Hotel Apartments which was within 15 minute walking distance to the city center. It is about a 5 minute walk from the train stop (which links directly to the airport). Alternatively, bus #26 passed right by the hotel which can take you just about anywhere within the city for about $4 USD. We saved literally $100 in public transportation costs by purchasing a 1 day unlimited travel pass for about $30.

We visited and recommend visiting: The Little Mermaid; Kastellet Fortress (adjacent to Copenhagen harbor, near the Little Mermaid); Tivoli Gardens (pleasure gardens which was actually too expensive to go in); National Museum of Denmark (The only thing that is free and worth it in Denmark!); city center (with wide pedestrian only streets...its fun to people watch and window shop); City Town Hall (where public weddings take place and where you can climb up the clock towers--tours given once a day at noon); Rosenborg Castle (beautiful crown jewels); Kronborg Castle (site of Shakespeare's Elsinore Castle in Hamlet); Helsingor (the cute town just north of Copenhagen in which Kronborg is situated).