Arrival and First Impressions

With eager anticipation for our first stay in Scandinavia, we landed punctually in Copenhagen.

The flight had been pleasant, and since we had opted for carry-on only, we were spared the usual wait for suitcases at the baggage carousel.

We quickly found the train that was supposed to take us into the city center. However, the line was closed at that time, so we took the metro instead.

Less than 30 minutes later, we arrived at our hotel. As the room was not yet ready, we left our luggage in a room designated for this purpose and set out to explore the city.

The weather wasn’t particularly good—dense clouds filled the sky—but at least it wasn’t raining.

Passing the train station and Tivoli, which was unfortunately closed in winter, we reached the City Hall Square, the beating heart of the city.

This square impresses with its enormous size. The imposing city hall, in particular, immediately caught our attention.

On the square were several of the hotdog stands so famous in Copenhagen. Of course, we had to try one of the famous red sausages. It tasted excellent.

Our tour continued into Strøget, one of the longest and busiest shopping streets in Europe.

There and in its side streets, you can find everything your heart desires. However, prices in Copenhagen are clearly above the European average.

Along the way, we relaxed in a cozy café with hot coffee and delicious pastries. Again, the prices were quite high.

We kept walking along Strøget. Then came the big surprise—the first Christmas market of the year! It was very charming, with small, cozy stalls where you could buy local delicacies as well as gifts, handicrafts, and Christmas decorations.

There was even a sleigh you could sit in and take photos.

From the Christmas market, we reached the Round Tower via Gammel Strand, a historic waterfront promenade and another shopping street, but we decided to postpone our visit until another day, hopefully with sunshine.

We continued on to Torvehallerne, which impressed us so much with its culinary offerings that we decided to eat there another day.

For now, we just wanted to head back to the hotel to finally check into our room.

We were very impressed with the hotel. The staff at the reception were always friendly and helpful. In the lobby, there was a lounge area with a coffee machine where you could help yourself at any time—an absolute hit for coffee junkies like us.

Our room was very spacious, with one double bed and two fold-out single beds. My son and I shared the double bed, and my sister slept in the single bed.

After settling in and freshening up, we walked to the Tivoli Food Hall to have dinner.

One restaurant lined up next to another in the cozy hall, with a huge selection ranging from Asian dishes to burgers and traditional meat and local specialties.

We chose burgers with fries, which tasted really good.

After dinner, we wanted to stretch our legs a bit and strolled through brightly lit, nighttime Copenhagen—first past the City Hall Square, which looked even more impressive by night than during the day.

Then we continued through Strøget, stopping in one or two souvenir shops until we finally reached the river, which shimmered romantically in the glow of many lights.

At a supermarket, we picked up hot cappuccinos and sweet desserts, then made our way back to the hotel, where we soon fell into a deep and restful sleep.