2 Days in Copenhagen

My top tip for seeing the world on a budget is letting the flight deals determine your destination. Another tip: flights leaving the U.S. are often cheaper on Thanksgiving or Black Friday. This is how my boyfriend and I found ourselves with round-trip tickets to Dublin for less than $400 each. The catch? Two full-day stopovers in Copenhagen! Stopovers require a little extra energy and planning, but the payoff is two trips for the price of one.

I’m a fan of airlines with a stopover program. This was our first time flying with Scandinavian Airlines, and I would definitely book them again. Overnight flights are never easy but the service, comfort, and overall experience were great.

Getting Into The City

Copenhagen is an ideal layover city because of its convenient metro system, which takes you directly from the airport to the city center in about 30 minutes. After clearing border control, follow signs for the metro. Once you reach the red ticketing machines, set the language to English, and buy a 3-zone ticket to the city center. Hop on the M2 line, which operates 24/7. Here’s a step-by-step video.

Popular stops:

• Kongens Nytorv: Perfect for Nyhavn, shopping streets, and central attractions. We stayed in Vesterbro and transferred here onto the M1 line.
• Nørreport: Best for the Latin Quarter and Torvehallerne food market.

Day 1: Christmas Markets, Smørrebrød, and Capsule Naps

Morning:

We landed in Copenhagen on a bright and BRISK November morning. Our first stop was the Højbro Plads Christmas Market, which was just waking up for the day. Rows of festive huts sold woolly mittens, ornaments, and candle holders, while the air was filled with the aroma of mulled wine and sugary treats.

Next, we stopped into Buka Bakery, to enjoy the world’s most aesthetic pistachio croissant. Buttery, flaky, and filled with smooth pistachio cream, it tasted as good as it looked—a perfect Scandinavian treat.

Afternoon:

From there, we popped into several adorable shops where I exercised incredible buyer’s restraint:

Lunch brought us to Torvehallerne Market, a spot we loved on a previous trip. We decided to re-visit Hallernes Smørrebrød for Danish open-faced sandwiches. Smørrebrød was brand new to us when we visited a couple years ago and a case of these Danish sandwiches is still such a pleasing and pretty sight. The fish cake and liver pâté options were delicious and made for a cold, sunny picnic outside.

We took in some more cold sunshine along Peblinge Lake. Here’s the god, Neptune, covered in tiny bronze babies who symbolize 16 different stages of the Nile flood, and a sphinx wearing reindeer antlers.

Late Afternoon, Evening:

With jet lag hitting hard, we checked into Cityhub, a capsule hotel that looks like a retro-futuristic dream. Each room is a cozy little space pod, complete with adjustable rainbow lighting. This was my first time staying in a capsule hotel and I loved it – the room was cozy, clean, and surprisingly more roomy than expected. 10 out of 10 would (and did) stay here again!

For dinner, we embraced Copenhagen’s elite 7-Eleven culture. I was blown away by 7-Elevens in Thailand, and the ones in Denmark are also leagues above their U.S. counterparts. They have healthy options like ginger shots, chia pudding, porridge, and salads; alongside top-of-the-line fast food like chicken skewers and pizza. We threw together a weirdly nice meal of salmon onigiri, hot dogs (the bun is like a pocket!), and a frøsnapper – a twisty pastry with marzipan topped with poppy and sesame seeds. Denmark is an expensive country so, if you’re on a budget, 7-Eleven is a solid food option!

We ended the day in the hotel’s sauna — a major perk. It felt so good to let our bones thaw out and turn to jelly after our overnight flight and full day of chilly sightseeing.

Day 2: Tivoli Magic and Porridge Dreams

Afternoon, Evening:

On our return layover, we finally visited Tivoli Gardens. I missed out on Tivoli my first time in Copenhagen because that trip was already jam-packed and I’m kind of a cheapskate. I’m so glad we decided to go this time. It’s the only amusement park I’d describe as romantic (Tivoli is the inspiration for Disneyland).

At Christmas, the park is like stepping into an enchanted European snow globe. Staying warm with gløgg and glühwein while wandering by the glowing willow trees and Santa-capped windmill is nothing short of magical. Tivoli opened its gates in 1843, making it the third-oldest amusement park in the world. I would love to see the gardens in the spring and ride the rides in warmer weather one day!

Then it was back to Cityhub (affiliate link). I really enjoyed the capsule experience — I couldn’t stop playing with the lights! It also feels amazing to end a long, cold day in a hot sauna.

Morning:

Before heading back to the airport, we grabbed cardamom buns to go at Hart Bageri (heavenly, even after getting tragically squished in my backpack during our flight home), and sat down for breakfast at Grød, a restaurant that basically just serves porridge. We ordered two bowls of risalamande, a Danish rice pudding that, in this case, was topped with brown sugar and a generous slab of butter. It was warm, comforting, and the perfect send-off for our whirlwind stay.

We took a detour to the metro in order to look for the Wehrmacht graffiti. Today, the building is a school, but it was once a potato storehouse during World War II, guarded by Nazis. The soldiers were definitely bored guarding potatoes in a largely peaceful country. A weird and interesting end to our trip, but that’s how we roll I guess.

Copenhagen packed a serious punch in just 48 hours. If you ever see a Scandinavian Airlines flight with a stopover in this cool city, don’t hesitate to book it. With Christmas markets, Tivoli, history, and impeccable design EVERYWHERE, you can’t go wrong with Copenhagen… even if your visit is short!

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