Copenhagen: A city of supreme Scandinavian Charm
- Cameron Woodhead
- Oct 9, 2025
- 6 min read
Dav five.
Inevitably, the final day arrived and whilst it was tinged with the thought of returning home, we were in good spirits to make the most of it. Despite the promise of lots of excellent food and beer, one area we had yet to explore was the old Meatpacking District. Old warehouses and factories had been kitted out with restaurants serving ‘feel-good’ food and onsite breweries.
Given that it was still early in the morning, many of these places were yet to open, although the main square was hosting some food workshops and presentations, but we couldn’t join in given that our Danish was well below par. We simply soaked up the atmosphere and sipped on our batch brew from Orsa, its sweet summer berry and nutty taste ideal for shaking off any lingering tiredness, as well as a gorgeously chewy pistachio cookie.
We discovered a clothes store with yet more things we could never afford (although some stunning items too) and then started in the direction of Enghave Plads, deeper into the district of Vesterbro. Once there, we purchased a couple of freshly made sandwiches from Bagerit Brød and perched ourselves on a bench in the middle of the square to relax and devour the delicious lunch.
Sitting in the midst of the busy suburban square, we contemplated yet again what life would be like here. Given how short the summers are in this part of Europe, people are afforded a lot of time off in August to make the most of it and this is reflected in their attitude to life. Everyone looked happy and carefree, knowing that the state and their employers were taking care of them. In the UK, we seem to view time off as a weakness or unproductive, not contributing to the economy. Yet it was plain to see that there was no lack of order or productivity, everything worked, the country is prosperous and has one of the highest GDP per capita in the world, so it goes to show that ruthlessly pursuing capitalism and billionaire investment is not necessarily the best way to go, Keir, sometimes if you put people above all else, then the rest will take care of itself.
Who knew a salmon rye bread sandwich could provoke so many thoughts? Once that was sadly over, the next destination was Værnedamsvej which involved skirting round the edges of the staunchly independent area of Frederiksberg. When Copenhagen was expanded, this leafy upmarket suburb resisted the pull of the city to retain its own identity, yet it seamlessly blends into the rest of the city that one wouldn’t be able to tell where one ends and the other starts.
We stopped just short of Værnedamsvej when we found our path blocked by the Copenhagen pride parade. It wasn’t the only time in 2025 we would accidentally arrive in a city during a pride event, but it was heartwarming to see people expressing themselves freely and having a whale of a time. As a break appeared in the procession, we jumped through and finally made it to the street.
It was a short side street, tucked away off the main thoroughfare, yet it was full to the brim with independent stores and Scandinavian brands. We idly sifted through several wonderful clothing stores to gain more wardrobe inspiration, as well as a delightful homewares store called Dora that contained an adorable selection of trinkets and useful little gadgets for use around the house. Even though I could have happily spent a pretty penny in there on satisfying products, common sense prevailed, and I realised that it would ultimately be unnecessary, no matter how tempting the items looked.
Curiosity fully satisfied, Tommy and I headed to the latest stop on what was fast becoming a kind of ‘coffee crawl’ of Copenhagen. This time it was the homely vibes of Rist that drew us in, with yet more fruity batch brew to enjoy. We could see the pride parade in all its vibrant glory from our window seats but inside was calm and relaxed in complete contrast. The wooden industrial style interior was a little different to other coffee shops we had visited, making for a more rustic and comforting interior. The coffee itself was, of course, delicious, giving strong dark fruit flavours and a darker profile than previous batch brews.
Feeling somewhat recuperated, we then followed the pride route down Vesterbrogade to its destination of Rådhuspladsen. The entire length of it was an enormous party, something that neither of us are especially acclimatised to, however, the unconfined joy and celebration of diversity was a wonderful spectacle and the whole city was alive and bubbling.
Given the amount of people in the square, public bathrooms were suffering from lengthy waits, so we decided to head to an area slightly further away but not before we were accosted by a friend of ours from Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, who now lives and works in Copenhagen (not jealous or bitter at all…). We were very impressed with Archie’s ability to use the native tongue and how he had managed to build a life here, which was reaffirming to see that even in a post-Brexit world, it is possible to have closer ties with the continent.
We bade him farewell and finally found a bathroom, just as we headed to our third coffee stop of the day. Initially, we had wanted to visit April Showroom, however, it was due to close and seemed a slightly more ‘formal’ approach than we were looking for. Next door was their sister store, SP Coffee, that had a more typical coffee shop feel, but was exclusively dedicated to one farmer, one roaster and one coffee.
SP marked a return to the Scandinavian design that we had become accustomed to and we were the only customers at this point, providing much needed respite from the carnival atmosphere we had just been through. The batch brew (what else?) we ordered was fruity and zesty, with lighter berry notes and an acidity that cut through the juicy texture. To accompany this, we had a buttery pastry that was filled with vanilla crème pâtissière and it was simply divine.
This, sadly, was to be the final coffee we had in Copenhagen, but it was a spectacular way to end. It would be hard to pick a favourite with them all being such high quality, although if I was pushed, I would have to say the day four pour over from Saftig was a highlight, particularly when coupled with the walk down Jægersborggade.
There was still one act to go though, in the form of our evening meal. Next to the famous Tivoli Gardens is Tivoli Food Hall, offering up street food from all over the world, as well as some local smørrebrød. After being our usual indecisive selves, Gorm’s Pizza eventually drew us in for the final Copenhagen meal.
Alcohol had been few and far between on this trip, but I ordered a local pilsner to go alongside my pizza that was perfectly crisp and refreshing. The pizza was a ‘Denny Special’, with mozzarella, goat’s cheese, potato, rosemary and truffle oil. It had a crispy, tangy sourdough base, and the potatoes were thin as paper, matching up with the rosemary superbly. Both cheeses were certainly not scrimped on, and the truffle oil added a touch of luxury that finished off the whole dish excellently.
As the evening disappeared, it was time to head back to the apartment for the final time in preparation for an early flight the following morning, and just like that, our stay in Copenhagen was over.
It had been expensive and tiring in places, but absolutely worth it. Going into the trip, we both had high expectations, based on research and comments from other people who had visited. I think it is safe to say those expectations were met and exceeded. This city had well and truly left its mark on us, providing a glimpse into how a society should run, inspiring us at every turn and being an all-round special trip.
The food had been spectacular, the coffee life-changing, the buildings and streetscape pretty and charming, the people welcoming and infectiously happy. I, for one, am certain we will return. How could we not, knowing that Copenhagen offers everything we desire in life and that it holds the perfect Scandinavian charm.
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