【Denmark】【Copenhagen】Unmissable Poetry and Faraway Places

Copenhagen is the capital of the Kingdom of Denmark and the largest city in Scandinavia. In the three years since I started studying in Germany, every trip I took was southward. Having lived inland for so long, I always yearned for the beaches, islands, and warm sun of Southern Europe. I was about to leave Germany and had never even been north of Hamburg, so I decided to go all the way north for the 2020 New Year and see the Little Mermaid I had read about as a child.

🔆 Transportation: The city area of Denmark is very large, but the attractions are relatively concentrated in the city center. However, there are also some very distinctive museums and baths located in the farther suburbs. If your itinerary is packed, it is recommended to buy a day pass, valid for 24 hours.

🔆 Accommodation: Accommodation in Denmark is very expensive, especially during holidays like New Year. Not to mention hotels, even a hostel bed costs around 60 euros on New Year's Eve, which is about the price of a cheap hotel night elsewhere in Europe. It is recommended to book at least 2 months in advance. An average hotel costs around 1000 RMB per night, and last-minute bookings are even more expensive. Plan ahead.

🔆 Currency: Danish krone, the exchange rate is similar to RMB. You can check the real-time rate on Alipay. It is recommended to use a credit card for convenience. For example, the metro ticket machines only accept European bank cards and credit cards; having only a UnionPay card is not very convenient.

🔆 Time: January 1st

🔆 Language: Danish, with a high prevalence of English.

🔆 The itinerary is as follows:

The Little Mermaid is a symbol of Copenhagen and even Denmark. As children, we read about her in fairy tales. Since we came to Denmark, we had to go see the beautiful story from our childhood memories. After getting off the metro, you cross a quiet little park and arrive at the seaside. The direction with the most people is where the Little Mermaid is. But the Little Mermaid is really small, and it's a popular attraction, so there are many people. You can schedule your visit a bit earlier or later to avoid the crowds.

A photo with the Little Mermaid is a must, hehe. Carrying my sunflower on my back.

Then we walked along to visit Kastellet.

The fortress is located next to Langelinie Park. The ramparts and moat retain almost a 16th-century appearance. It was built to defend against Swedish invasion. Visitors can walk on the fortress and see the bastions from different angles. There are many sculptures along the way. Due to the terrain, the winter wind is particularly strong, so you must dress warmly. The cold of the mysterious Arctic Circle should not be underestimated = =

Me shivering

Sitting halfway up one corner of the pentagram, looking at the scenery (posing). Haha. There are two routes, one upper and one lower; you can walk both.

Even shivering from cold, still need to look handsome = =

Walking inside the pentagram, there are low, square buildings. Apart from the bright red color, they look exactly like a military base, very similar to the architectural style of my undergraduate alma mater, Northwestern Polytechnical University (NWPU). I never expected to recall my alma mater while celebrating New Year in Denmark in 2020. However, this military base is a bit more romantic than NWPU—red walls, white doors and windows, giving a warm and festive New Year atmosphere.

Of course, it's also great for taking photos, haha.

There are many small paths inside, and I saw my favorite mailbox and windmill.

I never expected even a military defense base to be designed so cutely. When I see the windmill, I only think of an amusement park, not scenes of guards standing at attention.

Before evening, we walked to Nyhavn Canal.

I highly recommend Nyhavn Canal—colorful houses, rows of restaurants and pubs, various wooden boats with masts—it's the most charming place in Copenhagen.

Walking onto the boats moored in the canal, no matter how you take photos, they all look like postcards.

Copenhagen under the sunset glow has a bit of a Venice feel, but also different: Venice is more light and fresh, while Nyhavn's buildings have higher color saturation, making it feel warmer and cuter, more like New Year. Maybe because it was almost New Year, my heart was full of New Year spirit, hahaha.

Where there is a bridge, there are locks, haha—this is the same everywhere in the world. Can't avoid the cliché.

Ate Chinese food and went back to sleep.

The cost of living in Denmark is really high. At any Danish restaurant, the average cost per person is about 300 RMB.

We ordered a few Danish dishes, and the taste was quite good, far surpassing German cuisine except for pork knuckle by ten thousand streets.

The pork was quite fragrant, but the top skin was very hard. I don't know how they manage to cook the meat perfectly while the skin is so hard, haha. The pickled cucumber on the side was surprisingly delicious.

The burger was spectacular. Seeing how big it was, I knew I couldn't finish it. The pickled cucumber was amazingly delicious again! Totally different from what I usually eat, sweet and sour.

Fish fillet and shrimp, very fresh—worthy of a port city.

The ice cream was delicious and beautifully made.

Three dishes, three drinks, and one dessert cost about 800 RMB. That's why many travelers to Denmark bring their own food. Even instant noodles in convenience stores are at least 10 times the price in China. For the first time, I felt that Cup Noodles were really expensive, hahaha. So those friends who bring their own food were not exaggerating; I underestimated the cost of living in Denmark. The prices are very Swiss. Just a few times that of Germany. Swiping my card hurt my heart.

After eating, we went to King's New Square to watch the changing of the guard.

The square is large, symmetrical and spectacular. Each gate is guarded by soldiers dressed like Nutcrackers. The soldiers are all young and handsome, but not very cooperative with photos. Every time I walked to the best spot in front of them, they would leave—maybe due to regulations, or maybe they didn't trust my photography skills, haha. But watching the changing of the guard was still interesting.

After eating, we went to the National Gallery of Denmark (Statens Museum for Kunst). From the exterior to the interior, it is absolutely no less than the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek. The interior is very diverse, with classical and modern sections. The collection is incredibly rich, and the classical paintings and modern art exhibitions are amazing. I'm very sorry my phone ran out of battery and I didn't bring a power bank. From the next day onward, I have no photos, sorry. But it's really worth a visit. Many buildings in the streets of Denmark are full of design sense. Even in the metro, the direction of travel is completely transparent, allowing you to clearly see the tunnel, much like Doraemon's time machine. I loved it so much.

Before leaving, I saw the harbor bath.

The harbor bath is very close to the airport. You can take a bus and get off one stop before the airport, then walk along the sea to get there. The design of the bath is very special. It is entirely made of wood, yet has a very modern feel. Just looking at the bath alone, it might seem simple, but combined with the sea and sky, it becomes so beautiful that it brings tears to your eyes. Walk all the way, feel the sea breeze, watch the sunrise or sunset—the scenery is so beautiful that you feel the sea can truly take away your worries and sorrows.

Attached are a few photos of the harbor during the day.

🧡 Overall, the travel experience in Denmark was excellent. I regret not visiting more famous museums. The ancient and magical, the modern and artistic—this is exactly the vision of poetry and faraway places in beautiful fantasies.

If you want to see more travel guides, you can follow my Xiaohongshu account with the same name 'Zhang Yingjun ___'. Thank you for reading!

Travel Notes Directory

1. Day 1: Little Mermaid Statue – Kastellet – Nyhavn

2. Day 2: National Gallery of Denmark – King's New Square – Superkilen Park

3. Day 3: Harbor Bath – Airport

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