Let me just say this – Odense is all about Hans Christian Andersen. Even the concierge at the hotel said “we love him here”. There are references to him all over this quaint, small town. A trip here simply isn’t complete without a visit to the H.C. Andersens House.

The H.C. Andersens Hus is a museum dedicated to the writer who is most famous for his fairy tales. As part of the museum you can also go into the home where he was born. First I have to be transparent and say I’ve never been a huge follower of HCA. Sure, I’ve read a few of his fairy tales but they didn’t leave a lasting impression on me. The Little Mermaid, Thumbelina and The Princess and the Pea are a few I recall reading. Little did I know that this man wrote 213 fairy tales and stories (stories refer to works for adults)! This museum is dedicated to whimsically telling the story of HCA’s life, including tidbits about his love life and his absolute passion for travel.

I have to say that this museum wasn’t my favorite. John, however, loved it! So there you go. It was a bit too whimsical and fanciful for my taste. Also, the fact that my audio tour stopped working mid-way through may have had something to do with my impression.

We decided to take a short walk along the river. It was really lovely in that area of town. Very green and lush! Our concierge had mentioned one of the best views in the city – the Washing Site at the Odense River. H.C. Andersen’s mother, as well as many other mothers over the years, washed their clothes in this site on the river, using the natural current to rinse them.

Apparently Danes really love their food halls! There’s another famous one in Odense called Storms Pakhus. And, like the others, it is fantastic! Actually this one may be my favorite so far.

A 100-year-old abandoned warehouse was turned into this food hall in order to promote Funen’s identity and cultures. It serves as a gathering point in the city where festivals and concerts take place. And helps young entrepreneurs by providing a stepping stone for developing their businesses long term. As in Reffen, you could get any number of international cuisines – I opted for Tandoori BBQ and John went for Paper Dosa (the DOSA pancake is made from rice and lentils).

The food was delicious! But the vibe and the décor were even better than the food. Funky and eclectic with different sections of the warehouse uniquely decorated. It was a feast for our bellies and our eyes! I wished we could have stayed to attend an event there. It must be oh so cool!

We finally made our way to our final Denmark destination – Aarhus. I choose Aarhus for it’s proximity to Copenhagen – only 3.5 hours by car – but also because it was chosen as the European Culture Capital in 2017. It’s a university town and also considered Denmark’s “second city” behind Copenhagen.

We arrived at our Airbnb late afternoon and quickly changed and made our way to Donkey bikes in order to head to the Latin Quarter. The Latin Quarter is known for it’s charming, colorful buildings and cobblestone streets filled with shops, restaurants and bars. We didn’t really have a destination in mind; we just wanted to get a feel for the place. And it being late on a Monday not much was open although there were a good amount of people at the bars that were open.

We decided to head to – the grocery store. I know, right?! Called Salling Department Store, it’s a humongous store in the middle of the shopping street in Aarush (Stoget). I’d read that there was a lovely rooftop garden and bar where you could get 360-degree views of the city as well venture out onto a glass platform to view the pedestrians 7 floors below.

Salling ROOFTOP did not disappoint. It was just breathtaking up there – you really could see the entire city around you. We could pinpoint our Airbnb, the ARoS art museum, and the Aarhus Cathedral. And of course we ventured out onto the platform! It was pretty darned cool.

Instead of another dinner out at a restaurant/cafe, we decided to take advantage of the fact that we had an Airbnb with a balcony and a stellar view. We purchased meats, cheeses, fresh-baked bread and wine from Salling and set ourselves up with a little charcuterie board on that balcony. It was a very nice date night!

Today was a bit of a worldwind as we said goodbye (for now) to Copenhagen and made our way to Odense. But of course we needed to try (another!) pastry before we left. This time I chose!

One of my first searches after booking our trip to Copenhagen was “best pastries”. Copenhagen is known for a particular bakery that serves it’s signature “cardamom buns”. As soon as I told John about this place it became a must do. That bakery is called Juno the Bakery and just happens to be closed for the summer holiday 🙁 The bakery’s chef came from none other than Noma, which is a Copenhagen restaurant that has been voted Best Restaurant in the World 4(!) times. Well, that was a no-go but we were still in search of some sort of pastry with cardamom.

I found Hart Bageri after additional research which has a cardamom croissant pastry. Yes! This is where we’d try! So far we really hadn’t found a pastry that blew us away. But here’s to trying! Below is the description from Hart Bageri’s Instagram page:

“Our sinfully delicious cardamom bun is made from left-over scraps of the croissant dough and wonderfully aromatic cardamom: After it’s baked, we dip it in browned organic Danish butter and cardamom sugar. We love to break it apart and eat it piece by piece – crispy and flaky outside with a buttery and soft inside.”

Oh. My. God! This was the best thing I’ve eaten so far in Copenhagen! You could taste the cardamom and butter as the croissant melted in your mouth. Wow – it was delicious! If anyone is reading this and wondering where to get a pastry – go to Hart Bageri! It was literally mouthwatering.

We said goodbye to Gaby, for a few days, and headed to back to the airport to pick up a rental – we were on our way to Odense, Denmark. John and I wanted to visit this small, romantic town as it is the home of fairy tale writer Hans Christian Andersen. On the way, however, we made a pit stop in Roskilde.

Roskilde was once the capital of Denmark and is a hotbed for Viking history. Only 30 minutes from Copenhagen, we made it there quickly in the steady cold rain. We headed directly to the Viking Ship Museum – Vikingeskibsmuseet – which has a permanent exhibition of 5 original(!) Viking ships excavated from the Roskilde Fjord in 1962.

This was one of the best museums I’ve ever been to! And that’s saying a lot! I really loved it and the history and ships were so interesting. Also it’s location on the fjord allowed you to really picture the battles that took place there.

There are two sections to the museum – the Viking Ship Hall – where the ships are kept – and the Boatyard – where archeological work still takes place. There are also areas where you can “fight” with swords and shields as the Vikings did, hear and touch their ancient weapons, and see a traditional boatbuilder carving the wood for a vessel with an axe. You can also see a fully reconstructed Viking ship docked outside.

Not only were the vessels super cool, but the history documented on the walls and in a diorama was fascinating. And the fact that they still – and will continue to – do archeological work at the museum.

Important thing to know before you go. P.S. I did NOT know this. The term scuttling. A ship is scuttled when it’s crew deliberately sinks it. In this case with large rocks. The five Viking ships excavated at Roskilde were sunk to prevent future attacks on the city – to prevent other ships from getting close to the harbor. Seriously fascinating.

We spent quite a bit of time at this museum and I highly recommend it! Finally, we headed on to Odense, our destination for the night.

Odense is a close city to Copenhagen but probably further than a day trip warrants. Again, it is home to H.C. Andersen and is the largest city on the island of Funen. It is also known for it’s summer events and festivals.

We checked into our “luxury” hotel – Hotel Odeon – and cleaned up. We were pretty tired and also pretty dirty and damp. We both needed a drink, something warm to fill our bellies and a cozy restaurant to retreat to. Based on the recommendation from the sweet concierge we quickly headed to Restaurant Gronttorvet, just a 5-minute walk in the rain.

What a pleasant surprise! Traditional and warm, with a long oak bar and Tiffany lamps above all of the tables. And friendly service! We decided we’d stay a while. In (almost) desperate need of a drink we ordered wine but I also wanted to try a traditional Scandinavian spirit. Called Aquavit or Akvavit, it is distilled from potatoes or grain and is described as being similar in taste to vodka. I’m in!

There were many “flavors” to try so upon recommendation from the waiter, I ordered one of the easier ones to drink. I believe he said something like, “I won’t bring you one that will knock your teeth to the back of your mouth”. Ok! The name is Brondums Snaps and it was spicy and did contain notes of cherry. The waiter poured the shot in a specific shot glass and – per tradition – filled it over the brim. Apparently it’s tradition that the liquor spills out of the glass.

The food was delicious, the wine was yummy, the Aquavit was biting, the conversation was wonderful and our bellies were warm and full. It was just what we needed for our night in Odense.

Literally John and I walked out of our hotel to me exclaiming, “what an awesome day”. But less than 5 minutes after we’d gotten on our “steeds” the skies opened up! Luckily we were able stop under a bridge – as any creepy tourist would do – to wait out the rain on our way to meet Gaby for breakfast.

We showed up just slightly damp at Grod, a breakfast and lunch restaurant that I’d read great things about. Apparently porridge is a traditional breakfast staple in Copenhagen and this restaurant caters to that need. Termed a porridge and risotto restaurant, patrons can order their signature porridge, overnight oats or a variety of other healthy options. All of us ordered one of their “favorite” items – overnight oats for John, porridge for me and a chia bowl for Gaby. I’m embarrassed that I didn’t take a photo because they were unique and served to warm me up on a yucky weather morning.

We honestly didn’t have a lot planned but made our way back to the shopping street of Stroget. We decided to head up the church of the Round Tower to see a 360-degree view of the city from above. Rundetaarn (in Danish) is a 17th century tower that was built as an observatory. The tower features a spiral ramp taking you from the church on the main level to the library, exhibit and concert spaces and finally the platform at the top of the building. The view from the top is incredible. There were signs every quarter of the way around pointing out the structures visible in the distance. Unfortunately those were not translated into English but we were able to make out quite a few famous buildings.

On exiting the church we happened upon a local artist selling his paintings and mixed media art depicting Copenhagen. He was one of the first friendly Danish people we’d met and I loved his work! This will be one of our mementos of the trip and I’ll have fond memories looking back on this piece.

We headed next to the Norrebro neighborhood of Copenhagen and one of it’s famous shopping streets Jægersborggade. This is a trendy and hip neighborhood that used to be filled with drugs and crime but now is home to local art, boutiques and restaruants. It was very cute! It seemed as if a lot of locals live there – lots of moms and kids, prams and young men in football jerseys. We stopped for lunch and did some window shopping.

Back towards the city center of Copenhagen to Christiansborg Palace. Christiansborg Palace is a former royal palace and government building where tourists can see how royalty lives. The palace is still used for royal functions and the rooms are over the top ostentatious and also beautiful and oh so rich. It was fun to walk where royalty has walked and read about the stunning artwork and décor in the place.

Another brief downpour during which we hid within the palace walls and then we went to take care of our sweet teeth – yes, again. I wanted to try a local gourmet cookie shop called Leckerbaer but, alas, it was closed. So we settled on a shop called Munchies. Located right outside Freetown Christiana, one had to wonder if that’s where they came up with the name.

For what was supposed to be a more relaxing day, we were whipped. Gaby went for dinner with friends, John and I went for a quick rest and then he and I were back on the bikes for a trip to another famous food hall called Reffen.

Reffen is decidedly different from the Torvehallerne food hall that we visited a couple of days ago. That was filled with luxury foods and goods and this was international STREET FOOD. It is all outdoors and termed an urban playground for adults and kids alike. It was quite out of the way in the Refshaleøen neighborhood of Copenhagen. Honestly it didn’t seem like we had a destination in mind on our way but we did finally arrive to what looked like docks and a couple of warehouses right on the canal. We didn’t even see a lot of people, let alone food. But just keep walking. Very industrial and COOL. Lots of lights strung from poles to create an eclectic and fun vibe.

There were food stalls every which way – and bars of course. The food was so interesting – everything from Vegan to Greek to Afghan to Kurdish to Italian and American. The smells were incredible and you really want to try a little bit of every darned thing. We – finally – settled on the Kurdish stall called Gosht and ordered a Chicken Shish. Very similar to a Greek gyro but with amazing spices and tomatoes and served on naan. Oh So Good!

This place has such a great vibe – they also do events in the summer and will be doing live jazz next Thursday when we return to the city. Perhaps needless to say, we will be there!

Drinks and plans at our hotel restaurant ended another wonderful day in Copenhagen. Off to Odense, Denmark tomorrow!

Today started as any day in Copenhagen should – with coffee and pastries and your loved ones. As anyone who has read about Denmark knows, this place is known for pastries, pastries, pastries! And we would be so remiss to not try all of them. So off we went to Andersen & Malliard, a bakery Gaby had been wanting to try. Feast your eyes on below: John had almond croissant (he out ordered us!), Gaby had a croissant cube with pistachio filling (DELICIOUS especially once you got to the filling), and I had a chocolate croissant (decidedly less impressive than the others but did have a chocolate ganache filling). We sat and had coffee and conversation and lovely baked goods to fill our bellies for a full day ahead.

We mounted the donkeys and headed for Superkilen which is one of so many urban parks in this city. This one is north of the city in a neighborhood called Nørrebro. It was created to support art and cultural diversity and one entire city block within the park is painted in different pink hues. Instead of the city coming up with the park design, immigrants were asked to suggest objects they missed from their home countries. These were then used within the park. You can find exercise gear from the California beaches, sewage drains from Israel, palm trees from China, neon signs from Russia, and a bull from Spain. We played on some of the park features and walked around a couple of city blocks to get the feel of the place.

We headed southwest to Sondermarken Park in the Frederiksberg neighborhood. Another stunning park – this one with less toys and a lot more beautiful, peaceful greenspace. There were lots of runners and mothers pushing prams and families hanging out on the lawn. This park is also the home to Cisternerne which is a subterranean venue for art exhibitions in the former cisterns. The cisterns are an old water reservoir and is the only dripstone cave in Denmark. Each year, the Frederiksberg  Museums invites an artist to create an exhibit for the site. The current one called Weaving the Light.

What an amazing venue and the current exhibition is perfect in the space. It’s by a South Korean artist, Kimsooja, and uses light which is projected onto transparent canvases and creates an ethereal feel. The rainbow effects which transform when you move from one space to the next, coupled with the slow drip of the water into the cave, create the feeling of being transported to another world.

Back onto our donkeys for a trip to the trendy, eclectic meatpacking district of Copenhagen. Gaby had been here on an evening night where apparently the place was really hopping. It was quite tame when we were there which was just fine! But hip and trendy with old warehouses being transformed into cute pastry shops, bars and restaurants. We stopped at Mother for their sourdough-crust pizza – this was a must-eat for me. A prosciutto pizza and a pepperoni & pepperoni pizza – both were delicious.

Gaby had to head to class so John and I made our way to Christiania. Honestly, this is one of the places I really wanted to see in Copenhagen. Those of you who know me will realize why. Freetown Christiania is a hippie commune of sorts in the Christianshavn neighborhood of Copenhagen. It is a former military base where hippies began squatting in the early 1970s. Now the area has it’s own “government” that is independent of the city of Copenhagen and the country of Denmark. For example, marijuana is legal in Christiania, but absolutely NOT legal in Denmark. Another couple of laws – no violence, no firearms and no hard drugs.

What a fascinating place! Honestly it’s a lot to take it. So colorful – there’s color and art and graffiti everywhere. And a lot of trash as well. But as they say, “one person’s trash is another person’s treasure”. The streets are green and lush and filled with art that may be considered controversial and perhaps offensive depending on your beliefs. That doesn’t bother me of course. And there is a famous street within the area called Pusher Street which is an open market for marijuana. The rules of Pusher Street – no photos and no running (as people will think there’s a raid).

If you’d read any of my blogs you know that I love a free walking tour of a city. Most of the time these are conducted by students but any tour leader is a lover of their city and does these tours for “free”. You just tip at the end of the tour. John and I had reserved this tour quite a while ago and were looking forward to it. We met near the steps of city hall and were taken on a 3-hour tour of the city. We stopped many times to hear stories and information about the city and to stop and see the sights. It really was interesting. The guide discussed tourism including where to go and where to eat, as well as politics and history. I always learn quite a bit during these tours. Some things I learned:
*Denmark was the first country to allow same-sex couples to register in legal unions in 1989.
*The queen has a 82-92% approval rate.
*Denmark has the top spot in sustainability with a commitment to reduce emissions by 70% by 2030.
Denmark gets “free” education and health care but can be taxed up to 44%.
Denmark gets 52 weeks paid parental care!
70% of Copenhageners use a bike as their primary mode of transportation.
The taxes on a car are exorbitant!

I decided to leave Gaby and John for some father-daughter time while I went to the hotel to…do this! We’d meet later for the highlight of the evening – Tivoli Gardens and Macklemore. If you’re cocking your head and have a confused look on your face, I don’t blame you!

Tivoli is an absolute must-do in Copenhagen. It is a historic amusement park that’s seemingly dropped right in the center of a big city. It is fantastic! I feel like’s it’s more of an adult playground but I’m sure kids enjoy it too. Gaby had suggested we all get tickets to Friday Rock which includes tickets to the park as well as admission to see the highlighted concert. Well, lucky for us it was Macklemore! Hopefully you all know I’m being sarcastic. But at least we’d know a song – maybe two?

We arrived just an hour or so before the music was set to start. Wow – crazy amounts of people. But it was so fun! Twinkle lights everywhere and the venue had an Asian feel to it. There were food and drink stalls and of course a few rides for the little ones. We had a small bite and left Gaby to find her friends. John and I made our way to a French bistro for an adult beverage and an area to enjoy the music without being mowed down by drunk teenagers.

He did play one of his well-known songs first – Popping Tags – which got John dancing in his seat and the crowd fired up. We decided to chance it by getting into the mess of people. What fun! I haven’t done this type of thing in ages. We were literally touching people we didn’t know and couldn’t see anything that was happening onstage but I really really enjoyed it. The only downsides were way to much talking and not playing “Can’t Hold Us”.

It was a really, really, really fantastic day!

I was so looking forward to this trip! Not only to visit one of the most incredible cities – and cultures – in the world, but also to see Gaby and celebrate her 21st birthday with her. Seriously, what an honor. And we’re finally here!

We arrived in Copenhagen mid-afternoon to weather that was partly cloudy and in the 60s! Absolutely perfect when you’re leaving close to 100 degrees everyday. Taking the metro was easy and cheap! And on the above ground portions little glimpses of the city came into view. It was a quick walk to our hotel – Bryggen Guldsmeden – termed an Urban Eco Resort in the district of Islands Brygge. It is so sweet! The décor is very modern and sleek and even looks sustainable. It’s an adorable small room but with all of the amenities you’d need including a perfect location near – but not in – the touristy heart of the city: Indry By.

Next up – seeing Gaby for the first time since Christmas! She met us at the hotel and we did the first thing you should do as a tourist in Copenhagen – rent a bike to explore the city. Per a recommendation from our hotel, we used Donkey Republic Copenhagen, a local bike rental company, which uses pretty sweet tech to access and lock the bike via an app on your phone. Note – you do need to be connected to Wifi or cellular – probably obviously – to use the app.

Gaby had wanted to see the Royal Copenhagen Library since she’d arrived in May. This library is an architectural gem of the city and also called the Black Diamond representing the look of the library. It sits right on the harborfront and allows for fantastic views of the canal from the 7 glass-front stories. The glass also sits at less than 90 degree angles which allows for the light reflecting off the canal to more effectively power the building. Incredible.

Next we were off on our donkeys to see the most touristy thing we’ll see while we’re here. It’s a must-do according to any blog or article you read on Copenhagen – Nyhavn Harbor. This is the place to take your Instagram photos! It’s a lovely, iconic area where boats line the canal and the cobblestone streets are surrounded by pencil houses of every color imaginable. Restaurants and nightclubs line the street and it is teeming with tourists. It is extremely picturesque and I now know why it’s a must-do. My research also said it’s the last place you want to buy food or drinks as it’s overpriced and not worth the money. So we didn’t sit down but just strolling down the cobblestones and taking in the sights, sounds and smells is worth it. I can actually see why people want to spend the extra money to sit along the canal. The people watching is incredible as are the views of the canal and gorgeous Copenhagen architecture in the background.

Next – food! Gaby was our personal tour guide but she just so happened to have the same food hall on our list of places to go. Called Torvehallerne it is a covered marketplace featuring stalls with local fruits and veggies, fresh fish and cheese and meat, gourmet foods, fast foods and desserts. There are also fresh flowers and plants and countless small kiosks featuring all types of local cuisine. It encompasses two buildings with plenty of outdoor seating to enjoy your food of choice.

What a “feast” for the senses! Unfortunately we arrived about 30 minutes before closing and one of us was getting hangry (who, me?) so we made quick work of the place. We’ll DEFINITELY be going back! John and I decided on Palæo – a vegetarian, vegan, Paleo-themed kiosk featuring healthy fare. Seriously, we’d eaten airline food and chips for 24 hours and needed something green! Butternut squash salad. It was delicous! Gaby decided on a fishcake from Boutique Fisk – which was pretty amazing as well. We sat outside on a little bench near a park and watched a mom and her little one roll down a hill as we ate our dinner; chatting the whole time. Really wonderful…

We got back on our Donkey’s (bikes) and followed our tour guide (Gaby) back to her apartment to check out where she’s been staying. On the way we ended up on Stroget street. Stroget is one of Europe’s longest pedestrian-only shopping streets in Europe. This was also a must-do according to me (!). Most shops were closed when we got there but it was nice. Very calm – we had the street to ourselves – and quiet. We did a bit of window shopping on the way to Gaby’s place. I say window shopping because this street is the place to go for a Prada bag, or a Hermes scarf or a Gucci wallet. Very high end and well kept.

Being good tourists and giving back to the local economy, we had to stop for churros on the way to see Gaby’s place. Churros in Copenhagen??!! I know, but churros are frighteningly unhealthy and incredibly delicious. Sometimes you’ve just gotta!

Gaby’s apartment is right off Stroget street. It’s in a great area and perfect for a young woman to be safe and explore this beautiful city. She’s sharing it with 7 other young women studying furniture design here. We got a quick tour and then headed back to our bikes where we said goodbye for the night. We were WHIPPED.

I always try to stay up until the “normal” local time. We may have seemed high or drunk but we did it! 9:30 pm local time – 1:30 am Boise time – and we passed out in our charming little eco hotel.