InterRail Journey #1: Copenhagen

In April 2014 we were invited by InterRail to test their pass-transport service that allows travel freely by train throughout Europe over a specific period of time. 10 days of intense travel that allowed us to discover in record time the best of some of the The most beautiful cities in Europe.

On the program : Copenhagen – Berlin – Prague – Vienna – Bratislava – Venice

Since InterRail passes cannot be used in the country of residence, we took a low-cost flight to Copenhagen from Nice (120€ to 2) and stayed 2 days in the Danish capital. A first, as many other cities will follow in the future!
We were literally captivated by the Danish way of life and the warm welcome we received. No wonder Denmark is ranked number one in the happiest countries in the world! From the taxi driver who goes out of his way to provide us with a multitude of tips to help us make the most of our short stay, to the receptionists with whom we discuss the latest events at the end of the evening, to the shopkeepers, waiters in the bars, and many others, we really appreciated their spontaneous kindness.
We stayed in two must-visit hostels in Copenhagen: the Dan Hostel and Generator Hostel. We will return to this topic later with articles dedicated to the accommodations tested during this stay.

During these 48 hours in Copenhagen we tried to discover the best in the city. Here is a list of «must-see» attractions to fully appreciate the Danish capital:

– Enjoy a smørrebrød at breakfast or at any time of the day. It’s a toasted rye bread sandwich with a wide variety of ingredients such as herring, salmon, cured meats, etc… A treat! Enough to get you going for a visit to the city.

– Admire the port Nyhavn In the early morning, this postcard-like landscape of Copenhagen with its multicolored buildings stretching along the harbor on both sides. You’ll find many bars and restaurants there, but the prices remain quite high.

– To go to the royal palace at noon to attend the changing of the guard

– Explore the parks Kongens Have and Botanical Garden in which you can also admire the magnificent Rosenborg Castle. A few minutes later you will be at State Museum of Art where you can see one of the most beautiful collections of Danish art in the world, not to mention the many works by Rembrandt, Matisse, Picasso, and many others.

– Strolling along the canals of Christianshavn

 

– Take a tourist river shuttle from Nyhavn that will take you, among other places, to the famous Little Mermaid, one of the city’s main symbols.

 

– Do not miss the opportunity to visit Christiania, a neighborhood 100% unusual Founded in 1971 by hippies. A true FREE village, «detached» from Denmark and the EU, with its own rules. Apart from stray dogs and a few marijuana sellers, you can enjoy the unique atmosphere of this timeless neighborhood. There are many organic bars and restaurants, stands selling crafts, skate parks, places where street artists excel, and much more. It is best to visit during the day.

– To stroll in the gardens of The Castle where you will pass by an old military barracks.

 

– Stroll through the shopping streets of the city center and explore the many designer boutiques.

– Go to Strøget, a huge pedestrian street in the city center

– In the evening, it is imperative to head to the Tivoli Gardens to enjoy the many attractions such as roller coasters, various game stands and, above all, the sound and light shows, which add a magical touch to this magical place. There is no doubt that you will return to childhood!

Obviously, it would take us well over 48 hours to fully immerse ourselves in Copenhagen… We even considered changing our itinerary and staying an extra day or two to get deeper into the country and discover other landscapes. We could have rented a small car at a good price using comparison sites like CarDelMar, But anyway, we decided that we would definitely have the opportunity to go back there for a long weekend… Now we’re heading to Berlin by train with InterRail 🙂