Why You Should Visit Copenhagen Over Stockholm

In 2006, Stockholm launched a campaign under the tagline “Stockholm: The Capital of Scandinavia”. Eleven years later, the heated debate among Scandinavians about which city deserves this title still rages on. Even though Stockholm is a cultural hub with a long history in design and architecture, its close neighbour Copenhagen also features some distinctive traits that make it stand out. Here are some examples below.

Its small size

Due to its small size, Copenhagen is the ideal destination for short term vacations or for travellers who enjoy discovering a city on foot or by bike. Picturesque neighbourhoods, buildings that every architect would admire and numerous green parks are only some of the things a tourist will come across while visiting Copenhagen. However, despite its small size the city offers a wide range of activities, sightseeing and cultural events that will keep even the most demanding traveller satisfied.

Its famous historical figures

1. It's the home of Hamlet

Situated at Helsingor, approximately one hour by train away from Copenhagen, Kronborg is not only a historical monument worth visiting, but also a great reason to take a day trip from Copenhagen. Known as Elsinore castle, Kronborg is the place that inspired Shakespeare to write one of his most known plays, “Hamlet” nearly 400 years ago. All year round guided tours take place through the castle’s corridors and hidden dungeons, while during the summer, actors bring the famous play to life in its original setting.

Kronborg 2 C, Helsingør, Denmark, +45 492 130 78

Kronborg Castle |© Guillaume Baviere / Flickr

Its Festivals

No matter what time of the year it is, Copenhagen never disappoints its visitors or locals when it comes to music festivals and cultural events. Even though during the spring and summer months the city offers more options to its guests, the new festival season begins as early as October with “Culture Night” welcoming connoisseurs to various art exhibitions, and “CPH PIX film festival” attracting cinephiles from all over the world. For an experience to remember, keep an eye out for the city’s music festivals that cover a wide range of musical genres, from jazz and ambient to metal and electronica.

Culture Night Secretariat, Sankt Peders Stræde 28c, 1. Sal, Copenhagen, Denmark, (+45) 331 510 10

CPH PIX, Tagensvej 85F, Copenhagen, Denmark, +45 334 547 49

Christiania

The Freetown of Christiania is one of the main tourist attractions in Copenhagen mainly because of the famous Pusher Street where up until recently around 25 stalls were openly offering all kinds of weed to tourists and locals. However, this is far from all that Christiania has to offer. It is the great view of the lake with the bizarre colourful houses around it, the bakery with its delicious cheap delicacies, and the various cafes and restaurants with the friendly faces and welcoming atmospheres.

The Jazz scene

With such a long history in the jazz scene, it’s no surprise that Copenhagen is home to some of the most reputable music venues and clubs for jazz enthusiasts. Bars with late night jam sessions such as La Fontaine and clubs like Jazzhus Montmartre hosting world-renowned musicians, add to the city’s unique atmosphere, filling the air with tunes until the early hours.

La Fontaine, Kompagnistræde 11, Copenhagen, Denmark +45 331 160 98

Jazzhus Montmartre Aps, Store Regnegade 19A, Copenhagen, Denmark +45 279 030 63

There are no alcohol restrictions

Unlike Sweden, Denmark’s rules on alcohol are far from strict. Supermarkets, kiosks and liquor stores sell any kind of alcohol, and most of them stay open until late at night. Once the long dark winter is gone, all the parks and lakes around the city get packed with Copenhageners and tourists soaking up the sunlight while enjoying cold beer. Gathering by the lakes at Dronning Louises bro (the bridge that crosses them), or relaxing on the grass at Frederiksberg’s Gardens becomes a ritual for the locals and tourists alike.

2. Carlsberg’s brewery

Brewery, Store

Here lies one of the oldest breweries in Denmark, offering visitors the chance to discover how one of the world’s favourite drinks is made. The very first keg of Carlsberg was made by Jacob Christian Jacobsen in 1847. Today, his brewery is open to visitors from all over the world. For those who are keen on beer tasting and want to know what ingredients make each flavour special, a tour around Visit Carlsberg is a must. Plus two beers are included with the admission ticket. Not bad, right?

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.