Exploring Copenhagen (+ the best vegan burger EVER)

Last week, my sister and I went for a short trip to Copenhagen. We wanted a holiday together because we never see each other, and to be honest we chose the destination pretty much at random.

Nørrebro

The first district we explored was Nørrebro, where we were staying. It was really interesting, with its mix of art installations and immigrant populations giving it a cool international feel. Everyone there seemed to speak better English than I do! After wandering around, we spent an hour exploring the Assistens Cemetary. Local use it as a park which seems weird at first, but it’s a bright and airy space that feels like any other green space. Keep an eye out for the time traveller’s grave, with a death date of 2064!

The area has a lot of food options for vegans, as the kebab shops that line the streets all have falafel options! However, one place stole my heart. Astrid og Aberne, part of a Swedish chain, is a small vegan burger place on Jægersborggade. It doesn’t have that many choices, so we both went for a simple grilled burger. I’m not really one for hyperbole, so trust me when I say it was the best vegan burger I’ve had in my life. It was scarily realistic and the relish was perfect. If you’re in Copenhagen, definitely check this place out! Alternatively, they have shops selling their products for home cooking in Frederiksberg and across the water in Malmö, Sweden.

Indre By

This is the central district of Copenhagen. The first thing we did here was use our Copenhagen Cards to get free entry into Rundetårn (the Round Tower), a viewing platform and observatory built in the 17^th century. The views across Copenhagen were stunning, and we could even see over to Malmö! There was also a little shop, café and an art gallery showcasing the history of Danish missionaries from the adjacent church.

Next we went to Nyhavn, possibly the most famous place in Copenhagen – I can guarantee you’ve seen the colourful buildings on the waterfront before. It was very pretty, but it was too busy for us so we quickly left. We also had a look round Tivoli Gardens, the second oldest amusement park in Europe. It was visually stunning, although we didn’t go on any of the rides in the end.

Freetown Christiania

Christiania was recommended to us by our hosts. It’s infamous for being a soft drugs paradise, with cannabis being sold openly from stalls on the main street, but that’s not what we were interested in! We wanted to look at the beautiful street art that has appeared thanks to the anarchistic creatives that live there. As drugs are illegal in Denmark, they don’t allow pictures to be taken (unless you get permission from the residents) so it’s definitely a place to experience. We walked around the lake there and found some adorable eco-friendly houses, which gave me serious home envy.

Whilst there we ate at Morgenstedet, a vegetarian co-operative restaurant recommended to us by our hosts. We both had a spinach and vegetable soup, which looked like a green smoothie gone wrong but tasted absolutely amazing! It was also reasonably priced for food in Copenhagen, being 50 DKK for a bowl of soup.

Vesterbro

Our entire time in Vesterbro was just us getting lost! We were aiming for the meatpacking district, which is home to loads of cool eateries and shops, but unfortunately it was closed on Sundays. We did find an adorable coffee shop called Kaffestuen which made the best coffee I’ve had in months. They also sold vegan brownies but we were less impressed with those; they had the same texture as Nakd bars.

Overall our trip was good, but our hosts really made it special. I used Airbnb for the first time, and I was not disappointed! We were staying in a flat where four people live, which made it very communal and we were invited to hang out with everyone every single night. Our room was also incredibly cheap considering the location. If you’re interested in using Airbnb, you can sign up here. I’d definitely recommend it if you want to meet people and experience the local culture!

Have you ever been to Copenhagen, or do you want to go? Let me know in the comment section below, and have a wonderful day.

- Bethan