Copenhagen lived up to my expectations but some things were a real surprise to me! From food to people’s attitude, there are many reasons to want to visit Copenhagen and explore the quirks of the city.

As you may know already, I like to do my research before going anywhere, but I also enjoy the pleasure of being surprised and making discoveries. And if you have read my post about everything quirky and surprising in Bulgaria, you know I’m the kind of person who likes sharing!

Not a lot of fish to eat

Since Denmark’s capital city is on the seafront, I expected the Danish cuisine to contain a lot more fish and seafood. At least a good amount of salmon and shrimps. But the menus at the restaurants, even for international, French or Italian cuisine, contained very little of it. My friend who has been living here for three years now confirmed that there are only a few chefs in town seriously putting fish on their menu.

That being said, you can enjoy a bit of a sea taste with an open sandwich topped with shrimps, mayonnaise and eggs! For that, head out to Hallernes Smørrebrød inside the food hall of Torvehallerne.

So. Much. Pork.

If they don’t eat fish, what do people eat in Copenhagen? Pork. Tons of it. It is apparently over 42% of what they eat at home and it is the main ingredient in lots of traditional recipes. That was a big surprise to me. The Danes know what they are doing with the meat. I had one of the most incredible meals in my whole life at a place called War Pigs, installed in a former industrial area known as the “meatpacking district”.

People are so nice

I was expecting a bit more coldness coming from the Danes, being in a cold, grey, Nordic country and so on. But then I spent over ten minutes with my friend in a Coffee Collective questioning the waitress about the daily specials. She answered all our questions, offered us to try everything so we could make our choice and was all the time smiling and talking very nicely and politely to us. Any time I had to ask something to a waiter or someone working in a shop, I always got a polite, clear and complete answer. It made navigating the city much easier.

That being said, I was told that people are nice as long as it is their job to be. And in the street, I didn’t feel so much warmth from random people. After my first fifteen minutes in Copenhagen, I felt like people would rather push you in the street while passing by you rather than ask you to move. Meanwhile, they will take ALL THE SPACE on the sidewalk.

They let you crash official ceremonies

People can feel very laid back. They even let us crash some official party at the military fortress (Kastellet). We were just walking around when we saw a line of people gathering on one of the walls of the star-shaped castle. We followed and were told that someone important was visiting (we did not figure out who, though) and that they had a little ceremony because of it. Turned out they fired a canon several times. People were just watching, chatting and drinking while the soldiers in charge of conducting the ceremony clearly struggled to keep a straight face!

Bicycle drivers are not so scary

I was a bit worried about walking around with all the bikes, and to drive one myself. I thought people would be driving very fast and not caring about the pedestrians. It’s partly true. But the city is so well organized that there is clear space for both and all you have to do is take your time and keep an eye open on both sides of the road. While driving using my Donkey Republic app – one great way to save money and time in Copenhagen – I felt safe and confident. Which I am not so much when I am driving in my beloved Belgrade!

Not everything is expensive

I had a great opportunity to visit a friend in Copenhagen and I found very cheap tickets for that. But I was worried about how much I was going to spend. I do not like to go somewhere and deprive myself because I don’t have enough money to enjoy. If my budget is low, I choose another destination or I just wait for a better time.

However, I couldn’t wait so much to visit my friend. But it turns out, there are a lot of free things to do in Copenhagen and so much to see just by walking in the street. You will have to check my upcoming itinerary for the details, but rest assure that you can really enjoy yourself during a long weekend here, eat good food, drink Danish beer and visit the city’s best spots. I made a special post about budgeting for Denmark that you can use for reference.

Saturday nights are wild

Danes look calm, nice and quiet. They enjoy every ray of sun on terraces, drink wine in nice glasses in dedicated wine bars… And of course, they are well-known for “hygge”. “Hygge” is a Danish and Norwegian word expressing a mood of cosiness, comfortable feeling and quiet warmth. Basically: a family evening at home with a hot cup of tea, books and blankets. And Hygge is not a myth, people really do that and enjoy it. Now that’s my kind of people.

However, Danes also know how to go wild. And that happens on Friday and Saturday nights. People line-up in front of bars and clubs and you can see the outcome of it the following morning in the centre. It’s quickly cleaned-up, though. Start the night at a bodega bar (the cheap, smoking-allowed beer bars), continue to Vinstue 90 for a slow Carlsberg on the tap, then on to the meatpacking district for fresh meat and a craft beer. Once you’re full and ready to move, just head back to the city centre to one of the many bars and clubs!

Have you been to Denmark and Copenhagen? Anything has strike you as odd or funny? Share with us!

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