Recently I went on a trip to Copenhagen, Denmark, in December. A short city break to explore somewhere new, and what better time to explore then in the Christmas season.

I was only there for one full day, so I had limited time to try and see everything there is to see in Copenhagen. But I feel as if I hit all of the popular spots.  

I started off the trip by heading into the center, more specifically the historical district of Copenhagen, Indre By and Slotsholmen. This part of the city is filled with canals and historical buildings such as the Christiansburg Palace. Previously home to royalty, this palace is now on its third version as there have been multiple fires and is now the home of the Danish Parliament. The Prime Misters office and the Supreme Court is also housed here. Visitors can visit the tower and state apartments for free. I would definitely recommend visiting if you are a nerd for all things, politics and history, as it is definitely an interesting one.

Across the bridge, during the winter season, you can find the Hojbro Plads Julemarked. This market is fairly small but is filled with stalls. Ranging from homemade Christmas tree ornaments to hot chocolates and chocolates filled crepes. Not only is this a short walk from the Christiansburg Palace but also is next to the Gammel Strand metro stop. Making it an easy place to travel to.  

Beyond that, there is streets filled with high street stores and Luxury stores catering to everyone's interest. Whilst walking through these streets, I stumbled upon the Rundetaarn Tower/the Round Tower. This is one of the most iconic buildings in Copenhagen, which gives visitors visibility of views of the city. With it being 34.8 meters above ground.

My next stop was Rosenborg Castle. This Renaissance castle was a must for me to see as the colour of the castle, with the red and orange leaves was such an eye-please. Unfortunately, I didn’t have time to look around the inside of the castle. However, I did walk around the gardens which were so peaceful.

Following that, my next stop was probably one of the most famous tourist attractions in Copenhagen. The Nyhavn canal district, or most seen on social media as the colourful houses. This is a must to see when you visit Copenhagen, as not only is the canal beautiful but also the atmosphere of everyone around the district is so nice. There were a few Christmas market stalls along the lefthand-side, selling hot drinks and homemade crafts. As well as restaurants with seating along the canal.

My last stop was the Little Mermaid statue. The statue is beside the Langelinieparken, on the river. The statue was made as a tribute to the author as, Hans Christian Anderson is from Denmark, and a lot of the fairytale includes Danish culture. In the park, there are many more statues/monument including the Maritime Monument. Which is a maritime memorial commemorating Danish sailors who lost their lives in World War One.

During my trip, my main form of transport was taking the metro or going on the red sightseeing buses. As the buses went around every major tourist destination, and there was only 15-minute wait time, which is convenient if you have for instance a day visiting.

From the colourful houses on the canal to the historic cobblestone streets, I realised during this visit that this city is not just a ‘city break’. But that it encapsulates a feeling of sitting in a cozy cafe drinking a steamy hot coffee after a crisp autumn day, it is quite indescribable but once you have been there you will know. After leaving Copenhagen, I look back on the memories I carry from this short but sweet trip, knowing that this city embraces both the hustling history of the past to the calm and vibrant present.