Our trip to Copenhagen was filled with culture, traditions, the undeniable cold of a Scandinavian winter, lots of fun, and a joyful Christmas feel.
We landed at Copenhagen airport on a Wednesday night and went directly to the hotel to get some rest, but on our way there we could already see the magic of the city at this time of the year: the decorations, the lights everywhere, the lively streets…
On our first morning, the Copenhagen Zoo awaited. We woke up early and, after a delicious breakfast at the hotel, we set off. The zoo was amazing. From panda bears eating their bamboo to gigantic elephants playing with each other, we got to see a little bit of everything. And for the perfect ending to our visit, we skated on the ice-skating rink!
Our next stop was Rosenborg Castle: a place full of history and home to Queen Caroline Amalie’s Crown Jewels. We took a guided tour and learned about King Christian IV and his dynasty. Then, it was time for the most exciting part of the tour. We entered the little chamber where the queen’s most precious treasures are kept. We saw the crowns, the pearls, the rubies… it’s amazing to think how it’s all from centuries ago! Every once a year, the queen of Denmark still comes and picks out a jewellery set to wear to the New Year Reception.
The next day, our morning started with a guided tour of Copenhagen’s canals. We took a one-hour boat ride and got to see the city from a different point of view. We saw the Little Mermaid statue and learned a bit about Hans Christian Andersen. After getting off the boat and having lunch, we met with another guide to go to Odense, the old Danish capital. He took us on an interesting tour around the city, the highlights being the Cathedral and the Viking Museum.
It was an enriching day for all of us girls - we got to learn so much about Denmark, its history, and its monarchy. Our day finished back in Copenhagen, in Bakken, the world’s oldest amusement park. In the evening, we tried a typical Danish Christmas dinner: fish, duck, meatballs, sausages, risalaman (a typical rice dessert) … by the end of the meal, we were completely full! But it is safe to say that the food was great.
We woke up on Saturday morning knowing our trip had almost come to an end. In the morning, we met with 2 native Danish women who took us on a Copenhagen Christmas tour. We learned all about local Christmas traditions and tried some traditional Christmas cookies and tea. And what better way to end our stay in the Danish capital than visiting Tivoli Gardens, a huge amusement park and one of Copenhagen’s main attractions. We got on as many rides as we could and enjoyed ourselves until the very last minute! What a trip this has been! We all loved the city and got in the perfect mood for the holidays.
Montserrat, Surval Swiss Gap Student