Copenhagen 🇩🇰

We did not initially know where we wanted to go. We spontaneously booked a three-day holiday, then started searching for possible destinations with the hopeful energy of people ready to let a map decide for them.

Why We Drove to Copenhagen

Last-minute summer trips in Europe were more expensive than we expected. Flights, trains, and hotels quickly turned a simple three-day break into something that felt harder to justify.

Driving to Copenhagen and back seemed like the best option. It gave us freedom to leave when we wanted, take the road at our own pace, and make the journey part of the escape.

Budget-wise, it wasn't a smart decision 😅, let's break it down:

Fucking €783 just for driving a car there... Of course, if we had planned this in advance, it would have been cheaper, but in that case, a flight or train would have been an even better option. Also, it's possible to skip the ferry and take a longer route (+100 km), which could save us €140, but the ferry is a lot more convenient.

So, looking back, if we took last-minute flights or train tickets, the price for 4 tickets would be more or less the same, while it would save us one day and spare me from the neck pain from driving 😁

Lessons learnt. Now let's enjoy the trip!

A Stop in Hamburg

My wife and I left The Hague late in the evening. We drove north with small bags in the car, no real plan beyond getting away, and the quiet hope that the road might make room for something new.

After checking into our three-star hotel, we went into Hamburg city centre at around 11 p.m. to find food. People were still on the streets, but the city felt unexpectedly empty and unsafe. No restaurants were open, the bars were closing, and there was nothing to do except pass a few unsettling people and drug users.

We returned to the hotel without lunch, eager to sleep, wake up, and continue toward our final destination.

The Ferry Journey to Copenhagen

The next morning, we left Hamburg early and continued north toward the ferry terminal (~2h drive). The roads in Germany were terrible, full of construction and cracks. At the terminal, we drove straight onto the ferry with the other cars and finally had a chance to step away from the steering wheel.

The crossing only took around 45 minutes; we loaded ourselves with onboard fish and chips and schnitzel, enjoyed the sea view and got back in the car.

Once we arrived in Denmark, the final part of the journey to Copenhagen felt very easy. A few more hours of driving later, we entered the city ready to park the car and start our short holiday.

What a nice city!

Disclaimer. The weather was fantastic, and people really enjoyed it. It was even too hot, but hey, we can't complain about this. I believe most of the year the weather in this city is as miserable as in the Netherlands.

Copenhagen met us with warm weather, beautiful architecture, nice people, and crowds of tourists. The vibe of the city felt fun but relaxed enough to enjoy it. We were amazed by the amount of wide streets, modern and old architecture that matches each other and creates amazing views. The city was super clean, without dodgy people. At least we couldn't find a place where we would feel unsafe, even at night. There were quite a lot of public spaces, piers with the jumping towers into the water, and people were swimming all around the city. I'm not sure about the cleanliness of the water, but when it's 30°C outside, the water quality is not the most important thing. I would love to see similar public places in a city like Amsterdam.

Let's start with what we liked about this city.

Biking culture

I'm a real fan of biking culture in NL, and I'd put Copenhagen right after NL in terms of the number of bikes and infrastructure. Having said that, I still need to make a remark: I'd still prefer any city in NL for biking over Copenhagen. I find biking in Copenhagen a lot more confusing because of its intersections, not very distinct bike lanes, and street design. It feels like these streets were designed for cars in the first place, and then they thought about alternative transport.

Despite the struggles, we absolutely loved it, and it made our navigation through the city so much easier.

9/10 🚴

Craft beer

I love craft beer and it seems like people in Copenhagen too - I haven't seen so many beer options in so many different places - bars, restaurants, supermarkets, night clubs. Absolutely amazing beer selection and culture.

10/10 🍻

Architecture

Copenhagen's architecture is a conversation between old and new. Historic buildings bring colour, ornament, and a strong sense of place, while newer buildings use clean lines, large windows, and practical materials. The contrast is easy to notice, but the styles still feel connected rather than forced together.

The city also shows how architecture can shape everyday life. Buildings are not experienced in isolation: they frame streets, squares, canals, cafés, and cycling routes. This makes even a simple walk feel visually interesting, because each street offers a different combination of details, space, and activity.

What impressed us most was how easy the city made it to enjoy the day. We could wander without a strict plan, stop for something delicious, admire the architecture, and discover another beautiful corner a few minutes later. Copenhagen felt carefully designed for people, not just for traffic.

10/10 🏛️

Is it really that nice?

Well, it's time to talk about things that we didn't like.

Prices

TL;DR: It's incredibly expensive. Not many cities in Europe are more expensive than the Netherlands, but this one is.

Do you want one small cappuccino? Sure, €7 please 🫠

One small room in a 2-star hotel, 2 weeks in advance? €250 per night. Yes, the location was great, but still, that's expensive.

Maybe some beer? 0.4 for €10, easy.

You came by car? Oh boy, you're lucky we have a place for you: just €40 per day.

Copenhagen is one of the more expensive city-break destinations in Europe, especially for accommodation and eating out. Prices vary by neighbourhood, season, and how far ahead you book, but these are realistic 2026 estimates for the city centre.

For a comfortable day without shopping or expensive attractions, budget around DKK 600–1,000 per person (€80–135) for meals, drinks, transport, and one modest activity. A tighter budget is possible with supermarkets, bakeries, free walks, and public spaces, while a sit-down dinner, several drinks, and major attractions can easily push the daily total above DKK 1,200.

Denmark uses the Danish krone, not the euro. Cards and contactless payments are accepted almost everywhere, including small cafés and public transport, so carrying a large amount of cash is usually unnecessary.

Conclusion

Now the interesting part: let's count up the spending.

That was an interesting experience that we definitely do not regret. But lessons were learned, and next time we'll definitely take a train there and plan the trip in advance.

But despite the hole in my wallet, that trip itself was a breath of fresh air. We fell in love with the city, and we'll be very happy to go there again. That was truly amazing!

Bonus

On the drive back, we visited Groningen and found this incredible university there, which is almost as beautiful as my university in Minsk. I will add photos of both so that you can compare and decide for yourself.