What to Do, Where to Stay and Where to Eat in Copenhagen:
Copenhagen is one of our favorite Traveling Professor cities. Beautiful architecture, easy walking to almost any attraction, good transporations, nice hotels and good places to eat. It is great for a 3-5 day stay.
First of all, get the Copenhagen Card. It offers free admission into most Copenhagen attraction and provides free public transport.
The Copenhagen Card is a must. It provides free admission to almost all attractions, even the good ones. On top of that, public transporation is unlimited with the card. Buy it!
What to See and Do:
Christiana: It's always an adventure to visit this hippie-like Boehmian neighborhood in Copenhagen. It is a community of its own, with galleries shops, eco-friendly restaurants, funky eateries, and original music. On occasion "there is something in the air" that will remind you of the liberties people enjoy here.
Tivoli Gardens: An old fashioned amusement park opened in the mid-1800's and frequently visited by Hans Christian Anderson and inspiring many of his tales. The place is dripping with nostalgia with not-so-scary roller-coaster rides, beautful gardens, marching bands, ice cream stands, and a ferris wheel. It certainly is worth spending a day (or better yet, an evening) at Tivoli.
The Little Mermaid: Situated along the waterfront, it is an easy walk to see one of the most famous landmarks in the world.
Strøget: Copenhagen is a terrific walking city and Strøget is like a giant pedestrian outdoor shopping mall. It's fun to sit in a cafe like a European and watch the world busily go by.
Christiansborg Palace Tower - A climb up the highest tower in the city gives a viewpoint of the city that everyone can enjoy.
Nyhavn - Nyhavn is a 17th century waterfront, canal and entertainment district, stretching from Kongens Nytorv to the harbour front just south of the Royal Playhouse. What I recommend doing here is catching one of the popular Stromma canal cruises.
The National Museum - Offers exhibitions from the Stone Age, the Viking Age, the Middle Ages, the Renaissance and Modern Danish History.
Take a "Free" Walking Tour: This is one of the best ways to get to know the ins and outs of Copenhagen or just about any city. Free walking tours are offered by many different companies with several varieties of tours. Don't forget to generously tip your guide!
There are plenty of places to eat in Copenhagen, but let The Professor give you his favorites. We love to eat in food markets in Europe. There is so much variety and excitement. It can be affordable too. Our favorite food market in Copenhagen is Torvehallerne. On Nyhavn, there are plenty of open-air restaurants (they provide the blankets in cooler weather) to watch the water activity and enjoy a meal. And if we had to pick restaurants, check out several restaurants located on canal-side Havnegade quay in The Standard Building. Almanak is a French bistro style restaurant. Radio serves seasonal foods. There are usually several pop-up restaurants open with a variety of options.
The Admiral Hotel is a good, solid choice to stay in Copenhagen. Near the Nyhavn canal, the location is terrific. We have also stayed at the smaller Strand, which would be a solid 2nd choice with an outstanding breakfast.