Dally's Guide To CPH
Copenhagen gets it.
Effortless style. Unreal food. People cycling past looking like they’ve stepped out of a magazine.
We spent three days soaking it all up — here’s exactly where we stayed, what we ate, and what we got up to.
Where We Stayed – Scandic Hotel
Central, easy, and ideal for exploring on foot. The rooms are classic Scandi — minimal, calm, big windows, neutral tones, spacious and the bed was sooooooooooo comfy. We also had a fridge, which I think with a kid is mega helpful for housing all the snacks!
What We Ate (The Important Bit)
☕ Breakfast at Sonny
Everyone in there somehow looks effortlessly cool. The uniform could be mistaken for a Damson Madder graphic tee and the interiors are divine.
Between us we had pancakes, a traditional Danish breakfast plate, a granola bowl and obviously a cinnamon bun. No notes.
🌭 DØP Hotdogs
If you’re going to do a hot dog, do it properly. Organic sausages, crispy onions, pickles, sauces — the works. Quick, iconic, and genuinely very good. This was Pen's fave thing we ate the whole trip.
🥐 Late Lunch at TorvehallerneKBH
A glass market hall packed with everything — smørrebrød, pastries, fresh juices, seafood, sweet treats.
Perfect if you want to graze and try a bit of everything. It’s buzzy without being overwhelming, and ideal for a laid-back afternoon.
🍕 Dinner at Mother
Mother serves up proper sourdough pizza in a cool, industrial space. Relaxed atmosphere, great food, good vibe. (Most importantly a kids menu.)
Exactly what you want after a full day out exploring.
Where We Shopped
Lidkob Osterbro
Are you sick of me banging on about this place yet?! Well buckle up, cos I ain't gonna quit! The BEST second hand shop I've ever been too and I've been to A-LOT! It's basically Vinted in real life, it's huge. Stocks women's, men's, kid's and home all under one roof. (I'm gonna do a seperate blog post on this so I'll leave it there for now.)
Episode Vintage
A really great vintage shop, with the best selection of sunnies (Pen copped a pair.) One thing I saw, was a lot of unreal faux fur coats. Wish I'd gone back for the one I posted. Regrets.
HAY House
Bang in the centre of Copenhagen, Hay House is pure Scandi cool. Set over a few bright, airy floors, all clean lines, colour pops and great design.It’s the kind of place that made me want to redesign the whole house.
Studio Arhoj
Studio Arhoj is a little burst of colour in ceramic form. It’s all glossy glazes, playful shapes and their cult-fave ‘Ghost’ figures staring back at you from the shelves. When I say I could have bought everything in this shop, I mean it. Also to note there's an analogue photobooth, which is fab but very busy at weekends.
Notre Damn
Right next door to Studio Arhoj, is Notre Dame a Scandi design gem. Think sleek homeware, cool kitchen bits and perfectly picked lifestyle pieces, all styled to perfection. Effortlessly chic, very CPH.
Lego Store
Smack in the centre of town, the LEGO Store is a proper nod to the fact LEGO was born in Denmark. It’s bright, playful and actually very impressive – even if you’re “just browsing”. Best bit? You can design your own little LEGO people, picking outfits and accessories like it’s a tiny plastic fashion shoot. Pen loved.
What We Did
The Little Mermaid
Everyone says The Little Mermaid is tiny and a bit underwhelming – and fair, she’s not massive. But I loved it. Maybe it helped that it was -17, the water was frozen solid and there was barely anyone about. It felt pretty special to me.
Light Festival
The Copenhagen Light Festival was on whilst we were there. We caught it by the colourful buildings, where the installations lit up the waterfront and made the whole place glow. Neon reflections on the frozen water – very dreamy.
Spa Morning
We did a kids’ spa morning at the hotel and it was such a cute little reset. In a city where sauna culture is a big part of life, it felt very CPH. Very exciting for Pen, got some energy out in the pool and we took it in turns to hit up the foot baths to soothe our feet from all the walking.
Dak Museum
The DAK museum is such a good shout with kids. There’s a 40 meter indoor slide (iconic), a LEGO bit they’ll happily stay at for hours, and loads of hands-on, interactive stuff to get stuck into. It's all design based but dead fun.
Getting About
The best way to see Copenhagen is on foot. Start at Amalienborg Palace to see the Royal Guard, then stroll the harbor to watch the canal boats. Finish at The King’s Garden, a stunning Renaissance park. The best sights are discovered between the stops. We managed even in the snow, but if walking isn't for you the tram is easy enough.
Other Bits
In Copenhagen, children are part of everyday life. The city is designed at a kid-sized scale, from amazing playgrounds to almost every restaurant offering healthy children’s menus or "half-portion" pricing. Many cafes even feature dedicated play corners and pushchair parking. It’s a city where kids are a natural part of the buzz. It can be expensive, but you could definitely scale it back with a few trips to you local supermarket. Which we did :)
One to add to your list for SURE!
Kayleigh x