guest post: copenhagen favorites

Today I leave France (only for a few days) to explore Copenhagen! My good friend from school studied abroad there, so I knew she was perfect for this post. Thanks Alessandra! Be sure to follow her blog too -- The Orange Lens. xo

Hi Urban Slant Readers! I'm so honored to be sharing the secrets of Copenhagen, Denmark with you so that Julia is fully prepared for her upcoming trip! No doubt, she picked one of the very best cities in Europe to visit. I studied abroad there in 2009 and it truly was six of the best months of college. 

Copenhagen's Top 5 Must See and Dos: 

1. Stroll down Stroget - Stroget is the longest pedestrian shopping area in Europe! While I was abroad, we frequented the likes of H&M and Zara (which Dallas didn't have at the time) and oogled the fashion forward Danish teens. The Danish are very well versed on the latest fashions and aren't afraid to flaunt the latest styles from the runway on Stroget. 

2. Feast on Fisk - If you're going to Copenhagen, you have to try this traditional Danish shot. Fisk sorta tastes like mouthwash and licorice combined but the Danes LOVE it. It's by far the cheapest way to drink in Denmark...in fact I think one shot cost something like 20 kroner which is only about $3! It's just something you have to try even though it sounds totally weird. 

3. Nibble in Nyhavn - Nyhavn is one of my favorite places in Copenhagen. This quaint harbor is home to some of the most adorable cafes and shops in Copenhagen. The canal is filled with old wooden boats some of which will never sail again but have rich history. You can also board a canal cruise from here to see the rest of the sites, particularly the famous opera house and Queen's Palace.

4. Admire Amalienborg Palace - Denmark has only of the only monarchies left in Europe. The Queen of Denmark resides in Amalienborg Palace which is filled with traditional straight-laced guards and tourists alike. One of the biggest events at the Palace is the Queen's Birthday in which Danes gather in the square to see the Queen wave at the crowd and have them sing to her. Queen Margrethe II was born on April 16th 19...(a lady never tells her age).

5. Bike the 'burbs - It's incredible expensive to own a car in Copenhagen (something like 180% tax on cars?!) so Danes prefer to bike everywhere they go. Rain, show, sleet, freezing temps...nothing stops them. They attach large carts to the front of their bikes to transport children, groceries or run errands. In fact, the bike lanes are slightly wider than the car lanes! They even have their own traffic light system on busy roads. When the weather was more bearable (read not snowing) most of us out of shape American students rented bikes for the rest of the semester and road to class and around town. Riding bikes in the suburbs is the best way to see the city and really live like a Dane. 

...I could of course go on forever about Tivoli Gardens, the breweries, day-tripping to Malmo, Sweden, the all you can drink bars, the "other country" of Christiania, the Little Mermaid...but I'm sure Julia will have a full post to document her adventures when she returns. I should leave some things for her to tell you about.

3 Reasons Why It's the Coolest City in Europe: 

1. Everyone speaks English (yay!) and Danish. The only words you need to know to "fit in" are hej which means Hey! (pronounced - Hi), hej hejwhich means Bye! (prononced hi hi) and tak which means "thank you" (pronounced t-a-k with a long a). 

2. Danes are super fit and healthy (duh! because they bike everywhere) and Denmark is considered the happiest country in the world! What's not to love about that!

3. Copenhagen is very traveler friendly. I don't think I took a cab anywhere more than once! The buses, trains, and subways (not to mention, bikes!) are so easy to navigate that I never had a problem getting around.

...can we also talk about the waffle snack stands? 

Miss Julia, I wish you all the best on your European adventure and I truly hope you love Copenhagen as much as I do.