When it comes to wintertime magic, Copenhagen’s got it in spades: cobblestoned streets blanketed in snow, a bevy of belly-lining pastries especially for the season, Christmas markets so sparkly you can see them from space (probably). Yes, it’s no surprise that the birthplace of hygge really comes into its own when the temperature drops, so grab your snuggest beanie and do CPH like a true Dane.
Pick up some cool local threads at Baum und Pferdgarten / Image: Hans Zeurthen
What to wear: Trendsetting Danes have gone granddad-chic this season and are sporting sleeveless knit vests over their dresses or button-up shirts. Pick one up from super-cool Danish brand Baum und Pferdgarten – you’ll find its flagship store in the Old Town.
Where to go: Hit the slopes in nearby Refshaleøen – and by ‘slopes’, we mean the roof of a green energy power plant. Copenhill – a waste-to-energy plant on an industrial waterfront – doubles as a year-round artificial ski slope, where snow bunnies zip down its slanted structure.
Tivoli sparkles in the winter / Image: Lasse Salling
Is there a Christmas market? Is there ever. You’ll find the main market lighting up Nyhavn square, as well as treasured city-centre amusement park Tivoli Gardens. For something a bit more alt, head down to the Yule market at Freetown Christiania – an independent community in the middle of Copenhagen where locals hawk their wares and jam to live music in the evenings.
Local tip: “The Old Town is magical in winter,” says Meik Wiking, director of Copenhagen’s Happiness Research Institute, which opened the world’s first Happiness Museum in the city last year. “It’s like walking around in a fairytale. You see where Hans Christian Andersen got his inspiration.”
Read more: Explore Copenhagen’s trendy dockside district
Book flights to Copenhagen Book holidays to Copenhagen