Copenhagen, day 1

With its picturesque canals, one of the longest shopping streets in the world, and more Michelin starred restaurants in Europe, Denmark's charming capital is a Scandinavian gem with a little something for everyone.  My boyfriend and I were searching for a mini break that was romantic yet manageable in the short three days we had to spend for our one year anniversary. 

Day one

Morning: We touched down on Danish soil after a bleary eyed and rather hectic morning where I was once again reminded of Matt's non-existent timekeeping skills and nearly missed our flight, but a run to the terminal and a two hour flight later I was on my first holiday in ages and my first mini break with Matt.  We checked into Danhostel, Europe's largest hostel, where we'd be staying for the first two nights of our stay.  Conveniently located in the centre on Hans Christian Anderson Boulevard, Dan Hostel was really more of a hotel with a cheap price tag, we had a spacious room to ourselves and a large ensuite bathroom.  The hotel prices in Copenhagen are a bit of a splurge, so if if you are travelling on a bit of a budget, like we were, hostels can offer the best value here, and aren't as unglamorous as you might think.

As much as I wanted a nap after our five AM Gatwick south terminal dash, I was more excited about getting out and seeing the city.  And what's the first thing we wanted to do in Denmark? Have a Danish of course! Of course they aren't called that here, and the selection of sticky sweet pastries at the many bakeries dotted around the city.  We stopped into Lagkagehuset on Strøget for a strawberry jam Spandauer which is what is commonly known elsewhere as the Danish, but nothing can compare to the real thing.  We turned it into brunch by grabbing a freshly made sandwich before heading off to check out the city.

The weather was luckily much nicer than the drab, cold start to fall back in London so we did get some nice sunshine nearly the entire trip, apart from being caught in a bit of a brutal (but brief thunderstorm en route to Rosenburg palace. Apart from the lovely grounds and gardens, the 17th century palace houses a museum as well as the royal treasury, including some of the Crown Jewels.

One thing that really struck me about Copenhagen is how friendly the people are, it's not hard to find someone to offer a recommendation or to help you find your way around, especially since nearly everyone speaks fluent English. This is what Matt and I discovered on our stroll toward to find the little mermaid as we walked down lanes full of cafes and families out for a bike ride (bicycled being the preferred mode of transport here, and a great way to get around, although I don't think Matt was so keen to jump on this bit of Danish culture).  

Of course, one of histories most famous Copenhagen residents was the master of fairy tales, Hans Christian Anderson, and references of his whimsical stories are a proud part of the city.  Millions of tourists each year flock to the bronze statue of the little Mermaid perched on her rock in the sea.

It wasn't to crowded in the early evening when we went (although we did enjoy sitting on the rocks making faces while passing tour boat passengers snapped away at the statue)

Its a fitting city to be home to some of the worlds most famous fairytales. Although we are talking about the original version and not the disneyfied one, I couldn't help but be reminded by the park and lake near the statue's similarities to the "kiss the girl" scene out of my favourite childhood film.