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Overview: A guide to traveling to four countries in Northern Europe during December; Denmark, Sweden, Germany and Iceland. Please note, this guide is utilizing a layover in Iceland.

Destinations

Activities

Copenhagen, Denmark

http://www.visitcopenhagen.com

Christianborg Palace

  • 800+ years of history and today, the palace is home to the Parliament, the Prime Minister's Office, and the Supreme Court

The Ancient Baths

  • Ancient bath house

Royal Library Gardens

  • Garden haven, small pond, looks like a medieval garden with hedges

Superkilen

  • City block painted red and pink, public park in the Nørrebro district of Copenhagen, Denmark

Stroget Shopping Mile

  • 5 minutes from Christiansborg

  • Shopping area with boutiques, cafés, and restaurants

TorvehallerneKBH

  • Fresh food market

  • Urban, covered marketplace featuring stalls with local produce, gourmet foods, beverages & desserts

  • Website

Some pastry place

  • DANISHES

Castles!

Nyhavn Harbor

  • Nautical vibe, colorful shore-side with tall ships docked along the quays

Danish Architecture Centre

Tivoli Gardens

  • Amusement park dating from 1843, known to be pricey

Christiana Commune

  • Functioning alternative society, a neat place to explore and buy weed

  • Cars are banned, bicycles are the main mode of transport, and horses roam free

Carlsberg Brewery Tours

  • Brewery

  • Temporarily closed for renovation until autumn 2023

Cisterne

  • Underground art

The Round Tower

  • Astronomy tower from 17th century

  • $6 per person

Berlin, Germany

Clubs

Malmo, Sweden

Malmö Castle

  • Malmö Castle was built from 1537 to 1542 on top of ruins from an old fort

  • It is the oldest preserved Renaissance castle in Scandinavia, and today it is used for a variety of different experiences and exhibitions

Historical Square, Lilla Torg

  • Square located in the centre of the city, close to the main shopping square “Stortorget”

  • Created in 1590 and was used as a shopping square then and still is today

  • Area has small shops and cafés

Stortorget

  • Shopping square

Malmö Saluhall

  • Food counters serving ramen, ice cream, falafel & poke in a repurposed dockside industrial space

Triangeln

  • Eclectic, urban mall offering eateries and high-end stores

Keflavik/Reykjavik, Iceland

Northern Lights

  • Priority

Food Tour

  • Cost is about $100 for 3hr tour - which is about the cost of 3ish small meals (tacos, burger, entrees all cost about $45 each)

Blue Lagoon Iceland

  • About:

    • Hot springs with geothermal seawater

    • Plethora of volcanic landscapes, rising pillars of steam

    • Winter months (December-February) offer the chance to see the Northern Lights

  • Getting there:

    • 15 min drive from Keflavik Airport

    • 45-minute drive from Reykjavik

    • Visitors can also take a bus or a guided tour from Reykjavik to the Blue Lagoon

  • Reservations:

    • Will want to book asap

    • Must book several months in advance to ensure your space, likely will be turned away at the door without a reservation especially during peak tourist season (June-August)

  • Things to note:

    • It’s a requirement to shower naked in public before entering the lagoon, to ensure that the highest hygiene standards are maintained. Though uncomfortable for some, nudity is not taboo in Icelandic culture, so worry not; no one’s looking.

    • Towels and swimsuits are available for rent, visitors are also welcome to bring their own towels and swimsuits

  • Hours:

    • January-May, 08:00-21:00

    • June 1st -August 20th, 07:00-24:00

    • August 21st - January, 08:00-22:00

Food

Copenhagen, Denmark

https://guide.michelin.com/us/en/capital-region/copenhagen/restaurants

Food to try:

  • Pastries, Danishes

  • Hot dogs

  • Smørbrød (open faced sandwich)

  • Fish

  • Pork

  • Danish beer


Restaurants:

Alouette

The Samuel

formel B

Marchal

Hart Bageri

Berlin, Germany

Food to try:

  • Turkish and Greek food

  • Currywurst

  • Doner kebab

  • Jelly donut

  • Beer with flavor added

  • Eisbein - pork knuckle

  • Bouletten -

  • Kassler - thick boiled ham

  • With cheese noodles

  • Ka- Potato pancake with applesauce on top

  • Turkish simit (pastry) with Turkish tea

  • Turkish bakery breakfast (sukush? Turkish?)

  • Dong Xuan Center - viatnamese food store


Bourdain recommended spots:

  • Prater Beer Garden

  • Konnopke's Imbiss

  • Rogacki

  • Hasir Ocakbasi

  • Bräustüberl Weihenstephan

  • Fleischerei Domke

  • Michelberger Restaurant

  • Zum Schusterjungen

  • Lichtblick-Kino

    • Compact cinema, seating 32 people, showing documentaries & foreign-language films with subtitles

Malmo, Sweden

Food to try:

Restaurants:

Keflavik/Reykjavik, Iceland

Food to try:

  • Kjotsupa

  • Lamb (Stew)

  • Hot Dog (Lamb)

  • Seafood (Lobster Soup)

  • Skyr (Cake)

  • Fermented Shark

  • Ice Cream


Restaurants:

  • Lava at Blue Lagoon

Flight Info

Copenhagen, Denmark

Berlin, Germany

Malmo, Sweden

Keflavik/Reykjavik, Iceland

Stay Info

Copenhagen, Denmark

Berlin, Germany

Malmo, Sweden

Airbnbs available

  • Going for a day trip

Keflavik/Reykjavik, Iceland

  • Airbnbs available

  • Hotel at airport (ideal for layovers)

Flights and Transportation

Copenhagen, Denmark

  • Uses officially marked taxis

  • Denmark doesn't have Uber or Lyft

  • Bikes are very popular and common, along with renting bikes

  • 4 metro lines 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Easy way to go all over town

  • How to get around Copenhagen

Berlin, Germany

  • Clever Shuttle

  • A bus taxi: rideshare eco-taxi where you share the ride with other peeps, almost like a bus

Malmo, Sweden

  • Malmo is walkable

  • Can walk to most landmarks

  • Bikes are very common

  • Most hotels offer bike rentals

  • Bike rental apps: Donkey Bike or Malmö by Bike

Keflavik/Reykjavik, Iceland

  • City Center area is walkable

  • Location: from Old Harbour to the Hlemmur bus terminal

  • Electric scooters are available

  • Bus transportation in Reykjavik is easy, cheap, and gets you to the best spots in the city

  • Straeto, Reykjavik’s public transport company: bus routes, times, and fares

  • Regular bus ticket: 480 kr (3.30 USD) during the day and 960 kr (6.55 USD) at night

  • Buses travel up and down Hverfisgata street, but it's best to wander Laugavegur, the main shopping street, on foot

  • There’s no Lyft or Uber


Travel Between KEF airport and Reykjavik

  • Airport transport bus service:

  • Shuttle bus is fairly priced and travels to and from Keflavik Airport frequently

  • Ride time: 45 to 60 minutes

  • Taxi:

  • Starting price is around $110 USD


Reykjavik

  • Bus transportation in Reykjavik:

    • Regular bus ticket: 480 kr (3.30 USD) during the day and 960 kr (6.55 USD) at night

  • Airport transportation:

  • Bus service:

    • Shuttle bus is fairly priced and travels to and from Keflavik Airport frequently

    • Ride time: 45 to 60 minutes

  • Taxi:

    • Starting price is around $110 USD

Important Info

Copenhagen, Denmark

General

  • Mixed gender bathrooms are normal

US Department of State for Denmark

PASSPORT VALIDITY:

  • Recommend at least 6 months beyond your period of stay

BLANK PASSPORT PAGES:

  • One page per stamp

TOURIST VISA REQUIRED:

  • Not required for stays under 90 days

VACCINATIONS:

  • None

CURRENCY RESTRICTIONS FOR ENTRY:

  • 10,000 Euros (or equivalent)

CURRENCY RESTRICTIONS FOR EXIT:

  • 10,000 Euros (or equivalent)

Berlin, Germany

General

  • Danka - thanks

  • Skoal - cheers

  • Prosit - drinking to one’s health

US Department of State for Germany

PASSPORT VALIDITY:

  • Three months beyond planned date of departure from the Schengen area including transit (strictly enforced).

BLANK PASSPORT PAGES:

  • Two pages.

TOURIST VISA REQUIRED:

  • Not required for stays under 90 days.

VACCINATIONS:

  • None

CURRENCY RESTRICTIONS FOR ENTRY:

  • 10,000€ (euros or equivalent).

CURRENCY RESTRICTIONS FOR EXIT:

  • 10,000€ (euros or equivalent).

Malmo, Sweden

General

US Department of State for Sweden

PASSPORT VALIDITY:

  • At least three months beyond the period of stay

BLANK PASSPORT PAGES:

  • Space for entry and exit stamps

TOURIST VISA REQUIRED:

  • Not required for stays under 90 days

VACCINATIONS:

  • None

CURRENCY RESTRICTIONS FOR ENTRY:

  • 10,000 Euros (or equivalent)

CURRENCY RESTRICTIONS FOR EXIT:

  • 10,000 Euros (or equivalent)

Keflavik/Reykjavik, Iceland

General

US Department of State for Iceland

PASSPORT VALIDITY:

  • Three months required, six months recommended beyond your planned date of departure from the Schengen area.

BLANK PASSPORT PAGES:

  • Two pages required for entry stamp

TOURIST VISA REQUIRED:

  • Not required for stays less than 90 days

VACCINATIONS:

  • None

CURRENCY RESTRICTIONS FOR ENTRY:

  • Any amount over 10,000 Euros or equivalent must be declared

CURRENCY RESTRICTIONS FOR EXIT:

  • Any amount over 10,000 Euros or equivalent must be declared

General Prep

  • Bring cash

  • Alert credit cards and banks of travel

  • Practice DuoLingo phrases (not required)

  • Tipping not expected but rounding to 10% for exceptional service is nice to do

  • Take photos of documents

  • Print out to back up (passport, ID, Covid card), leave copy at home and take one with

Budget and Personal Expenses

Copenhagen, Denmark

  • Stays

  • Transportation

  • Food

  • Other

Berlin, Germany

  • Stays

  • Transportation

  • Food

  • Other

Malmo, Sweden

  • Stays

  • Transportation

  • Food

  • Other

Keflavik/Reykjavik, Iceland

  • Stays

  • Transportation

  • Food

  • Other

Flights and Transportation

  • Train: Copenhagen to Malmo - $12/person

  • Train: Berlin to Copenhagen

  • EasyJet Flight: Copenhagen to Berlin - about $100 round trip

  • EasyJet Flight: Copenhagen to Berlin with 2 bags - about $215 round trip

    • Small cabin bag: 1 x under seat cabin bag (max. 45 x 36 x 20 cm)

    • Large cabin bag: 1 x large cabin bag (max. 56 x 45 x 25 cm

Copenhagen

  • The Villa Hotel (pastry espresso spot inside)

  • Danish Architecture Centre

  • Christianborg Palace

  • Landbageriet (focaccia and cinnamon rolls)

  • Cafe Claude’s Hands (hot egg)

  • Rosenburg Castle

  • Delicatessen

  • Canal Tour

  • Kaffe Konceptor Aps (alcoholic coffees)

  • Tivoli

    • Raclette mac and cheese

  • Hostels:

    • Generator

      • lockers available

    • CPH Downtown Hostel

      • lockers available

  • That one bar after

  • Le Petit something (breakfast with skyr)

  • Pharmacy Apotek

  • Orange houses

  • Traditional Smorrebrod from?

  • Lagkagehuset Groennin (cafe by castle park I think?)

  • Other castle and cathedral thing

  • Ice skating area

  • Freetown Christiana

    • No photos

    • Don’t interact with dogs due to recent tension there

    • Pusher street is a little weird and the locals aren’t supporting it due to recent gang violence

    • Christmas Market (and maybe regular market?) is before pusher street and an exit exists next to the market

  • Botanical garden shop (not recommended for people with asthma, something funky in there)

  • Cinema place

Recommended Establishments

Coffee Shops

Music Venues

Copenhagen, Denmark

  • Buka

  • Kaf Bar

  • Hart Bagery (bakery - owner worked at Noma)

  • Bastard Cafe (board games, Hygge culture)

Berlin, Germany

  • Coffee Fellows Cafe

Malmo, Sweden

  • Katarina

Keflavik/Reykjavik, Iceland

Copenhagen, Denmark

Berlin, Germany

  • M-Bia (underground industrial music)

  • Schokoladen (tiny disco dance hall but not necessarily disco music)

Malmo, Sweden

Keflavik/Reykjavik, Iceland

Museums & Memorials

Bars & Breweries

Copenhagen, Denmark

Berlin, Germany

  • The Wall

  • East Side Gallery

Malmo, Sweden

Keflavik/Reykjavik, Iceland

Copenhagen, Denmark

  • Cucaracha bar

Berlin, Germany

  • Eschschloraque (hidden bar)

Malmo, Sweden

Keflavik/Reykjavik, Iceland

Theaters

Food Halls & Markets

Copenhagen, Denmark

Berlin, Germany

Malmo, Sweden

Keflavik/Reykjavik, Iceland

Copenhagen, Denmark

  • TorvehallerneKBH

    • Coffee Collective

    • Roert KBH (smorrebrod)

    • El Mercado (tapas)

    • Ma Poule (ham shop)

    • Tante T (tea)

    • Omegn & Venner (cheese shop)

  • Christmas Market by NyHaven

  • Christmas Markets

    • Gluhwein

    • Hot Toddies

    • Currywurst

Berlin, Germany

  • Flea market [find name and insert]

  • Pop-up hidden Christmas Market on that one street

Malmo, Sweden

  • Malmö Saluhall

    • Clemens Kott & Husman

Keflavik/Reykjavik, Iceland

Notable Neighborhoods

Notable Eats

Copenhagen, Denmark

Berlin, Germany

Malmo, Sweden

Keflavik/Reykjavik, Iceland

Copenhagen, Denmark

  • Killer Kebab

  • Thai Takeaway

  • Kebanistan

  • Dandelion Burger

  • Hidden Dim Sum

  • Studio X Kitchen (must get folded eggs)

  • Mum’s Deli

  • La Tre Street (Pho)

  • Aamanns 1921 (amazing new Nordic food $$$)

Berlin, Germany

  • Hofbrau Munchen (well known)

  • Zeit Fuer Brot (amazing bakery)

  • Turkish place for breakfast (find name)

  • Doner place near laundromat for currywurst and doner [find name and insert]

  • House of Small Wonder (in that one neighborhood)

Malmo, Sweden

  • Clemens Kott & Husman

Keflavik/Reykjavik, Iceland

Art Districts & Murals

Grocery & Retail Shops

Copenhagen, Denmark

Berlin, Germany

  • East Side Gallery

Malmo, Sweden

Keflavik/Reykjavik, Iceland

Copenhagen, Denmark

  • Stroget Shopping Center

  • Fotex Foods

  • Netto

Berlin, Germany

  • Thrift store [find name and insert]

Malmo, Sweden

Keflavik/Reykjavik, Iceland

One Bag Packing List Example

Pack:

  • Thin scarf thing

  • Merino wool gloves

  • Sweater blue cashmere

  • Thermal shirts (4)

  • Green shirt

  • Grey Henley

  • Red down puffer vest

  • Yoga pants (3)

  • Sweater black merino wool

  • Wool skirt

  • Merino wool socks

  • Thermal leggings for skirt

  • Loungewear items

  • Socks, panties, bras

  • Waterproof boots

  • Swimsuit (Reykjavik hot springs?)

  • Berlin clubbing outfit (tbd)

  • Socks, panties, bras

  • Waterproof boots

  • Second pair of shoes (tbd)

  • Swimsuit

  • Toiletries (see subtask for full list)

  • Bag/purse thing

  • Phone

  • Wallet

  • Pen

Wearing to airport:

  • Adidas

  • Long black water resistant down coat (maybe)

  • Yoga pants

  • Thermal shirt

Toiletries

  • Day cream

  • Night cream

  • Tylenol

  • Toothpaste

  • Toothbrush

  • Deodorant

  • Conditioner

  • Shampoo

  • Face wash or scrub

  • Body wash

  • Flossers/floss

  • Razor

  • Sunscreen

  • Brush

  • Tampons

  • Earplugs

  • SPF chapstick

Makeup

  • Foundation

  • Sponge with holder

  • Mascara

Itinerary Example

Copenhagen, Denmark

Day 1 (Monday)

Group leaves home airport

Day 2 (Tuesday)

Group arrives in Copenhagen at noon/around midday

Day 3 (Wednesday)

Chill in Copenhagen

Day 4 (Thursday)

Go to Tivoli

Day 5 (Friday)

Leave for Berlin in the morning via flight (ideally Friday for weekend clubbing)

Berlin, Germany

Day 5 (Friday)

Leave for Berlin in the morning via flight

  • Arrive in Berlin

  • Club night in Berlin

Day 6 (Saturday)

  • Day in Berlin

  • Club night in Berlin

Day 7 (Sunday)

Leave Berlin to Copenhagen via 7 hour train and sleep OR fly out

Copenhagen Leg 2

Day 7 (Sunday)

Leave Berlin to Copenhagen via 7 hour train and sleep

  • Be back in Copenhagen by (insert time)

Day 8 (Monday)

Wake up in Copenhagen, go to Malmo for the day

Malmo, Sweden

Day 8 (Monday)

Go to Malmo for the day, then come back to Copenhagen

Copenhagen Leg 3

Day 8 (Monday)

Come back to Copenhagen from Malmo

Day 9 (Tuesday)

Chill in Copenhagen

Day 10 (Wednesday)

Chill in Copenhagen

Day 11 (Thursday)

Depart in the evening to Iceland

Keflavik/Reykjavik, Iceland

Day 11 (Thursday)

Arrive in Iceland evening to midnight

Day 12 (Friday)

Fly to home airport in evening

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