a solo girl in copenhagen

Copenhagen for solo travel? Yes. A thousand times- yes. When I lived in Rome during the summer of 2021, I grew tired of the constant state of stress Rome brought me. Don’t get me wrong, Rome is historical, beautiful, and vibrant, among many other characteristics. However, it can be very stressful to live there. There are a lot of people- a lot of people. There is always something going on. There are some funky smells. (Ha, kidding… well, kind of kidding). 

So after living in San Lorenzo for about a month, I decided I needed a little getaway. Since I had a long weekend coming up, I started researching other cities in Europe that I could easily (and cheaply — my favorite word) reach. My favorite way to do this is to make a spreadsheet with categories such as (did you know that I’m a Virgo?):

• Place: where do I actually want to go 
• Transportation: what type is needed and what it costs
• Accommodation: please, God, I cannot stay in another gross hostel…
• Pocket money: I don’t want to dig into my savings for a random trip
• Things to do: solo female goddess vibes only
• Extra

After spending a million hours researching places and typing into Google, “safest places in Europe for solo female travelers,” I began to narrow down my search. I wanted a place I hadn’t been to before, a place that wouldn’t take too long to get to, so I could make the most of my short weekend, and a place that I would feel safe and confident in. Oh and, a place that would cost less than $80 to get to (most importantly). 

Thanks to my buddies at Ryanair, I secured a $50 roundtrip flight from Rome to Copenhagen. I secured accommodation at the Generator Hostel for less than $200 (costly- yes. worth it? no). 

Want to know what I did? Lucky you, I’m going to tell you…

A Long Weekend in Copenhagen Alone

When I first got to Copenhagen, I quickly learned how easy transportation is to navigate. I got off the plane, followed the signs to the metro in terminal 3, and went up to the kiosk. At the kiosk, you can first select your language of choice. I knew that the hostel I was staying at was in the city center (Copenhagen Central Station), so I put that in and a ticket popped out. The ticket was roughly $5–9. After I had my ticket in hand, I continued following the signs up an escalator to the metro platforms. When I got on the metro, I knew that my stop was the last. To be extra cautious, I opened Google Maps (pro tip- Google Maps works better in Europe), had my location as the destination, and followed along as it went. After a short trip, we arrived at the main train station. From here, I followed Google Maps exclusively. My hostel was a short 8-minute walk from the train station. After getting off the metro, I immediately looked around and felt safe. Copenhagen is a bright, open, and clean city. I knew at first glance I would be comfortable there.

After checking into my hostel, placing my belongings down, and freshening up, I set out to find the famous Nyhavn harbor. Once there, I strolled around to the many outdoor booths to find Pølsevogn (a Danish hot dog). Then I grabbed a Coke, my Kindle, and a spot to enjoy the air by the harbor. I spent a few hours there. I watched people, ate snacks, and read books. What a beautiful place! Not once did I feel unsafe with my back turned to the crowd.

Later that night, I went to the main square for shopping and dinner. I significantly underestimated the cold air in Denmark, so I bought a coat. Obviously, I had to buy a veggie burger to go with my new coat. I found a great place in the center called, “Eden Jaxx.” The food was delicious and it was really relaxing to sit down with my book and food and feel content. I used to be afraid of dining alone, but now I prefer it. My first night was very relaxed and chill.

I woke up early the next morning to visit some of the famous and free sights. I first made my way to Kastellet, a fortress located in the city center. It is one of the best-preserved fortresses in Northern Europe and totally free! I spent an hour walking along the grounds, taking photos, and soaking in the history. From there, the famous Little Mermaid Statue is a quick 12-minute walk, so I set out to find Ariel. After seeing the sites, I grabbed lunch at El Viejo Mexico. Lunch was delicious and affordable. After lunch, I walked toward Rosenborg Castle. Admission was 120 DKK. I wandered around the castle grounds, the armory, and the art rooms for an hour or two. It was a beautiful place to see royal history. I spent a little time in the castle’s gardens reading my book, as well.

The next day and my last day, I had big plans to see all the remaining sights in the main city. However, after I found the Kongens Have Park, I couldn’t leave it. I mean, I physically could not leave it. I spend the entire day reading in the park. I got food from a local shop and enjoyed the fresh air amongst the many people also enjoying the park. When I finally left the park, I stumbled upon a Pride parade. This was such a beautiful and pleasant surprise! It made me love the city even more. For dinner, I went to an Irish pub called the “Dubliner” in the city center. It was delicious and incredibly affordable (pro tip: it was difficult to find on Google Maps so look it up online beforehand!)

So, there you go. I went to 2 museums, 4 restaurants, countless sights… and I loved every second of it.

Copenhagen Safety Factor?

I was only in Copenhagen for four days, however, I can tell you with complete certainty that I didn’t feel unsafe once. When I was dining at restaurants, I was met with the most kind and helpful service. When I went to the museums, I felt confident and secure strolling through alone. When I went on long (6+ mile) walks outside to the different sights, I wasn’t looking behind my shoulder the entire time. When I spent my last day sleeping in the park, I wasn’t even worried that my canvas bag lay open.

Of course, like anywhere you go, you MUST take safety precautions. Don’t look at your phone while walking, blend in, don’t say your room number out loud when checking in, don’t scream out that you’re alone when dining or purchasing tickets… etc. As a woman, you know, the list goes on and on. With that in mind, I followed all my usual safety procedures and felt comfortable adventuring around Copenhagen. I would 100% recommend it to anyone that has never solo traveled before, hasn’t been to Europe alone, or wants a nice change and can’t find anyone to go along with. Go to Copenhagen. 

Feel safe, liberated, and free while doing it. I know you can!