How to Spend 72 Hours in Copenhagen, Denmark and Malmö, Sweden

Ever thought about spending a weekend away in Scandinavia? It was one of my must-do trips while studying abroad in London, and it was absolutely worth it… even if I arrived right after a massive snow storm! Here is everything I did during my trip.

First, I flew into the Copenhagen Airport and took the Metro into the city enter. You are able to purchase a ticket upon arrival using the machines nearby. After reaching the city center, I immediately stopped at BUKA Bakery for a late lunch. Throughout this trip, I was able to use Citymapper (Google Maps also works) to get around. This bakery has been gaining much popularity on social media and has a plethora of sweet/savory options. 

I chose to stay at Copenhagen Downtown Hostel for this trip and highly recommend it to any budget and/or solo travelers! The location is incredibly convenient because I was within walking distance of nearly everything I wanted to see or do. You are able to check in and out online, making it easy to fit in your schedule based on travel times. The lock system is also electronic so you do not have to worry about keeping track of a key or key card!

The rest of the evening was spent exploring the shops nearby. Specifically, Studio Arhoj and Notre Dame. If you love cute shops with trinkets, art, and homeware–these are an essential stop. Studio Arhoj is a  store where you can see artists in action, view original artworks, and even purchase them. They even hold workshops so you may be able to include one during your trip, if you plan accordingly. Notre Dame is an arts and interior shop. This is the perfect place to pick up a little trinket or two for your home. There are many pieces of functionally aesthetic decor that come in a multitude of colors, patterns, and sizes. You will definitely find any homeware needs here.

For dinner, we booked a reservation at Pico Pizza. They serve small Neapolitan sourdough pizzas with classics like Margarita and Capricciossa, but also bold creations such as Sloppy Joe and Bành Mi. If you cannot decide on one, you can order the Pico Trio to have a taste of everything.

We spent the next day in Malmö, which is about a 40 minute train ride from Denmark to Sweden over Øresund. There are frequent trains between these cities and we were able to purchase a ticket within 15 minutes of the next one. 

After arriving, we traveled to Spoonery for authentic Swedish meatballs with lingonberries and pickles!

Then, we strolled around the Malmö Castle park, and within its museum. If you are 19 or under, you are able to enter for free.

We made our way to the Emporia Shopping Center afterwards. We stopped at a Swedish clothing shop (Bik Bok) and sweets shop (Hemmakäll), before taking the train back. 

All throughout Copenhagen, there are these traditional hot dog stands called ‘Døp’ (Den Økologiske Pølsemand). These are served with organic buns, sausages (rød pølse or grilled), ketchup, mustard, Danish remoulade, pickled cucumber slices, chopped raw onions, and fried onions. These are perfect if you need a cheap and quick meal or snack during your busy travel day. 

The final day was spent seeing many sights: Nyhavn, Christianborg Palace, Frederik’s Church, Rosenborg Castle, and The Little Mermaid. Our final stop was to Skt. Peders Bageri to try some Danish baked goods before departing.