Copenhagen: My First Solo Trip in Over a Decade
- Dominique Coleman
- Oct 19, 2024
- 3 min read
I contemplated whether I would travel for my birthday last year for a while. In the prior year (2022), I went on an epic trip to French Polynesia with 11 girlfriends. It was an amazing experience, but it required a lot of planning and many hurdles navigating traveling at the tail end of the COVID-19 pandemic. The thought of planning another group trip was not very appealing, and my budget was also much different. I’m usually willing to book a trip at the drop of a dime, but I’d made it my business to practice being less impulsive to make more progress on my financial goals. My newfound conscious spending meant I didn’t pull the trigger on taking a trip until two months before my travel dates. At that point, going solo was the most reasonable option.
So how did I decide on Copenhagen? First, I wanted my flight or hotel to be covered by my Chase Travel Rewards, and Copenhagen was one of the cheapest international destinations to travel to. The flight only came to 32,296 points (valued at $484.45). Next, I found a 20% off member rate for the NH Collection hotel on Expedia. After redeeming 6,225 Expedia Rewards points, I only paid $750 for my four-night stay.
Initial costs aside, Copenhagen’s stunning architecture, cultural attractions, and food scene made it an easy choice. I fell in love with European architecture on my first trip to France in high school, and since then I’ve taken every opportunity to return to the continent. The fact that UNESCO designated Copenhagen as the World Capital of Architecture in 2023 was icing on the cake!
It also wasn’t too hard to find things to do. Copenhagen is a great city for art lovers; there are many internationally recognized museums and art galleries. Whether I’m at home or abroad, visiting museums is at the top of my list, and Copenhagen has over 55. The food scene is also always high on my list when deciding to travel somewhere, and Copenhagen’s restaurant scene is one of the most innovative in the world. After all, Copenhagen is home to Noma, one of the world’s best restaurants.
Last but not least, safety was, of course, a factor as a solo traveler. I remember how anxious I was when I went on my first solo trip in 2012. Although I’m naturally inquisitive and a wanderer, traveling alone as a woman felt very uneasy. Fast forward to the present day. I’m less anxious, but no less diligent. Luckily, not only is Denmark considered one of the happiest places in the world, the Global Peace Index ranked it the fourth most peaceful country in the world.
So how did the trip turn out? From the first day, I had a great time. I landed in Copenhagen on my actual birthday, and after settling into my hotel, I headed out for a beautiful 5-course tasting at Alouette in the Islands Brygge neighborhood. I found the restaurant in the Michelin Guide, along with several other Michelin-rated restaurants to choose from. The service was paced perfectly, and the food was incredible - 10/10 HIGHLY recommend.
On my second day, I headed out of the city because I was mesmerized by the photos I'd seen of Møns Klint, a geological masterpiece featuring white chalk cliffs along the Baltic Sea. I found the perfect combination tour on Viator which also stopped at Camp Adventure, Denmark's largest adventure park, where I climbed Forest Tower, a 45-metre tower with views of the forest, and even back to Copenhagen on a clear day.
For the remainder of the trip, I explored the city's attractions, mostly the museums. While I didn't focus my time on the typical attractions like Tivoli Gardens and Nyhavn, I had a great time filled with culture and gastronomy. As I reflect on this being my first solo trip in over ten years, I wish I hadn’t waited so long to take another solo trip. Moving at your own pace, and having total control over your itinerary, is an unparalleled experience. When I wanted to turn in early because of jetlag, I didn’t feel outside pressure to keep going. It was perfectly fine when I wanted to do the most and planned 16 stops in one day. And on days when things didn’t go according to plan, there was only self-contained disappointment. Needless to say, I’ll definitely be taking more solo trips in the future.
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