Let me say one thing before we start, there are a million super stylish places to eat, drink and shop in Copenhagen. Before I left for my trip, I asked three friends who had been for their recommendations and received two chock-full Google Maps and one massive spreadsheet on all the beautiful options.

So this isn’t a comprehensive list of all things Copenhagen. It’s the inspired highlights from one Scandi-loving artist’s first trip to design heaven.

Where I stayed
This architectural gem of an Airbnb in the quiet, yet close to everything, neighborhood of Frederiksberg. We were there on the cusp of spring, but still very much winter! Pops of crocuses and daffodils were all around, but the temperature with windchill factor hovered around 30°F. It didn’t stop us from wandering around Frederiksberg Gardens and seeing our fair share of palaces. In the warmer months the trees and less hardy flowers must be insanely gorgeous.

Museum Goals
Again, I had no shortage of recommendations for landmarks and attractions, but with limited time and energy, I landed on a visit to Ordrupgaard and I’m so glad I did.

This has to be one of the most unique museum spaces I’ve ever walked through. One side is an original Danish mansion from 1918 which is connected to a modern wing from 2005 designed by Zaha Hadid.

I’ve always been obsessed with seeing inside people’s homes, so getting a glimpse at the very traditional spaces originally inhabited by the family who started the museum was a treat. I will go as far as to say that seeing their simple (and somehow contemporary feeling) kitchen was one of my favorite moments of my day at Ordrupgaard…. that and the gorgeous museum cafe with the PRETTIEST authentic smørrebrød sandwiches.

Yes, the art was of course beautiful too. A temporary exhibition of female Impressionists, including my favorite Mary Cassatt, and a permanent collection of mostly 19th-century Danish paintings.

The Design Stores
This is 90% why I’ve wanted to visit Copenhagen for so long. Everything in this city is beautiful. Coming from New York, the real culture shock was the clean streets and cohesive architecture. I am a lover of New York and live for the grit and the millions of different aesthetic points of view.

But it is pretty amazing to see a city where the metro is clean and bright and most of the buildings look like they were somehow all built by the same person and fit for royalty.

So the design stores are like gems within a gem.

Here are some that I visited:
Hay
Vipp
Normann Copenhagen
Royal Copenhagen (of course)
New Mags (a bookstore)

The Food
Don’t come to Copenhagen if you don’t like pastries - they might not even let you. The bakeries are plentiful (literally two on most blocks) and not messing around. Every bakery we went to had exceptional pastries (I used to live within walking distance to Tartine in LA so my bar is set quite high)… well maybe except one.

All the bakeries I tried in 4 days:
Hart Bageri (multiple visits, it is the BEST!)
Juno The Bakery
Daniali & Schiøtz Bageri
Skt. Peders Bageri (the oldest in Copenhagen, though not nearly as good as the others IMHO)

More good food:
Gasoline Grill
The Sixteen Twelve
GRØD
Kødbyens Fiskebar

And my absolute FAVORITE spot:
Lille Petra. Perfect for a long coffee or hot chocolate break. It was warm, cozy and gorgeous inside on a cold day, but the courtyard (and honestly even the outdoor walk to the bathroom) would be incredible in the summer.

An Artist's Guide To Copenhagen