What do you think about when you think of Denmark?
I’ll go first!
All I thought about was cheese Danishes and the name Copenhagen. It rang no other bells.
I’ve always been pretty ignorant to Denmark and any of the Scandinavian nations.
When I first moved to Europe, they were pretty far down on my travel list and that was the case up until about 2 weeks before I traveled there.
I did recognize Denmark to always be at the top of the list in the countries with the highest quality to live in, and the highest happiness index regarding its residents.
I never knew why, but I do now.
7 months deep into COVID lockdown and there were only a few countries that we could travel to from the Netherlands and at that point that was the only box you needed to check to become a 2020 travel destination.
But I was pleasantly surprised! From a social perspective, Copenhagen was my favorite solo trip that I’ve taken to date.
Being Black in Denmark honestly felt extremely comfortable. I had pretty unique experiences and diverse surroundings that might not be completely representative of the whole country or even Copenhagen.
I spent 3 days and nights in Copenhagen and took a few day trips. One to the coastal cliffs and one to neighboring Sweden.
Taking the demographics, safety, costs, entertainment options and a few other aspects into account, Copenhagen received 4.5 out of 5 Fros on the Fro Rating Scale!
People & City Demographics - 5 Fros
Now to know something about Danish people you gotta understand a bit about the country’s societal structure.
Denmark is ranked #2 currently in countries with the highest quality of life. That doesn’t mean that people are happier, it just means they’re doing something right.
Through progressive taxation, Denmark employs a universal health care system so citizens receive mostly free medical care. Higher education is also free.
Unsurprisingly, Denmark’s highly progressive government and societal structure creates incredible social mobility.
Coming from the states, I hear ‘free health care and free higher education’ and think, “Is this black magic??” but no, it’s a functional government.
That helps Denmark become one of the world leaders in income equality and economic stability. It’s also a very politically stable country.
Like I said, these things don’t guarantee happiness to the citizens, but when you come to a place like this the air literally feels lighter.
Less tension, people aren’t as stressed about bills and it allows them to live a life with more of a balance. A life that isn’t solely focused on making money, but more on life’s simple pleasures like laying out in a park.
I live in the Netherlands and it’s the same story here. People are generally lighter and less tense than they are back in the states and it’s for all the same reasons.
Speaking of the people, it was SO easy to meet them because I was staying in the Downtown Copenhagen Hostel, which is the center of the city’s downtown next to a string of bars.
There was also a bar on the ground floor of the hostel which was open to the public, not just the hostel residents.
It was the SPOT in the city! Locals and people staying at the hostel were using it every night to full capacity, and because I lived there it took no effort to go and I was usually there early.
Although I mostly met locals, I was meeting local Danes who chose to visit more international and diverse crowds at night.
All I had to do to meet new peeps was go downstairs and sit at the bar to order a drink. Whoever stands next to me to order I would turn and say “What’s up!”
After that the rest of the night is covered. Each night I ended up with a group of people and even made some friends that I hung out with 2 nights in a row.
They were all locals and they welcomed me with open arms.
I hung out with one of them during the day in the park, and I keep in touch with a few of them now.
Being Black in Denmark
When exploring the city solo, I never felt out of place.
There wasn’t a time that I thought about my race, which is the ultimate compliment that I can pay a place that has a small amount of people that look like me.
Around the center of the city, I found a very young and hipster feel which lends itself to feeling very open-minded. It actually reminds me of Amsterdam a lot!
Just outside of the city center is a truly amazing place called Freetown Christiana. Freetown is an intentional commune that was formed in 1971 when some folks squatted in an abandoned military area.
They’re known for having an open cannabis market there. Which is wild because it’s a community carved out in the middle of Copenhagen, and weed is illegal in Copenhagen and the rest of Denmark.
I found the commune incredible. Everything looks normal around it, but then there are few graffiti covered entrances into some side streets, and all of a sudden you’re in a new world. And yea they definitely sell weed and other things there at some vendor stalls.
They also ask that you don’t record that stuff or the locals.
It makes sense, because I know a lot of people go there just to see which is good for commerce but it’s also just people living their lives freely. I felt very safe and comfortable while there though.
When I think of a city being accepting of this type of freedoms, it makes me feel more comfortable there as a black visitor.
The only time I got stares was when I took a road trip out to Mons Klint, which is a beautiful cliffside shore a few hours drive away from Copenhagen.
I could tell they were just stares of curiosity, because I get that whenever I go to the mountains or natural areas outside of cities, even in my own country.
Treatment & Service - 4 Fros
Outside of bars, I didn’t go to many establishments. Although I ate out a few times during my time in Denmark.
Everybody speaks English very well, so there’s absolutely no issue when it comes to having a language barrier and getting what you need.
Europe has a reputation of having shitty restaurant service due to tips not being a major part of waiters’ income.
However, Denmark had pretty good service but nothing remarkable..
There’s not much noteworthy about the treatment I received from Danish establishments. I feel like I got treated as everyone else and that’s all a kid can ask for.
Safety - 4.5 Fros
Denmark is an extremely safe country and there was never a moment that I felt in any threat of danger.
Except!! Except when I went out to the cliffs. I solo hiked and there wasn’t anything scary that happened.
I’ve solo hiked before, but this time it was just eerie. I felt like there were a lot of people in the parking lot, but once I started the hike I didn’t see anybody until the end. It wasn’t marked well, and I was walking through these slanted woods where I ran into a group of screaming goats.
I got to the end of the trail and it was absolutely beautiful. That’s when I realized I just took the wrong route through so I followed the crowds the way back and all was good.
We even made a few friends to potentially meet up with later, which is one of the best parts of travel.
Cost to Visit - 3 Fros
Now this is the part that hurts my soul, and my pockets.
The first thing to know is that Denmark doesn’t use the Euro. They use the Danish Krone (DKK), and 1 Euro or USD is about 7 to 7.5 Krones.
Now all of my big costs weren’t so bad.
I didn’t have a very lavish vacation. I stayed in a hostel that amounted to about 60 Euros per night with my own room and toilet, but shared showers. It was all clean and comfortable
I had a rental car for 3 days, so that I could take day trips which only amounted up to 90 Euros. Although I got a parking ticket that cost the same as actual rental for 3 days. It was 80 Euros!
The flight to Denmark was the main reason I went there. It was an 80 Euro round trip and I got it 5 days before the flight (keep in mind, this was during COVID).
So the big purchases were fine! What chapped my ass were the prices of goods once you arrive. I ate out and got a meal from a burger joint for about 30 Euros. Nothing fancy. Just a burger and fries and a drink.
After that, I exclusively ate in the hostel.
I could get 10 euro pizzas or wraps and I didn’t need much more. Also beer and cocktails will also fill your belly which I had a lot of!
Not gonna lie, the cocktails were all around 10 – 15 euros, but that’s pretty standard out in Western Europe, and even where I’m from in the states.
I only had to fill up the rental with gas once and that’s when I was returning it. And that shit hurt. I had a van so that’s my fault but it cost 80 Euros for that. Bout the same price as the rental car for 3 days again.
I also took a day trip to Malmo, Sweden and there’s an incredible bridge that you have to cross to get from Denmark to Sweden.
The amount was 50 Euros to cross that bridge. Not to mention that I had to cross that bridge again just to come back in a few hours. Ouch!!
All-in-all I ended up breaking more bank than was needed with the parking ticket, rental car and gas, and the bridge crossing.
For most people visiting Copenhagen, a car is not necessary. The city is very easy to get around by walking, biking, or public transportation.
And Malmo is cool, but definitely not worth shelling out a hundred bucks for a few hours. If you’re going to cross that bridge then spend some more time exploring Sweden than I did.
Do as I say, Not as I do.
Food - 3.5 Fros
Now I can’t speak to traditional Danish food.
What I’ve realized throughout my travels is that food isn’t a huge part of travel to me. Which is partly a shame, because food can tell a story about a culture. It’s so important in understanding the place you’re in.
And yet, I can take a couple granola bars and be on the run all day regardless of where I am and never think about how I missed out on eating a traditional Danish meal.
Now I spent so much time in this international hostel that I can’t say much about the Danish food or even how good other types of restaurants are in Copenhagen.
But I was recommended this burger joint by a local. It’s called Halifax. Now this place was bomb!
I was feeling savage and got this burger called the Palermo. And I ain’t gon lie that burger put it on me. I’m pretty sure I was hungover that day and the Palermo brought me back to life, so shouts out to Halifax. Check it out here.
Weather - 3.5 Fros
I went to Copenhagen at the start of October, which is a decent time to travel around Western Europe in general because there’s less tourism, decent weather, and things cost a little less.
Now in Copenhagen it starts to get chilly in October but not too bad.
You definitely need a jacket at night, but during the day you can get by with a sweater. I had a day at around 60 degrees fahrenheit and the nights were in the mid-40s.
It’s a wet country, meaning it rains about a third of the days. But it’ll be sunny for a few hours then grey and rainy for a few. You take the good with the bad.
The winters get really cold, so that’s not the place to come in December if you’re afraid of a little frostbite.
For weather, the best time to visit is definitely Summer to early Fall. May – September ideally with July and August being the warmest months creeping into the 70s.
My personal favorite month is September so I can avoid the crowds!
Transportation - 4.5 Fros
I rented a car for my visit to Denmark, but if you’re just planning on seeing Copenhagen or neighboring towns, skip the car.
Public transport is very efficient and reliable in Copenhagen.
They have a metro system that runs 24/7 with frequent trains, and buses and trains that run regularly with ending times a bit after midnight.
What’s cooler than all of those things is the biking culture in Copenhagen. I’d never been to a city that rivals the Netherlands in biking, but this is the only thing that looks similar.
There are wide biking lanes on most streets and everybody is riding safely. I was there at a unique time, so I’m not sure what it’s like during peak tourist season.
I’d recommend renting a bike if you’re staying a few days.
It’s a great way to explore a city, it’s cheaper, healthier, and the city’s infrastructure is literally built for it.
Overall - 4.5 Fros
Considering everything above, Copenhagen got an amazing 4.5 out of 5 Fros on the Fro Rating Scale!
I felt extremely comfortable in my skin and I met an incredibly diverse group of people while there.
Denmark is a very peaceful and fun place to visit and apparently even more quality to live in.
The people that I met absolutely made the trip for me and I could go back there and not step foot out of that hostel for 3 days.
The cliffs at Mons Klint were a really nice change of pace from the city and there’s so much more in the way of nature that I’d love to see in this country.
I recommend visiting Denmark to anybody!
I hit Denmark solo, but I can tell it’d also be a great country to visit with a couple friends. Particularly that hostel. You’ll leave every night with at least one new friend.
Have you ever been to Denmark before? If not, does this post make you want to? Let me know in the comments and I’ll help any way I can. You can also check out the other Afro Reviews to see what other spots you should hit up!
Ya boi,
Zekarias
