After checking into my hostel (Next House Hostel which I recommend!), and getting settled into my room, I immediately felt a childlike sense of newfound freedom. I’ve been living on my own and making my own decisions for quite some time now but for some reason, I felt giddy with the fact that this was my trip and I could do anything I wanted to! I could get ice cream in the freezing weather just because or order an espresso martini at a bar just because! I didn’t end up doing either of those things but I spent an absurd amount of time in every vintage store I passed and tried way too many coffee shops in one weekend.

Why Copenhagen?

I had been wanting to venture on a solo trip journey for about a year when I finally booked my long weekend in Copenhagen. Why did I choose one of the most expensive cities? Well, I knew I wanted to go somewhere in Scandinavia for safety reasons as a young female traveling alone, but I also wanted somewhere where I could indulge in the vintage fashion shop scene, charming streets, and Fika (okay yes Fika is technically a Swedish ritual of slowing down with a cup of good coffee but I think we can count Denmark in too). The last time I was in Copenhagen it was only for two nights and 14-year-old me didn’t appreciate all that the Scandinavian lifestyle has to offer. I was eager to experience it properly this time around. I’ve never witnessed a more put-together city than Copenhagen. I don’t think I saw any litter on the streets and everyone was dressed immaculately. Even on their bikes, the people manage to make navigating the streets in the freezing cold effortless.   

Unexpected things: Dining Alone

I’ve dined by myself plenty of times at cafes but I’ve never walked into a restaurant at dinner time and asked for a table for one. I oddly loved doing this, it felt empowering, but getting turned away from a few places that were at full capacity, was humbling for sure. I even asked one place if they had room at their bar for me to eat, (I’m just a small young girl who’s hungry there’s gotta be a little space for me!) but I was ultimately turned down. I finally came across the smallest, most enchanting Italian place that had room for me. At first, I didn’t know what to do with myself. I didn’t want to be on my phone but I also didn’t want to stare at the other diners too much and creep them out. Once I got over the initial weird feeling of dining alone, I savored every flavorful bite of my pizza and slowly sipped on my glass of rosé in the company of my own thoughts. It was nice realizing nobody actually cares if you’re eating alone, they’re busy with their own conversations and worrying about the people at their table.

Human Connection:

Even though I’m generally an outgoing person, I’m an introvert at heart. I was so excited to have this weekend in Copenhagen all to myself and only have to talk to people if I genuinely wanted to. I was only there for 2 full days so I was sure I would have no problem keeping to myself. Well, I was wrong. I loved my alone time and deciding exactly what I wanted to do each moment of the day, but I found myself just wanting to talk to someone and share my experiences with them. Whenever I passed a cute restaurant or wine bar I couldn’t help but wish my friends were with me to try it out. Unfortunately, a solo trip on an English Language Assistant budget means a $15 glass of wine by myself wasn’t in the cards. But how come I could see myself justifying that glass if I were with a group? I think it’s because the $15 wine glass would not only buy me a crisp glass of white but also the conversation of the people I’m accompanied by in an elegant atmosphere. Or maybe it simply means I’m not enough of a wine connoisseur to spend that amount of money on one glass by myself. Only time will tell.

Takeaways:

I loved my first solo trip and feel Copenhagen was the perfect city for it. There’s a lot to do and the streets themselves are beautiful to just stroll around on. The overall vibe was pretty tranquil, so not too overwhelming for someone traveling by themselves. I’ll definitely be back at some point in the future. I want to experience the city again in the warmer months with friends. I can’t even imagine how lively the city becomes when you can be outside without your body going numb from the cold. I understand the lure of Scandinavia now, specifically Copenhagen. The city and its people seem to coincide so well with one another to cultivate the ultimate lively yet peaceful atmosphere.