Itinerary: London & Copenhagen

In our family, we take two kinds of trips—either languid and loose (out in the country or by a beach), or we pack it in (visiting a city). In a city, the hum of activity outside the walls of a hotel beckons at all times. And great cities offer an embarrassment of riches; I have a hard time slowing down. I want to see that show, this exhibit, have a drink here, a snack there, walk this street, check out that shop. A little planning is key, with space for spontaneity. Below is our own field guide to tearing up London and Copenhagen for a week, getting steps in, and leaving inspired. 

Day 1 — TOUCH DOWN — REGENTS PARK — MARYLEBONE EVENING

Touching down in London I’m tired from bad sleep and I want to be ushered to my hotel door. That’s why I always choose the Black Cab for this leg of the journey. The beauty of the Black Cab is “the knowledge.” You tell these guys where you want to go, and they take you. No “corner of this” or “in this neighborhood.” You could save a few coins on the express train, but that means a transfer and more bag schlepping and I’ve learned that when you travel you’ve got to put the right value on convenience. 

We stay in Marylebone because it has loads of charm and is close to main points of interest. It’s a little village, with thriving businesses, a lot of great restaurants, and a bustling (but not TOO bustling) high street. I love it for its lodging options, too.  Chiltern Firehouse  at the high end, or  Durrant’s Hotel  on a budget. Both are special in their own ways, and depending on the stock market, I’ll be a baller or a pauper! I suggest a slow roll on the first day—a coffee at the hotel and a run in Regent’s Park to shake off the jet lag. A late lunch at the Chiltern Firehouse bar (one of the finest in the world) is easy London living at its best. And a stroll through the Chiltern Street shops—so many good ones! An amazing newsagent (magazine shop),  Monocle,  Trunk,  Mouki Mou,  Niwaki,  Bryceland’s,  Sunspel—it’s a heavy-hitting retail street. For an early dinner the first night, I suggest  St. John Marylebone; it’s like the Cheers of the neighborhood: always open, friendly staff, exquisite (and very British) food, and a brilliant location along Marylebone Lane. We like the seats on the lane for great people watching and cool London nights. Eat light (though St. John is known for their meat, they do brilliant fish and veg), and try to limit the booze the first evening. If you go to bed early you can hope for a long, restorative sleep to kick off the trip.

Day 2: SOHO — COVENT GARDEN — CHARING CROSS

Up with the sun. I like pancakes and grotesque amounts of Americanos in the Ladder Shed (the portion of the bar reserved for guests at Chiltern). We have a particular approach to coffee drinking on vacation. We always choose Americanos, because overseas it is the sensible alternative to an American-style brewed coffee. The upside is less caffeine, so you get to savor more than you might back home. This leaves room for a “fun coffee” later in the day, which is what my wife and I have midday when we don’t necessarily need the caffeine, but we want to take part in the cafe culture of a place we’re visiting.

After a quick run through Regent’s Park again and clean-up, I point the compass to Soho, a close neighbor. It is a circus, a teeming mass of people and energy that I’d usually find off-putting, but Soho has a charm and a verve that feels quintessentially London, and it just sucks you in. We will pop into a few shops before lunch at a Soho favorite,  Quo Vadis. The eel sandwich is one of the best bites in all of the Big Smoke, and the rest of Jeremy Lee’s cooking is seasonal, succulent, and undeniably British. After lunch, another languid stroll over to Covent Garden, where we stop for a “fun coffee” at  Monmouth Coffee  before an epic browse through one of our favorite shops,  Choosing Keeping. We discovered it years ago on Columbia Road and it has since moved into these larger digs. Think papers, pens, beautiful desk accessories, cards, and small, elegant gifts. It’s a brilliant, thoughtful edit that is getting harder to find as shops become similar from town to town.

Then a pop down to  180 Studios, which always has a great show on. This time it was “Wes Anderson’s Asteroid City,” with set pieces, costumes, and ephemera from his recent film. A great show for all ages that gives more than it asks of you as the viewer. For a more robust experience, the  National Portrait Gallery  (which has just reopened) is spectacular. The history of England told through portraiture, up to the modern day. A brilliant premise, and a spectacular collection always thoughtfully curated. 

For dinner, a dip back into Soho, with the nighttime energy at a new volume. For seasonal cookery you’ll want  Duck Soup, where you can vibe out with young London. Or  Kiln  for live fire Thai cooking with a punchy energy and punchier food. Spice is nice! If there’s a wait, the Negroni at Bar Termini  is another reminder that the simple three-ingredient classic never ceases to thrill, especially in the hands of London’s best bartenders. After dinner, another stroll through bustling London streets into the calm of Marylebone to retire for the night.

Day 3: SOUTH BANK — TATE MODERN — BOROUGH MARKET

One last full day in London before heading off to Copenhagen. I opt for room service because it’s a rare treat and the robes at the Chiltern (and the fireplace in the room!) ask you to spend a bit more time here. Instead of lunch in a restaurant, I suggest heading down the street to  Paul Rothe & Son, a centuries-old sandwich shop and deli serving classic British fare. The order here is the Coronation Chicken Sandwich, their “known for” and a stupefying good meal and great value, to boot. My wife and I can share one sandwich, if we’re being honest with ourselves. Ask for it to go and head off on a long walk to the South Bank with  Tate Modern  in your sights. There’s a great lawn in front of the Tate with sunbathers and lollygaggers, and a proper spot for a sit and your sandwich. Inside, there is always a show worth savoring. This time: Hilma af Klint. After the Tate, take a long stroll along the water before heading deeper in for a romp through  Borough Market. Amongst the hoi polloi, you’ll still find some of London’s best produce, immaculate oysters, and any other comestible one might conjure. It would be criminal not to have a bite. Perhaps a chorizo roll from  Brindisa, a London classic. Or pop into  Wright Bros. for ale and oysters. Fortified, make your way to  40 Maltby Street, still one of London’s best-kept secrets. The food cognoscenti know it well, and its rewards are many. A glass of natty wine amongst the cool kids is in order before catching a ride back to the hotel. Then I like to stay in the hood—Marylebone has a chill vibe that is nice after a big day and a high step count.  Trishna, around the corner from Chiltern Firehouse, is one of my favorite spots for Indian in a country where the national dish is (or should be) curry.

Day 4: KENSINGTON GARDENS — NOTTING HILL — COPENHAGEN!

A late afternoon flight out gives a morning to cross a couple more hits off the list. Post breakfast, head West to Hyde Park—specifically the  Diana Memorial Playground, which our 3.5-year-old son, Hoyt, loves to explore. This is the give and take—we watch him play so he will watch us eat later. Traveling with kids tends to be one big negotiation. From here, we make a straight shot into Notting Hill for an early lunch at  The Pelican, one of London’s brightest, newest young things. On its face, it’s a great neighborhood pub. But the room wears a sophisticated cloak; the food is elevated but familiar—standards reworked with a lighter touch, a sharper eye. The whole package is really great. After lunch, it’s back to the hotel to grab bags and head to the airport. Copenhagen awaits, and the promises of long (I mean LONG) summer days, bike rides, and hot blonde Danes.

A late flight puts you in around dinner time. Our destination is an Airbnb in Fredericksberg, which I favor for its quiet, the sweet cafes, the family-friendly vibe, and Fredericksberg Park—a stunning green space that, like Regent’s Park, is ideal for a morning run. Morning run means more room for fun—i.e. wine.

For dinner, hop on a Donkey Republic Bike (their version of NYC’s Citi Bike), which is so much easier than renting. Head down to the Meatpacking District for dinner once you’re settled. It’s nearby, gets a fun crowd, and offers up a bevy of casual options for your first night. We head to  Kødbyens Fiskebar, one of the city’s best seafood spots. For a nightcap,  BIRD  back in Fredericksburg is one of the city’s best bars and a good chill vibe for a first evening.

DAY 5: FREDERICKSBERG — TIVOLI —NYHAVN—  ISLANDS BRYGGE — REFFEN

If you’re keen on an early run, you’re in the right place: in summer, it’s bright outside by 4am. Then carve a path to breakfast at  Hart Bageri  for a Cardamom Croissant. There are a lot of opinions about pastries in Copenhagen. Mine is: I’ve tried the rest, Hart is the best. (They’ve got a few locations around town.) Then, to  Italo Caffe  for my favorite coffee in Copenhagen. It sits on a street they call “Little Paris” and is full of cute storefronts and shops, florists, a great butcher, and in a sure sign of the times: Aesop and APC. 

Then off to  Tivoli, Copenhagen’s storied amusement park. You could walk, but in Copenhagen you’re only ever a block or two away from a bike (again, Donkey Republic) or a bus stop, and there is no reason to be in a car at any point. Tivoli is a hoot for adults and kids alike: rides, bars, live music, a bustling food hall. The kind of place I would hate in America, but when done with the charm of the Danes, it is irresistible, plus my son LOVES it. You could grab lunch at one of their countless sit-down restaurants, which are all better than you’d expect. One in particular,  Kilden, is one of my favorites in the entire city. 

But for today, we are off to the nerve center of the city: Nyhavn. It’s the beautiful ship-lined canal you might recognize from every Instagram ever. It is wall-to-wall with tourists and the restaurants they seem to favor, but our son loves the boats, and just off the main drag is one of the best  smorrebrod  restaurants in the city:  Told & Snaps. I love the chic, simple room and the quality of the cooking. Smorrebrod is the quintessential Danish dining experience: think open-faced sandwiches, but on top of their distinctive seedy rye bread (called  rugbrod) and showcasing the region’s seafood. And mayonnaise. Lots of it. At Told & Snaps it would be criminal not to wash it all down with a pour of Carlsberg and a few rounds of homemade schnapps. Be warned—there is power in those pours. 

After lunch there is nothing to do but take a dip in the icy waters of the canal to shake off the schnapps. Fortunately, Copenhagen has normalized the midday swim with a variety of “swimming holes” across town. My favorite public swimming spot is  Islands Brygge, and last trip I jumped off the 4-story diving tower and hit the water so hard I lost my hearing for three weeks. So perhaps you’re best served heading to a chiller spot:  La Banchina. This is your typical combination swimming lagoon/natural wine bar/outdoor grill/sauna. You can chill on the dock, drink a little natural cider, take a dip, and luxuriate in the romance of a sunny Copenhagen summer day. I suggest whiling the day away here until you work up an appetite. A detour at  Copenhagen Contemporary  might be in order, where the James Turrell exhibit delivered my son and me the most powerful experience—we enjoyed one of his light rooms together, in total silence, for 10 minutes. Afterward, you might start thinking about dinner. Good news is, you’re just below  Reffen Street Food, the street food collective to end all, and a brilliant showcase of Copenhagen’s creative, DIY ethos. There are stalls with something for everyone, as well as a mini skate-park, and loads of outdoor space to eat. If you’re not hungry yet, I like a beer at  Mikkeller Baghaven  next door for the ne-plus ultra of Copenhagen beer brewers. If you’ve got any juice left after dinner, God help you because you’ve got a stronger constitution than me.

DAY 6: LOUISIANA MUSEUM — BELLEVUE BEACH — DYREHAVEN 

Copenhagen is home to many world-class museums, but none better than the  Louisiana, just north of the city. We walk to the nearest train station after our customary Cardamom Croissant and coffee. Louisiana’s permanent collection is a heavy-hitting roster of art world heavyweights. If you’re thinking it, they’ve got it. The campus is perched above the Niva Bugt bay: crystal waters as far as the eye can see. You can spend the better part of the day here. Take in a portion of the collection and make time for lunch at the museum’s cafe. I like to take a seat on the veranda overlooking the water, in the shadow of a hulking outdoor Calder sculpture. There’s a little grassy knoll just beyond, where all the visiting children take turns rolling down the hill and running back up. We live to divide and conquer after lunch, taking turns with our son in the three-story children’s wing, where kids are encouraged to create their own version of works in the collection with clay, watercolor, colored pens, and BUCKETS of yellow Legos.

Afterwards, if it’s nice, we like to go a bit further south to  Bellevue Beach. The seaside community is a smorgasbord of public and private works created by renowned Danish architect Arne Jacobsen. This is a great place to decompress (and dip) after the intensity of a great museum experience. If you prefer green space, the palatial  Deer Park  is next door. 4 miles of forest and trails awaiting exploration.

Late afternoon, it’s best to be train-bound back into the city. After a long day like this, I’m keen to cook at home, and since we’re in an AirBNB, that’s possible! The train drops us off right outside  Torvehallerne, the city’s premier food market. This is the Borough Market of Copenhagen, and I’m grabbing some Faroe Islands salmon, some Danish cheese, and handfuls of the impeccable produce that sits at the center of the market. A restorative dinner at home is just what we need to ease into our final full day in the city.

Day 7: Bryghuspladsen — Sankt Annæ Plads — Fælledparken — Vesterbro

On our final day, we want to fit in one more museum that pleases us all. For me, it’s the  DAC, or Danish Architecture Centre, the Lego-inspired building that overlooks the main canal. There are great kids’ activities, a massive slide from top to bottom, and thoughtful, interesting installations tracking the best of Danish architecture and design. Afterward, we lean into our tourist tendencies with a canal boat tour departing nearby. We see the entire city and the tour guide is smart, witty, and multilingual, and our son loves being on the water. And then, lunch: a  final smorrebrod experience at another institution,  Restaurant Sankt-Annae. The room is petite, regal, and so cool in its resolute commitment to remaining the same. The food is another parade of things on toast—this time I’m going for roast beef with remoulade and crispy onions, washed down with an icy Pilsner. For dessert, strawberries in cream. Have you had Danish strawberries? Have you had Danish cream? If not, you have not lived. There is a purity, a resonance, an intensity that announces: this is as good as it gets.

Post lunch we are back on the bikes, playground bound. There are great playgrounds around the city, but we have one in mind:  The Traffic Playground. This smaller park sits inside the grounds of the larger Fælledparken. It is a collection of streets, traffic lights, road signs and pretend gas stations, all sized for kids. It is intended to give children the confidence to explore their city by bicycle. We post up on a bench while our son explores on the provided push bikes (and real ones for older kids) and an hour later, we narrowly avoid a breakdown by promising a treat if we can leave peacefully. Success!

We stop for an ice cream at the nearby  Østerberg Ice Cream, one of Copenhagen’s best, before treating Dad to his own kind of ice cream: CLOTHES. We peruse the racks of multi-brand retailer  Goods, which is perhaps my favorite edit of any menswear store: Drake’s, Sunspel, LEJ, Orslow, Boglioli – a lot of heavy hitters. I take home a couple of shirts and a weekend pocketbook.

We head back home for a refresh and to meet the babysitter we’ve arranged for the evening, and Mom and Dad are off to  Hotel Sanders’ extremely sexy bar for a properly made Negroni. Dinner is at  Resto Bar, an Italian spot that gets a chic crowd and does Italian food properly: expertly sourced and minimally messed with. The rabbit ragu is the best I’ve had, and the wine list is full of gems. It’s a great send off, cool and adult, and our mile walk home means we have room for just one…more…dish.