Copenhagen is one of my favorite cities in the world and I have so many reasons why I do. In this blog post, I am going to share to you one of my favorite spots in Copenhagen - Nyhavn (pronounced new-how-n which means new harbor in Dansk/Danish).
Nyhavn was once a busy and a very significant port for Kobenhavn (this is what you see in train stations or maps when you are in Denmark). It was part of a developing fishing village for the vikings in the 10th century. Tourists as well as locals visit this harbor nowadays to relax, eat, or just enjoy the view. Nyhavn is also one of the main stops for boat tours. One of the buildings here was once the residence of the famous children's story author, Hans Christian Andersen. He used to live in Nyhavn No. 20. This is where he wrote the stories "The Tinder Box" and "The Princess and The Pea". He also had a chance to live in Nyhavn No. 18 and No. 67. If you know where he lived when wrote "The Little Mermaid" (Den Lille Havfrue), please let me know by leaving a comment below.
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If you have seen the movie "The Danish Girl", I am pretty sure that you already caught a glimpse of Nyhavn if you haven't been there already. Most houses in the area are really old and the oldest one is the house Nyhavn No.9. It was constructed in 1681.
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The last time I was in Nyhavn, I was surprised to see some love locks on the bridge traversing the canal. I did not buy and leave a lock though because I didn't have my husband with me. It'll be pointless to leave a lock there when I have no one to promise something to.
Anyway, the house along the harbor have been renovated and restored and now functions as restaurant and cafes. Nyhavn is always filled with many locals and tourists and don't be surprised if you see people with beers on their hand and sitting casually along the wooden canal borders. The atmosphere of the place is really relaxing. I stayed there for about an hour while desperately trying to make my power bank work so I can continue walking towards Vor Frelsers Kirke (Our Saviour's Church). But, yeah Murphy's law happened and so I had to make do with about 10% of battery life before I headed off to the train station to go home. I didn't go home sad though because Nyhavn's ambiance was enough to make me feel like a true Copenhagener for a couple of hours.
I really enjoyed observing the people around me, the birds flying, the tour boats coming in and out of the quay, among other things. It looks so postcard pretty and so I took a bunch of photos.
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If you happen to visit Nyhavn in the future, do check out the ice cream shop near the love lock bridge. The vanilla soft-serve ice cream they sell is really delicious.
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Can you see the Embassy of France in Denmark in this photo? There's also an Amber Museum close by so if the amber gem interests you, check it out as well when you are in the area. And yes, you can buy your canal tour ticket from here.
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It was a very calm day and the weather was very nice while I was sitting near the dock. I really love the vibe of the place. So inviting, so calming!
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The tourist traffic was not that heavy when I visited Nyhavn so I had a more than decent space for my own the entire time that I was there. I'm bad at taking selfies myself so here's a photo of my bag. My bag was full of snacks that I wasn't able to eat because I just didn't feel hungry. I did drink half a liter of Matilda and half a liter of expensive water from the convenience store. So, if ever you visit, bring along your own water because as much as Nyhavn is beautiful on its own, anything you buy in and near the area is expensive.
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There would be no Copenhagen without Nyhavn and I bet you that if you ever come and visit, you will fall inlove with the harbor just like I did too. I have a strong feeling that it won't be my last visit. I have a few more blog posts in my drafts about my solo trip to Copenhagen. I've written about my interesting visit to a cemetery (Assistens Cemetery in Norrebro) even. I hope you come back again so you can read about my little travels.
Have you been to Nyhavn? How was your experience? Do you like the varied colors of the building facades?
Nyhavn was once a busy and a very significant port for Kobenhavn (this is what you see in train stations or maps when you are in Denmark). It was part of a developing fishing village for the vikings in the 10th century. Tourists as well as locals visit this harbor nowadays to relax, eat, or just enjoy the view. Nyhavn is also one of the main stops for boat tours. One of the buildings here was once the residence of the famous children's story author, Hans Christian Andersen. He used to live in Nyhavn No. 20. This is where he wrote the stories "The Tinder Box" and "The Princess and The Pea". He also had a chance to live in Nyhavn No. 18 and No. 67. If you know where he lived when wrote "The Little Mermaid" (Den Lille Havfrue), please let me know by leaving a comment below.
If you have seen the movie "The Danish Girl", I am pretty sure that you already caught a glimpse of Nyhavn if you haven't been there already. Most houses in the area are really old and the oldest one is the house Nyhavn No.9. It was constructed in 1681.
The last time I was in Nyhavn, I was surprised to see some love locks on the bridge traversing the canal. I did not buy and leave a lock though because I didn't have my husband with me. It'll be pointless to leave a lock there when I have no one to promise something to.
Anyway, the house along the harbor have been renovated and restored and now functions as restaurant and cafes. Nyhavn is always filled with many locals and tourists and don't be surprised if you see people with beers on their hand and sitting casually along the wooden canal borders. The atmosphere of the place is really relaxing. I stayed there for about an hour while desperately trying to make my power bank work so I can continue walking towards Vor Frelsers Kirke (Our Saviour's Church). But, yeah Murphy's law happened and so I had to make do with about 10% of battery life before I headed off to the train station to go home. I didn't go home sad though because Nyhavn's ambiance was enough to make me feel like a true Copenhagener for a couple of hours.
I really enjoyed observing the people around me, the birds flying, the tour boats coming in and out of the quay, among other things. It looks so postcard pretty and so I took a bunch of photos.
If you happen to visit Nyhavn in the future, do check out the ice cream shop near the love lock bridge. The vanilla soft-serve ice cream they sell is really delicious.
Can you see the Embassy of France in Denmark in this photo? There's also an Amber Museum close by so if the amber gem interests you, check it out as well when you are in the area. And yes, you can buy your canal tour ticket from here.
It was a very calm day and the weather was very nice while I was sitting near the dock. I really love the vibe of the place. So inviting, so calming!
The tourist traffic was not that heavy when I visited Nyhavn so I had a more than decent space for my own the entire time that I was there. I'm bad at taking selfies myself so here's a photo of my bag. My bag was full of snacks that I wasn't able to eat because I just didn't feel hungry. I did drink half a liter of Matilda and half a liter of expensive water from the convenience store. So, if ever you visit, bring along your own water because as much as Nyhavn is beautiful on its own, anything you buy in and near the area is expensive.
There would be no Copenhagen without Nyhavn and I bet you that if you ever come and visit, you will fall inlove with the harbor just like I did too. I have a strong feeling that it won't be my last visit. I have a few more blog posts in my drafts about my solo trip to Copenhagen. I've written about my interesting visit to a cemetery (Assistens Cemetery in Norrebro) even. I hope you come back again so you can read about my little travels.
Have you been to Nyhavn? How was your experience? Do you like the varied colors of the building facades?
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