Christmas / New Year’s Eve / Epiphany in Copenhagen and Stockholm

Copenhagen has colors and sensations that refer to a fairy-tale world and at the same time a vibrant metropolis of modern architecture and design. The capital of Denmark is a fascinating experience for every traveler with its palaces, castles, but also modern buildings and bridges – marvels of modern engineering. Its cafes and restaurants are full of people all year round, while the canals and squares are bustling with life. A spotlessly clean, user-friendly city, with a public transport system that gives new meaning to the word “consistency”, it is no wonder that in recent years it has been declared one of the cities with a high standard of living. Get on a bike and head from Radhuspladsen (City Hall Square) to the city’s most historic pedestrian street, Stroget, with its shops, cafes and street artists. Another alternative is to book a boat tour, crossing the canals of Christianshavn, where the old warehouses have been adapted to the needs of today. Here, the Vor Frelsers Kirke (Church of Our Savior), an elegant 17th century Baroque church, dominates. If you climb its 400 steps, you will be rewarded with a magnificent view. By boat, you will also reach Copenhagen’s trademark, the bronze statue of Lille Havfrue (Little Mermaid), more easily, as well as Gammel Strand (the old fish market) with its 18th and 19th century houses, restaurants and cafes. You will also be impressed by the Nyhavn harbor with its colorful houses, reminiscent of Amsterdam, while you will then take a leisurely stroll through the hippie suburb of Christiania. You will also be delighted by the Operaen (Opera) building at the harbor, which was built by Henning Larsen in 2005, while the shops in Norrebro (a lively and multicultural area) and Vesterbro will be unforgettable.

Stockholm is one of the most beautiful, vibrant and cosmopolitan capitals of the European North. Its inhabitants move on 14 islands via numerous bridges, between Lake Malaren and the Baltic, enjoy nature in the green parks and drink to the health of the archipelago, which has largely shaped the character of the region. In the Old Town Gamla Stan, the perfectly preserved historic center, you will take walks in the medieval streets to admire the old buildings and museums, squares, palaces and the cathedral or to sit in the many restaurants and cafes. The city is also perfect for family walks in the amusement park Gróna lund and in the open-air museum and zoo Skansen. The artistically restless should visit Skeppsholmen with its museums of modern art, architecture and design. The up-and-coming island of Södermalm with its relaxed atmosphere, the hip neighborhood of SoFo, which plays hard in all areas (shopping, entertainment, art and food), as well as Ostermalm (you will hardly succumb to branded markets) are the city’s constant values. With architectural, historical and intense artistic interest, the charm of the archipelago with its numerous boats and cruise ships, the elegant and polite residents and an ever-evolving culinary scene, the capital of Sweden is rightfully among the hottest European destinations.