What other European destination should we add to our trip?

May 3, 2023 9:16 AM

In addition to Copenhagen, where else should we go? We're an American couple and neither of us has spent much time in Europe. We tend to enjoy wondering around neighborhoods, going to cafes and seeing artsy stuff, rather than the big tourist attractions.

Timing is either early October or December. Length of the trip is probably 12-14 days. We know it'll be really cold in December but that's okay--we're from Arizona, so a little contrast can be nice.

I'm a big modern furniture and design nerd, so that's why Copenhagen. Only place I've been in Europe is Budapest. She's been to a handful of places but twenty years ago while studying abroad. Her favorite destination was Tallinn.

We're probably just going to visit one other city. Maybe a day trip in between. Paris is off the list. As is London most likely but we would consider Ireland and Scotland. Berlin and Amsterdam seem interesting to me. Doesn't need to be the big capital cities though.

Last year we went to Mexico City and loved it. Our favorite things there were the restaurants/cafes, walking and biking around Roma and some architecture tours (by which I mean touring Barragán houses, not just looking at the outside of a big building).

posted by mullacc to Travel & Transportation (22 answers total)

Response by poster: Forgot to add...we're suckers for a good botanical garden.
posted by mullacc at 9:20 AM on May 3, 2023 [1 favorite]

My intel on this is like twenty years out of date, but maybe somewhere in Finland? I remember them having some design chops at some point, and it’s a pretty easy flight from Copenhagen. Or maybe there are even ferries.

From Copenhagen you can also take the train to Sweden for dinner, if memory serves.
posted by eirias at 9:21 AM on May 3, 2023

If you're into furniture and design, there's always the train to Stockholm!

Lisbon was chill and photogenic pre-Covid, plus there's Sintra to check out for the grand gardens and architecture aspect. And it won't be as cold.
posted by kingdead at 9:28 AM on May 3, 2023 [6 favorites]

Curious as to why Paris is off your list - it matches your needs perfectly, and you certainly can avoid the major touristy parts and still have an excellent time.

Anyway, Berlin is very walkable - there are parks scattered throughout, and so it's easy to go from park to park, with a bit of different neighborhoods in between. I really enjoyed the Gemäldegalerie museum, should the description appeal to you - it's an excellent collection. But there are also a number of design museums that might appeal to you more.
posted by coffeecat at 9:31 AM on May 3, 2023 [2 favorites]

Amsterdam and Leiden both have wonderful botanical gardens, the former with large palm houses and an arid glasshouse that would be interesting in early winter. The latter is purportedly the oldest botanical garden in Europe. Both cities have fabulous neighborhoods & cafes. The Stedelijk Museum and the Rijksmuseum are both incredible. Utrecht is close by as well - with Rietveld's Schröder House among other design/architecture highlights.
posted by niicholas at 9:35 AM on May 3, 2023 [4 favorites]

Gothenburg!
posted by Ardnamurchan at 9:50 AM on May 3, 2023 [2 favorites]

How about Vienna? Incredible museums (I was blown away by the Bruegel room in the Kunsthistorisches Museum), lovely cafes, splendid parks and gardens; all in all, a wonderfully rewarding place to wander around and explore.

Bonus, if you go in December, the Christmas markets will be on. Same applies to German cities, of course. They're crowded but fun, if you like festive street food and arty/crafty stalls.
posted by ManyLeggedCreature at 9:54 AM on May 3, 2023 [2 favorites]

Response by poster: Curious as to why Paris is off your list

My SO nixed it. Not sure exactly why but I figure we'll go eventually. :D
posted by mullacc at 10:26 AM on May 3, 2023

I've found it efficient to book a 2 or 3 city tour online so that hotels are pre-booked; shopping for tours is a fun way to get ideas for places to visit, whether you book or not. It won't just be cold, it will be dark, and that makes a big difference to the sort of wandering around and visiting cafes you mention. Sunset in Copenhagen, Denmark, December 1, is at 3:43 PM, dawn is at 7:43. This makes Northern Lights a possibility, you'd want to get out of town, but that's something you could probably book there.
posted by theora55 at 10:29 AM on May 3, 2023

Barcelona seems to fit the bill, especially if either of you are into Gaudi's aesthetic. There are lots of great little bakeries and pocket parks. It was really fun to just walk around, even though it's a big tourist destination as well.
posted by Night_owl at 10:30 AM on May 3, 2023 [4 favorites]

It’s not the cold in November, it’s the lack of light. The sun sets early and Copenhagen can be cloudy even for the hours it is up. Copenhagen will also have Christmas markets if you are late enough, they are a bit silly but fun to walk around.

I’d recommend either Helsinki or Amsterdam. We visited the Design museum in Helsinki last summer, which I would recommend. Amsterdam I was in last November, and I do think I like it more in the summer, but it’s still a great walking (and biking) around city.
posted by nat at 10:33 AM on May 3, 2023 [4 favorites]

For your additional stops, you might look at cities that are also hub cities. We've enjoyed using this method to see Munich, Warsaw, and Madrid. Play around with the multi-city options on flight ticket sites (I like the one on Kayak.com) and see which cities line up nicely with your existing plans. It may give you ideas, as well as providing options with fewer connections/time in the air and perhaps lower costs. Checking out cheap intra-Europe carriers like WizzAir may provide cheap day trip or overnight options as well.

Also, if you're considering Amsterdam and you're a fan of modernism, you might consider combining that city with a day or night in Rotterdam. Famously, the one-time sister city to Amsterdam was so damaged in WWII that the city decided to lean into modern architecture during its rebuild. Although, as of 2023, I do not think Amsterdam operates as a true hub city anymore.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 11:22 AM on May 3, 2023 [4 favorites]

Amsterdam is lovely and within striking distance of other lovely towns for a day trip (Leiden is about half an hour by train -- it is a beautiful medieval town that will be like a fairy tale postcard if you go in December).

Berlin in December will be dark and cold but there will also be Christmas markets and Gluhwein...in October the sun will set around 6 pm and it will rain often. Having said that, I love Berlin, and it is my favorite city in Europe, so I always recommend going there...but it is truly magical in the warmer months, especially if your jam is wandering around more so than being culture vultures per se.
posted by virve at 11:40 AM on May 3, 2023

P.S. if you go to the Netherlands in December, just be prepared for "Zwarte Piet" -- it can be very disconcerting to suddenly find yourself in the middle of a seasonal national tradition that involves people wearing literal blackface.
posted by virve at 11:44 AM on May 3, 2023 [1 favorite]

I just got back from a week in Prague. Nearly everything I did was wandering around neighborhoods, walking all over town (including to the botanical gardens), and stopping for pastries or coffee at cafes. I loved the street art I stumbled over at unexpected places.

Central and Northern Europe will be dark and cold in December but beautiful as well. Y’all will most likely experience travel magic wherever you choose to go.
posted by Bella Donna at 12:09 PM on May 3, 2023

Response by poster: Our dates aren't ideal but, and I know we're not unique in this, coordinating schedules and various events has been challenging. I figure we just go for it when the timing works and make the best of it.
posted by mullacc at 12:44 PM on May 3, 2023

I was in Hamburg recently, and found it a delight. They did an excellent job of mixing the old with the new, restoring old buildings while adding complementary new knockouts. The art museums, the reinvigorated port city, a walkabout of the Beatles' Hamburg -- I just loved it, and have already booked my return trip.
posted by Capt. Renault at 12:45 PM on May 3, 2023 [2 favorites]

Bremen, for the Marktplatz und die Böttcherstraße.
posted by Rash at 1:05 PM on May 3, 2023

Malmö plus either Rotterdam or Berlin.
posted by Iteki at 2:12 PM on May 3, 2023

Come here to Edinburgh. It is walkable with lots of art, plenty of interesting cafés/ pubs and restaurants and a fine botanical gardens which happens to have great views over the city skyline. October will be cool but with still reasonable day length. December is dark but Edinburgh, like Copenhagen, likes its cosiness and pretty lights at that time of year. If you want to stay in the Nordics then Helsinki will appeal to anybody who loved Tallin.
posted by rongorongo at 3:36 PM on May 3, 2023 [1 favorite]

I love Berlin. I think October and December are okay times to go. October can still have some nice autumn weather. December is nice because it's getting wintery, maybe snowy, plus Christmas markets. Depending on when in Decembr, the city can be quieter as many people leave the city to visit family.
posted by kinddieserzeit at 12:30 AM on May 4, 2023

Response by poster: So we took a harder look at our calendars and figured out we can go in July instead. So I think that makes it easier to consider a trip including more Scandinavian cities. So probably Helsinki based on what I've heard hear with a side trip to Tallin.

Anyway I appreciate all the thoughts. Hopefully this is the first trip of many. :)
posted by mullacc at 11:27 AM on May 4, 2023 [2 favorites]