FEBRUARY 2026
The winter in Scotland trundled on and the rough outline of an adventure was beginning to take shape to provide a change of scenery and some respite from the cold and the rain. Dates had more or less been confirmed and the destination was the main decision still to be made. Usually, at this time of year, an adventure south would be a logical one in search of some warmth and vitamin D. However, a city almost exactly East from Edinburgh caught our eye that we’d always liked the idea of visiting. Known for it’s sleek and functional design, it’s love of candles and a general sense of calm, we found ourselves touching down in Copenhagen.
I wasn’t expecting warmth from this visit, in fact I was quite looking forward to taking shelter in cozy cafes and bars, eating pastries and sampling the local cuisine. But I will admit I was a little surprised to look out the plane window to see what I can only describe as the frostiest conditions i’ve ever seen. Looking as if icing sugar had been dusted over the surface of the land, it was extremely beautiful. Unfortunately though, that tray of icing sugar had then been plunged straight into the depths of a freezer as Copenhagen was enduring one of their coldest spells of weather in years, said one of the barmen a few days later. Great.
Throughout our visit, the temperate never rose above 0. The canals were completely frozen over, allowing for ice skating and general wandering around on the ice sheets (we didn’t brave this), and even the sea decided to turn into the arctic and consisted entirely of slush. The sun did shine and it made for quite a picturesque tour of the city, but it was genuinely difficult to stay outside for longer than 30 minutes at a time.
We made use of the lime bikes to zip us round the place, at the expense of our fingers, as we ticked off our recommended pastry and coffee stops. The national library was a sight to behold, and used my local students looking for a quiet place. There was even a festival of light taking place that consisted of around 30 different exhibitions in various locations that made the place come to life after the sun set around 3pm.
Just as we found our feet in a new place, learning the local rhythms and ways of life, a snow storm arrived that gave us about a foot of coverage in less than a day. This did make for truly challenging conditions and going anywhere was a struggle. Watching the city adapt to genuinely bizarre conditions felt a treat as everyone trudged through newly formed paths to continue on with their day.
It was a truly memorable experience and we'll be back. During Summer.
