Copenhagen, Amsterdam or Prague?

[ifonly4]

We can't decide between Copenhagan, Amsterdam or Prague.

If you've been to any of them, sell it to me, ie what where your highlights. Also, is there a particular area that's good to stay - we like easy access to a choice of restaurants, a few sights within walking distance.

I haven't been to Amsterdam, but went to Prague about 18 years ago and enjoyed it. I understand it has changed a lot since then - I have colleagues there. I went to Copenhagen last year in May and loved it. They are completely set up to keep you warm sitting outdoors. The cyclists there are bonkers, but some streets in the city centre are pedestrianised. We did a canal boat tour, walked around Nyhavn, went to Rosenborg Castle, the Design Museum, the Botanical Gardens, the fortress near the Little Mermaid, etc and walked around a lot. It's a capital city - there's lots to see and do.

Yes meals out can be expensive, but we did okay without spending a fortune. We made sure we had a traditional open sandwich. We stayed in Vesterbro, close to the main railway station and Tivoli. We went to Sweden by train whilst we were there. Thoroughly enjoyed it.

Prague is the most beautiful place I have ever visited - the architecture is stunning.

Haven't been to Prague - but it's on my list.

Absolutely hate Amsterdam but there are decent day trips to other places. Horrible feeling there I find, all the stags, all the 'hilarity' at the prostituted women. Vile place.

Copenhagen is wonderful. Yes, expensive but fabulous art and just a beautiful place. I found it quite unfriendly (although that doesn't particularly bother me) and there was still a 'red light' district very central (hate that phrase), but I'd still choose there.

My tip to anyone wanting to do Copenhagen on a tight budget ( having lived there) is get yourself an apartment on Airbnb - whilst it can be as pricey as a hotel you will save more money on being able to get good heat up meals from deli or cook and bottles of good wine from supermarket ( cheaper than UK) - and be able to make yourselves flasks etc . We had a couple of amazing ones, funky, modern, high end , lovely locations - They also have some great well priced hostels with private rooms that are nothing like what you get in the UK . The other tip is the big open air food courts - Reffen ( you go on boat) , Broens beer garden - just over the bridge in Nyhavn in christianshavn or the indoor one at Tivoli food hall ( you don’t need to go into Tivoli ) - it means you can have say fish and fries, your partner can have burgers or curry etc - they were a favourite of ours in summer -

oh yes @Crikeyalmighty !

We stayed in a suburb and the trains were amazing.

Also forgot that the baked goods in copenhagen were delicious. Salty rye and so many other breads, raspberry and hazelnut tarts, cinnamon twists. Good coffee too.

art wise I saw a couple of lovely matisse paintings.

Been to Prague and Copenhagen in the last few years. Amsterdam many times. I’d go for Amsterdam.

I've been to Amsterdam and Copenhagen with my son.
We had a great time in both. Copenhagen felt a lot more chilled out to me which I liked. The centre of Amsterdam was mad - but only what you would expect in any capital city.
All capital cities are expensive, we're not foodies or big drinkers so we managed to eat well for not much.

In Amsterdam we found a little back street place which looked like nothing but did the best pizza and lasagne. We also had a great meal one night at a takeaway.
Same in Copenhagen - the food court at the Tivoli was great and not too expensive.
When we did go to restaurants the quality of the food was worth the money. Copenhagen street food was also excellent as where the bakeries.

If you go to Copenhagen you can buy a Copenhagen card in advance and it’s def worth the money. Food is v expensive but easier to deal with if you’ve pre-bought your entry to things. It’s a great city, very varied and so much to do.

Prague much cheaper and more aesthetically appealing. Perhaps slightly less to do but still plenty. Prague has the communist and Jewish history. Copenhagen has lots of modern art as well as a lot of Viking stuff.

@Dozer it has some lovely suburbs with great trains if people look at apartments - Hellerup very nice( and beachside ) we lived in Amager ( the bit where they filmed Borgen lady’s house) Frederiksberg really very nice ( zoo is there) it has a lovely coastline too that the train runs right up and in the right weather the Baltic is blue and the sand white ! I like Amsterdam a lot too, been 11 times! I just know Copenhagen far more in lots of areas having lived there - must admit I wasn’t fussed about Prague - I found the food a bit rubbish and not to
my taste,,there were masses of drunk stag parties when we went and that aspect was very concentrated - I didn’t dislike it and it’s not unattractive, woukd be perfectly happy to go again, guess I just preferred other places - I really like Stockholm too , been there lots as well and Budapest is really nice ( although got robbed which somewhat spoilt it)’

You must have missed plenty of very attractive areas in Amsterdam, it's so much more than the Dam and the red light district.

I took a teen DD on my own twice and we managed perfectly going out for dinner without any incidents, stags or others.

I had more issues when I go to Frankfurt for work and have to navigate around the main train station - days and evenings.

Indeed - the area round Dam square and red light area although smarter than it was is not very thrilling, although has some lovely canals in red light bit - tend to go to Amsterdam west or up towards Jordaan or down to the Pipj if you like it a bit more urban -but not as red lighty .

Have done Copenhagen and Amsterdam: both lovely but would do Amsterdam first. I recently went with DD15 and we hadn’t really planned it (need to book some museums) but had a lovely time wandering around anyway. Train easy from London too.

@reluctantbrit totally agree re Amsterdam v Frankfurt— easy to avoid the seedy parts of Amsterdam; Frankfurt not so much!

We'd be going in September, two adults.

Thanks for all your replies. I'm going to go through today and see if which (if any) city stands out.

@ifonly4 if you do go to Copenhagen - come back here and ask me for tips- we lived there for 22 months and I’m awizz at the keeping it in budget!! September isa good time there -

Prague is nothing like Rome! There’s no Roman sights or the Vatican! That’s not to say it’s not worth a visit and it’s cheap so hen and stag parties love it.

Amsterdam has the canals, good museums and plenty to see and do. Copenhagen has palaces, museums and waterways. All of these cities are worth a visit but Amsterdam can get crowded and I think Prague has similar issues. Amersham - you can get there by train. That’s a great way to travel.

We’ve been to Copenhagen twice, once staying in and once visiting Amsterdam and DH has been to Prague with work. We loved Copenhagen, something about the Danish people themselves as well as all the things to see and do. Scandinavian cities generally are very expensive. Stockholm was even more expensive but very beautiful.

Although there was a lot to do in Amsterdam we didn’t like it as much. It wasn’t a very friendly city, perhaps because there are so many tourists. DH thought Prague was beautiful but very busy and there were a lot of stag dos out at night. He wasn’t a fan.

Someone upthread suggested Budapest and although it’s maybe complicating things I’d say I’d go back to Budapest before any of the cities you mentioned. It was fantastic. Stockholm would be my other pick. It’s gorgeous.

I have just come back from Prague (which was beautiful in the Spring). It actually was not at all crowded and we saw not one single stag or hen party. There was a big European football match on one night but nothing like how crowded it is in Barcelona when they play. It's really beautiful by the river and there are parks to escape to. Weirdest thing about Prague was how hard it was to find a sit in cafe with nice cakes and pastries. Chimney Cake places everywhere though!

@MamaBobo yes I mentioned both of those and also lived in Copenhagen - Copenhagen , Stockholm, Budapest are some of my favourites in Europe . Stockholm is def slightly cheaper than Copenhagen though and we used to go a lot! Maybe it was the particular places you went to . If anyone fancies Stockholm can I just mention the rival hotel - we go most new years- it’s owned by Benny from Abba and has Abba stuff on the bedroom walls, it has the most fantastic staff and bar areas ,art deco in style and is on a pretty square and isan old converted cinema. It also has the best breakfast I’ve ever had in Europe- the gravalax with dill sauce is incredible -as are the fresh made to table things- it’s top end of mid price I would say , but it’s always a fantastic treat.

i agree with the cake issue. We went 20 years ago in December and had coffee and cake to warm up each afternoon.

2 years ago - it was really difficult, there are some chocolate shops which sell amazing hot chocolates and so many macarons but things like strudel or palatschinken (a thin pancake) or any other amazing cake was really difficult to find unless it was on the dessert menu in the restaurant.

Glad it wasn't just me!

I’m going next week so if you felt amenable to sharing any tips anyway… 😁

I’ve been to all three OP, but only Amsterdam in recent years. We stayed in the Jordaan district and we really enjoyed it. Would love to go back sometime in warmer weather (we went in winter). I am really looking forward to returning to Copenhagen. I really liked the vibe when I last went (a long time ago), but we didn’t do very much that time around. I have lots on my list this time though - I think I’m going to struggle to fit everything in. I don’t think you can go wrong with either city. It’s been over 20 years since I’ve been to Prague though so can’t really comment.

TBF @Crikeyalmighty we were in Stockholm in the run up to Christmas and perhaps we were more lavish!! We went for a Julbord in the Grand Hotel and there was a dinner for the Nobel Prizewinners on the same evening. DH bumped into an old chap in the lobby…it was the King of Sweden. We also had a free bar in our hotel in Copenhagen…so we weren’t really spending on drinks in the evening.

We're going to Copenhagen this year, I'd be interested in a list of things to do. We like museums, castles, palaces, that sort of historical thing and pretty streets to wander in, cafe culture, riverside and boat trips. Anything you can recommend?

my tips as follows

coffee chain - espresso house is really decent - throughout the city - their large coffees are really large and about £6 - I used to carry round a take away cup and we used to split them , as even regular size were about £4.50 - no one batted an eyelid

I also really liked Maude’s in Frederiksberg - done up like a nans parlour!

the outdoor beer gardens are really decent for food within a budget - Reffen ( you go on the boat or a bus) - lively vibey place with music -

Broens beer garden - just over bridge from Nyhavn on Christianshavn - great range of stuff - fish and chips, burgers, noodles, curry’s , veggie stalls etc

if the weather is a bit shit ( we had 2 lovely Mays when we lived there) - tivoli food hall is good as isTorvehallen ( big indoor market place - upmarket) but all kinds of things - homemade fish cake stall with remoulade was my favourite

the hot dog stand near the round tower does great ( and cheap) hotdogs with potato salad, crispy onions and remoulade -

ice cream is the best I’ve had in Europe - my favourite is something they call ‘soft Ice ‘ and you have it dipped in cocoa powder - totally addictive- not expensive- very nice

indoor cafe chains- cafe Mozart is decent and not too expensive- there are a few around

there’s a really good restaurant chain called madklubben - each one is themed differently - not too drastic around £35 for 3 courses - my favourite was Tony’s in Nyhavn - hust facing onto christisnshavn

if you like oriental there’s a lovely nicely smart but affordable place called Wokshop Amager - we lived in Amager , so went regularly ( on metro)

areas - very pretty ‘if packed’ round nyhavn

frederiksberg ( on metro) really nice, shopping centre and feels quite Parisian

Helkerup - ( on train) lovely smart area- great interactive museum

norrebro - very hipster , vintage shops, superb bakeries including my favourite Anderson and Maillard - almond croissants to die for

islands Brygge- great modern developed dockside area - lovely flats and waterfront cafes etc -

Roskilde - on train - lovely proper town ( 20 minutes) - massive shopping centre

the ole and steen chain is everywhere but called lagkakhuset - very reliable for sandwiches and amazing cakes

supermarket wine - cheaper than uk for decent stuff and you can drink in parks and by the water- in fact all public spaces - but you don’t see much problems, it’s just how they are, so if you are on a budget worth carrying round a couple of plastic glasses!! Drinking wine out in bars is expensive and you don’t get very much either (150 is normal) beer better priced- just slightly higher than UK . Very good stuff too !

if weather is nice it’s got a nice beach at Amager strand ( on the metro) white sand, blue sea and cafes and bars beachside and on the beach

worth getting a Copenhagen card if you like galleries, museums etc, it’s quite good value as includes metro -

have a fab time xx wish I was there, I miss it.

Forgot to say if weather was shit - there’s also a huge Westfield ( on the metro)