Torvhallerne in Copenhagen is an outdoor and indoor market that sells everything from homemade beauty products to candy to full meals.  I decided to head there for dinner from the SMK National Gallery to try one of the famed Danish open faced sandwiches, the Smørrebrød.

I chose a roast beef one from Hallernes Smørrebrød and went to sit outside in the sunshine to enjoy it.  The sandwich had red onions, pickled cauliflower, and pickle pickles on top and it was delicious.  It was a beautiful evening so it was nice to be sitting amongst the outdoor stalls with fresh flowers and fruit.

I wandered amongst the stalls after I ate, buying some homemade caramels and drooling over all of the bakeries.  The market is a joy to wander through, with different stalls lining two buildings with even more stalls in between the two buildings.  The market is beautiful and colorful and a definite must-see in the city, in my humble opinion.

I wanted to spend the evening in the downtown area to explore the cobblestone streets and window shop.  Luckily for me, my random wanderings brought me to a bookstore/café I had wanted to check out: Paludan.  The café’s walls are lined with color coordinated books, most of them for sale, and an extensive food and beverage menu.

Still full from dinner, I ordered a glass of rose and settled into their upstairs section to read.  It was the perfect setting for it.  I ended up staying for a couple of glasses of wine and a few chapters, feeling perfectly at home in the beautiful bibliophile’s paradise.

Once I finally left, I continued randomly wandering, admiring the architecture and turning down whatever streets looked appealing.  I ran into the Round Tower, which was another attraction included with my Copenhagen Card, so I decided to check it out.

The best part of the Round Tower is the view from the top which is reached by way of the endless slanted, spiral hallway that leads there.  It was a dizzying trip, especially after all that wine, but I arrived at the top as the sun was setting (for the second night in a row with a beautiful sunset view).

The platform at the top offered a 360 degree view, showing off the city in red gold light.  Sitting on a bench, taking in this beautiful view, I couldn’t believe how lucky I was to be there.  On the way down, I popped in the small gallery in the middle of the tower which used to be a library frequented by Hans Christian Andersen, but now features works of art.  I bought a beautiful copy of his fairy tales for my niece and went on my way.

I was on the hunt for the perfect sidewalk café to get something sweet and a cup of coffee.  After thirty minutes of wandering, I settled on Café Phønix for their perfect view of the fountain in the middle of the square and their chocolate fruit cake.

By the time I was done savoring the cake and coffee, it was full dark, and the street lights lit the way back to my hostel.  It was another perfect night in Copenhagen.

What are your favorite solo travel activities?