Traveling solo to Copenhagen: Bristol woman's spontaneous day trip adventure for under £100

Adelina Popa, 28, booked the flight from Bristol Airport to Copenhagen Airport five months in advance.

She planned to leave at 8.40am on July 15 and return at 11.30pm the same day - which set her back just £42.

But, she didn’t want to plan anything else until she got there.

Once she arrived in the Danish city, she indulged in pastries, visited the National Museum and walked 30k steps through a market - and says she spent under £70 on the whole trip.

Having previously visited Alicante, Dublin and Monaco on day trips, Adelina says it’s "far less expensive than taking the train to London".

Adelina, a customer service rep, from Bristol, said: “I loved going to Copenhagen on my own - it was really safe and cheaper than a trip to London.

“I like to be spontaneous, so I didn’t really plan ahead.

“I had all different types of food, and walked over 30,000 steps.

“I’d say it was less than £100 for the entire day.”

In summer 2023, Adelina started going on solo day trips all over Europe.

As well as Copenhagen, she’s also travelled to Malaga, Monaco, Dublin and Edinburgh - each for less than £100.

“I got into extreme day trips just when they were becoming really popular,” she said.

“If I’m in a situation where I can take time off work, it’s a good thing to do to break the routine.

“And if you’re not sure you’re going to like a country - you can get a feel for it.

“It’s just such a good alternative, financially.

“It’s much cheaper to go to the beach for a day in Spain than to catch a train to London.”

Adelina spotted return plane tickets to Copenhagen on sale for £42, in February 2024.

She chose to book the flight without planning anything, wanting to see what the weather would be like.

On July 15, her plane left Bristol Airport at 8.40am - and took three hours to get there.

She said: “I got to Copenhagen just before midday.

“I took the train straight from the airport, which took me right into the city.

“It was about a 15-minute journey, and cost the equivalent of £3.50.”

Adelina spent most of her time in the Nyhavn area of Copenhagen.

She visited the food market - and bought Danish pastries to eat, as well as their “famous hotdogs".

Her step-count for the day reached 30,000 - after walking alongside the canal, taking a boat tour of the city and visiting the National Museum of Denmark.

“I spent £20 on lunch,” she added.

“And my Danish pastries cost £3.

“I felt so safe in Copenhagen - which can be hard for a female solo traveller.

“My advice is to research your transport links as soon as you can.

“I was really glad I could get from the airport to the centre in 15 minutes.”

While waiting for her train, Adelina noticed a separate train going in the direction of Malmö, Sweden.

She decided there-and-then to book a seat for £37, and will be going later this year.

Saving on accommodation, her return flight landed her in Bristol at 11.30pm the same day.

Breakdown of Adelina's costs

• Return flight to Copenhagen: £42
• Food: £23
• Train from airport: £3.50
• Total: £68.50