Copenhagen eases into your senses quietly and intentionally, then suddenly all at once. During my recent visit, I found myself moving slower, noticing more, and wondering how an entire city manages to feel so balanced, thoughtful, and happy.

Copenhagen was named the Happiest City in the World for 2025, and after spending time wandering its neighborhoods, canals, bakeries, and museums, I started making a list of the reasons why.

Athens. Just saying the name pulls you back through time—temples on the hill, philosophers in the Agora, gods in marble. It’s one of those cities that lives vividly in the imagination, and being there in person? Even better.