Nikki Lund - colourful Odense-fan

My first meeting with Odense

When I moved to Odense in 2012, I had actually imagined that I would end up somewhere else. But the city welcomed me in a way I hadn’t expected. There was a very special calm and closeness about it that I quickly fell in love with.

Odense has something unique. It’s big enough that there are always new places to discover, yet small enough that you feel at home and everything is always close by. There is room here for big ambitions, everyday life, and both small and big experiences at the same time. And it simply felt right for me.

So I stayed – and I’m very happy that I did.

Instagram: @nikkilunds

When the city feels most like home

I feel most at home in Odense on days when there are no plans. When we simply think: let’s walk into town – and then we do.

We look in shop windows and discover small places we’ve never noticed before. And we usually end up somewhere we hadn’t planned when we left home.

I love that you can move through the city while also feeling like you’re slipping away from it a little. Walking along the river, sitting down somewhere and taking a breath. Some of the city’s green spaces make it easy to find calm – even in the middle of everything. For me, it might be a quiet moment at the harbour or a walk through the Cultural Botanical Garden, where the city suddenly feels a little farther away than it actually is.

I also love visiting the places in Odense where you can always just pop in. One of my favourite spots is Rosa Lundberg – partly because I love the colourful, vibrant clothes and partly because the shop constantly changes, which I find inspiring.

Then there is Vintapperstræde, which is always beautifully decorated and changes its appearance several times a year. Here, small speciality shops sit side by side with creative workshops, cafés, bars and restaurants, and I always feel inspired to look around. Especially when darkness falls and the lights hang above the street – it feels like a completely different world in the middle of the city. Sometimes we continue towards Brandts, which is also very special and full of culture.

These are the kinds of places that remind me that Odense holds many small experiences – you just have to take the time to discover them.

Small places with big meaning

One of the things I love most about Odense is the many small streets and passages that act like little pockets within a busy city.

In those places you often find truly special spots where, for example, you can get a really good cup of coffee in beautiful or unique surroundings. One of my favourites is Laban Kaffebar, hidden in a small passage between Kongensgade and Vintapperstræde.

I also love the many creative cafés in Odense, such as Kunstnær or Smykbar, where I can sit for hours enjoying cosy moments with my husband or friends while we work with our hands and let our creativity flow.

Some of the other small places I always return to are The Pie Project and Balance Café – places where it’s clear that the food is made with great ingredients and where there is time and space to slow down and simply enjoy being together.

If I’m going out in the evening, one of my go-to spots is No Stress Bar. The atmosphere is relaxed, slightly low-key but still lively, and the cocktails are excellent – I especially love their Lemon Pie Martini.

And yes – when fastelavn approaches, I test fastelavn buns around the city. It has become a bit of a tradition. An excuse to visit even more places and share my favourites.

A perfect day in the city

If I had to describe my perfect day in Odense, it starts slowly. I sleep in and walk into town.

I find a place for brunch – often Café Fleuri. They have a courtyard I never get tired of, and I almost always end up staying a little longer than planned.

After that, I walk through the city, often through Eventyrhaven, with a coffee to go in my hand. I sit down somewhere and watch people. That’s one of the things I love most: seeing people in their everyday lives. On their way somewhere. Right in the middle of life.

Later it might be something active – right now, for example, a skate at the ice rink on Flakhaven.

Or we might stop by Pappas Papbar, where you can always find a game you’ve never tried before. It’s the kind of place where time disappears because you get so absorbed in what you’re doing.

And then back home again. A little tired – but in the good way.

Why I share Odense

I actually started sharing tips and small guides from Odense because I myself am inspired by personal stories and recommendations, and I felt there was something missing: a personal perspective on the city.

Small gems, niche places and experiences you only discover when you know where to look. And that’s exactly what I want to show – both to those who live here and to those who may not have visited yet.

If I can inspire others to take a small detour, discover something new and fall just as much in love with the city as I have, then it all makes sense to me.