What Copenhagen Taught Me About Happiness, Health & Habits

When Scott and I arrived in Copenhagen, I felt immediately curious about more than just the food and the architecture. I wanted to understand how people live in a city that’s often ranked among the happiest in the world.

Food & quality

One thing stood out: everything we ate in Copenhagen was very high quality. From the breakfast spreads to the smaller cafés, ingredients felt fresh and thoughtfully prepared. But the prices always reminded me that good food here comes with a premium. At restaurants there is a 25% tax on top of the bill, which makes dining out noticeably more expensive.

Streets without cars

They don’t drive as much here. That’s not just because of culture or choice. Cars come with a hefty registration tax. In Denmark the vehicle registration tax is structured so that after certain thresholds you pay up to 150% of the car’s taxable value. That means owning a car is extremely expensive, so most people walk, bike, or use public transit instead.

Because there are fewer cars, the streets feel calmer. Walking or biking becomes the default. I couldn’t help but think that when being mobile is easy and built into everyday life, you see more people physical activity, fewer excuses, and better overall health.

How it all ties together (to me)

As I flew home, I reflected on how much these systems feel interwoven.

• The high car taxes reduce traffic and encourage movement.

• The high meal taxes likely make people more discerning about food choices, less waste and more care in what they eat.

• The universal health care plus coverage of education means people aren’t burdened by monstrous health or tuition bills.

• With less stress about basic necessities there may be more space for joy, community, and connection.

I do not think Copenhagen’s model is perfect or something that can be duplicated everywhere, but observing how these pieces of policy, food, walking culture, and social support layer on top of each other made me think differently about health, habit, and happiness.

There will be more about our European trip in upcoming issues because we also visited Stockholm and traveled all over Italy, and I am excited to share those stories too.