‘I visited the beautiful European town just as pretty as Copenhagen but without tourists'

For a long time, places like Britain perceived Scandinavia as trapped in some type of perpetual winter. Maybe it was the fact that every time Sweden or Denmark was featured on television, it seemed to be a report with reindeer dashing across snow-covered fields, or simply the fact that when you looked on a map these countries were at Europe’s northern tip.

But as more tourists flocked to their own holidays after the turn of the century, these myths melted away. Many British people realised that, in actual fact, Scandinavia had better weather in the summer months than the UK.

An indication of how much the region has risen as a destination came in 2019 when the well-loved travel guide Lonely Planet named Copenhagen the world’s top city for travellers.

According to Tom Hall, Lonely Planet’s Editorial Director, Scandinavia was now the fashionable place to visit, with Copenhagen leading the way at the forefront of this travel trend.

“This is a city well versed in the cutting edge,” wrote Hall, “cobbled streets boast groundbreaking menus and trend-setting design. Centuries-old palaces, churches and warehouses share streets and waterways with bold contemporary architecture, while the city’s former Meatpacking District hums with galleries, locavore eateries and on-point indie bars.

“Copenhagen is the epitome of Scandi cool and deserves to be recognised on the global stage.”

The problem, as is ever the case, is that the price of that ‘Scandi cool’ is sky-high.

Danish Krona is not a currency that tourists get particularly good value on when converting and the cost of living in Copenhagen makes London prices look almost reasonable.

A spending guide from the website The Currency Shop estimates that a budget trip to the Danish capital costs DKK 4,061, which is around £450. Anyone seeking a luxurious high-end experience is advised to bank DKK 22,436, which is a whopping £2,500.

Tourists need to save a lot of cash ahead of the trip because the cost of accommodation combined with a meal in a restaurant or a pint is pretty steep.

The average price of a hotel room in Copenhagen is around £100. But once you step outside to grab a bite to eat you need £70 to £134 stuffed in the back pocket, and those wanting a pint need at least £6.50 for a single drink.

For many Brits, those costs are simply too high to justify, especially when lower prices can be found in more conventional locations like Spain or Italy.

But for those seeking the charm of the region’s arched roofs, hearty grub and fresh sea air, there is an affordable alternative.

East Germany is located on the other side of the Baltic Sea, where the gloss of ‘Scandi cool’ has not spread because, well, it isn’t in Scandinavia.

Yet the vibe in the towns and cities located on the opposite shores of Copenhagen and Stockholm is very similar to their Nordic neighbours.

You’ll find just as many of the “charming cobbled streets,” “centuries-old palaces, churches, and warehouses" that Lonely Planet editor Hall praised Denmark for possessing.

But best of all you’ll be able to enjoy them without worrying about your bank balance.

I visited the German town of Greifswald, where the triangular orange buildings and bright flat facades are a dead ringer for those in Copenhagen.

Its sprawling cityscape runs right down to the water where there are picturesque views of the water.

The huge advantage a place like Greifswald has over Copenhagen is the money you’ll have to fund your adventures.

To start with, the average cost of a hotel room in Denmark is half the price visitors will pay, coming in at around £55. Traveling outside of the most popular tourist periods will make it even cheaper.

The beers in Greifswald are arguably superior to the booze in Scandiviana, but once again, they come at a fraction of the price. It set me back around £3, considerably less than in most of the UK.

This was not at some backstreet dive bar, this was at a local brewery in the centre of town.

German food is just as hearty as Danish cuisine and will set you back considerably less in Greifswald. I had a three-course dinner for just over £20, just over a third of what you’d be paying in Copenhagen.

The other benefit is, of course, that visitors to this part of Germany don’t have to worry about the crowds of tourists who roam the streets of Copenhagen.

So, if you are seeking a Scandi-style break but don’t want to break the bank, consider a trip to East Germany’s Baltic Coast.