Planning a visit to Copenhagen? From castles and street art, to museums and markets, these are the 10 best things to do in the Danish capital, according to us...
1 GET A RUSH AT TIVOLI GARDENS
Vesterbrogade 3, 1630 København V, Denmark
The second oldest operating amusement park in the world. Tivoli Gardens is the place to relive your childhood. This 19th-century Amusement park is perhaps the most popular tourist attraction in Copenhagen (and for a good reason). The park is home to 30 different rides to suit everyone whether you’re into rollercoasters or bumper cars, as well as Denmark’s first ever virtual reality ride.
Every Friday, there’s a Rock concert starting at 10pm and the atmosphere is incredible! There are also some cool restaurants in the park to stop for a hearty lunch before getting back on the rides.
2 CHECK OUT SOME CASTLES AND THEIR BEAUTIFUL GROUNDS
We are big fans of these three:
KRONBORG CASTLE
Kronborg 2 C, 3000 Helsingør, Denmark
Kronborg castle is an impressive 16th century Renaissance building and one of the Danish Royal Palaces. Situated right by the sea, it’s only a short journey from Copenhagen and makes for the perfect day out to get your dose of Danish history. We recommend checking out the castle chambers deep underground - it’s fascinating and unlike many castles you can actually walk around pretty much all of the inside. From Copenhagen, just take the train to Helsingor and get off at the last stop!
FREDERIKSBORG CASTLE
Frederiksborg Slot 10, 3400 Hillerød, Denmark
This stunning castle is situated north of Copenhagen and it’s pretty spectacular inside and out. Situated on the castle lake, it’s distinguished by its beautiful red brick and green roof. There is also an incredible garden to explore on the grounds of the castle, as well as the palace chapel which survived when the rest of the palace burnt down in 1859. Stop at the cafe in the gardens for a bite to eat in the summer!
CHRISTIANSBORG PALACE
Prins Jørgens Gård 1, 1218 København, Denmark
Right in the heart of Copenhagen, it’s hard to miss the beautiful Christiansborg Palace. This palace is home to the Danish Parliament and so it’s well worth a visit! Walk through the halls and admire the tapestries, paintings and glittering chandeliers. You can also explore the underground ruins underneath Christiansborg Palace and the horse stables.
3 DISCOVER THE STREET ART IN CHRISTIANIA
Freetown Christiania, København, Denmark
To experience the more alternative side of Copenhagen head to the colourful freetown Christiania (a self proclaimed hippie neighbourhood). Almost every public wall in Christiania is filled with incredible artwork so head here to really find the best street art in the city. It’s on the walls, corners, the recycle centre, the skatepark, stores and restaurants, even homes. Fun fact: Christiania is a no-car zone. A good thing to do is rent a bike here and cycle around to explore.
4 MUSEUM HOPPING
Copenhagen is home to a variety of incredible museums for you to get your culture fix. Here are the ones we’d recommend…
For art lovers:
ARKEN Museum of Modern Art
SMK The National Gallery of Denmark
Louisiana Museum of Modern Art (pictured below)
For history/science lovers:
The National Museum
Geological Museum
5 STRIKE A POSE WITH THE LITTLE MERMAID SCULPTURE
Langelinie, 2100 København Ø, Denmark
Walk along the harbour and you’ll find the famous Little Mermaid Sculpture designed by Edvard Eriksen. You can’t not get a selfie with her during your trip to Copenhagen. The statue is a symbol of the city and attracts tourists from all over the world.
6 GO TO STRØGET FOR A SPOT OF RETAIL THERAPY
Fancy a spot of shopping? Then the place to head in Copenhagen is Strøget, one of the longest pedestrianised streets in Europe. You’ll find high street brands, local shops and high fashion stores as well as restaurants.
7 HAVE A RIVERSIDE DINNER AT NYHAVN
Nyhavn 1F, 1051 København K
Nautical Nyhavn is lined with colourful buildings bursting with character. Mainly made up of classy restaurants, bars and shops, find one that takes your fancy and settle down to a delicious dinner whilst overlooking the water. The harbour is truly beautiful, full of tall boats and historic ships so it’s a lovely place to base yourself in the evenings. Nyhavn is simply beautiful when lit at night. Stop for a beer during the day, there are many places here to satisfy your thirst!
8 ADMIRE THE ARCHITECTURE OF THE CHURCH OF OUR SAVIOUR
Skt. Annæ Gade 29, 1416 København K
This is one of Denmark’s most famous baroque churches. And you’ll see why when you get there. The spire is so tall (the whole building is 90m to be exact) with a winding staircase that takes you right to the top. There are 400 steps to battle to get there but well worth it for the incredible views of the city you’ll be rewarded with. Every year more than 60.000 people climb the many flights of stairs to the top.
While you’re at the Church of our Saviour, stop for lunch at DØP nextdoor for hot dogs. There’s nothing as Danish as a hot dog stand. This organic hot dog stand serves up award-winning delicious sausages, all made from proper meat, and they’re seriously good.
9 GIVE YOUR TASTE BUDS A TREAT AT TORVEHALLERNE MARKET
Frederiksborggade 21, 1360 København K, Denmark
All foodies love farmers markets - and the one to check out in Copenhagen is the Torvehallerne Market. It brings together locals and tourists to explore over 60 stands of delicacies from fresh Danish fish to cheese and meats, exotic spices, sustainable foods as well as gourmet chocolate.
This is a great place to stop for lunch, there is such a variety of worldwide food to choose from as well as local produce to indulge in. Even fresh hot Italian pizza or sushi. It’s open everyday!
10 EXPLORE AMALIENBORG PALACE, HOME OF THE ROYALS
Amalienborg Slotsplads 5, 1257 København K
Get a feel for how the Danish Royal family live. Amalienborg Palace is the official residence of the King and Queen of Denmark so culture buffs would love to explore the grounds and even the inside of the premises. The beautiful palace is part open to guests to watch the Changing of the Guard Ceremony and you can also walk around some of the rooms to learn the family’s long history. On Saturdays, the Royal Reception rooms are open to the public which are still used by the Royals today. Fascinating.