Things to do in Copenhagen
Copenhagen mixes royal history, world-class design and food with laid-back urban life. Here's what to prioritise.
Tivoli Gardens
Opened in 1843, Tivoli is one of the world's oldest amusement parks still in operation and is said to have inspired Walt Disney. It has historic wooden roller coasters (the Rutschebanen dates from 1914), gardens, concert halls and restaurants, and is magical at night when thousands of lights come on. It is open in summer, at Halloween and at Christmas, so check dates.
Nyhavn
The colourful canal-side townhouses of Nyhavn date from the late seventeenth century; Hans Christian Andersen lived at numbers 18, 20 and 67. It's the classic Copenhagen photo spot. Take a canal boat tour from here to see the city from the water.
The Little Mermaid and Kastellet
Edvard Eriksen's bronze statue, unveiled in 1913 and inspired by Andersen's fairy tale, is small and often surrounded by tourists. Combine it with a walk through Kastellet, a star-shaped seventeenth-century fortress, and the Gefion Fountain.
Royal palaces
Watch the changing of the Royal Life Guards at Amalienborg Palace at noon. Rosenborg Castle, built by Christian IV, holds the Danish crown jewels. Christiansborg Palace includes the Royal Reception Rooms, the parliament and ruins of Absalon's original castle beneath it; its tower has a free viewing platform.
Museums
The National Museum covers Danish history from the Vikings to the present. Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek, founded by the brewer Carl Jacobsen, has ancient sculpture and French Impressionists around a palm-filled winter garden. SMK, the National Gallery of Denmark, has Danish Golden Age paintings. The Designmuseum Danmark showcases Danish furniture and design. Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, 35 minutes north in Humlebæk, is often called one of the world's most beautiful museums, with sculptures on a lawn overlooking the Øresund.
Christiania
Freetown Christiania, established in 1971 by squatters in a former military barracks, is a self-governing community with colourful houses, workshops and lakeside paths. Respect the rules: no photographs on Pusher Street (which residents dug up in 2024 to close the cannabis trade), no running, and be considerate.
Round Tower and views
Climb the 7.5-turn spiral ramp of the Rundetårn, built as an observatory in the 1640s, for views over the old city. The spire of the Church of Our Saviour, with its external staircase, is even higher, but it's not for those with a fear of heights. CopenHill, a waste-to-energy plant with a ski slope and hiking trail on its roof, offers a modern viewpoint.
Food
Copenhagen has some of the world's most acclaimed restaurants, including Noma and Geranium. For more affordable options, try smørrebrød (open sandwiches) at a traditional lunch place like Schønnemann, a hot dog from a pølsevogn (sausage wagon), cinnamon buns (kanelsnegl) from a bakery, and the street food at Reffen on Refshaleøen. Torvehallerne is a covered food market near Nørreport.
Harbour swimming and cycling
In summer, swim at harbour baths like Islands Brygge or Kalvebod Bølge. Rent a bike or use the city's electric bikes to ride the Cykelslangen (Bicycle Snake) bridge and along the harbour. GoBoat rents small solar-powered boats.
Rosenborg Castle and the Crown Jewels
Rosenborg was built by King Christian IV in the early seventeenth century as a summer house. Today it houses the Danish Crown Jewels and regalia in its basement treasury. The surrounding King's Garden (Kongens Have) is the oldest royal garden in the city and a favourite picnic spot.
Copenhill
Copenhill (Amager Bakke) is a waste-to-energy plant designed by the Bjarke Ingels Group with an artificial ski slope, a hiking trail and one of the world's tallest climbing walls on its facade. It opened in 2019 and has become a symbol of Copenhagen's green ambitions.
Design and architecture
The Danish Architecture Centre (BLOX) on the harbour hosts exhibitions on architecture and urban design. Designmuseum Danmark shows classics from Kaare Klint to Jacobsen and Wegner. Shops such as Hay House and Illums Bolighus on Strøget showcase contemporary Danish design.
Louisiana Museum of Modern Art
In Humlebæk, about 35 minutes north by train, the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art is famed for its seaside sculpture garden and works by Giacometti, Henry Moore and Yayoi Kusama. Combine it with Kronborg Castle in Helsingør, the setting of Shakespeare's Hamlet.
Strøget and the old town
Strøget, one of Europe's longest pedestrian shopping streets, runs from City Hall Square to Kongens Nytorv. Side streets hide old churches and cafés, such as those around Gråbrødretorv square.
Day trips
Kronborg Castle in Helsingør, setting of Shakespeare's Hamlet, is 45 minutes north by train. Frederiksborg Castle in Hillerød is a Renaissance masterpiece. Roskilde has a Viking Ship Museum and a cathedral where Danish monarchs are buried. Malmö in Sweden is just 35 minutes away by train across the Øresund Bridge.
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