DAY 1
- Grundtvigs Kirke (stunning church). Open at 10am. 20min bike ride from Old Town
- visit Amalienborg Palace (free outside, interior DKK 120). Royal Guards changing ceremony held daily at noon (free). At 11:30am guards march from Rosenborg Palace to Amalienborg Palace.
- Frederik’s Church (marble church)
- Rosenborg Castle to see crown jewels (to view interior purchase tickets in advance to skip lines, DKK 130). Stroll through King’s Garden (free)
- lunch at Aamanns Deli or Bar Moro
- Havnebadet Islands Brygge (public pools in canal)
- cinnamon bun from Andersen & Maillard or Hart Bageri
- 2hr Hidden Gems Canal Tour w/ Hey Captain (more intimate than bigger boats). Book in advance online at heycaptain.dk
- Tivoli Gardens to visit amusement park w/ gardens & music (purchase tickets online in advance during peak season, DKK 155)
DAY 2
- explore Nyboder neighbourhood (8 parallel cobbled streets with golden-yellow terraced houses). Start walk at Store Kongensgade/Hammerensgade, then on to Nyboder Mindestuer naval house at 24 Sankt Pauls Gade, St Paul’s Church a.k.a Church of Nyboder, Tigergade and Krokodillegade lanes and continue north to Kastellet fortress
- 1hr walk or 25 min bike to The Cisterns a.k.a Cisternerne in Frederiksberg. An underground art space inside a former water reservoir (purchase tickets in advance online, DKK 120, 11am-6pm).
- stroll around Frederiksberg Have (gardens) (free)
- lunch at Broens Gadekokken or Illum Rooftop
- visit Reffen Street Food Market. Grab a drink and snack and relax in a chair by the water
- Jazzhus Montmartre for live jazz or Ved Stranden 10 wine bar for a drink
DAY 3
- explore colourful harbour of Nyhavn
- find the “street trampolines” on Havnegade Promenade. Trampolines built into the pavement along the harbour
- wander the canals and streets of Christianshavn. Cross Circle Bridge
- Christiansborg Palace Tower for panoramic city views. Visit early to avoid lines. Opens at 11am (free). Entrance to the tower is located at the King’s Gate in the centre of the palace which can be reached from the Palace Square and Inner courtyard (via the Marble Bridge and Riding Ground)
- visit Freetown Christiania for murals and alternative culture. Respect local rules (free)
- lunch at Mother’s in the Meatpacking District or Warpigs
EATS
- Andersen & Mallard or Hart Bageri for cinnamon buns
- Aamanns Deli (known for smorrebrod, a Danish open-faced sandwich)
- Mother’s in the Meatpacking District for lunch (pizza)
- Warpigs for lunch (Danish American BBQ)
- Broens Gadekokken for lunch (street food market)
- Host for dinner (modern Nordic, reasonable prices)
- Illum Rooftop has several restaurants to choose from (beautiful views, healthy eats)
- Restaurant Cofoco for dinner (modern Nordic, reasonable prices)
- Restaurant Radio for dinner (local seasonal tasting menu, reserve in advance)
- Fiskebaren for dinner (modern seafood, book ahead)
- La Banchina for wine (harbour sauna & natural wine bar)
- Lille Bakery
- Harry’s Place (legendary Borge sausage)
- Bar MORO (all day bistro)
- Ved Stranden 10 (wine bar)
- Jazzhus Montmartre (live jazz)
TIPS
- To/From Airport to city centre: Metro is the fastest & cheapest option. Take the M2 Metro line from airport to Kongens Nytorv station. Travel time is approx 15mins and costs 19-23 DKK one way. Trains run every 4-6mins during the day. Purchase a single-fare ticket from machines or DOT app.
- Accommodation: best area close to everything is in Old Town/City Centre. Includes, Nyhavn, Stroget, Rosenborg Castle, Amalienborg and Christiansborg. Walkable to all attractions, cafes, shops. For canal views, stay in Christianshavn area (like a mini Amsterdam). For nightlife and creative vibes stay in Vesterbro area (Meatpacking District). For local life and budget options, stay in Norrebro area.
- I stayed at Phoenix Copenhagen. Central location, breakfast buffet, close to Metro when coming from the airport, friendly staff and well-appointed rooms.
- Copenhagen City card is worth it if you plan on visiting lots of museums and attractions and using public transportation a lot. It includes free entry to 80+ attractions including Tivoli Gardens, Rosenborg Castle, Amalienborg, etc. If you’re not interested in visiting the interiors of some of the attractions (ie. Rosenborg) or sticking to hidden gems, a standard transport pass (Rejsekort or point-to-point tickets) plus individual attraction tickets is more economical
- Copenhagen is very pedestrian friendly & very scenic. If you stay in the centre, you most likley won’t need a public transport pass
- Donkey Republic bike rentals. Download app to locate a bike on the map, pick a bike matching selection in the app, then tap “unlock”. Can pause and lock bike for stops without ending trip (use the built-in lock and app to secure the bike). Return the bike to any Donkey drop-off location on the app’s map – marked with arrows in circles. Tap “end rental” in the app once it’s locked. Just Ride (pay-as-you-go) or Day Pass for unlimited rides options. 30min: 26 DKK, 1hr: 39 DKK, 2hrs: 65DKK, 24hrs unlimited: 129 DKK
- La Banchina (harbour sauna and wine bar). Need to book sauna session in advance up to 2 weeks prior online at labanchinasauna.dk/sauna . Sauna session is private and lasts for 1hr 45mins. Sauna can accommodate up to 8 people. No showering facilities but can change in front room of sauna. Garden hose available to cool off afterwards. Bring towel, water and flip flops. Swimwear is optional. 24hr notice for full refund. 800 DKK Mon-Thur, 950 DKK Fri – Sun. Check hours online. Opens at 8am. Restaurant on site that serves drinks, pastries, wine and simple breakfast and lunch
- Totally safe city. Pickpockets and scammers aren’t a thing here
- Airalo app for ESIM options to stay connected
Pro Tip: Ask at your hotel if they have bikes you can borrow
