Things to Do in Copenhagen

Updated By exploringdenmark10 min read

From a 19th-century pleasure garden to a ski slope on a power plant, the best things to do in Copenhagen span the storybook and the surprising. This is the city’s highlights sorted by what you are in the mood for – icons, art, food, water, views – so you can build the day you actually want. For a day-by-day plan, pair it with our 3-day itinerary.

PICK YOUR MOOD ICONSTivoli, Nyhavn,Little MermaidThe postcards CULTUREGlyptotek, SMK,DesignmuseumWorld-class art FOODTorvehallerne,Reffen, smørrebrødHalls to Michelin OUTDOORSHarbour baths,canals, CopenHillOn & by the water Compact, walkable and bike-friendly – most of it is free to look at

Overview

Copenhagen is small, flat and walkable, which makes it one of Europe’s easiest cities to explore – you can drift between most of the things to do in Copenhagen on foot or by bike. The list below is sorted by interest rather than geography, so dip into whichever section matches your day. If you would rather follow a ready-made route, our day-by-day itinerary threads the best of it together.

How to play it

Do not try to do everything. Pick two or three anchors a day – say one icon, one museum and a long lunch in a food hall – and leave space to wander. The unplanned canal-side hours are often the best bit.

The icons

The sights that put Copenhagen on the postcard, and still worth it:

  • Tivoli Gardens – the 1843 pleasure garden in the city centre, lovely even if you skip the rides.
  • Nyhavn – the candy-coloured 17th-century harbour, the most photographed spot in the country.
  • Rosenborg Castle – a Renaissance palace housing the crown jewels, set in the King’s Garden.
  • The Little Mermaid & Kastellet – the famous statue, beside a beautifully preserved star fort.
  • Amalienborg – the royal residence, with a changing of the guard at noon.

Museums and art

Copenhagen punches far above its weight here:

  • Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek – antiquities and Impressionists around a palm-filled winter garden.
  • National Museum of Denmark – the country’s story from the Vikings on, and free to enter.
  • SMK (National Gallery) – Denmark’s largest art museum.
  • Designmuseum Danmark – essential for anyone who loves Danish design.

Neighbourhoods to wander

Some of the best things to do in Copenhagen are simply being in the right neighbourhood. Christianshavn and Freetown Christiania for canals and counter-culture; Vesterbro and the Meatpacking District for nightlife and casual dining; Nørrebro for the multicultural buzz of Jægersborggade and the Superkilen park; and leafy Frederiksberg for a slower pace. Our neighbourhoods guide goes deeper.

Eat and drink

Food is half the reason to visit. Graze the glass food halls at Torvehallerne and the harbour street-food market at Reffen; eat smørrebrød (open sandwiches) for lunch and a pølse (hot dog) from a cart; and do not leave without a cardamom bun from a proper bakery. Copenhagen is also a fine-dining capital – Noma and Geranium are world-famous and need booking months ahead.

On the water

The harbour is clean enough to swim in, which tells you a lot about the city. Take a canal boat tour for the best one-hour orientation, swim at the Islands Brygge harbour baths in summer, or rent a little electric GoBoat and captain yourself. Kayaking the canals is another fine way to see it from the waterline.

Best views

Three climbs reward you with a skyline: the 17th-century Round Tower (a gentle spiral ramp), the corkscrew spire of the Church of Our Saviour in Christianshavn, and CopenHill – the rooftop of a power plant you can actually ski or hike up.

Free things to do in Copenhagen

You can have a brilliant day for almost nothing. Swimming in the harbour, wandering Nyhavn and Strøget, the changing of the guard at Amalienborg, the gardens at Rosenborg, Christiania, and several museums (including the National Museum) are all free. Walking and people-watching cost nothing and are arguably the main event.

With kids

Copenhagen is wonderfully child-friendly. Beyond Tivoli, there is the Experimentarium science centre, Den Blå Planet (the national aquarium, near the airport), the Copenhagen Zoo, and endless playgrounds and harbour swims. Most museums have hands-on children’s sections.

Questions and answers

How many days do I need?

Three full days cover the icons and a couple of neighbourhoods comfortably. Our itinerary lays out exactly how to spend them.

What are the best free things to do?

Harbour swimming, Nyhavn, the changing of the guard, Christiania, the King’s Garden, and the free-entry National Museum.

Is Copenhagen walkable?

Very – the centre is tiny. A bike or the 24/7 Metro covers anything further. You will not need a car.

What’s good on a rainy day?

The museums and food halls are made for it – the Glyptotek’s winter garden, the National Museum, Designmuseum and Torvehallerne can fill a wet day happily.

Sources

  1. VisitCopenhagen – the official city tourism site, for hours and tickets.
  2. VisitDenmark – the national tourism board.