Travel guide · Denmark
Copenhagen travel guide
Harbour swims, Tivoli lights, Danish design and a city made for bikes
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Moahim, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Copenhagen is a flat, compact harbour city where cycling is the normal way to get around and the harbour water is clean enough to swim in. The medieval centre, with Strøget and the Round Tower, sits between Tivoli Gardens and the painted townhouses of Nyhavn, while royal Copenhagen — Amalienborg, Rosenborg and Christiansborg — is a short walk away. Across the harbour, Christianshavn and Freetown Christiania move at a different pace, and Vesterbro and Nørrebro show off a food scene that runs from New Nordic tasting menus to smørrebrød counters and street-food markets. Plan 4 days for a first visit; the best months are May–September.
Key facts
- Country
- Denmark
- Best time to visit
- May–September
- Ideal stay
- 4 days
- Main airports
- CPH
- Mid-range daily budget
- $240–$420 per person (estimate)
- Known for
- Tivoli Gardens, Nyhavn, Cycling and Danish design
Why visit Copenhagen
- Tivoli Gardens, opened in 1843, Nyhavn's painted townhouses and the royal palaces are all within about a 20-minute walk of each other.
- Harbour baths such as Islands Brygge let you swim in clean water in the middle of the city in summer.
- Eating out is a highlight, from smørrebrød lunches and Danish pastries to New Nordic tasting menus and street-food halls.
- Wide, separated bike lanes make cycling the easiest way to explore, in any season.
- Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Kronborg Castle and Malmö in Sweden are each under an hour away by train.
Top things to do
The six sights most first-time visitors build a trip around. See all 20 things to do.
Theme park · Vesterbro
Tivoli Gardens
Opened in 1843 opposite what is now Central Station, Tivoli is one of the world's oldest amusement parks: a garden of lakes, pavilions and thousands of coloured lights with a wooden roller coaster dating from 1914.
- Time needed
- 3–5 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- Kids
- After dark
- Couples
Waterfront · Nyhavn
Nyhavn
Dug in the 1670s to bring ships into the city, Nyhavn's canal is lined with 17th- and 18th-century townhouses painted red, yellow and blue, with wooden sailing ships moored along the quay.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- Photo spot
- Couples
Castle · Indre By
Rosenborg Castle
Christian IV's Dutch Renaissance castle, built in the early 17th century, keeps its royal interiors, a Knights' Hall guarded by three life-size silver lions and, in the basement treasury, the Danish crown jewels and regalia.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Iconic
- Architecture
- Rainy day
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Palace · Frederiksstaden
Amalienborg
Four matching rococo palaces around an octagonal square form the Copenhagen home of the Danish royal family, with a museum of royal apartments in one wing.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Iconic
- History
- Kids
Landmark · Langelinie
The Little Mermaid
Edvard Eriksen's small bronze of Hans Christian Andersen's mermaid has sat on a rock at Langelinie since 1913.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Iconic
- Photo spot
- Outdoors
Street · Indre By
Strøget
One of Europe's longest pedestrian shopping streets runs about 1.1 km from City Hall Square to Kongens Nytorv, past department stores, Danish design flagships and the squares of Gammeltorv and Amagertorv.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Shopping
- Free
- Iconic
Where to stay
Indre By is the easiest base for a first visit. Compare all 8 areas.
$$$$ · Best for first-timers, shopping and couples
Indre By
Medieval lanes, Strøget shopping and the Round Tower in the old city
$$$$ · Best for first-timers, couples and luxury
Nyhavn and Frederiksstaden
The postcard canal, royal Amalienborg and the Marble Church
$$$ · Best for couples, food lovers, quiet stays and culture
Christianshavn
Canals, houseboats and a spiral church spire across the harbour
$$$ · Best for nightlife, food lovers, budget and solo travellers
Vesterbro
Old working-class streets turned bars, cafés and the Meatpacking District
What to eat
- Smørrebrød — Open sandwiches on dense rye bread topped with pickled herring, roast pork, egg and shrimp or potato with crispy onions, eaten with a knife and fork.
- Danish pastries — Laminated butter pastries that Danes call 'Viennese bread': the cinnamon swirl (kanelsnegl), the custard-filled spandauer and the poppy-seed tebirkes.
- Danish hot dog — A red sausage or a ristet (grilled) hot dog from a pølsevogn, topped with remoulade, ketchup, mustard, crispy fried onions and sliced pickled cucumber.
- Stegt flæsk med persillesovs — Crisp fried pork belly with boiled potatoes and creamy parsley sauce, chosen as Denmark's national dish in a public vote.
- Pickled herring — Herring pickled in vinegar, curry, mustard or sherry marinades, served on rye with onion and capers as the traditional first course of a Danish lunch.
- Frikadeller — Pan-fried pork and veal meatballs, flatter than Swedish meatballs, served with potatoes and brown gravy or cold on rye bread.
When to go
The best time to visit Copenhagen is May to September, when days are long, café terraces and harbour baths are open and Tivoli runs its summer season; June to August are the warmest and busiest months. November and December are dark and cold but festive, with Tivoli's Christmas season, while January to March is the quietest and lowest-priced period.
| Season | Months | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Spring | March–May | Cherry blossom, Tivoli reopening and rapidly lengthening days; still cool, with crisp mornings. |
| Summer | June–August | Long, light evenings, harbour swimming, the Jazz Festival and outdoor dining; the busiest and most expensive season. |
| Autumn | September–November | A mild early autumn, Culture Night and Tivoli's Halloween season, turning dark and damp by November. |
| Winter | December–February | Cold and dark, with Christmas markets, gløgg and hygge in December, then the quietest and lowest-priced weeks of the year. |
Getting there and around
Copenhagen Airport (Kastrup) is about 8 km south-east of the centre. Metro line M2 reaches Kongens Nytorv in about 15 minutes and runs around the clock, trains reach Copenhagen Central Station in about 13–15 minutes, and a taxi takes about 20 minutes.
Copenhagen is flat and compact: most sights are within a 30-minute walk or a 15-minute bike ride of City Hall Square. A driverless metro runs around the clock, S-trains and buses cover the suburbs, and harbour buses cross the water, all on one zone-based ticket system.
Plan your days
Two days covers Tivoli, Nyhavn, the royal palaces, Christiansborg and a canal tour. Four days adds Christianshavn, Vesterbro and Nørrebro, a harbour swim and a day trip to Louisiana and Kronborg; a week leaves time for Malmö and Roskilde.
Practical information
- Currency
- DKK
- Language
- Danish
- Plugs
- Type C, F and K sockets, 230 V, 50 Hz; standard European two-pin plugs fit
- Tap water
- Tap water is high quality and safe to drink everywhere.
- Emergency number
- 112
- Tipping
- Service is included in Danish prices, so tipping is not expected.
Copenhagen is generally safe for visitors. Watch for pickpockets around Central Station, Strøget and Nyhavn, and always lock a bike, as bike theft is common. The most frequent risk for visitors is stepping into a bike lane without looking, so check before you cross.
Flights to Copenhagen
Questions travellers ask
+How many days do you need in Copenhagen?
Two days covers Tivoli, Nyhavn, the royal palaces, Christiansborg and a canal tour. Four days adds Christianshavn, Vesterbro and Nørrebro, a harbour swim and a day trip to Louisiana and Kronborg; a week leaves time for Malmö and Roskilde. How to split your days.
+When is the best time to visit Copenhagen?
The best time to visit Copenhagen is May to September, when days are long, café terraces and harbour baths are open and Tivoli runs its summer season; June to August are the warmest and busiest months. November and December are dark and cold but festive, with Tivoli's Christmas season, while January to March is the quietest and lowest-priced period.
+What is Copenhagen known for?
Tivoli Gardens, Nyhavn, Cycling, Danish design, New Nordic cuisine, Smørrebrød, Hygge and The Little Mermaid. Tivoli Gardens, opened in 1843, Nyhavn's painted townhouses and the royal palaces are all within about a 20-minute walk of each other.
+Is Copenhagen expensive?
Copenhagen is very expensive for international visitors: a mid-range trip costs roughly $240–$420 per person per day before flights (AMZBooking estimate). Costs and money-saving tips.
+Do you need a car in Copenhagen?
No. Parking is expensive and limited, and cycling, the metro and trains cover the city and most day trips. Hire a car only for rural Zealand or the cliffs at Møns Klint.