7 days in Copenhagen

Day by day

1. Day 1: Tivoli Gardens and Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek

   Tivoli Gardens and Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek, then Kødbyen (Meatpacking District) in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Tivoli Gardens

      Vesterbro · 3–5 hours · mid-priced. Check season dates before you travel; Tivoli closes between its summer, Halloween and Christmas seasons.

   2. Late morning

      Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek

      Vesterbro · 2 hours · mid-priced.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Smørrebrød

      Traditional lunch restaurants in Indre By and Nyhavn, and modern counters at Torvehallerne.

   4. Evening

      Kødbyen (Meatpacking District)

      Bars, clubs and restaurants in white-tiled former slaughterhouses in Vesterbro, busiest on Friday and Saturday nights.

2. Day 2: Nyhavn and Canal and harbour boat tour

   Nyhavn and Canal and harbour boat tour, then Nørrebro in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Nyhavn

      Nyhavn · 45 minutes · free.

   2. Late morning

      Canal and harbour boat tour

      Nyhavn · 1 hour · low cost.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Danish pastries

      Bakeries across the city, many with queues out of the door on weekend mornings.

   4. Evening

      Nørrebro

      Natural-wine bars, cocktail bars and cafés around Jægersborggade, Elmegade and Ravnsborggade.

3. Day 3: Rosenborg Castle and Strøget

   Rosenborg Castle and Strøget, then Indre By and the Latin Quarter in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Rosenborg Castle

      Indre By · 1.5 hours · mid-priced. Timed tickets are recommended in summer, when the small rooms fill quickly.

   2. Late morning

      Strøget

      Indre By · 1–2 hours · free.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Danish hot dog

      Sausage wagons on Strøget, City Hall Square and near stations.

   4. Evening

      Indre By and the Latin Quarter

      Cocktail bars, student pubs and jazz venues in the lanes of the old city.

4. Day 4: Day trip to Louisiana Museum of Modern Art

   About 35–40 minutes by train each way. Getting there: Regional train to Humlebæk, then a 10-minute walk.

   1. Morning

      Travel to Louisiana Museum of Modern Art

      About 35–40 minutes by train (Regional train to Humlebæk, then a 10-minute walk); about 35 km.

   2. Day

      Louisiana Museum of Modern Art

      A museum of modern and contemporary art in a seaside villa linked by glass corridors, with a sculpture park of works by Henry Moore, Alexander Calder and others running down to the Øresund and views across the water to Sweden.

   3. Evening

      Back in Copenhagen

      Dinner: try Stegt flæsk med persillesovs.

5. Day 5: National Museum of Denmark and SMK – National Gallery of Denmark

   National Museum of Denmark and SMK – National Gallery of Denmark, then Istedgade, Vesterbro in the evening.

   1. Morning

      National Museum of Denmark

      Indre By · 2–3 hours · mid-priced.

   2. Late morning

      SMK – National Gallery of Denmark

      Indre By · 2 hours · free.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Stegt flæsk med persillesovs

      Traditional Danish restaurants and lunch places (frokostrestauranter).

   4. Evening

      Istedgade, Vesterbro

      Cafés and bars along Istedgade and around Halmtorvet, close to Central Station.

6. Day 6: Day trip to Kronborg Castle, Helsingør

   About 45 minutes by train each way. Getting there: Regional train to Helsingør.

   1. Morning

      Travel to Kronborg Castle, Helsingør

      About 45 minutes by train (Regional train to Helsingør); about 45 km.

   2. Day

      Kronborg Castle, Helsingør

      The Maritime Museum of Denmark is built into an old dry dock beside it.

   3. Evening

      Back in Copenhagen

      Dinner: try Pickled herring.

7. Day 7: Rundetårn (Round Tower) and Amalienborg

   Rundetårn (Round Tower) and Amalienborg, then Tivoli by night in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Rundetårn (Round Tower)

      Indre By · 45 minutes · low cost.

   2. Late morning

      Amalienborg

      Frederiksstaden · 1 hour · free.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Pickled herring

      Lunch restaurants and Christmas lunches (julefrokost); delis sell jars to take home.

   4. Evening

      Tivoli by night

      Walk the gardens after dark, when thousands of lights reflect in the lake, and ride the century-old wooden roller coaster.

Before you go

Reserve timed tickets for Tivoli Gardens and Rosenborg Castle before you travel; the rest of this plan needs no advance booking.

Where to stay for this itinerary

With 7 nights, Indre By keeps most of this route within easy reach. For a calmer or cheaper base, Nyhavn and Frederiksstaden ($$$$) suits first-timers, couples and luxury. Compare every area.

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 15–19 hours of visiting over 7 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 7.1 hours in December to 17.5 hours in June, so in winter start early and keep museums for the afternoon.

More or fewer days

• One day in Copenhagen
• 2 days in Copenhagen
• 3 days in Copenhagen
• 4 days in Copenhagen
• 5 days in Copenhagen

Questions travellers ask