Month guide · Copenhagen · Denmark
Copenhagen in January
What January is really like in Copenhagen: weather, crowds, prices, events and what to pack.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Jiří Komárek, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
January is a quieter month with trade-offs. Expect average highs of 3°C (37°F), lows of -1°C (30°F), about 10 rainy days and roughly 7.6 hours of daylight. Cold, dark and often grey, with short days; museums, cafés and candlelit hygge come into their own.
Key facts
- Average high / low
- 3°C (37°F) / -1°C (30°F)
- Rainy days
- About 10
- Daylight
- About 7.6 hours
- Sea temperature
- 4°C (39°F)
- Crowds
- Very quiet
- Hotel prices
- Low
Weather in January
January is the 11th-warmest month in Copenhagen: days average 3°C (37°F) against a yearly average high of 12°C (54°F), and nights fall to about -1°C (30°F). Rain falls on roughly 10 of its 31 days. Compared with December (5°C (41°F)), January is cooler; by February highs stay near 3°C (37°F).
- Sunrise (15 January)
- About 08:29
- Sunset (15 January)
- About 16:09
- Daylight
- About 7.6 hours
- Sea
- 4°C (39°F)
Winter (December–February). Cold and dark, with Christmas markets, gløgg and hygge in December, then the quietest and lowest-priced weeks of the year.
Crowds and prices
On a 1–5 scale, January rates 1 for crowds (the peak is July at 5) and 2 for hotel prices (highest in July). That makes January one of the better-value months to book.
Events in January
- Winter sales in the shops (January)
Dates move from year to year. Check the organiser’s site before booking travel around an event.
What to do in January
With cold days, plan around indoor sights and keep outdoor time flexible.
Castle · Indre By
Rosenborg Castle
Head to the treasury first, then picnic in the King's Garden afterwards.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Iconic
- Architecture
- Rainy day
Palace · Slotsholmen
Christiansborg Palace
On the island of Slotsholmen, Christiansborg houses the Danish Parliament, the Supreme Court and the Prime Minister's Office, alongside the Royal Reception Rooms with their colourful modern tapestries, the royal stables and the ruins of earlier castles in the basement.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Views
- Architecture
- Rainy day
Museum · Indre By
National Museum of Denmark
Start with the Danish prehistory galleries, then take children to the Children's Museum to dress up and climb aboard a Viking ship.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Kids
- Rainy day
Museum · Vesterbro
Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek
Brewer Carl Jacobsen's art collection fills a museum beside Tivoli with Egyptian, Greek, Roman and Etruscan sculpture, French Impressionists and Rodin, arranged around a glass-domed Winter Garden of palms and a fountain.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Art
- History
- Rainy day
- Architecture
What to pack
For highs near 3°C, lows near -1°C and 10 wet days: a warm coat, hat, gloves and thermal layers; shoes with good grip for icy pavements; a packable rain jacket for showers; comfortable walking shoes.
Is January a good time to visit Copenhagen?
A quieter month with trade-offs, with a notable event on the calendar. If your dates are flexible, May–September are better overall. Compare every month.
Copenhagen in other months
Questions travellers ask
+Is January a good time to visit Copenhagen?
It is a quieter month with trade-offs. Cold, dark and often grey, with short days; museums, cafés and candlelit hygge come into their own.
+How warm is Copenhagen in January?
Average highs are around 3°C (37°F) and lows around -1°C (30°F).
+Does it rain a lot in Copenhagen in January?
Expect rain on about 10 days of the month.