Are you traveling to Copenhagen and wondering what to do and what to see? You’ve come to the right place. I’m here to tell you all the top things to do in Copenhagen, including where to eat and shop!
Copenhagen is somewhere between Amsterdam and London. As soon as I got out of the train station at Kobenhavn H center city, I knew. There was a Nordic vibe, but the pace was so different from Stockholm where we had just left. This was in May, and despite the shoulder season, I was still able to spot many European tourists, particularly French. But besides the tourists, the city is on another scale and speed. The overall vibe reminded me of Amsterdam quite a bit. It’s very picturesque, lots of boutique stores, proximity to water, canals and great food. But also expensive.
This is my list of top things to do in Copenhagen for your next trip! I did all the research, so you don’t have to.
THE BASICS
HOW TO GET TO COPENHAGEN?
Most people fly to Copenhagen Airport, which is quite close to the city center. You can also use the train from surrounding places to get here. We took the express train from Stockholm, which was a 5-hour train ride. I talked about our train experience in my Stockholm blog post. It was very clean (including the bathrooms), our seats were assigned, and our entire ride was super pleasant. We had access to food on the train, which was a great addition compared to what I’m used to Stateside.
INTRODUCTION TO THE DANES
The Danes speak Danish, but they are extremely fluent in English, and many speak a third language such as French or German. So hopefully you won’t have any issues getting around and talking to locals. The City felt very safe at any time of the day, I was able to walk around without any issues.
You know I’m always here for an honest review. I spent a total of 4 full days in Copenhagen and every day I had to reset my thoughts to try, give locals a chance at interacting better, and give me a better impression. As anyone would be, I’m in the best mood possible when on vacation. But man did I have some awful interactions; it was hard to bounce back and try to have a good time. These were in the service industry or retail, you would think they would be nice and accommodating. I googled and tried to understand if there was something I was missing culturally. It wasn’t the case. The nice people were just very nice with a great sense of humor but outnumbered by others in my experience. If anyone has leads or a better understanding please share, I’d love to know. One more thing, if this is the first blog post you’re reading here (first, welcome!), second, I am well-traveled, speak multiple languages, and don’t come across as a ‘typical’ American tourist when abroad.
COST
Copenhagen is expensive, there is no way around it. The quality is there but the price is kind of insane. I think it’s great to have the experience and see it, so I would never discourage you from traveling. But if I’m being completely honest, I could have had a much better vacation in Paris with less money.
WHEN TO VISIT?
It gets warm from June to August in Copenhagen and the city really comes alive. I think I say this in every blog post about many places in Europe, but if you want cheaper tickets, better deals at nice hotels, then travel during shoulder season (May and September).
HOW MANY DAYS TO STAY?
I would say 3-4 days is more than enough. I had very high hopes for Copenhagen based on bloggers and recent travelers, I decided to do 4 full days and travel out on the 5th day. It was too long. I would have been fine even with 3 days.
WHERE TO STAY?
Unlike other cities with multiple neighborhoods, in Copenhagen I would only recommend Indre By, which is actually a very large area. The more center of this area you are, the easier you will have access to different sites. I normally do a very extensive review of my hotels, especially that I spend a significant time looking them up. I stayed at Hotel SP34, and unfortunately, I won’t be leaving a thorough review. I hope you have a much more positive experience than I did during your stay.
Clockwise starting top left: (1) Breakfast at Sct. Peders Bakeri (the oldest bakery in Copenhagen). (2) Septembre Atelier. (3) Apollo Bar (seated outside). (4) Original Coffee. (5) Café G Limone PIazza (salad with salmon take out/ not my best photo). (6) L’Education Nationale (french retaurant). (7) Riz Raz (I was craving a salad). (8) Dinner at Høst: highly recommend.
WHERE TO EAT: MARK YOUR MAP
For Breakfast: Atelier September, Apollo Bar, Skt Peders Bakeri (oldest bakery in Denmark), Hart Bakery, Juno The Bakery, Grød (porridge restaurant), Apotek 57, Coffee Collective Bernikow.
For Lunch/ Dinner: Restaurant Schønnemann (open sandwiches), Bottega Barlie, Admiralgade 26, Riz Raz (salad bar), Gasoline Grill (first burger place in Copenhagen), Paté Paté, Aamann’s deli, Hot dog stands (Mia’s Foderbræt or DOP) – I recommend Mia’s over DOP.
For Drinks: Brønnum, Ruby, The Jane, many many bars across the Nyhavn.
For a high end Dinner: Høst, Noma. Both require reservation in advance.
Supermarket: MENY is probably the best for good quality things if you want to pick up some local staples (it’s in ILLUM a department store, the escalators are right across Phoebe Philo’s store!)
WHERE TO SHOP?
Indre By is full of international, local, and boutique stores. I came across a lot of thrift and consignment stores. There was endless pottery, ceramic, and glass thing-a-ma-jig type of stores. Lots of stores that sold a random multitude of things, like towels in one room, linked to another that sells hand cream and then produce in another – a bit of a Williamsburg hipster vibe (I will always be a Manhattan girlie). Anywhere east to Landemærket street in the center part of the city is where you will find all the stores. It’s very easy to navigate. There are some streets that are worth walking on to explore the stores, like Stroget. Make sure to stop by Time’s up Vintage, for some vintage finds. Loved that store and visited more than once to check out new pieces, the staff are so welcoming and nice. Stop by A.C. Perchs Thehandel, a historic tea store from 1835, with a great selection of tea.
SHOPPING & VAT REFUND
You know I have a soft spot for this. I’m all about smart shopping. Copenhagen is probably not the best place for shopping from a cost standpoint, if you want to save compared to buying anywhere else in Europe for instance. I very quickly realized that things were more expensive than in the US, and with the VAT refund, it would have been the same price, sometimes more. So to say that their prices are equal to European prices only in a different local currency (DKK), would be incorrect. I have a CC with no foreign fees, and I paid $200 for my Birkenstock Boston Clogs, which would have cost me around $165 from the Birkenstock store in NYC (tax included) – with cheaper options from third party retailers available to me anytime. This is a European brand and is often a lot cheaper in Europe. So I was very confused about the prices I was getting. Even at the airport where it’s VAT free to shop, the prices didn’t make sense. This applies to all designer brands too like Chanel, Celine, Gucci.
TRANSPORTATION & CITY PASS
You can easily take public transport, Uber, and walk around as it is a walkable city. I also recommend the Copenhagen city pass. There are so many museums and things to see, this pass also includes a boat tour starting in Nyhavn (the harbor area), as well as free public transport. So this is a game changer. Not all city passes are this generous, I highly recommend this one. I paid $148 for 72 hours. I activated it right before entering the first museum to extend the time as much as I could. I was alo able to use it on my last day to take the train to the airport.
WHAT TO DO IN COPENHAGEN
Clockwise from top left: (1) Boat ride at Nyhavn. (2&3) The Glyptoteket. (4) Kunsthal Charlottenborg. (5&6) SMK Museum.
#1 NYHAVN
The most iconic, most photographed location in Copenhagen (main blog post photo). It’s really beautiful to walk by. We picked up hot dogs from Mia’s Foderbræt (the only time I’d eat hot dogs is when I’m in Europe) and sat at the edge of the water to soak in the view.
#2 BOAT RIDE
Don’t skip this, and if anything do it on day 1, or early during your trip. This was included in my Copenhagen City pass, so it was fairly simple. I went to Nyhavn 3 (I believe), showed them my card, got a ticket, and hopped on the boat. There is a mini bar before you hop on the boat, do with that what you will. I know I enjoyed my cider. If you have motion sickness, you will be fine (I can only speak about my experience, the ride wasn’t really triggering). The full ride is an hour long, very pleasant, a solid introduction to the city. I thoroughly enjoyed learning about Copenhagen, and it was a bonus that it was included in my pass!
#3 MUSEUMS OF COPENHAGEN
I already talked about the city pass. If you’re into Arts, this is a no brainer. I didn’t pay for any of these museums’ entrance fees, they were all included in my pass.
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THE GLYPTOTEKET
I will forever remember this place and quite frankly I discovered it after landing in Copenhagen. It is originally named NY Carsberg Glyptoteket, so I think hearing the name made me think of the breweries. This is a private collection of Carl Jacobsen, the son of the founder of Carslberg breweries, turned into museum. It is a small piece of heaven with many wonderful sculptures, and a tropical garden right at the entrance. Every corner of this museum takes your breath away, it’s not just about the Art, it’s also how it’s showcased. You can see the work of Scandinavian and French Artists. Don’t leave without seeing one of Rodin’s masterpieces.
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SMK MUSEUM & BOTANICAL GARDEN
These are two separate places but I combined them so you can see them back-to-back because of their proximity to one another. SMK is a very diverse museum where you can find some classic European Art and more contemporary works. This was a planned visit but we were not expecting to see Michelangelo’s sculptures and drawings as an exhibition. You can walk around the Botanical Garden for free, and depending on the time of the year you will see a different view. The butterfly greenhouses have a fee to enter, we skipped.
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KUNSTHAL CHARLOTTENBORG
On my last day I discovered this museum while I was having breakfast at Apollo’s. I listed this place for breakfast; you must have a meal there. The museum was showing Art students’ work at the time. It was interesting, but I don’t think I would have paid for entrance if it wasn’t included in my city pass. I would check what exhibits are being shown before going in.
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MUSEUM OF ILLUSION COPENHAGEN
Another museum that I decided to go to because it was included in my city pass and it’s one of the few things that are open past 7 pm that don’t involve eating and drinking. It’s open until 10 pm. The museum is full of miniature to show illusions (as its name suggests), such as the Shepard, the Ponzo, and the Jastrow illusions to name a few. This can be a great activity if you have kids or you’re visiting with a group of friends.
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LOUISIANA MUSEUM OF MODERN ART
This is a highly rated museum, also included in the Copenhagen pass. If you feel like commuting for an hour each way by train, by all means. This is a sculpture park that I really wanted to see, but could not get myself to sit on a train for 2 hours. I skipped.
Clockwise starting top left: (1) Amelienborg Palace change of guards. (2) Nyboders Mindestuer. (3) Little Mermaid. (4&5) Rosenborg castle and King’s Garden. (6) Christiania Free Town.
#4 AMELIENBORG PALACE
This is an 18th century complex of palaces, because of its location I decided to make a quick stop and watch the changing of guards. I didn’t go to the museum. Next, I visited the four landmarks listed below, Frederik’s church, Nyboders Mindestuer, Kastellet, and The Little Mermaid. So you can do that in a sequence so you don’t have to come back to this area.
#5 FREDERIK’S CHURCH
An 18th century church with the largest dome in Scandinavia, truly beautiful as you take photos from a distance. The dome stands out in green, the architecture is very unique. The statues outside the church are also magnificent. It is also worth going into, just be mindful that this church is used for ceremonies and things alike, so it may be closed during your visit for the public and you may have to come back.
#6 NYBODERS MINDESTUER
Long rows of very distinctive yellow houses built in the 17th century. They looked so pretty, I walked by on my way to my next stop, Kastellet and grabbed some coffee on the way. Very beautiful and picturesque. These houses photograph really well against a blue sky.
#7 KASTELLET
This is a fortress, in a beautiful star-shaped area on the map. A lot of outdoor activities are done here during the summer, I was told. It was very calm and a serene escape from the city. I walked around. Make sure to see the mill. This is also a good jogging site if you’re looking to jog while in Copenhagen.
#8 THE LITTLE MERMAID
Ok, I loved the Disney production animation when I was a kid. But even if you don’t, this is kind of an iconic sculpture. I didn’t know about H.C. Andersen when I was a kid, so it’s good to get acquainted that this was a Danish author writing fairy tales. Across from the Tivoli, you will also find his actual sculpture, it’s pretty neat.
The Merman Statue is another interesting spot to see, at Højbro, 1061 Købernhavn. It’s a sculpture that’s under water.
There is also another miniature sculpture of The Little Mermaid close to Tivoli, on the opposite side of the city, don’t confuse that with the real deal. The little Mermaid sculpture you want to see is close to Kastellet.
#9 ROSENBORG CASTLE AND KING’S GARDEN
Before entering the castle, you will walk through the King’s Garden, which is absolutely gorgeous. It felt like walking through a real-life Alice in Wonderland Garden (a few notches down, I don’t want to overhype it). You can have a seat and soak it all in.
The Rosenborg Castle was also included in the city pass. This is a palace with a museum showcasing crown jewels, jewelry, armors, gifts, and many other things from the royal families.
#10 CHRISTIANBORG PALACE & GARDEN OF THE ROYAL LIBRARY
The Garden of the Royal Library is a beautiful and serene place to see and spend some time in. There is a pond, a few sculptures against the backdrop of the library, it’s very scenic, very Copenhagen. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I skipped the Palace as it was getting a bit too much of museums and castles, but this is a beautiful 12th century castle, I saw some photos and videos when I was doing my research.
#11 CHRISTIANIA FREE TOWN
A squatted military base until 1971, when locals protested the housing market and price increases. They took over the town and despite the initial Supreme Court ruling siding with the government to empty the town, Christiania Free Town was left to its inhabitants to manage their land. It became sort of known as a social experiment to see what comes out of it. I walked from city center to Ganni’s outlet, which is very close to Christiania Free Town and then walked within the town. It is truly not as scary as people make it sound to be, though I visited during day time and would advise you to do the same. Do not point cameras at the locals, they really dislike being photographed. Everyone was taking photos of the buildings, graffiti with no issues. There were a lot of tourists. I was prepared to feel uncomfortable, but none of that happened.
Ganni’s outlet – if you’re into Ganni you might want to swing by.
#12 SCENIC WALKS
Walk by Nørre Soogade for a scenic experience by the lake. Nyhavn is also beautiful and serene, especially at night, but it’s a tourist-heavy area. Walking on Vindebrogade next to the lake is also another good spot.
#13 TIVOLI
If you’re absolutely into it, by all means. Tivoli is an amusement park. One of the first things you will see when you get off the train station. If you enjoy this or you are visiting with a group of friends, you might have a good time here.
This is my list of top things to do in Copenhagen for your next trip! I did all the research, so you don’t have to.
As always, thank you for stopping by and reading. If this content interested you, you might want to follow my Instagram account @girlontheues
See you next time,
Girl on the Upper East Side
Xx
If this interests you, you might enjoy reading my blog post on My Ultimate Packing Guide, 3 day Stockholm Itinerary, & Top Things to do in Armenia.
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