Copenhagen

Denmark

Copenhagen

Copenhagen, Denmark is a magical yet laid-back city. It hosts the amazing and extremely charming Tivoli Gardens, beautiful palaces, a bohemian refuge, tons of great parks, restaurants, and a beautiful waterfront.

Length: 3-4 days

Transportation: Uber/taxi, bus, train

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

DAY 4

In Depth Itinerary

Day 1

Arrive in Copenhagen. If you’re arriving by train, you may be able to walk to your accommodations. If you’re arriving by air, take the train or an Uber or taxi to drop your things.

Check into your lodgings. Consider Hotel Alexandra, Babette Guldsmeden, Hotel Danmark, Hotel SP34 , or if you’re feeling adventurous, stay on a moored boat at CPH LIVING. Airbnb or an apartment rental is also a great idea as you’ll be here for 4 nights. If possible, pick a hotel within the City Center neighborhood for easy walking access to most sites.

Grab a sweet bite to eat at Copenhagen’s most famous confectionery shop Conditori La Glace. Walk towards Nyhavn to the Inner Harbor Bridge. Along the way, if you need more coffee, H A N S Coffee and Café Atelier are Danish specialties and great spots to pick up a cup to tale along.

Nyhavn is a 17th-century harbor and the most iconic landmark in Copenhagen. It’s lined with wooden ships, colorful townhouses, and seafood restaurants. It’s bustling with locals and visitors alike. As a landmark, it’s a public space. Walk over the Inner Harbor Bridge with panoramic views to the neighboring hood of Christianshavn, where you’ll also find some of the oldest houses in Copenhagen.

In Christianshavn visit the Church of Our Saviour (Vor Frelsers Kirke) and climb the spire for incredible views of the city. Walk another three minutes or so to Freetown Christiania, an independent commune which is extremely fun to wander through. If you’re longing to see the Little Mermaid Statue, now’s your chance. It’s sort of a pain to get to and extremely touristed, but if you love Hans Christian Anderson and need the photo for your instagram, head out there (about a 20 minute walk).

Grab afternoon drinks at Den Vandrette, or if you’re skipping the Little Mermaid Statue, stop by Christianshavns Bådudlejning & Café or Kontiki Bar and then head to dinner at nearby Barr or one of our Copenhagen Restaurant and Bar Scene.

Day 2

Start the next day at the National Museum of Denmark (Nationalmuseet), which has a huge exhibit on Danish prehistory, beginning with the Stone Age and continuing through the Renaissance. Then stop by Christiansborg Palace. After lunch, visit Rosenborg Palace. See the interior and be sure to go downstairs to see the crown jewels.

For a little bit of green in the afternoon, stop by Assistens Cemetery, a famous cemetery in theNørrebro district that doubles as a public park. It’s grounds are very pretty and filled with art sculptures.

For an pre-dinner drink, stop by Apollo Bar. Select off our Copenhagen Restaurant and Bar Scene for dinner.

Copenhagen
Copenhagen

Day 3

Start your day with the Hey Captain canal ride. Copenhagen is (obviously) built on canals, and this gives a fun and pretty look at the city. Each boat has 12 guests max, so it’s a small and intimate experience. The guides have good knowledge of the history of the city and its architecture.

After your ride, head to the Copenhagen Botanical Gardens which spreads over 10 hectares and is housed within 19th century greenhouses.

Spend the rest of the afternoon and evening at Tivoli Gardens, the world’s second-oldest amusement park and the inspiration for Disneyland. It’s charming and old-world feeling in a way Disneyland can’t manage. Spend the evening enjoying the rides; be sure to ride the Star Flyer for great views of the city (we did it both before and after sunset). Even if you choose not to ride (which we think would be a mistake), it’s a fun place to wander, especially at night when it’s lit up. Eat dinner at Tivoli Biergarten, which has surprisingly good food and tasty beers or opt for fancier farm-to-table Gemyse. Though Tivoli is usually open pretty late, be aware that most of the rides will begin to shut down around an hour before the park closes if you’re there on a weeknight, so plan accordingly.

Day 4

In the morning, take the train from Copenhagen to Roskilde (about 20 mintues). Walk around town and visit Roskilde Cathedral. It dates to the 1100s and is the final resting place of 40 Danish monarchs; we thought it was the most impressive and beautiful church in Scandinavia. Then go to the Viking Ship Museum (Vikingeskibsmuseet). Somewhat similar to its counterpart in Oslo, the museum in Roskilde has five ships in varying states of completion. There are exhibits on Viking life and shipbuilding, and a workshop where experts restore ships and build complete Viking ships. You can journey out onto the Baltic Sea in one of the modern recreations, which we thought was a lot of fun.

Take the train back to Copenhagen.

Walk around town or see any museums or sites you haven’t visited yet or head out to CopenHill. While this is a multi-use waste-to-energy plant, stay with us. It was designed by Danish architect Bjarke Ingels and the building is an architectural marvel. It has a ski slope, climbing wall, and cafe. Even if you don’t want to ski down the 1300 foot slope, it’s cool to watch. You can stop by the cafe after for a pre-dinner drink.

Pick a dinner option off our Copenhagen Restaurant and Bar Scene.

Enjoy your last night in Copenhagen!

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