Copenhagen has earned its place as one of the coolest places in Europe to visit for a weekend break, with its cobblestone streets, Nordic cuisine, gallery-esque interiors and effortlessly cool locals. Personally, I’ve always felt a strong pull to visit this Baltic Sea port, even if I couldn’t explain exactly why… perhaps the fact that the Danes are known to be some of the happiest people on earth has something to do with it. Read on for how to spend your first 24 hours in the Danish capital:
Morning
Eat the Best Pastries
I’m going to dive straight into the important stuff here – Denmark is famous for its local pastries, so it would be a crime not to start your visit to Copenhagen with a visit to one of its many cafes. Sip on your morning coffee and enjoy the smell of roasted coffee beans and fresh baking while people-watching as the Danes go about their mornings. Copenhagen cafes are all about soaking up the atmosphere, and what better way to start a holiday than a spot of hygge (cosiness) to unwind from the stresses of daily life and get into holiday mode. You’ll be spoilt for choice, with Danish delicacies ranging from the quintessential kanelsnegle (cinnamon rolls) and frøsnapper (seed snapper) to chocolate rolls (below) or cardamom buns. However – fun fact – what many around the world know as “Danish pastries” are called wienerbrød in Denmark, as they actually originated in Vienna, Austria – mind blown!
Enjoy the City by Bicycle
The bicycle is the mode of transport de rigueur in Copenhagen, and what better way to explore the city’s narrow streets, colourful houses, shops and cafes than on two wheels? Cycling around Copenhagen has basically become a tourist attraction in its own right – also a good way to work off some of those pastries! Because cycling is taken seriously in Copenhagen, there are dedicated cycling lanes aplenty, making it a stress-free way to explore the city. There are also plenty of guided cycling tours that you can join if you’d rather explore as part of a group. You can choose from a variety of routes, most of which will take you around the various historical sites, but some with specialist themes such as architecture tours, harbour tours and even culinary tours.
Top Tip: rent a phone holder with your bike so that you can use Google Maps on the go.
Afternoon
Chill Out at Nyhavn
No visit to the Danish capital would be complete without dropping by Nyhavn, Copenhagen’s famous harbour area. Here you’ll find grand painted houses and boat after boat moored up in the waterway, as well as restaurants and bars all offering the chance to sit outside in the city’s most famous neighbourhood. Dating back to the late 1600s, the story goes that Nyhavn was originally built by Swedish prisoners during the war between the two countries. The area remained a busy working dock until as late as the 1950s, with sleazy bars, tattoo parlours and hostels for sailors; it’s only more recently that it became the bougie attraction you’ll find today. The waterways are another fab way of exploring more of the city, and you can hop aboard a canal tour at Nyhavn and get a fresh perspective of the city while learning some interesting facts. You can then decide what you’d like to go back an visit on foot later.
Lunch as the locals do
One thing’s for sure, there’s no shortage of places to eat in the Danish capital. If you fancy something quintessentially Danish I’d opt for a Smørrebrød open sandwich (below). Originally a farmers’ lunch, you can now choose from an almost unlimited range of toppings, usually served on dark rye bread. For the fanciest Smørrebrød around, pop into Selma (near Nørreport). Other Danish classics include seafood such as pickled herring or Fiskefrikadeller (Danish fish cakes). In summer I highly recommend Broens Gadekøkken (Bridge Street Kitchen) where you’ll find a plethora of different food stall options to tickle your tastebuds. There are stalls here from a number of renowned Copenhagen restaurants and chefs, so it’s a good place to sample a wide variety of local delicacies. Alternatively, head over to Refshaleøen island, where you’ll find a buzzing street food market, set in shipping containers strung with colourful lights and Nordic flags. The stalls aim to serve mainly organic, local ingredients – you have to try the Nordic hotdogs made with South Jutland sausages.
Visit the Little Mermaid
Recognised around the world, this tiny statue has come to represent the Danish capital, which prides itself as the City of Fairytales. Inspired by Hans Christian Andersen‘s famous story, Copenhagen’s Little Mermaid statue was a gift from the Danish brewer Carl Jacobsen to the City of Copenhagen, and should definitely be included on every first-timer’s visit to the city. Located at the harbour and free to access, you can visit on foot or bike, or see her from the water by joining a boat tour.
Top tip: Many of the boat tours from Nyhavn (above) also include a stop by The Little Mermaid, however I’d say that she’s better seen from the land as she’s so small.
Explore the City’s Historic sights
If you’re a culture vulture you’ll be in your element in Copenhagen’s historic centre, which is incredibly pretty and easily done on foot. For the best views of the city head to the top of the 17th century Rundetårn. It has a spiral ramp instead of stairs as it was originally designed for people on horseback (word has it that the king was too lazy to walk up without his horse and carriage). Keep an eye out for the Astronomy dial. Entry is 25 DKK (or free with a Copenhagen card). Copenhagen City Hall is one of the tallest buildings in the city – you won’t miss it – and may even recognise it from Scandi-noir hits “Borgen” and “The Killing”. For a taste of luxury, head over to Kings Park and pay a visit to Rosenborg castle, built as a summer palace in the 1600s by Christian IV with grandiose ballrooms, throne room and crown jewels.
Save money and time waiting in line by snagging a Copenhagen Card, a pass which includes entry to 87 major attractions, as well as some transport, canal tours and Tivoli (see below). Copenhagen is quite an expensive city so this card will definitely help out if you’re on a budget!
Evening
Tivoli
What better way to finish off your day than visiting the “Happiest Place on Earth” – an old fairground complete with historic rides, bumper cars, popcorn and candyfloss – right in the centre of the city? Tivoli Gardens is an incredibly quaint and fun old theme park that dates back to 1843. Apparently Walt Disney’s visit to Tivoli inspired his idea for Disneyland! Why not ride on the “Rutschebanen” rollercoaster – one of the oldest wooden rollercoasters in the world – as it wends its way around faux snow-capped mountains, chill out on the ferris wheel and enjoy stunning views of Copenhagen or simply wander around looking at the vintage rides while enjoying some hot churros? You need to pay for each ride separately (as well as the entrance fee), so I recommend getting an unlimited ride pass for peace of mind (DKK 290). Further information can be found here.
Read my other city guides here.
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Was so underwhelmed when I went to see the Little Mermaid cos it was.. indeed….. little. But the beauty in the rest of the city made up for it! Lovely guide 🙂
She is tiny! Still a very pretty statue though. I was just surprised at how close you’re allowed to get given that it’s such a famous statue!
Copenhagen is my favorite city!! I actually haven’t gotten a Copenhagen Card before, so I might need to look into that for my next trip there.
It’s a game changer – feels much more relaxed when all your entrance fees are already pre-paid – plus it’s a digital card now so super easy!
We enjoyed a few days in Copenhagen and knew we did not see it all. It would have been fun to explore by bike. We were very sorry we missed Tivoli. A spot left for our next visit.
It’s nice to have a good reason to go back! There’s so much to see it’s impossible to do everything. I’d love to go back one year near Christmas time and see all the markets!
wow the buildings there look incredible! My partner has been here before and tells me alllll about it. I think its time we plan a trip together so I can have my own memories here too!
Definitely! It’s a beautiful place – I’m sure you’ll have an amazing time!
The photographs in the post are beautiful, and definitely make me want to visit Copenhagen. It’s always daunting to try to see a city in one day, but this guide feels like a great mix of the highlights. Broens Gadekøkken sounds like a lot of fun and a perfect way to try and see a lot of traditional food at once!
Thank you – glad you liked them! Copenhagen is a wonderful city – and you can wander around on foot at quite a relaxed pace and still manage to see and experience lots of cool things!
I spent about 6/12 of months out of the year in Copenhagen! Semla is great for open-faced sandwiches. For pastries, I would recommend Juno, Hart. and Saint Peters as some of the best in the city!
Ooh amazing, thanks for the recommendations! I’ll definitely try those out when I next visit Copenhagen. It’s such a great city – that’s awesome that you lived there for a while!