COPENHAGEN (Denmark)
What to see in Copenhagen, Denmark during a long weekend? Get inspired by traditional and non-traditional places
Experience Copenhagen with GetYourGuide! Would you like to take a boat ride on the canal? Or buy a ticket to the castle and not stand in line? That and much more! Check out the trip tips below and order now before they sell out for your date:
Copenhagen city card
If you want to travel around Copenhagen by public transport (this also applies to transport from the airport) worry-free and have entrances to most museums and castles included, get a Copenhagen city card. You can save a lot of money with it. It's up to you for how many days you want to buy it and what you want to see. Over 80 attractions are included in the price, such as Tivoli Gardens, the Royal Castles of Rosenborg, Amalienborg and Christiansborg, the ARKEN Museum of Modern Art, the Viking Ship Museum, the Danish War Museum, the Round Tower, the National Museum, Kronborg Castle (Hamlet's Castle, outside Copenhagen), the ZOO and more. Buy HERE.
Basic information about Copenhagen
Copenhagen (København in Danish) is the capital (and largest) city of Denmark. Over 600,000 people live here. Copenhagen is also the seat of the Danish royal family. Since 2000, it has been connected to Sweden's Malmö by a bridge over the Øresund. Malmö is much cheaper than Copenhagen, so many people live here but go to Copenhagen to work. Copenhagen was named one of the cities with the highest quality of life and also the most gentle approach to nature in the world. They also have wind farms in the sea. It is home to the largest Scandinavian airport (Swedish Malmö does not have its own airport, so you fly to Copenhagen and you can then get to Malmö by train over a 16 km long bridge). Copenhagen also has the largest Danish port, which has direct connections with Sweden, Norway, Finland, Germany, Poland and Great Britain.
One of the most visited tourist attractions is the bronze statue of the Little Mermaid, near which is the historic 17th-century harbor fortress of Kastellet. But there is much more to see, read below.
How to get to the center of Copenhagen from the airport?
At Copenhagen Kastrup Airport, you can buy a ticket in a machine, the ticket is valid for 1.5 hours from the time it is printed, it is no longer marked anywhere else. To the main station in the center you need to buy 3 zones and the ticket costs DKK 30. Attention! There are also machines at the airport with the words Sweden on them, so don't buy a ticket from them unless you really want to go to Sweden. Then try to hit the train that goes to Central Station and not the other way to Sweden. Sweden, specifically the city of Malmö, is quite a short distance across the sea from Copenhagen, and there is a bridge for both cars and trains. Look for Københavns Hovedbanegård (Copenhagen Central Station) in the timetable. Most people will probably go there. You will definitely recognize the main station, you will enter the building. Exit here. You can also use a taxi, from the airport to the center it costs about 40 Eur, neither Uber nor Bolt works in Denmark.
Where to stay in Copenhagen
There is of course plenty of accommodation in the capital. Hotels are usually quite expensive and the rooms are tiny. We were staying in a modern neighborhood within walking distance of the center, at the Copenhagen Island Hotel 4*. You can read how to get there and what kind of hotel it was in my review. The interesting thing is that this hotel is built on an island in the sea canal, so you have a nice view and it's quiet in the evening.
⭐ Book hotel in Copenhagen for the best price HERE ⭐
Public transport in Copenhagen
A typical means of transport in Copenhagen is a bicycle. Almost everyone rides it, especially on a weekday you will definitely meet more bikes than cars. You can rent a bike almost anywhere. They are not exactly the most modern models, but people obviously don't care, they ride them even in costumes and suits. We even saw cargo bikes and people were carrying furniture from Ikea on them! They have an excellent system of bicycle paths. But we preferred to use motorized vehicles.
It is probably best to buy public transport tickets online. On 1 ticket you can change transfers as you want and use all types of public transport until your time runs out. Here is a link to the official public transport provider in Copenhagen: dinoffentligetransport.dk/en/, where you can find timetables, search for a route or buy a ticket (you need to download the app from their site). You have tickets either for one ride or for several days. I think that a multi-day ticket is not worth it, because you can walk almost everywhere. You can also buy a ticket in silver machines in metro stations or on train and S-bahn platforms. You can pay by card. Tickets are valid from the moment they are printed, they are no longer marked, so it is not advisable to buy them in advance. In the application, however, it is possible to choose the time from which the ticket should be valid. Or you can buy a city card and have all in one as written above.
In Copenhagen there is a metro, on 4 lines, 24 hours a day, which is very modern and fully automated, it runs without drivers. Or you can take a bus, train or S-bahn (something between the metro, train and tram, there are no classic trams here). The difference between them is that the train does not stop everywhere, it is better to use it for longer distances. S-bahn stops (if I overdo it) every kilometer, it looks a little different, it has many doors, it is mostly low-floor and you can easily transport bikes here.
I recommend not using the boat public transport, even though it is a tempting transport that we do not have, but ... When you buy a public transport ticket, it is valid immediately after purchase, it is no longer marked. So we waited for the ship to arrive and immediately bought it before boarding. However, the crew picked up only 4 people out of about 20 waiting, that the ship was full, so we were unlucky and just wasted money and time here. It is better to go by train or subway, here you are sure to fit. Moreover, the boat only runs twice an hour, it's just a waste of time. If you want to take a canal boat, it is better to buy a trip through GetYourGuide and you will be sure of a place.
What to see in Copenhagen
There is really a lot to see, both in the center and outside the center. So I'll split it up. What can you see in the center and you can walk around during the day, and what is further away, where you need to take a taxi or use public transport.
1. SIGHTS IN THE CENTER OF COPENHAGEN
Depending on where you live, you can either walk it all or take a train to one end to the Østerport stop and walk back towards the center. I'm writing it in the order we went through it, so you don't have to fumble.
Nyboder Plads
If you go to The Little Mermaid by train, when you get off at Østerport, the first thing you see on your right is the historic district of yellow terraced houses, former naval barracks of the Royal Navy. The houses were originally built in the 18th century. It is interesting that personnel and members of the navy, army and air force still live here today. You can go there for a look if you are interested, just stop for 5 minutes.
Kastelet
Right next to it, across the road, when passing through the park, you will reach the Kastelet fortress. There is no entrance fee here. It is shaped like a five-pointed star, surrounded by a moat, and is one of the best-preserved fortresses in Northern Europe. There are a number of buildings, including a church and a beautiful windmill. It also serves as a public park.
Gefion Fountain
When you go from Kastelet to the Little Mermaid, you shouldn't miss the fountain, it's quite big. It represents a group of oxen pulling a plow driven by the Norse goddess Gefion. The fountain was donated to the city of Copenhagen by the Carlsberg Foundation on the occasion of the brewery's 50th anniversary. The Little Mermaid is located about 5 minutes from the fountain, on the sea coast.
The Little Mermaid
The Little Mermaid is a smaller bronze sculpture by sculptor Edvard Eriksen that depicts a mermaid on stone. It is one of the most famous symbols of Copenhagen and the whole of Denmark. She is 1.25 meters tall and weighs 175 kilograms. Expect crowds here. There is no entrance fee, the statue is not bounded in any way.
Then you can walk along the coast back to the center. You will be the first to pass:
Amalienborg Castle
The Danish Royal Palace (Amalienslot in Danish) is the main residence of the Danish kings, currently Frederik X and his family. It is mainly used as a winter residence of the royal family. Its four palaces are named Christian VII., Christian VIII., Frederik VIII. and Christian IX. Only 2 buildings are usually open to the public. It is the largest Rococo palace complex in Denmark. It was built in the 18th century. It is also the seat of the Danish Parliament and the Supreme Court of Justice. This royal residence is guarded day and night by the Royal Guard. Soldiers in black and blue and red and blue uniforms wear tall dark teddy bears on their heads. Every noon there is a ceremonial changing of the guard, accompanied by music. If the Queen is at home, the Guard's march cannot be complete without banners and royal standards. The place between the palaces of Amalienborg is an octagonal square with an equestrian statue of King Frederik V.
From the square you can walk to the unmissable church:
Frederik's Church
Also known as the Marble Church, it is a rococo Lutheran church in Copenhagen. It has the largest dome in Scandinavia. If it seems to you that you have already seen the church somewhere, then yes, the model for the building was probably the Basilica of St. Peter in the Vatican, the building is quite reminiscent of it. The church should be open to the public, we just had the bad luck that it was closed for a few hours when we reached it.
Then we continued on foot to the famous Nyhavn district, yes, those colorful houses around the canal with boats.
Nyhavn
Nyhavn is a 17th-century waterfront, canal and entertainment district. It is lined with brightly colored townhouses, cafes and restaurants. You will also find H.C. Andersen's houses here, namely at Nyhavn 18 and 67. You can see many historic wooden ships on the canal, there is a ship museum. I highly recommend going here outside of the weekend. This is the most crowded part of Copenhagen, everyone wants to take a photo with colorful houses and boats. You can order a canal cruise HERE.
Christiansborg
Christiansborg is a former royal palace and the residence of the Danish kings until 1794. It is currently the seat of the Danish Parliament, the Government Office and a museum. The palace complex includes: the palace itself, the church, the equestrian square, where you will find the Royal Stables and the Museum of Royal Stables and Carriages, which can also be visited. There are white horses in the stables, although you cannot touch them, there is about a meter barrier from the individual stables, but it is still an experience. And what is interesting is that they are horses from our Czech Republic, from the Kladruby National Stud! In the palace, you can also visit the chambers and the castle kitchen. There is also a restaurant on the premises.
Rosenborg
Don't miss this one! You are not allowed in the castle with a backpack, and you can only have a small purse. Everything larger must be placed in the lockers in the building in front of the castle, opposite the ticket office. We graduated a little bit there. The lockers are for tokens that you find near the lockers, they don't throw Danish crowns into them, as we mistakenly thought. Rosenborg Castle (Rosenborg Slot in Danish) is a Renaissance castle located in the center of Copenhagen. It was built in 1606 in the style of the Dutch Renaissance, a typical style of Danish buildings at the time. The Danish Crown Jewels and royal jewels are stored in the cellars. In the 18th century it was the main seat of the royal family when Christianborg burned down. Next to the castle are also the royal gardens and the barracks, where the Danish Royal Guard is based. You can also look there. We thought it was the entrance to the castle, but when the soldier asked us for IDs, it was rather strange to us :) The entrance to the castle is from the other side.
Rundetaarn
Round tower, from the 17th century in the center of Copenhagen. The tower is one of the many architectural projects of King Christian IV. Danish. It was originally built as an astronomical observatory. It is famous mainly for its spiral equestrian staircase, as well as for its extensive view over Copenhagen.
City Hall in Copenhagen
Danish Københavns Rådhus. It is located on the large Radhuspladsen square. Copenhagen City Hall is the seat of the city council and also the mayor. The current building was opened in 1905. It is dominated by a richly decorated facade, a gilded statue of Absalon just above the balcony and a tall slender clock tower. At 105.6 meters, it is one of the tallest buildings in generally low Copenhagen. In addition to the tower clock, the Jens Olsen World Clock is also located in the town hall. Around the town hall you will find many restaurants and fast food.
Strøget
Pedestrian shopping area in the center of Copenhagen. It is one of the longest shopping streets in Europe, over a kilometer long. The main street is bordered to the west by Town Hall Square and to the east by Kongens Nytorv (King's New Square). But the Strøget area is actually a collection of streets that branch off from this central artery.
Tivoli amusement park
Amusement park and gardens in the center of Copenhagen next to the train station. The park was opened in 1843 and is the third oldest amusement park in the world. In the park you will find a number of attractions and stands with fast food. You can buy admission only to the gardens without attractions or with attractions, both for children and adults. Right in the park is the very luxurious 5* Hotel Nimb, which is stylishly reminiscent of the Orient. The park is also used for various performances, both musical and acting. Attention, the park is not open all year round! In 2024, it opens at the end of March and closes at the end of September. Then it is still open on Halloween and Christmas.
2. SIGHTS OUTSIDE COPENHAGEN CENTER
Amager Bakke - Copenhagen Hill
This place caught our attention with its uniqueness. The great thing is that it is outside of all the sights and a lot of people don't even know about it, so we were almost alone there. I recommend taking a taxi to the location. It is on the other side of the canal from the whole center. And what is that? Amager Bakke is a unique waste incinerator on the Copenhagen island of Amager, on the sloping roof of which there is a ski slope and a viewing platform. The slope is 450 m long and has an artificial surface. You get to the top by lift like a normal visitor, skiers first get on the conveyor belt and then on the ski lift. We were lucky, there were also skiers there. I can ski, but I probably wouldn't dare to do this. The slope was quite steep and bumpy, I wouldn't have much confidence in the artificial surface. However, there is also a rental shop downstairs, so anyone who wants to can ride it. There is also an artificial climbing wall for the brave on the longest wall of the building, it is 85 m high and is the highest artificial climbing wall in the world. Another interesting thing is that the entrance to the observation tower is free, only skiers pay for the lift (DKK 150 per hour), and the glass elevator goes through the middle of the incinerator, so I felt like Sigourney Weaver was riding the elevator in the movie Aliens, connoisseurs of this sci-fi will understand haha. It is open on weekdays from 12-5 p.m. and on weekends from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. No skiing on Mondays.
From here we walked towards the canal to the maritime museum. I recommend watching where you are going on the maps, because you have to hit the road through the canals so you don't get lost unnecessarily.
Maritime Museum in Copenhagen - battleship and submarine
Museum Skibene på Holmen. Located on Nyholm Island, Elefanten 2, Copenhagen. I honestly admit that the guys talked me into this visit, I probably wouldn't have thought of going here, but in the end it was a great experience. It's not a normal museum, but you climb inside a real submarine, which is therefore on land, and a real frigate from the Cold War era, which is moored in the harbor. The ship is famous for being accidentally fired with a Harpoon missile in 1982, which damaged several buildings, luckily no one was injured. You can walk through the sailors' bedrooms, the galley, the navigator's quarters, the bridge and you can even climb into the gun booth. I wouldn't want to sail in it, everything is so small and cramped! We were there almost alone, even though it was the weekend, we have great photos and videos. You buy a ticket for both at the ship and both sights are manned by retired sailors, which is cool, you can chat with them. The ship's name is HDMS Peder Skram. The boat is not accessible all the time, take a look at www.pederskram.dk. The entrance fee for an adult to both vessels is DKK 160.
Copenhagen Opera House
On the same bank as the maritime museum, it is a short walk from the museum. It is located on the island of Holmen. The building was completed in 2004. The opera stage is one of the most modern in the world. The architect is Henning Larsen. There is a better view of the modern building from across the canal as you walk from the Little Mermaid to Amalienborg Royal Palace. From the opera you can walk to Christiania.
Christiania
Christiania (Danish Fristaden Christiania) is a semi-independent anarchist commune located on the territory of Denmark. It declared itself an autonomous region on September 26, 1971 and is located in the Christianshavn district of the Danish capital, Copenhagen. It has about 850 inhabitants and its territory covers an area of 34 hectares. Christiania is considered to be an independent micro-nation that is not part of the EU. It uses its own currency, løn. The main source of income for Christiania is collecting entrance fees from tourists, organizing concerts, selling organically grown vegetables and arts and crafts products. In the 60s, mainly hippies lived here, drugs were happily used here. We didn't go here, but I read that if you want to look here, you shouldn't run, talk on the phone and definitely don't take pictures, so that you won't be seen as policemen in disguise.
Copenhagen Zoo
Zoologisk Have - Roskildevej 32, Frederiksberg. One of the oldest ZOOs in the world, from the 19th century. We have not been here personally, but you can also find rare species such as pandas, tapirs or muskrats. The House of Elephants or the Tropical Pavilion is also known.
Amager Strand
Address: Amager Strandvej 125. An artificial island on the island of Amager with almost 5 km of beaches, so if you're here in the summer and want to enjoy lounging on the dune beach, go check it out. You can get there by metro M2 towards the airport, Oresund station or Amager Strand.
If you want to do all this and not rush, it would be nice to have at least 3 days in Copenhagen. We missed some of the sights and preferred to take a trip to Hamlet's castle Kronborg and to the Swedish cities of Lund and Malmö, and I highly recommend the trip.
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