Copenhagen — what to see and where to eat in the Danish capital

I don’t remember much from my first visit to Copenhagen 10 years ago – perhaps just The Little Mermaid. For a moment, I even got the impression that Copenhagen didn’t have much to offer. But on my second visit, Copenhagen immediately won me over. It’s such a peaceful city, with a huge number of parks and relaxation areas, and very little traffic – in fact, more people here seem to cycle than drive. Unusually for a capital city, it’s situated right on the very edge of Denmark, in the east, on the coast of the island of Sjælland, and part of Copenhagen is also on the island of Amager.

Where to stay in Copenhagen

Copenhagen is a compact city, so from most neighbourhoods you can get practically anywhere on foot or by bike. The most convenient base is around Indre By (the historic centre) and Vesterbro, a modern neighbourhood right next to the main railway station, full of cafés, restaurants and Scandinavian design. If you’re drawn to the nightlife and a hipster vibe, check out Nørrebro. And if you want to be near the water and the new part of Copenhagen, Islands Brygge or the area around Nyhavn are a safe bet.

Copenhagen is expensive – I’d rather say that straight away. Accommodation here costs significantly more than in southern Europe, for example, so even the ‘affordable’ options will be pricier than elsewhere. It’s worth booking in advance and keeping an eye on prices outside the peak season.

Tickets, day trips and experiences in Copenhagen

Copenhagen is expensive, and admission fees for attractions can quickly add up. Many attractions have limited capacity or time slots, so it’s worth booking tickets in advance.

• Copenhagen Card – 80+ attractions and public transport – includes entry to most attractions and public transport. If you’re planning to visit more than 2–3 attractions a day, it’ll save you quite a bit of money.
• A guided canal cruise – a classic that fills up quickly during the season. It’s better to book in advance than to queue on the quay.
• Tivoli Gardens – ticket – one of the oldest amusement parks in the world. It tends to get very busy at weekends and in the evenings; with an online ticket, you can avoid the queues at the ticket offices.
• Hop-on hop-off bus – handy for getting your bearings in the city, especially if you’re short on time and want to see the more out-of-the-way areas too.
• Food tour of Nørrebro – small groups and limited capacity. If you’re interested in Copenhagen’s food scene away from the tourist centre, this is a good choice.

What to see in Copenhagen

Copenhagen is a city you can explore almost on your own. It’s compact, and you can get to most places on foot or by bike. And the whole city is dotted with lovely little cafés and bakeries offering a truly top-notch selection of treats.

Torvehallerne Market, Copenhagen

I’ll start with food, partly because it’s right next to Nørreport metro station, which is one of those stations in the city centre where it makes sense to begin your exploration of Copenhagen (you might even get off here on your way from the airport).

Food stalls where you can eat your meal right there at the stall or outside. There are also stalls selling vegetables, fruit and fish. And there are also cakes, jams, nuts, wine and so on. Naturally, there are also stalls selling traditional smørrebrød – dark rye bread with a topping. Basically, it’s our version of an open sandwich, but the Danish way. Bear in mind, though, that whilst it sounds like the perfect place for dinner and a few drinks, the market closes as early as 6 pm (although some stalls stay open later), so it’s really best visited during the day.

There’s also a Coffee Collective stall in the market, where they serve good coffee.

Rosenborg Palace

About 3 minutes from the market hall is Rosenborg Palace (the Palace of Roses), where the Danish Crown Jewels are kept. The changing of the guard also takes place here on the hour. As well as the jewels, there are also the royal chambers and the Hall of Mirrors, a room full of mirrors. The palace is surrounded by extensive gardens.

Botanical Garden (Botanisk Have)

Practically just across the road from Rosenborg Palace is a beautiful botanical garden, which is free to enter. It’s a lovely walk through the garden, which features a lake with water lilies, 27 greenhouses, a butterfly house and countless varieties of plants. For fans of cacti and succulents, there’s also a dry greenhouse.

Kastellet Fortress

On the way to the Little Mermaid is the former military fortress of Kastellet. It stands on a site shaped like a five-pointed star, surrounded by a moat of the same shape (you’d never notice this shape unless you were looking at a map or from a bird’s-eye view). Today it’s a lovely spot for a stroll, with two bridges crossing the moat. At the top there’s a church and a windmill.

Just before you reach the Kastellet grounds, you’ll pass Nyboder, long rows of brightly coloured houses which, back in the 17th and 18th centuries, served as accommodation for sailors.

The Day of the Little Mermaid

The Little Mermaid from Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale stands on the seafront, from where you can already see the boats; from the outside, she’s perched at the tip of one prong of the Kastellet star. She’s tiny – smaller than I expected and smaller than I remember. In fact, as the monument furthest from the city centre, it’s hard to say why it’s the best known. But it’s well worth the view, especially in summer, when it’s surrounded by sunflowers. The bronze statue is a symbol of the city, which it also guards.

On your way from The Little Mermaid along the coast towards the city centre, you’ll also come across St Alban’s Church in Langelinie Park, with the Gefion Fountain in front of it.

Nyhavn Old Harbour

A part of Copenhagen along the canal, with lots of boats and houses with colourful façades. Sightseeing boat trips set off from here, and there are other boats moored here too; it almost looks like a little harbour town on the coast of some southern country, but it’s actually in the centre of Copenhagen. At Nyhavn 67, you’ll find a house with a commemorative plaque to Hans Christian Andersen, who lived here. A few years later, he lived at Nyhavn 18, and today there’s a shop there selling souvenirs dedicated to him.

Amalienborg, the Danish Royal Palace

This 18th-century palace complex is the principal residence of the Danish monarchs and the Danish royal family, currently Queen Margrethe II. The popular changing of the guard takes place here.

Vor Frelsers Kirke (Church of Our Saviour)

A Baroque church with a spiral staircase in the tower, which is open to the public and offers a beautiful view of the whole of Copenhagen. The first few floors of the tower have standard stairs, but these then give way to what appears to be the original wooden staircase. When you finally step out onto the gallery, there’s another flight of stairs which winds its way round the outside of the tower right up to the very top. I won’t lie, I was quite scared. It’s a bit windy at the top and the staircase isn’t very wide, but of course there’s a railing, so there’s nothing to worry about. The tower itself looks quite interesting from the outside too, but I didn’t manage to get it in the photo.

Where to go for food, drinks and coffee in Copenhagen

A few times during my trip, I popped into Hart Bageri, where they have an amazing cardamom croissant, a traditional Spandauer (filled with vanilla cream) or delicious grilled breads – and, of course, coffee. And then, of course, there’s the market. The Coffee Collective café has several branches around the city; one is right by the Nørreport metro station, in a little tower – a former telephone box.

There are also several Michelin-starred restaurants in Copenhagen, including the two-Michelin-starred Noma, which has been named the world’s best restaurant on several occasions.

Other places in Copenhagen and day trips from Copenhagen

• The Carlsberg Beer Museum – Denmark’s best-selling beer has a museum in Copenhagen, housed in the original brewery. There are also countless beer bars throughout the city.
• The semi-autonomous community of Christiania – near Christianshavn metro station, founded in 1971 by hippies, with its own currency and its own laws.
• Tivoli – an amusement park full of roller coasters, fairground rides and other attractions. Since 1843.
• Fælledparken – in a more out-of-the-way part of Copenhagen, away from the city centre, there is a huge park where, amongst other things, vintage car races are held every year (in the first week of August).
• Charlottenlund – the nearest sandy beach.
• Lyngby – an open-air museum with rural buildings.
• Malmö – it’s only about 40 kilometres from Copenhagen to Malmö via the Øresund Bridge. It’s a two-level bridge: cars travel on the upper level and trains on the lower level.
• Oslo – it’s a slightly longer trip, but there are tourist boats sailing from Copenhagen to Oslo in Norway.

Where is Copenhagen?

Copenhagen is situated in eastern Denmark, on the island of Zealand, on the shores of the Øresund strait, which separates Denmark from southern Sweden. A small part of the city also extends onto the neighbouring island of Amager. It is connected across the Øresund by a bridge and a tunnel to Malmö in Sweden, which lies on the opposite side of the strait.

How to get from the airport to the city centre

You can get from the airport to the city centre by train or the M2 metro line; just follow the signs – it’s basically straight ahead the whole way. A ticket costs 36 DKK (120 Kč).