I planned my side trip to Copenhagen before I actually had time to research the city. I mistakenly thought that since I allowed 3 days for Amsterdam during the same trip, 2 days in Copenhagen should be enough. But as soon as I started researching things to do, I realized the fault in my assumption. If you wan to avoid my mistake, I recommend 3 days minimum for a first time visit. In fact, most travelers may need 3 days for the activities listed here, which I did in 2. But if you can keep up the pace and are ok with long days of sightseeing, you can squeeze in all of the below in 2 fun-filled days.
First, Some Basics
As usual, avoid summer to minimize crowds. I visited Copenhagen mid-week in mid-June (June 9-12, 2024) and crowds were quite manageable. I did have 1 day of rain but it was mostly in the morning.
Look into getting the Copenhagen Card. I discuss city cards in depth in another blog post, but suffice it to say I am a big fan and I always get them when I travel to Europe.
I really loved my hotel in Copenhagen, Wake up Copenhagen – Borgergade. I booked a few months in advance and the earlier you book, the better the price. My room was tiny but my busy days meant that all I did in it was shower and sleep. The location was unbeatable, and the breakfast was excellent.
I did not need any cash while in Copenhagen. I paid for everything with a credit card that did not charge foreign transaction fees.
Day 1 – Sights outside Copenhagen + Round tower, canal boat tour and Mermaid Statue
This will be the longer of the two days, so be prepared!
The first half of the day will be a giant counter-clockwise loop via train/ferry to see some sights outside of Copenhagen. The details of the loop are in this blog post, but the short of it is you’ll be visiting Malmo and Lund in Sweden and Kronborg castle north of Copenhagen.
On your return to Copenhagen, get off at the Noreport station and walk to the Round Tower, which is just a few minutes away on foot. It has some of the best views of Copenhagen but fear not, there will be a couple of other towers to climb.
From there, head to Nyhavn and hop on the next canal boat tour available. You can’t go wrong!
After the canal boat tour, pick one of the many restaurants in Nyhavn to have dinner. Again, you can’t go wrong.
If you have the energy, take a walk along the Langelinie Promenade towards the Little Mermaid statue. On the way, you will pass the Gefion fountain, which is also worth the stop.
Day 2 – Palaces, Churches, Christiania
This day involves a bunch of palaces and churches. A lot of time is spent indoors, so it’s a good fit if the weather won’t cooperate.
Start with Rosenborg, which holds the Danish crown jewels. You can also tour the royal apartments and the armory. The garden outside the palace is also worth a stroll if the weather is nice.
If you do this first thing in the morning, you will have plenty of time to make it to Amelienborg for the changing of the guards, which starts at noon every day. You can also visit one of the 4 palaces in the complex open to the public.
Marble Church is also near the complex, so pop in if you have time. You can climb the dome on weekends until mid-June and every day after that for the duration of the summer.
By now, you’ll probably be hungry. I recommend one of the best bakeries in town, Sankt Peders Bageri. I took the metro there from Marble church. It’s located in the Latin quarter, which is also home to City Hall and the famous amusement park Tivoli. Those are visible right from the metro station, Radhuspladsen (City Hall Plaza in Danish).
After the bakery, walk to Christiansborg. Go up the clock tower, tour the royal reception rooms, go into the chapel if its open, tour the basement to see remnants from the palaces that preceded this one. Christiansborg was my favorite of the three palaces.
If you have worked up an appetite again, stop by Kayak Bar for some refreshments on the canal.
Next up is the Church of our Savior. Going up the tower requires a reservation, which I had made for 4:30 pm. The outside spiral staircase is not for those who are afraid of heights, but the views from up there are worth it!
Freetown Christiania is not far from here. This commune was infamous for the open sale of hash on its aptly named Pusher street. However, the street was demolished in April 2024 and Christiania is now much less sketchy. Still, be extra careful here and visit during the day.
If you’re staying in my recommended hotel, your walk home will take you back through Nyhavn. What a wondeful day to end these 2 fabulous days!
