Quick Notes
- 💡 Book dinner reservations early, top restaurants are usually full weeks ahead.
- 🧭 Do a Free Walking Tour — it’s one of the best ways to see the city and learn local history. You can book the Copenhagen Free Walking Tour here.
- 🎓 Danish graduation season (June) is wild and fun, look out for students in sailor hats riding music-blasting trucks. It’s a big local celebration!
- 👟 Walk everywhere — Copenhagen is flat, clean, and endlessly photogenic. Bring comfy shoes; you’ll rack up steps without even noticing.
- 🚲 Bikes rule the road. Don’t walk in bike lanes unless you enjoy being politely (but firmly) yelled at by locals.
- 💳 Consider the Copenhagen Card — run a quick cost analysis before you buy. It’s easy to calculate savings on their site based on your attractions and days.
Day 1 – Arrival & First Impressions
We landed in Copenhagen around 8:00 PM, but with the sun still high (summer magic), it didn’t feel late. We were tired from traveling, so instead of figuring out the metro, we took an Uber to our hotel (~$20), but the public transportation from the airport to the city center is very easy and cheap so defintely a good option.
Dinner was at Tivoli Food Hall, which had a great vibe, lively, local, and full of great food stalls. After dinner, we strolled to Nyhavn Street to see the colorful harbor lit up at night.
We stayed at the Nobis Hotel, located right next to Tivoli Gardens, a 20-minute, walk from the main part of town. It’s not the most central, but it’s a beautiful, quiet escape (and free on points, which helped).
Tip
- 🍴 Tivoli Food Hall is easy, quick, and not very expensive for a quick lunch or dinner.
- 🛏️ Nobis Hotel is stunning (and can be free if you’ve got Marriott points), but it’s a 20-minute walk from the center of town. I would recommend a hotel closer to the city center.
Day 2 – Exploring Copenhagen’s Waterfront & Canals
We slept in and joined the Free Harbour Walking Tour at 11:00 AM, which we absolutely loved. It’s a fantastic way to get your bearings and learn about Copenhagen’s naval history.
As military folks, we especially enjoyed the stops at Holmen Naval Base, their version of the Pentagon (which is also shaped like one!), and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
We visited the Little Mermaid Statue (famously the second most underwhelming statue in Europe) which we would agree with, and saw the Amalienborg Palace. If the Danish flag is flying, the royals are home — sadly, not the case that day, but we did spot the Royal Yacht, one of only two remaining in the world.
After sightseeing, we grabbed a drink along Nyhavn before our canal tour.
⚠️ Tip: If you’re using the Copenhagen Card, don’t take the Nyhavn departure point, they’ll charge extra on top of what you paid for for the card. Instead, walk 10 minutes to Ved Stranden 26, the other dock for the same exact tour, free with the card. Below is a view of where we took the canal tour from.
We enjoyed the cruise and seeing the city from the water, but next time, we’d rent a small boat we could drive ourself (about 600 DKK) for a private time on the water.
Dinner was at Donna, cute, cozy Italian with great cocktails. Would 10/10 recommend for a relaxed but chic night out. It was hard to get seats without a reservation (we sat at the bar) so I recommend making dinner reservations in advance if there is a restaurant you really want to try.
Tip
- 🚶♀Ae Free Walking Tour is one of the best ways to see Copenhagen, great mix of history and humor.
- 💳 Do a quick cost check on the Copenhagen Card. Their site lets you plug in attractions, days, and pass type to see if it actually saves you money. We saved about $5, worth it for the convenience alone.
- 🚤 Don’t board the canal tour at Nyhavn if you’re using the Copenhagen Card, walk 10 minutes to the other port where it’s included for free.
- 🍽️ Make dinner reservations in advance, most of Copenhagen’s good spots book out days ahead.
Day 3 – Palaces, Castles & the Meatpacking District
We loved the free walking tour so much that we did the Grand Walking Tour the next morning. It was more crowded (about 30 people vs. 6 on the harbor one), but still excellent. We explored Parliament, the city’s main squares, and more royal history, ending again at Amalienborg Palace.
For lunch, we biked (its the Danish thing to do) to Freetown Christiania, a “free-spirited” area that’s very hippy and colorful. Not exactly our vibe, but it’s definitely unique! We ate at Morgenstedet (vegetarian) and Nemoland (for meat options).
In the afternoon, we visited Rosenborg Castle to see the Royal Jewels. The tour itself was skippable, but the jewels were incredible.
Next up: Tivoli Gardens, and wow, we were wrong to assume it’s just for tourists. Locals love it, and it’s packed with rides, music, and charm. Many rides only run on weekends, but even walking around was worth it. I spotted the swing ride, my childhood favorite, so of course I made Matt ride it with me. Yes, we were absolutely the only people over the age of ten on it, and yes, it was worth it.
Dinner was at Superbon in the Meatpacking District (Kødbyen), amazing Asian fusion, strong cocktails, and a very local crowd. We finished the night with ice cream at Ismageriet, 30-minute line, good but not that good.
🎡 Tip
- 🏰 The Grand Walking Tour is a great way overview of Copenhagen’s history, just expect a big crowd. If you prefer something smaller, choose one of the themed or neighborhood tours instead
- 💎 Rosenborg Castle is the museum to prioritize, the royal jewels are stunning and absolutely worth the visit.
- 🍓 Christiania is colorful and eccentric, worth a quick lunch stop, but not everyone’s vibe.
- 🎠 Tivoli Gardens was fun and charming, but if you’re looking for something to skip and save, this might be it. It’s an amusement park at heart, cool to see, but you’ll get more out of soaking in the city’s culture and history.
Day 4 – Culture & Pastries
Our last day! We started at the National Museum of Denmark (Nationalmuseet) and did the interactive Viking Sorceress exhibit was really fun and surprisingly modern.
We grabbed pastries afterward at Andersen Bakery (new favorite) and stopped at the LEGO Store on Strøget Street, fun fact: LEGO was invented in Denmark!
After some souvenir shopping and one last photo at Nyhavn Street, we headed back to the hotel to grab our bags. The train to the airport (included in the Copenhagen Card) took 13 minutes and dropped us directly at the terminal. Super easy!
Tip
- 🏛️ The National Museum was fine, but if you’re short on time, you can skip it. Copenhagen’s charm is best enjoyed outside, walking or people-watching.
- 🧱 Stop by the original LEGO Store on Strøget, it’s fun and surprisingly nostalgic, even for adults.
- 🚆 The train to the airport is included with your Copenhagen Card and takes only 13 minutes.
Bonus Local Experience: Graduation Season
Every June, Denmark bursts into celebration as high school students finish “gymnasium” (the Danish equivalent of high school). Each student earns a white sailor-style cap, customized by school and degree type, it’s a huge symbol of pride.
Once they get their caps, the real fun begins, students pile into decorated military trucks covered in banners, balloons, and their names. They drive around the city for one to two weeks, blasting music, honking horns, and drinking, stopping at each classmate’s house to celebrate.
It’s chaotic, loud, and completely joyful, like a moving block party with sailor hats. Seeing them cruise through Copenhagen gave the city such a festive energy, it felt like everyone was cheering them on.
My Overall Recommendation: Where to Splurge and Where to Save
💸 Splurge vs Save
- 🏨 Splurge: Stay somewhere charming and central, Copenhagen hotels can be pricey, but having a cozy base near Nyhavn makes exploring effortless.
- 🍽️ Splurge (maybe): Try one Michelin-star restaurant if you’re a foodie, but otherwise don’t go wild, everything is already expensive, and even casual cafés serve great food.
- 🚌 Save: Use public transportation. Trains, buses, and the metro are clean, fast, and reliable. No need for taxis, even the airport train is quick and cheap.
- 🎟️ Save (maybe): Run the numbers before buying the Copenhagen Card. For us, it only saved about $5, but it made things simple and covered public transport.
