Things to do in Copenhagen
There are so many things to do in Copenhagen, so we’ve put together this little guide, that will illustrate everything you need to know.
This will include travelling from the airport into the city, a rundown of all the core attractions to some ideas on places to visit outside of Copenhagen.
How to get into the City
Copenhagen airport (Kastrup) lies 5 miles to the south of the city. You have four options to get into town, all run frequently 24/7:
- Bus 5c – takes 35 minutes and costs around 36 Krone (£4)
- Metro and Train- takes 15 minutes and costs 36 Krone (£4)
- Taxi – travel time will take around 20 minutes and cost around 250 Krone (£30)
The metro and train both leave from terminal 3, so if arriving at terminal 2, it’s a short walk and if arriving at terminal 1 there is a free shuttle available.
Copenhagen is a relatively small capital city so you can explore a lot of it on foot. It does have a really good metro and train network for those that need it
The metro is a driverless network consisting of 4 lines, M1, M2, M3 and M4 and M2 connects the city with the airport.
Meanwhile the train network is called the S train that serves the city centre but primarily provides a gateway to the outer suburbs of the city and beyond.
The two services are integrated with the bus network so buying a ticket for one works for all services. Prices are dictated by how many zones you cross and the minimum is a 2 zone journey that costs 24 Krone, that will easily get you around the city centre. Travelling from the airport to the city will involve travelling through three zones.
Children are free if under 12 and tickets can be purchased at a ticket machine or 7/11 kiosk. However, the easiest option is to download the DOT app, where you can buy tickets online and store the tickets on your phone.
Things to do in Copenhagen – 9 Top Activities
1. Tivoli Gardens
Of all the things to do in Copenhagen, a visit Tivoli gardens is a must. It’s the 5th most popular theme park in the Europe and the most popular in Scandinavia and you won’t find many theme parks located right in the middle of a capital city. If you’re travelling to Copenhagen with kids, Tivoli Gardens should be top of your list!
The park was first opened in 1843 and Walt Disney became a particular fan of the park in the 1900’s, visiting a number of times. Some suggest the park provided some inspiration for his decision to open his own park in America.
There are plenty of rides suitable for all ages. Open most of the year apart from January to April and for costs, expect to pay around 140 Krone (£17) for an adult and children between 3 and 7 will only pay 60 Krone (£7) with under 3’s being free.
In addition to the entrance fee, you then have to buy ride tokens which cost between 25 and 75 krone (£3-£9) per ride or you can buy an unlimited ride token which includes entrance free for 387 Krone (£46).
Closest Metro – Kobenhavn H – Line M3 and M4 (3 minutes walk).
2. The Little Mermaid and Statue of Andersen
Every city has a monument or building that tourists flock to for a picture to prove they’ve been to that city, with Copenhagen, that monument is the little mermaid.
The statue celebrates the character of the book by the same name, by the famous Danish author Hans Christian Anderson, about a young mermaid who’s willing to give up her life in the sea for a human soul.
The mermaid was first unveiled in 1913 and is made primarily of bronze and measures around 4 ft. It’s a free attraction and you find her in Langelinie, which is a park and promenade within the city centre and a lovely place to wander if the weather’s nice.
Closest Metro – Osterport on line M4 (20 minutes walk).
Another popular monument in the city, is of for the author himself, Hans Christian Andersen. Denmark’s most famous author, well known for his fairy tales like the ugly duckling and the princess and the pea is commemorated with his own monument.
If you head towards the City Hall Square in the centre of town, you’ll find him next to the main city hall.
Closest Metro – Rådhuspladsen on line M4 (a minute walk).
3. Nyhavn (New Harbour)
Nyhavn (or New harbour) is a lovely place to visit and it’s waterfront is the picture postcard image you’ll see if you type Copenhagen into google, with it’s famous brightly coloured townhouses . First established in the 17th century, it’s an area packed with bars and restaurants and most canal cruises will set off from there.
Again very central, conveniently right next to the metro and don’t forget to stop by the memorial anchor, there to commemorate the 1700 service personnel who lost their lives in world war two.
Closest Metro – Kongens Nytorv – at the intersection of all lines and located directly next to Nyhavn.
4. Christiansborg Palace (Danish Parliament)
The Christiansborg Palace is where the Danish parliament sit and is famous as it’s the only building in the world that houses a countries three branches of government, the judiciary, executive and legislature.
Several areas of the palace are also used by the monarchy and you can visit some of these. These include the lavish reception rooms, the royal stables, the royal kitchens and the ruins under the palace that provide a window into the past of the older fortifications that once stood on this site going back to the 1200’s.
You’ll find the palace on Slotsholmen (Castle Island) in the centre of town. There are metro stations nearby and a short walk over one of the many bridges that connect this mini island to the city
You can opt to pay to visit only the areas you fancy or you can buy a combined ticket and see them all. Children under 18 are free. You can also join a free guided tour of the Danish Parliament that takes around 45 minutes.
Costs:
The Royal Reception Rooms – 95 Krone (£11)
The Royal Kitchen – 60 Krone (£7)
The Ruins 60 Krone (£7)
The Royal Stables – 60 Krone (£7)
Combined ticket of all four – 160 Krone (£19)
Closest Metro – Gammel Strand on line M4 (a few minutes walk)
5. The Round Tower
The round tower is where you go if you’re looking for beautiful views over the city. It was built by King Christian IV, way back in 1637, to provide an observatory for the city, alongside other buildings being built around it namely a church and a library.
It stands 35m tall and the route up the tower will see you walk up the 200m spiral ramp but then two narrow staircases, one wood one stone comprising of 60 steps altogether and therefore the reason this isn’t suitable for wheelchair or buggy access.
You’ll find it in the centre of town again very close to a metro and it’s very reasonably priced so expect to pay 25 Krone (£3) for an adult, children between 5 and 15 pay 5 Krone (50p) and under 5’s are free.
Closest Metro – Norreport on line M1 and M2 (200 meters).
6. Strøget Street
This is the main shopping district in Copenhagen and is one of the longest pedestrianised streets in Europe. You’ll find both high end and budget shops along the kilometre stretch.
It stretches right across the city centre from the city Hall to the kings new square. It is a great place for a stroll and some retail therapy.
Closest Metro – Rådhuspladsen and Kongens Nytorv are at either end of the street so head to either one on line M4 or M3.
7. Freetown Christiania
Out of all the things to do in Copenhagen, this is by far the most intriguing. Christiania is essentially a commune in the middle of the capital that’s home to around 100 residents. It was once a disused military barracks up until 1971 when some locals decided to take it over and declare it as a Freetown with a goal to build a self-governing society. The atmosphere around the place retains that hippy, anarchic vibe and has become one of the top attractions in Copenhagen.
Closest Tube – Christianshavn on line M2– (within Christiania).
8. National Museum of Denmark
Museum fans should check out the national museum of Denmark. It is one of Denmark’s largest museums and covers 14,000 years of history from the early reindeer hunters of the ice age to the famous Vikings, right the way to present day and what life is like in modern day Denmark.
The museum sits close to the parliament building and expect to pay 100 Krone for an adult (£12) and all children under 18 are free.
Closest Metro – Gammel Strand on line M4 (a few minutes walk).
9. Hop on Hop off Bus
There are so many things to do in Copenhagen that you might want to think about using their hop-on hop-off bus network.
There are three routes in total, red, which is classic Copenhagen is the longest at 90 minutes. Green is urban Copenhagen. Purple which is colourful Copenhagen, which both last an hour.
All tickets last for 72 hrs and you can choose between one or all three routes. Adults cost 204 Krone (£23) for one route and 246 krone for all three (£29). Children costs 128 Krone (£15) for all three routes and just 5 krone (50p) for one route. Under 5’s are free.
Things to do outside of Copenhagen
If you’re spending a few days in Copenhagen and would like a daytrip to somewhere a little a different, then the Swedish city of Malmo is very close. Or you could consider Denmark’s third largest city Odense.
Malmo is also Sweden’s third biggest city and you get there from Copenhagen via the famous Øresund bridge, that connects Denmark and Sweden and is one of the longest road bridges in Europe.
The journey time takes around 40 minutes both by car or train. Once in Malmo you could check out the tallest building in Scandinavia, the twisted torso building standing 190 meters tall. There are then various museums, churches and parks to explore for the day.
Alternatively, in the opposite direction to Copenhagen is Oldenz. This will take 2 hours by road or there are regular trains that will only take around 90 minutes to get to.
Its claim to fame is being the birthplace of Hans Christian Anderson. The city is a great place to visit if you want to visit his childhood home and or the museum dedicated to documenting his life work.
Copenhagen with Kids
We’ve travelled extensively with our children so appreciate the need to find things suitable for kids when you’re abroad. In Copenhagen we’d recommend checking out the Bakken amusement park, Copenhagen Zoo and the city’s Aquarium.
Bakken Amusement Park
If you’re travelling to Copenhagen with kids, then Bakken offers a great day out for the whole family. Generally open between March and August, Bakken is touted as the oldest theme park in the world having amazingly been founded way back in 1583. Today is offers 32 rides for all ages and a further 78 other attractions. These include the arcades and plenty of food stalls and restaurants for all budgets.
The theme park is easily accessed from the city on the orange S Line, at the end of line C at Klampenborg, it sits nestled in beautiful woodland 10km from the city centre.
Entrance is free and you then pay for the rides you go on by buying a wristband. A wristband that will get you unlimited rides on all amusements will cost 229 Krona (£27) whilst a children’s wristband that will pay to ride 11 rides will cost 139 Krona (£16).
Copenhagen Zoo
From the oldest theme parks in the world to one of the oldest Zoo’s in the world, Copenhagen Zoo is another family favourite when in Copenhagen with kids. It is open every day of the year and divided into 5 regions. You’ll find animals from all continents and various feeding programmes throughout the day.
Expect to pay 195 Krona (£23) for an adult day ticket and 105 krona (£12) for children between 3 and 11. Under 3’s are free.
Closest Metro – Frederiksberg Allé on line M3.
Copenhagen City Aquarium
Another great thing to do with your kids in Copenhagen is to check out the city Aquarium. It lies to the south east of the city, not far from the airport and a mere 600 meters from the nearest metro stop. It’s divided into 8 sections and on show are 50 aquariums. Collectively these hold 7 million litres of water and designed to show species of animals from lakes, rivers, oceans and seas.
Adults cost 185 Krone (£22) and children aged between 3-11 pay 100 Krone (£12) with under 3’s being free.
Closest Metro – Kastrup on Line M2 (600 Metres).
Conclusion
We hope this guide all on all the things to do in Copenhagen has been useful; if you do want to follow our adventures, then come join us on youtube, Instagram and facebook.
We aim to provide you with lots of inspiration on your next getaway!
