A Blissful 4 Days in Copenhagen Itinerary for First-Time Visitors

I’m excited to share my 4 days in Copenhagen itinerary, which covers the major sites you can’t miss, the tastiest restaurants, majestic parks, top photo spots and the best swim areas in the city. Plus, you’ll be experiencing the city like a local, as a lot of the spots I include are approved and loved by my Copenhagen friends. Since we visited Copenhagen in the summer, I have included some summer activities, however, this itinerary is still applicable and changeable for those visiting in the fall or winter months. Regardless of when you go, I hope you fall in love with the city as much as I did.

Staying in Copenhagen 

I’ve always had this pull to go to Copenhagen. Perhaps my soul knew I would love this city, or maybe I was eager to see why the Danish are known to be some of the happiest people on earth. Copenhagen was always on our list for our year in Europe, but we hadn’t figured out when it would fit in. So when one of our plans fell through in July, I knew it was our time to go! I first looked at Airbnb and to my delight, found the most beautiful apartment for a reasonable price, which was a surprise as it was July – peak summer season! Everything was lining up perfectly! My only complaint about the Airbnb above is that it was a fair way outside of the city centre. And if you are only experiencing Copenhagen for four days, I highly recommend staying in the city centre to make the most out of your stay. Even if this means opting for a hotel, instead of a bigger accommodation with a kitchen. With this in mind, here are some other amazing accommodations we looked into:

• The Savoy Hotel
• The trendy Motel One Copenhagen
• Budget-Friendly Option: The Steel House Copenhagen
• Apartment with kitchen & patio: This stylish two-bedroom in the city centre

The City of Copenhagen

If you have never been to Copenhagen or don’t know much about it, here are some things that might convince you to go. Firstly it was just awarded the most bikeable city in the world. They just beat out Amsterdam this year, and the Danes are very excited about it. Since I have biked in both Amsterdam and Copenhagen, I can confirm this to be true. Biking lanes and even biking highways are plentiful in the city, but the Danes are much more relaxed bikers compared to the Dutch. Secondly, and more surprising to me was that Copenhagen was just awarded the most swimmable city in the world! As a beach girl, who LOVES to swim at any chance, I knew I Copenhagen and I would get along just fine. And for those wondering where you can swim, the answer is anywhere, but I’ve included some great swimming spots in my Copenhagen Itinerary below. Lastly, Copenhagen prides itself on being the city of fairytales, as the late Danish author, Hans Christian Andersen, wrote most of the fairytales we know today: The Little Mermaid, the Princess and The Pea, and The Ugly Duckling. With this being said, the whole city has this somewhat fairytale essence about it: the architecture, the magical amusement park of Tivoli, and even their city flag, which is the symbol of a castle. Overall, Copenhagen is just a magical place to visit!

Things to Know Before You Go to Copenhagen

Language

Danish, but everyone we met spoke perfect English.

Currency

Danish Crowns (DKK) – Approximately 1 DKK = 0.20 Canadian cents (in September 2018).

Cost of a Cappuccino

40 DKK (or $8.17 CAN); Cost of a cocktail: 88 DKK (or $17.98). Overall costs in Scandinavia are a LOT higher than Canada. So people typically don’t dine out as much. If you are travelling on a budget, make sure to get accommodation with a kitchen so you can make some of your meals.

Electricity

Requires European Plugs. So if you don’t already have a universal adaptor plug that works worldwide, I recommend bringing this on all your travels. We have this one and love it! Not only does it work with my computer and hair curler, it has the additional four USB plugs at the top, to charge all your phone and any other gadgets!

Water

Safe to drink. However, if you like purified water, bring this self-cleaning UV water bottle with you!

Best Time to Visit

May to September. Or if you can brave the cold dark winter days, come in December and experience the Christmas markets & other festivities.

Safety

In my experience, I would give this city a 10/10. I never felt unsafe during the day or night.

Transportation

I recommend living like a local and renting bikes for this Copenhagen Itinerary. After all, it is the most bike-friendly city in the world! If you don’t want to bike every day or at all, the transit system (buses & metro), were regularly on time, clean and easy to use.

*Trip Changer: The Copenhagen Card*

An incredible pass for tourists that includes transit and entry to 87 major attractions including museums, canal tours and even Tivoli, the oldest amusement park in the world. We used it during our trip and I can’t recommend it enough. Since Copenhagen is an expensive city, this card not only helped us save money, but it also saved us the time of waiting in line and buying tickets at each attraction. Check out this website to see if the pass includes the attractions you want to visit and, if you are interested, I recommend purchasing it before your trip. This is because you can pick up the physical card from the airport (or other more central places), and then utilize the included transportation to get into the city. Keep in mind the pass can be bought in 24, 48, 72, and 120-hour increments, and starts as soon as you scan it on your first bus or attraction, so you may want to be strategic as to when you start using the card, to get the most out of it. In this 4 days in Copenhagen itinerary, I will show you which attractions we used the card at.

Read More: Learn how we got the most value of the Copenhagen Card during our visit, and see how must money we saved on admission fees and transportation expenses in this post.

4 Days in Copenhagen Itinerary

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Copenhagen Itinerary Day 1: City Orientation

Hop on a Canal Boat Tour

The best way to start your Copenhagen itinerary is to get your bearings of the city with this 1-hour Canal boat tour. This is included in your Copenhagen Pass if you catch it from Ved Stranden Square. If you don’t have the pass, you can also start the canal tour from Nyhavn. I thought this tour was a fun way to learn some Copenhagen history, and fun facts, and see most of the sites from a different perspective. Also, after seeing it all you can then decide what you want to go back to visit. Price: Free with Copenhagen Card or 85 DKK. Another great option would be the hop-on-hop-off canal tour, so you can get off at certain stops to see the sites.

Quick tip: I highly recommend sitting on the right side of the canal boat (when looking forward) as most of the sites we saw were on that side of the boat.

Coffee Break with a View

Now time for a mid-morning pick-me-up! A coffee break at the Original Coffee Illume Rooftop. This is a rooftop café with an amazing view! It’s located at the top of the Illume department store, which is a site to see in itself. This is all conveniently a step away from where you ended your canal boat tour at Ved Stranden Square.

Round House Astronomy Tower

Good thing you’ve now had your caffeine fix! Time to climb to the top of Round House: the King’s old Astronomy Tower. This was built wide enough so that the king could take his horse and carriage to the top because he was too lazy to walk up. Not only is the building remarkable in itself, but it has one of the best views of the city. Make sure to keep an eye out for the beautiful Astronomy dial near the top. Price: Free with the Copenhagen Card or 25 DKK

Nyhavn: Iconic Copenhagen

From here walk down Europe’s longest pedestrian shopping street, Strøget, towards the famous port of Nyhavn. This is the area that has become Instagram-famous and is now iconic for Copenhagen. Ironically enough, decades ago, this used to be the worst part of town filled with drunken sailors, sleazy bars and ladies of the night. Now the streets are lined with restaurants, souvenir shops and ice cream parlours – what a change! However, it’s a must-see during your stay in Copenhagen. Make sure to walk on both sides of the canals, as every angle makes for the perfect Insta-worthy shot and is beautiful to see.

Lunch at an Outdoor Market

I hope you’ve worked up an appetite, cause now it’s time for lunch! From Nyhavn, walk across the bridge to the large outdoor food market called The Bridge Street Kitchen (also known as Broens Gadekøkken). Here there are plenty of options that will tickle your taste buds. You’ll find standard North American foods like burgers, wood-oven pizzas, and poke bowls, and then more traditional Danish food like open-faced sandwiches (called: Smørrebrød ) and something similar to porridge (called: Grød). And don’t worry there are plenty of drink options too! We tried a sampling of the Smørrebrød sandwiches, famous here in Denmark, and I was surprised at how much I enjoyed them. I even tried the pickled herring (after some peer pressure from our local friend, Jacob) and didn’t hate it, but I don’t know if I’d order it again. In the end, the pork sandwich with berry sauce was my favourite – I highly recommend it!

Black Diamond Library

After lunch, walk across the bridge to the Black Diamond Library. This building is a beautiful mix of modern architecture and old charm. Half of the library dates back to 1648, and the other half is modern with high ceilings made of glass. Also, out back is a beautiful courtyard where you can enjoy a quiet oasis in the middle of the city. This is an active library where university students come to study, so do make sure to be respectful and quiet when visiting. Price: Free entry.

Meatpacking District

If it is a hot summer’s day, and you need a swim to cool off, walk along the canal toward the Meatpacking District. Along the way, you will find plenty of swim spots to take a dip. Some have diving platforms, and others have sun loungers to relax. And yes, the water is clean enough to swim in. I was personally surprised at how fresh it felt – almost like lake water! This evening head to Copenhagen’s Meatpacking District called, Kødbyen. This area is an old industrial area that has been taken over by trendy restaurants and craft breweries. I recommend Hija de Sanchez for a casual Mexican dinner (as it was awarded the best Mexican in Europe this year) and Warpigs for meat BBQ or after-dinner beers. We also heard Mother’s was great for pizzas and Magasasa Dim Sum & Cocktails was good Chinese food, but overall, you can’t go wrong. This whole area is buzzing with young people looking to have a good time.

Copenhagen Itinerary Day 2: Museum & Tivoli

Scandinavian Shopping

If you like Scandinavian interior design or are looking for some unique souvenirs, I highly recommend checking out Notre Dame. Even though I had no room in my suitcase, I still enjoyed browsing the shop and admiring all their beautiful décor accessories. Next, walk over to Copenhagen City Hall. Here you can see inside their parliament building, and even climb to the top if you want another bird’s eye view of the city. Also, take note of the ornate fountain and Hans Christian Andersen statue in the square. Price: Free

Carlsberg Glptoteket Museum

Museums aren’t always top of my list when I visit a city, but we had so many recommendations for the Carlsberg Glptoteket Museum, that we didn’t want to miss it. Now I can say I’m so happy we went since it is honestly one of the most beautiful museums I’ve ever been to. I loved seeing the Egyptian mummies downstairs, the tropical garden inside the atrium, and admiring the gorgeous details of each room. Every room flowed into the next so perfectly with its floor tiles, paint and artifacts. I don’t know how describe it, just promise me you will go! Give yourself at least 1.5 – 2 hours. Also, there is a cute café in the museum if you want to enjoy a coffee and cake inside. Price: Free with Copenhagen Card, Free on Tuesdays, or 115 DKK.

Tivoli: The Oldest Amusement Park in the World

Spend the majority of your day in the original ‘Happiest Place on Earth’, Tivoli, which is known as the oldest amusement park in the world dating back to 1843. Did you know that Walt Disney came to Tivoli to get inspiration for Disneyland? Once you step inside Tivoli you will notice the similarities, but as a big Disney fan, as I was surprised how much more I loved Tivoli! The detail in the gardens and restaurants is remarkable and makes Tivoli so unique and charming. Even if you aren’t a rides person, I still recommend visiting Tivoli. Instead, visit one of the beautiful restaurants, wander the grounds, or watch their daily entertainment.

Things to know about Tivoli Amusement Park

• Admission to the park is 120 DKK ($24 CAN), but rides are separate. You can either buy each ride individually, but I highly recommend buying the unlimited rides pass here for 290 DKK ($51 CAN). The Copenhagen Card saved us the admission fee but didn’t include rides. If you want to buy your unlimited ride pass before your trip, you can do so here.
• Or if you don’t plan to get the Copenhagen Card, you can buy both your Tivoli admission and your Unlimited Ride Pass in advance, in order to skip the line.
• There are tons of amazing restaurants inside, ranging with different price points. If you’re on a budget you can either bring in a picnic to eat in the beautiful gardens or eat lunch outside the grounds; however I recommend enjoying either a snack or meal inside the grounds as the restaurants are beautiful.
• Look up the show schedule in advance to pick which day is best to visit Tivoli. In the summer they usually have fireworks, light shows, and live music daily.
• Give yourself plenty of time to explore the grounds and try all the rides. I recommend at least 4 hours, but we stayed for 8 and loved every moment!

Copenhagen Itinerary Day 3: Bike Around Like a Local

Make breakfast at your Airbnb or hotel to save some money, or find something convenient in your area. We have a big day ahead of us, so fuel up!

Bike Tour or Rent Bikes

As you may know, Copenhagen is the most bikeable city in the world, so I highly recommend renting bikes or going on a bike tour. Biking is truly the best way to get around the city, and you’ll get to experience Copenhagen culture.

Option #1: Guided Bike Tour

Option #2: Rent Bikes

Alternatively, if you are a confident city biker and decide to rent bikes, I recommend renting them for two days. You can even rent a phone holder for the bike, so you can have your Google Maps up and running while biking around town (something I wish we rented). To give you a guideline, bike rentals are around $20 Canadian or €13 a day. Rental shops are located all around the city, but if you rent them in Nyhavn I imagine they will cost more, as this is a tourist hub. If you don’t feel comfortable biking, or it’s terrible weather, our itinerary today can also be done with public transit.

Reffen Market

Take your bikes across town to Reffen, to try Copenhagen street food. This is another outdoor food market in an industrial area with over 50 innovative stalls, offering international cuisines. Located beside the market, there is also a local craft brewery called Mikkeller, just in case you are thirsty after your ride. 😉 From the Nyhavn area, your bike ride to Reffen should take around 15-20 minutes. Click here for Google Map Pin. *Optional stops along the way: On route to the market you can stop at the Church of Our Saviour for a photo, or Freetown Christiania if you are interested to see the local hippie community, where cannabis is legal to buy and smoke.

Lunch at a Hidden Gem in Copenhagen

If you are wondering where the cool kids hang out on the weekends, La Banchina is the spot! Make sure to stop by for a drink, meal, snack or swim. They even have a sauna you can pay to use. I loved the relaxed vibe and how you could buy a beer or bottle of wine, and enjoy it on their dock while swimming or sun tanning. Something you, unfortunately, don’t see back in Canada. To save you some time and energy, hop on the 901 or 902 Harbour Bus to get back into the city. The best part is you can walk your bikes right onto the ferry, and you’ll be treated to some beautiful views of the harbour (at a lower cost than the canal cruise, making it a great alternative if you are on a budget). Get off the harbour bus at Nyhavn.

Little Mermaid Statue

Once you hop off the ferry, bike to the Little Mermaid to see the most famous statue in the county. If you did the canal tour you would have already seen the back of her head, but I’m sure you’ll want to see her face-on to get that perfect photo.

*Fun Fact: did you know that the poor statue has been beheaded 3 times to make a political statement? This is why she is now located so far outside the city centre.

If you need a cool treat, I highly recommend the soft-serve ice cream in Copenhagen. We got our ice creams from a little concession stand right beside the Little Mermaid statue. This one was vanilla and strawberry swirl & then covered with chocolate powder. Yum!

Copenhagen City Sites

From here bike through Kastellet, an old military base, and back towards the Amalienborg Palace, where the royal family currently live. From here you can watch the changing of the guard (at noon), plus you will have incredible views of Frederik’s Church and the Opera House. There is also the Royal horse stables nearby. As the day is winding down, you may want to stop for a drink or a swim before dinner. If so, this place was one of our favourite finds. They have drinks, pitchers to share (although very expensive) and sometimes even live music to enjoy on the harbourside. Even if you don’t want to drink, this is a beautiful swim spot you can enjoy for free. End your day with dinner at Souls, for a healthy vegetarian meal. Veggie burgers, salads or bowls are all plentiful and so tasty.

Copenhagen Itinerary Day 4: City of Parks

Copenhagen’s Little Berlin

Start your day with a stroll down, Jægersborggade also known locally as Copenhagen’s Little Berlin. It is lined with cafes, vintage boutiques, and pastry shops. Because of this, I highly recommend grabbing your morning coffee at Coffee Collective and trying some traditional Danish pastries at Meyers Bageri. At Meyers Bageri order a cinnamon snail (commonly called cinnamon buns in North America), I promise you won’t regret it!

Copenhagen’s ‘Famous Cemetery’

Conveniently, across the street from Jægersborggade is Copenhagen’s ‘famous cemetery’, Assistens Kirkegaard. I say famous because many notable Danish people have been buried here, including their beloved fairytale author Hans Christian Andersen. This cemetery is so beautiful that locals commonly come here to walk their strollers and hang out just like any other park. If you are in the neighbourhood, it’s worth checking out, although I don’t know how I feel about sitting around and hanging out in a cemetery. If you do visit, make sure to be quiet and respectful.

Kings Park

Pack a picnic and head to Kings Park to admire the stunning Rosenborg Castle and gardens. If it is a nice day and walk around the park and enjoy your picnic. But if you are visiting in winter or the weather is bad, you can pay to go into the castle and admire the crown jewels. Price: Free with Copenhagen Card or 110 DDK

The Best Pizza in Copenhagen

End your day with dinner at Bæst. Now I don’t want to set high expectations, but this was honestly some of the best pizza I’ve ever eaten. Now this is a big statement to make since I really like pizza, and we had just travelled from Italy. But they also had numerous awards for their pizzas, so it’s not just me that thinks they are delicious! I even ate the crust, and that never happens. After dinner, enjoy an evening bevy at BURS, the craft brewery across the alleyway from Bæst.

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Favourite 3 Photo Spots in Copenhagen

Nyhavn archway                     Google Pin | Pinterest

Carlsberg Museum               Google Pin | Instagram

Cute colourful houses            Google Pin | Pinterest

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What to pack for 4 days in Copenhagen?

When preparing for your 4 nights in Copenhagen, it’s important to consider what to pack. While Copenhagen offers a plethora of unique experiences and sights to explore, there are a few essentials that will make your trip more comfortable.

Comfortable walking shoes

First and foremost, don’t forget to pack comfortable walking shoes. Whether you plan to bike or walk around Copenhagen, you’ll want sturdy footwear to explore with ease. I opted for New Balance sneakers, sandals, or loafer flats that provided good arch support, and my feet didn’t complain.

Weather-Appropriate Clothing

Check the weather forecast for Copenhagen during your trip and pack accordingly. Lightweight and breathable clothing is ideal for the warm summer months, but also consider layering options as temperatures can vary. Pack a mix of tops, bottoms, this trendy linen short set and dresses that you can mix and match for different outfits. Opt for natural fabrics like cotton or linen to help you stay cool and stylish during your trip. But don’t forget to pack a striped sweaters for when it gets cool in the evenings.

Sun Protection

If you are visiting Copenhagen in the summer don’t forget to pack sun protection items. Bring sunscreen with a high SPF. Plus, trendy sunglasses to shield your eyes from the sun, and a wide-brimmed hat or cap to protect your face and head.

Small Crossbody Bag or Backpack

A compact bag is essential for carrying your daily essentials while exploring the city. Opt for a crossbody bag or backpack that can securely hold your wallet, phone, map, water bottle, and any other items you may need throughout the day.

Travel Adapter and Portable Charger

Additionally, ensure you can stay connected and keep your devices powered up. Pack this travel adapter compatible with Denmark’s electrical outlets. Not only does it work with my computer and hair curler, it has the additional four USB plugs at the top, to charge all your phone and any other gadgets! Additionally, bring a portable charger to keep your phone and other electronics charged while you’re out and about. Remember to adapt this packing list based on personal preferences. As well as, the time of year you’re travelling, and any specific activities or events you plan to participate in while in Copenhagen. For 10 of my best packing tips to ease anxiety, check out this post here.

Conclusion: Make the most of your 4 days in Copenhagen

That concludes my 4 days in Copenhagen Itinerary. Although we experienced the city in the summer, you could easily use this itinerary in the winter months. Just replace swimming with visiting the famous Christmas markets if you are in town during December, or escape the cold and spend your time inside visiting the Opera House, Kronborg Castle, or some of the other amazing museums. I hope you find this guide helpful for your trip planning and that you enjoy Copenhagen as much as we did! I’m not lying when I say that Copenhagen is now one of my favourite cities in the world. If you have any questions, feel free to ask them in the comments below.

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Read Next:

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