[COPENHAGEN, DENMARK] — I was in Copenhagen with some of my family a long time ago for just a couple of nights before moving on to Stockholm, so I didn’t get to see a ton. But here are the best things I found to do in Copenhagen. Cool things I found to do in Copenhagen over a winter weekend.

Walk Around Copenhagen Centrum

We got in late and it was raining a lot, so we didn’t get to see as much as we’d hope during our short stay. But Copenhagen is one of the prettiest, cleanest, friendliest, most beautifully designed cities in the world. Here’s a great guide to the best things to do in Copenhagen Centrum from the official city tourist website.

Copenhagen has one of the highest rates of bike riders/ commuters — something like 62% of workers ride their bike to work. And you’ll see and feel it, instantly. A capillary network of protected bike lanes prioritize bikes over cars. It’s all so civilized. Here are some top things to see in Copenhagen from the official tourist site.

(Photos from Wikipedia)

Copenhagen is such a safe city, it almost has a negative crime rate… because people are so happy to live here. Many surveys rank Copenhagen as the top city in the world to live.

Hang Out in the Cafes in Nyhavn

Nyhavn is a narrow canal that carves into the land off the main harbor. It used to be a working inlet, then was a long time parking lot until the city redeveloped it into a nautical museum area, with no cars, lots of cafes and shops and many hotels. It’s the perfect place to come for lunch on a sunny day for a long lunch.

Play in a Vintage Amusement Park, Right in the Middle of Copenhagen

You’ll read all about Tivoli Gardens, the amusement park built in the 1840s, it’s a top destination in Copenhagen.  It inspired Hans Christian Anderson and Walt Disney, for his theme parks.

Tivoli is not just for kids, there are nice restaurants, cafes and walking-around-beers. But I suggest you hold off on visiting it until nighttime with all the lights come up and it takes on a whole new feel. There’s as many adults as kids, all just out for a stroll.

And while you’re at it, stop by the moorish Nimb hotel and it’s world-reknown restaurant Nimb, considered one of the vanguards of the new-Scandavian cuisine. It’s connected right inside the park.

You’ll need reservations at the fancy Nimb retstaurant, but there’s a more casual brasserie sibling right next door, with large community tables and amazing food. There’s a really cool American bar where you can duck in directly from Tivoli Gardens, have a bite and a nip, then go back out and enjoy the lights.

Visit the Ancient Citadel, Kastellet

Kastellet, or the Citadel, is a big pointy fort created in the 1600s and has been a military compound ever since. It’s a giant fort, right in the middle of the city. But you can walk out alone its ramparts on a sunny day. It’s very peaceful.

Definitely Take a Day Trip to Louisiana Museum of Modern Art

When I read about the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, just called Louisiana, I himmed-and-hawed about making the trek out to the countryside. But boy oh boy am I glad I did. You take a quick train and then walk a few blocks, but the setting is what makes this such a special place.  Okay, the art too.  

I debated whether or not to take a train out to a museum, but so glad I did. This is now one of my favorite museums in the world. It’s the perfect half-day day trip.

It started out as a country house, then added onto. With cool ground-breaking modern art, inside and out. Set right along the Oresund, the peaceful setting gets your mood when you walk up the road and first see the building. The outdoor sculpture garden is serene, overlooking the water. A really cool cafe makes it perfect timing to plan to spend lunch, with windows overlooking the sea and a warmth like a cup of coffee.

This was my favorite piece: a one-mirrored outhouse, set outside……and then step inside, with people just right outside the glass. I did try it out, fully, to understand the intent of the artist. 🤣 I hear the first installation was right outside the busy entrance to the Tate in London, which I imagine made this even uncomfortable being inside.

Dip into Freetown Christiania

 Christiania is a crazy story. It started as a squatters camp in the 70s in the middle of a military base. They never left. The government never intervened. The hippies declared their own sovereignty and started a decades long self-rule. The idea being, there were no rules. You couldn’t own anything. There were no government services, everybody had to figure it all out. Order was kept by town meetings where they ruled by consensus. This is where you could freely buy drugs for years, on Pusher Street.

It all worked fine for decades, but lately there have been some problems with gangs taking over Pusher Street and bringing violence to the once violence-free zone. The great podcast 99 Percent Invisible did a fantastic episode on Christiana and its recent problems.

There are signs all over to not take pictures — everyone values their freedom and individual privacy — so I didn’t take any to show you.

You Should Stay Here in Copenhagen

71 Nyhavn

I stayed at 71 Nyhavn once on business ten years before, then came back with my family and we stayed. It’s a nice place, not fancy, in a cool building, more of a business hotel. But nice rooms, comfortable, perfect location that’s walkable to everywhere, decent value

Nimb Hotel

Have you seen the beautiful Nimb Hotel? Very moorish in design, with just 38 rooms. I’ve never stayed there, but I walked through it. It’s gorgeous and everything I love in a hotel. Dying to stay here next. Cafe Nimb is very fancy. There’s a more casual brasserie that I loved eating at and a very cool bar. Very open and lively. Expensive.

 Hotel d’Angleterre

The time I was in Copenhagen, the Hotel d’Angleterre reflected its name. Old School, dowdy “for the English”, even though it was one of the most expensive hotel in town. But I saw recently it has had an amazingly hip, but still very elegant redo, so I’d look into staying here next time. Check out the new look.

— Last Visited November 2009; Post Updated October 2024 —

More Information on Copenhagen

The Copenhagen airport is one of my favorites in the world. It was the first one I’d ever seen that used natural wood vs. the cold dead grey drywall of American airports. It was like being inside a violin. With sunlight, high ceilings, fantastic acoustics and about the best signage I’ve ever seen — have a hard time topping it, decades later. The best part is is the airport is a 15 minute (!) super smooth train ride direct to the city center train station.

Here is the official Visit Copenhagen website. Here’s the NYTimes 36 Hours in Copenhagen page. Travel & Leisure’s Guide to Copenhagen. And Condé Nast Traveler’s Guide to Copenhagen. And Goop’s Copenhagen Guide.