A photograph of Copenhagen

City guide · Denmark

Copenhagen

Copenhagen's compact centre sits around Indre By, with the harbour separating it from Christianshavn and Amager. Frederiksberg lies west as a separate municipal...

Photograph · Pudelek · CC BY-SA 4.0

2,076 Places
Suggested stay
3–4 days
Getting around
Walking, cycling, metro, train and bus

Turn this list into a plan

Set your days, your pace and the hours you actually want to be out. The planner works around closing days and travel time, and leaves room to eat.

Plan Copenhagen

Editorial responsibility: Elena Voss · Roavina Travel Editor

Copenhagen's compact centre sits around Indre By, with the harbour separating it from Christianshavn and Amager. Frederiksberg lies west as a separate municipality inside the urban fabric, while Norrebro and Osterbro extend north of the centre. Major visitor areas are connected by metro, trains, buses and cycle routes, and most central clusters remain practical to explore on foot.

Checked 2026-08-26

Practical information

Language spoken
Danish
National practical orientation; regional and minority languages may also be used
Dialling code
+45
International calling code; local area and mobile prefixes still apply
Currency
Danish krone (DKK)
Use the official local currency; card acceptance varies by place
Emergency number
112
Use only for an emergency; tourist assistance may use a separate number
Plug type
Type C, E, F and K · 230 V
Check that chargers support the recorded voltage before using an adapter
Tap water
Safe from the mains
Public drinking water is monitored by Danish authorities

Planning a visit

November · November averages only 7.0°C by day in Copenhagen and has about seventeen rain days, creating a cold, damp trade-off.

  1. January: viable with meaningful trade-offs
  2. February: viable with meaningful trade-offs
  3. March: viable with meaningful trade-offs
  4. April: good time to visit
  5. May: best time to visit
  6. June: best time to visit
  7. July: best time to visit
  8. August: best time to visit
  9. September: good time to visit
  10. October: viable with meaningful trade-offs
  11. November: viable with meaningful trade-offs — current month
  12. December: viable with meaningful trade-offs

Sources

Top things to see

Ranked by importance — sitelinks, pageviews and heritage status, not editor preference.

  1. Nyhavn Nyhavn
    02 1 hour

    Nyhavn

    Nyhavn is a canal cut inland from Copenhagen's harbour with a quay down each side, addressed as Nyhavn 1-71, 1051 København K.

    • Must see
    • Historic site
  2. The Little Mermaid The Little Mermaid
    03 20 min

    The Little Mermaid

    Den lille Havfrue

    Den lille Havfrue is a bronze figure of a mermaid half-turned into a woman, set on a granite boulder in the water at the edge of the Langelinie promenade.

    • Must see
    • Art and culture venue
  3. Amalienborg Amalienborg
    04 1 hr 15 min

    Amalienborg

    Amalienborg is the Danish royal family's home in Copenhagen: four almost identical rococo palaces set around an octagonal square, with Frederik V's equestrian statue at the centre and the dome of the Marble Church closing one axis.

    • Must see
    • Historic site
  4. Christiansborg Palace Christiansborg Palace
    05 45 min

    Christiansborg Palace

    Christiansborg Slot

    Christiansborg Palace, locally known as Christiansborg Slot, stands on Slotsholmen island in central Copenhagen.

    • Must see
    • Historic site
  5. Rosenborg Castle Rosenborg Castle
    06 1 hr 30 min

    Rosenborg Castle

    Rosenborg Slot

    Rosenborg is a small Renaissance castle standing in the King's Garden, Kongens Have, a few streets north of the medieval centre of Copenhagen.

    • Must see
    • Historic site
  6. Marble Church Marble Church
    07 1 hour

    Marble Church

    Marmorkirken

    Frederik's Church, known locally as Marmorkirken, stands as a prominent Rococo church in Copenhagen. Its distinctive marble dome dominates the skyline of the Frederiksstaden district.

    • Must see
    • Place of worship
  7. Church of Our Saviour Church of Our Saviour
    08 45 min

    Church of Our Saviour

    Vor Frelsers Kirke

    The Church of Our Saviour, known locally as Vor Frelsers Kirke, stands as a prominent baroque church in Copenhagen. Its most distinctive feature is an external corkscrew spire with an external winding staircase that visitors can climb.

    • Must see
    • Historic site
  8. National Museum of Denmark National Museum of Denmark
    09 3 hours

    National Museum of Denmark

    Nationalmuseet

    Nationalmuseet is Denmark's national museum of cultural history, and it occupies a building that was a private house, then a royal residence, then a courthouse, before it was ever a museum.

    • Must see
    • Museum
  9. Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek
    10 2 hr 30 min

    Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek

    The Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek stands on Dantes Plads, between Tivoli and the back of the Danish parliament quarter, and it is one museum only in the administrative sense.

    • Must see
    • Museum
  10. Statens Museum for Kunst Statens Museum for Kunst
    11 2 hr 30 min

    Statens Museum for Kunst

    SMK - Statens Museum for Kunst

    Statens Museum for Kunst is Denmark's national gallery, standing on the edge of the Østre Anlæg park in central Copenhagen with Rosenborg Castle across the road.

    • Must see
    • Museum
  11. Strøget Strøget
    12 45 min

    Strøget

    Strøget is Copenhagen’s principal pedestrian shopping route through the historic city centre. It links City Hall Square with Kongens Nytorv through a connected sequence of streets and squares.

    • Must see
    • Historic site
  12. Freetown Christiania Freetown Christiania
    13 45 min

    Freetown Christiania

    Christiania

    Freetown Christiania is an autonomous district in Copenhagen, Denmark, established in 1971 when squatters occupied former military barracks. The area operates under collective self-governance and has developed a distinctive countercultural identity.

    • Must see
    • Historic site
  13. Rundetaarn Rundetaarn
    14 1 hour

    Rundetaarn

    Rundetårn

    Rundetaarn, the Round Tower, is a seventeenth-century observatory tower on Købmagergade in the medieval core of Copenhagen, and the thing that makes it unusual is that it has no staircase for most of its height.

    • Must see
    • Historic site
  14. Børsen Børsen
    15 45 min

    Børsen

    Børsen is a historic former stock exchange building on Slotsholmen in central Copenhagen. Built in the Dutch Renaissance style during the seventeenth century, it served the city’s commercial life for centuries.

    • Must see
    • Historic site
  15. Rosenborg Castle Gardens Rosenborg Castle Gardens
    16 1 hour

    Rosenborg Castle Gardens

    Kongens Have

    Rosenborg Castle Gardens, known locally as Kongens Have, is a historic public park in central Copenhagen. Established in the early 17th century as the private gardens of King Christian IV's Rosenborg Castle, it represents the oldest royal garden in Denmark.

    • Must see
    • Nature site
  16. Kastellet Kastellet
    17 45 min

    Kastellet

    Kastellet is one of the best-preserved star fortresses in Northern Europe, located in Copenhagen near the Langelinie promenade.

    • Must see
    • Historic site
  17. Designmuseum Denmark Designmuseum Denmark
    18 1 hr 30 min

    Designmuseum Denmark

    Designmuseum Danmark

    Designmuseum Danmark is a museum dedicated to Danish and international design, crafts, and applied arts. Located in central Copenhagen, it occupies a historic rococo building that formerly served as the Royal Danish Hospital.

    • Must see
    • Museum
  18. Thorvaldsen Museum Thorvaldsen Museum
    19 1 hr 30 min

    Thorvaldsen Museum

    Thorvaldsens Museum

    Thorvaldsens Museum is a Copenhagen museum dedicated to the works of Danish sculptor Bertel Thorvaldsen, who spent much of his career in Rome. The building itself is distinctive with its colourful exterior, making it a notable landmark in the city.

    • Must see
    • Museum
  19. Copenhagen Opera House Copenhagen Opera House
    20 1 hour

    Copenhagen Opera House

    Operaen

    The Copenhagen Opera House, known locally as Operaen, is a prominent performing arts venue situated on Holmen island in central Copenhagen. It stands as one of Denmark's most significant cultural institutions, dedicated to opera and ballet performances.

    • Must see
    • Art and culture venue
  20. Royal Danish Theatre Royal Danish Theatre
    21 1 hour

    Royal Danish Theatre

    Det Kongelige Teater

    The Royal Danish Theatre, known locally as Det Kongelige Teater, stands as Denmark's national theatre and a prominent performing arts institution in Copenhagen. Founded in 1748, it serves as the country's principal venue for opera, ballet, and spoken drama.

    • Must see
    • Art and culture venue
  21. Copenhagen City Hall Copenhagen City Hall
    22 45 min

    Copenhagen City Hall

    Københavns Rådhus

    Copenhagen City Hall, or Københavns Rådhus, is the seat of Copenhagen’s municipal government on City Hall Square. Completed in 1905 and designed by Martin Nyrop, the building is a major example of National Romantic architecture with medieval Danish influences.

    • High
    • Historic site
  22. Copenhagen Botanical Garden Copenhagen Botanical Garden
    23 1 hour

    Copenhagen Botanical Garden

    Botanisk Have

    Copenhagen Botanical Garden is the living plant collection of the Natural History Museum Denmark in the centre of Copenhagen.

    • Must see
    • Nature site
  23. Frederiksberg Park Frederiksberg Park
    24 1 hour

    Frederiksberg Park

    Frederiksberg Have

    Frederiksberg Have is a historic landscape garden in Frederiksberg, an independent municipality enclosed by Copenhagen. The park was originally laid out in the early 18th century as a Baroque garden for Frederiksberg Palace.

    • Must see
    • Nature site
  24. Copenhagen Zoo Copenhagen Zoo
    25 1 hr 30 min

    Copenhagen Zoo

    Zoologisk Have København

    Copenhagen Zoo, known locally as Zoologisk Have København, is a zoological garden in the Frederiksberg district of Copenhagen. Founded in 1859, it is among the oldest zoos in Europe.

    • Must see
    • Family attraction

Source: OpenStreetMap contributors, Wikidata ·

How the city is laid out

Indre By contains the historic centre, main shopping streets, palace district and inner harbour. Christianshavn sits across the water, Vesterbro lies west of Central Station, and Norrebro and Osterbro extend north. Frederiksberg forms a green western district with its own centre. The harbour is both a boundary and a transport corridor, so combine waterfront sights by side before crossing repeatedly.

Checked 2026-08-26

Getting around

Walk or cycle for short central journeys and use metro, trains and buses for longer trips. Visit Copenhagen states that the metro operates throughout the day and night and connects the centre with major neighbourhoods and the airport. Harbour buses are part of public transport and serve waterfront journeys. Buy the correct ticket before boarding and use the journey planner for zone-dependent trips.

Checked 2026-08-26

More city guides

More places to explore in Copenhagen

Common questions

How many days should I spend in Copenhagen?

Suggested stay for a first visit: 3–4 days. Plan by cluster: Indre By, Christianshavn and the harbour, then Vesterbro, Norrebro, Osterbro or Frederiksberg according to interest.

Can I walk around central Copenhagen?

Yes. Indre By and the inner harbour are compact enough for walking. Cycling and public transport are useful when moving between outer neighbourhoods or across the wider city.

Does Copenhagen have an all-night metro?

Yes. Visit Copenhagen states that the metro operates throughout the day and night, connecting the centre with major neighbourhoods and Copenhagen Airport.

Are harbour buses part of public transport?

Yes. Harbour buses use the public transport system and provide a practical waterfront connection as well as a view of the city from the water.

How do I reach central Copenhagen from the airport?

Metro and regional trains both connect the airport with the city. The better choice depends on the destination neighbourhood, so check the official journey planner before departure.