Roavina

Country guide

Denmark

A photograph of Denmark
Photograph · Moahim · CC BY-SA 4.0

Denmark is the southernmost of the Scandinavian countries: the northern Jutland peninsula, which shares a short land border with Germany, plus an archipelago of 406 islands lying between the North Sea and the Baltic. Its population passed 6 million in May 2025, and roughly 40 per cent of that lives on Zealand alone — the largest island, and the one carrying Copenhagen. The land is flat and mostly arable, low, with sandy coasts, so a Danish route is measured in water crossings rather than in altitude. Beyond continental Denmark, the Kingdom also includes the Faroe Islands and Greenland.

Reviewed by Elena Voss · Roavina Travel Editor

Cities

Every city catalogued in this country so far, ranked by how much there is to see.

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

  1. January: seasonal closure recorded
  2. February: seasonal closure recorded
  3. March: seasonal closure recorded
  4. April: seasonal closure recorded
  5. May: seasonal closure recorded
  6. June: seasonal closure recorded
  7. July: seasonal closure recorded
  8. August: seasonal closure recorded
  9. September: seasonal closure recorded — this month
  10. October: no seasonality data recorded
  11. November: no seasonality data recorded
  12. December: seasonal closure recorded

Top things to see

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

  1. Rosenborg Castle Rosenborg Castle
    02 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 monument
    • Copenhagen
  2. Amalienborg Amalienborg
    03 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 monument
    • Copenhagen
  3. Christiansborg Palace Christiansborg Palace
    04 45 min

    Christiansborg Palace

    Christiansborg Slot

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

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Copenhagen
  4. Rundetaarn Rundetaarn
    05 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 monument
    • Copenhagen
  5. Freetown Christiania Freetown Christiania
    06 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 monument
    • Copenhagen
  6. Church of Our Saviour Church of Our Saviour
    07 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 monument
    • Copenhagen
  7. Kastellet Kastellet
    08 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 monument
    • Copenhagen
  8. Holmen Church Holmen Church
    09 45 min

    Holmen Church

    Holmens Kirke

    Holmen Church, or Holmens Kirke, is a historic church in central Copenhagen’s Holmen district. The building began as an anchor forge in the 1560s before being converted into a church for the Danish navy.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Copenhagen
  9. Børsen Børsen
    10 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 monument
    • Copenhagen
  10. Copenhagen University Library Copenhagen University Library
    11 45 min

    Copenhagen University Library

    Københavns Universitetsbibliotek Fiolstræde

    Copenhagen University Library on Fiolstræde is an academic library in the Latin Quarter of central Copenhagen. Its primary role is to support University of Copenhagen students, researchers, and teaching, making it a working institution rather than a conventional museum.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Copenhagen
  11. Frederiksberg Palace Frederiksberg Palace
    12 45 min

    Frederiksberg Palace

    Frederiksberg Slot

    Frederiksberg Palace is a Baroque residence situated in Frederiksberg, adjacent to Copenhagen. Constructed in the early eighteenth century, it served as a royal summer palace and remains an emblem of Danish architectural heritage.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Copenhagen
  12. North Atlantic House North Atlantic House
    13 45 min

    North Atlantic House

    Nordatlantens Brygge

    North Atlantic House, known locally as Nordatlantens Brygge, is a cultural centre on Copenhagen's harbourfront. The building occupies a converted warehouse in the Christianshavn district, part of the revitalised harbour area.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Copenhagen
  13. Trekroner Fort Trekroner Fort
    14 45 min

    Trekroner Fort

    Trekroner

    Trekroner is a sea fort located at the entrance to Copenhagen harbour. The fortification sits on an artificial island near the northern tip of Refshaleøen.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Copenhagen
  14. Strøget Strøget
    15 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 monument
    • Copenhagen
  15. Church of Our Lady Church of Our Lady
    16 45 min

    Church of Our Lady

    Vor Frue Kirke

    Vor Frue Kirke, known in English as the Church of Our Lady, stands as Copenhagen's cathedral and serves as the National Cathedral of Denmark.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Copenhagen
  16. Kongens Nytorv Kongens Nytorv
    17 45 min

    Kongens Nytorv

    Kongens Nytorv is Copenhagen’s largest public square and one of the city centre’s main meeting points. King Christian V’s equestrian statue stands at its centre, while the Royal Danish Theatre and Hotel D’Angleterre frame the surrounding streets.

    • High
    • Historic monument
    • Copenhagen
  17. Copenhagen City Hall Copenhagen City Hall
    18 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 monument
    • Copenhagen
  18. City Hall Square City Hall Square
    19 45 min

    City Hall Square

    Rådhuspladsen

    Rådhuspladsen, known in English as City Hall Square, is a major public square in central Copenhagen. It serves as a prominent gathering point and transportation hub in the Danish capital.

    • High
    • Historic monument
    • Copenhagen
  19. HDMS Sehested HDMS Sehested
    20 45 min

    HDMS Sehested

    P547 Sehested

    HDMS Sehested, also known locally as P547 Sehested, is a retired Royal Danish Navy vessel preserved as a museum ship in Copenhagen. The fast attack craft represents Cold War-era naval technology and Danish maritime defence history.

    • High
    • Historic monument
    • Copenhagen
  20. Flakfortet Flakfortet
    21 45 min

    Flakfortet

    Flakfortet is an artificial island fort in the Øresund, reached across open water from Copenhagen rather than from a city street. Its identity comes from the combination of a coastal-defence installation, surviving military structures and an exposed maritime setting.

    • High
    • Historic monument
    • Copenhagen
  21. Gammeltorv Gammeltorv
    22 45 min

    Gammeltorv

    Gammeltorv is Copenhagen’s oldest square and one of the central public spaces in the Indre By district. The name means Old Market, recalling the square’s medieval role as a marketplace and gathering place.

    • High
    • Historic monument
    • Copenhagen
  22. Ryvangen Memorial Park Ryvangen Memorial Park
    23 45 min

    Ryvangen Memorial Park

    Mindelunden

    Ryvangen Memorial Park, also called Mindelunden, is a Copenhagen memorial site dedicated to Danish resistance fighters executed during the German occupation in the Second World War.

    • Notable
    • Historic monument
    • Copenhagen
  23. HDMS Sælen HDMS Sælen
    24 45 min

    HDMS Sælen

    HDMS Sælen is a retired Danish submarine preserved as a museum vessel in Copenhagen. Its name means “Seal.” The submarine offers a direct encounter with Cold War naval technology and the confined environment in which submariners lived and worked.

    • Notable
    • Historic monument
    • Copenhagen
  24. Christian IV's Brewhouse Christian IV's Brewhouse
    25 45 min

    Christian IV's Brewhouse

    Christian 4.s Bryghus

    Christian IV's Brewhouse, known locally as Christian 4.s Bryghus, is a historic Copenhagen building associated with King Christian IV and the early seventeenth century. The brewhouse connects the city’s architecture with royal commercial enterprise and Denmark’s brewing heritage.

    • Notable
    • Historic monument
    • Copenhagen
  25. Prøvestenen Prøvestenen
    26 45 min

    Prøvestenen

    Prøvestenen is a historic coastal fortification on a small artificial island southeast of Copenhagen's inner harbour. The site formed part of Denmark's naval defences and represents 18th-century coastal military engineering.

    • Notable
    • Historic monument
    • Copenhagen
  26. Royal Library Garden Royal Library Garden
    27 45 min

    Royal Library Garden

    Det Kongelige Biblioteks Have

    The Royal Library Garden, known locally as Det Kongelige Biblioteks Have, is a quiet green space in central Copenhagen beside the Royal Library.

    • Notable
    • Historic monument
    • Copenhagen
  27. Vestvolden Vestvolden
    28 45 min

    Vestvolden

    Vestvolden is a historic fortification system forming a semicircular defensive ring around Copenhagen's western approaches. Constructed in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, it represents one of the largest remaining military earthworks in Northern Europe.

    • Notable
    • Historic monument
    • Copenhagen
  28. HDMS Peder Skram HDMS Peder Skram
    29 45 min

    HDMS Peder Skram

    HDMS Peder Skram is a preserved Royal Danish Navy frigate berthed at Holmen, Copenhagen’s historic naval district. Commissioned in 1966 and serving until 1988, it represents Denmark’s Cold War fleet in a form visitors can physically enter.

    • Notable
    • Historic monument
    • Copenhagen

Source: OpenStreetMap contributors, Wikidata ·

Common questions

How long should a first trip to Denmark be?

Five to seven days allows three or four days in Copenhagen and time for one rail-linked extension such as Odense, Aarhus or North Zealand. Adding Jutland and several islands requires extra nights rather than longer day trips.

What entry documents are needed for Denmark?

Denmark’s New to Denmark portal is the official short-stay visa reference. Check the passport-specific rule and Schengen conditions there, including which country is responsible for an application on a multi-country trip.

What is the best way to travel around Denmark?

Copenhagen Airport has direct metro and rail connections. Intercity trains link Copenhagen, Odense, Aarhus and Aalborg, while Rejseplanen combines train, bus and ferry options even when fares remain operator-specific.

When is a practical time to visit Denmark?

May through August provides Denmark’s longest days and the broadest seasonal opening pattern. Coastal weather can still change quickly, and island ferry frequency should be checked outside the main summer period.

What money and payment basics apply in Denmark?

Denmark prices goods in Danish kroner (DKK), not euros. Payment conditions are not recorded here; keep an alternative available for any terminal or small operator that does not accept the preferred card.

What practical safety details should I save for Denmark?

Use 112 for emergencies in Denmark. The supply is 230 V across Type C, E, F and K sockets, and mains tap water is recorded as safe.