Copenhagen itinerary — 4 days
Day 1 — Copenhagen
6 stops · ≈ 6 h 3 minThe University of Copenhagen's botanical garden, with history reaching back to 1600: ten hectares of hills, ponds and plant collections in the heart of the Danish capital. Its jewel is the Victorian Palm House of 1874, a glass-and-iron dome packed with towering palms. A Victoria house with giant water lilies and an alpinarium complete the picture; the garden itself is free to enter.
The primary departure pier for Stromma's guided boat excursions, situated along the postcard-perfect harbor canal of Nyhavn in central Copenhagen. Sightseeing boats with open-air and glass-roofed seating depart here for one-hour cruises navigating the city's historic canals and inner harbour. The voyage offers fantastic waterfront views of Christiansborg Palace, the Royal Danish Opera, Amalienborg Palace, and the Little Mermaid statue.
Copenhagen's quintessential waterfront landmark, this 17th-century canal was originally dug by Swedish prisoners of war between 1670 and 1673. Lined with brightly colored gabled townhouses and heritage wooden sailing ships, the quay bustles with outdoor dining terraces. Beloved fairy-tale author Hans Christian Andersen lived at numbers 18, 20, and 67, making it a literary pilgrimage and the hub for harbor boat tours.
The winter home of the Danish royal family in central Copenhagen, regarded as a masterpiece of 18th-century Danish Rococo architecture designed by Nicolai Eigtved. The complex comprises four identical palaces set around an octagonal cobblestone courtyard centered on an equestrian monument to King Frederick V. Every day at noon, visitors gather to watch the ceremonial Changing of the Royal Guard.
Frederik's Church, commonly known as the Marble Church (Marmorkirken), is an imposing Rococo-Baroque church standing near Amalienborg Palace in Copenhagen. Begun in 1749 using Norwegian marble and finally finished in 1894, the building is crowned by Scandinavia's largest church dome, spanning 31 meters across and resting on 12 slender pillars. Inside, visitors admire frescoed ceilings, fine marble altars, and soaring acoustics.
Designmuseum Danmark occupies the 18th-century former Frederiks Hospital in central Copenhagen and traces its history to 1890. It tells the story of the design that made Denmark famous: chairs by Wegner and Jacobsen, porcelain, textiles, lighting and 20th-century industrial forms. Renovated halls and a garden reopened in 2022, with a separate display devoted to Kaare Klint's furniture school.
Reserve
14If you have time left — worth it too.
17th-century church with a carved oak altarpiece & pulpit & a barrel-vaulted ceiling.
Stretching over one kilometre from City Hall Square to Kongens Nytorv, Strøget is Copenhagen's principal pedestrian thoroughfare. Converted into a car-free zone in 1962, it pioneered modern European pedestrian shopping streets. The vibrant promenade is lined with Nordic design department stores, Royal Copenhagen porcelain shops, high-end boutiques, and historic cafes, while street entertainers gather around the Stork Fountain on Amagertorv.
Leisure area in a former shipyard with street food stalls, an art gallery & an artificial ski slope.
The Royal Danish Library on Copenhagen's Slotsholmen waterfront is renowned for its modern extension, 'The Black Diamond' (Den Sorte Diamant). Designed by Schmidt Hammer Lassen and completed in 1999, the monolithic structure is clad in polished black granite tilting gently over the harbour. Inside, a soaring eight-storey glass atrium with wave-like balconies connects to the 1906 library. Access to the public atrium and waterside terrace is free.
Designed by Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG), CopenHill (Amager Bakke) is a groundbreaking waste-to-energy power plant transformed into an urban recreation rooftop park. The sloped roof of the 85-metre structure features an artificial year-round dry ski slope, green hiking and running trails, a rooftop café, and panoramic viewpoints over Copenhagen and the Øresund Strait. Its sheer glass-and-aluminum facade hosts the world's tallest climbing wall.
Bustling neighborhood with offbeat shops, art galleries, nightlife, fashion boutiques & sex shops.
Copenhagen's cycling culture is celebrated worldwide, and it's an example of what good urbanization can look like. Besides being an efficient form of transportation, exploring the city by bike is very rewarding. Pretty much everywhere in Copenhagen is within 30 minutes by bike, and you can cover a lot of ground in a few days. Did you know that in Copenhagen, more people ride bikes than drive cars? The city is dotted with kilometers upon kilometers of bike lanes, so there's no better way to get around Copenhagen than like a local on a rental bike! Donkey Republic is the best-reviewed bike rental shop in Copenhagen.
52-acre island & center of Denmark government since the Middle Ages, filled with historic buildings.
Denmark's national showcase for architecture, urbanism, and sustainable design, housed in the bold BLOX complex designed by OMA on Copenhagen's waterfront. The centre features engaging interactive exhibitions on Nordic city living, panoramic harborfront roof terraces, and an exceptional design shop. A signature thrill is the 40-metre spiralling art slide by Carsten Höller, letting visitors slide through four floors of the building.
Situated in the 18th-century Prince's Palace in central Copenhagen, the National Museum of Denmark is the country's primary cultural history institution. Its comprehensive exhibits trace Danish history from prehistoric hunter-gatherers and the Viking Age through modern times. Highlights include the Bronze Age Trundholm Sun Chariot, the preserved Egtved Girl burial, runic stones, and extensive global ethnographic treasures.
Dutch Renaissance palace & gardens, including a museum housing the crown jewels, with guided tours.
Nørrebro is a vibrant and diverse neighborhood in Copenhagen, offering a mix of vintage shops, boutiques, cafes, restaurants, and wine bars. Visitors can start their day by biking to Refshaleoen for coffee at La Banchina and a refreshing ocean dip. For lunch or snacks, Lille Bakery or Oens Have provide locally produced vegetable-based options.
Jægersborggade is a vibrant and urban street located in Norrebro, Copenhagen. It's known for its eclectic mix of vintage clothing shops, jewelry designers, art galleries, and fine dining establishments. The street offers a diverse range of shopping experiences, from artists' paintings to kitchen wares and crafts. Additionally, it features organic produce shops, ceramics and jewelry designers, wine bars, coffee shops, and restaurants.
A linear urban park about 750 m long in Nørrebro, Copenhagen's multicultural district. Opened in 2012 and designed by the BIG studio with the artists' group Superflex, it splits into three colour-coded zones: a red square by the café, a green sports area and a black 'living room' with a fountain. Over a hundred objects — benches, bins, palm trees, neon signs — were brought from the 60 countries the local residents come from.
- Purchase a Copenhagen Card for unlimited public transport and free entry to many attractions.
- Try to learn a few Danish phrases; locals appreciate the effort.
- Enjoy the city's many bike lanes if you decide to rent a bike.