20250615_081727Nyhavn in Copenhagen (June 2025)

Named København in Danish, the capital of Denmark is distinctive in terms of its location in the Scandinavia region. Home to nearly 1.4 million people in its metropolitan area, Copenhagen is situated on the islands of Zealand and Amager, away from the country’s mainland (known as “Jutland”). Despite being quite north in Europe, the Danish capital is known for high quality of life, as the Danes are considered one of the happiest people on Earth.

Copenhagen began as a Viking fishing village in the 10th century, before expanding and becoming Denmark’s capital in the early 15th century. The city experienced a period of turmoil, e.g. the plague which killed one-third of its population in 1711, two major fires that destroyed a quarter of the city in 1728 and 1795, the Napoleonic Wars against Britain in the early 19th century, and Nazi occupation during WWII. However, since the end of the Second World War, the city saw huge progress and development in its infrastructure. Today, Copenhagen (along with the rest of Denmark) has a high living quality worth admiring, even emulating, for the rest of the world.

I’ve visited Copenhagen twice, first in June 2012 with my family and 13 years later, in June 2025, with my fiancée. Both times have been in the summer and honestly, it’s the perfect time to go. Copenhagen is warmer and sunnier during the summer months, not to forget with plenty of daylight to keep exploring as much as possible (i.e. the sun doesn’t set until past 23h00!). Even though it’s quite an expensive city, Copenhagen is a beautiful place that I love returning to again and again, and I’d happily go back to see more!

That said, I’ve come up with an itinerary that you can see and do in Copenhagen. Much of the city center is walkable, although the transit system (metro, bus, bike) is excellent and convenient to get you from place to place easily. I’d say to get a taste of the Danish capital, two full days is a solid start, along with an extra day either for returning to favorite spots or a day trip to another part of Denmark. Here’s a suggestion what you can check out, so here we go!

72 Hours in Copenhagen: Things to See and Do

Day 1

It’s an early rise (7h30-8h00) to grab some wienerbrød (Danish pastries) at any of the abundant pastry shops in town; I’d recommend Lagkagehuset, a bakery chain with stores all over Copenhagen (even much of Denmark) that’s reliable in its pastries, sandwiches, and desserts.

20250616_080958All the Danish pastries!

Have a quick bite to eat before exploring Nyhavn, the most-famous harbor of the city, for lovely photos among the colorful buildings, and for fewer tourists. From Nyhavn, take a one-hour canal tour, which allows you to see so much of Copenhagen along the water, from the Opera House to Christianshavn (a tranquil, residential quarter).

20250615_083552Nyhavn


20250615_093303On the canal tour

Following the canal tour, take a 10-minute walk to Amalienborg Palace, the home of the royal Danish family. It actually comprises of four palaces from four Danish kings, and you can spend some time strolling the grounds and observing the Changing of the Guards, which happens at noon. You can also check out its museum inside, home to opulent halls and rooms used by the royal family. It’s a large palace, so you could spend many hours here!

Afterwards, grab lunch at any of the plethora of restaurants near Frederiks Kirke (“Frederik’s Church”); I recommend trying smørrebrød, an open-faced sandwich with plenty of Nordic toppings like herring, smoked salmon, or roast beef, on top of hearty rye bread. Wash it down with a bit of schnapps afterwards (that is, if you drink)!

20250615_122246Smørrebrød

In the afternoon, take a nice stroll over to The Little Mermaid statue. It’s guaranteed to be crowded, but it’s located in a spacious park where you can get photos of her without too many people. You can relax in the nearby gardens with views overlooking the harbor, or spend the rest of the afternoon at the Designmuseum Danmark, a unique museum known for Danish and international design and crafts (i.e. think IKEA, but in an artistic way). Explore the exhibits displaying tons of Scandinavian works, from the engineering of bikes to the ergonomics of chairs, etc.

20250620_131338The Little Mermaid statue


20250620_135818Chair exhibit at Designmuseum Danmark

Later in the evening, enjoy a nice dinner at any well-known Danish establishment in town; I’d recommend Madklubben, a restaurant chain known for innovative small dishes which use fresh ingredients. The menu changes seasonally, and almost every dish is solid and worth choosing! Afterwards, head back to the accommodation for much-needed rest, to prepare for another day of sightseeing.

20250620_183132Stuffed chicken breast for dinner

Day 2

Start your day with another wienerbrød (at any bakery in Copenhagen; there are too many to count!) before heading to Christiansborg Palace (opens at 10h00). This palace houses the Parliament, Supreme Court, and the Prime Minister’s office. Spend the morning visiting the lovely Royal Reception Rooms, the Royal Stables, even the Palace Ruins.

After Christiansborg Palace, get lunch just across the water near Strøget, where you can try stegt flæsk (“fried pork”), the national dish of Denmark, perhaps with a Carlsberg beer. Following lunch, spend the afternoon strolling Strøget, a 1.1-kilometer pedestrian street full of high-end stores. Window shop or properly shop at places like HAY House or Studio Arhoj for some beautiful (albeit expensive) souvenirs to bring home to loved ones. Just around the corner from Strøget is the Round Tower, where you can go up and get beautiful 360-degree views of Copenhagen.

20250621_124842Stegt flæsk


20250615_125631Strøget


20250620_144127At HAY House


20250620_150134At Studio Arhoj


20250615_130359The Round Tower


20250615_132050Views on top

If there’s still time left in the afternoon, you can relax at the nearby Kongens Have (King’s Garden) and read, people watch, and enjoy the overall vibes. As you probably had a filling lunch with stegt flæsk, dinner will be a lighter affair: grab a Danish hot dog at any of the many street carts in town– get everything on it, including rémoulade and fried onions!

20250615_184042Danish hot dog

Day 3

You have two options for your final day in Copenhagen:

Wake up a little later than usual to grab another wienerbrød before heading to Tivoli Gardens when they open at 11AM. You could spend almost a full day enjoying the rides, getting food, and otherwise hanging out in its beautiful gardens. Think Disneyland, but more historic and beautiful!

The alternative is to take a day trip to Helsingør, a small city just north of Copenhagen and accessible by a 45-minute train ride. There, you can visit the Kronborg Slot, a famous castle in Denmark. In fact, Helsingør is also known as “Elsinore,” and it’s been made famous as the backdrop for William Shakespeare’s Hamlet. You can easily spend two to three hours at the castle, which has plenty of beautifully-decorated and ornate rooms from royalty’s past, as well as casemates and a bell tower for views.

20250621_115735Kronborg Slot


20250621_114424The King’s Chamber


20250621_114850The Great Ballroom

After Kronborg, grab lunch at the nearby food hall Værftets Madmarked with tons of different cuisines (Thai, Persian, and of course, Danish) to choose from. Spend the rest of the afternoon checking out Helsingør city center before heading back to Copenhagen via train. Enjoy a delicious last dinner at any of the upscale New Danish restaurants like Alchemist or Høst (reservations are required), and enjoy the last night in town!

Have you been to Copenhagen before? Let me know! Thanks for reading, and have a great day! 🙂

— Rebecca

I’ve been inspired by the famous New York Times’ “36 Hours in…” segment to have started a similar series to offer some of my own suggestions of things to do, see, and eat in well-renown cities in the world that I’ve been to at least twice in order to ensure a more-comprehensive outlook on the cities themselves. Check out more of my “72-Hour” posts here!

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Published by Rebecca

Blogger, world traveler, poet, foodie, part-time penguin. Welcome!

37 thoughts on “72 Hours in Copenhagen: Things to See and Do”

  1. I have not been to Copenhagen or Denmark for that matter, but always wanted to go, especially after reading The Little Book of Hygge by Meik Wiking and being intrigued by the Danish philosophy of comfort, togetherness, and well-being. Thanks for sharing, and have a good day 🙂 Aiva xx

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  3. Two years ago, I planned to go to Copenhagen to attend a friend’s wedding there. But as an Indonesian, I had to get a visa in advance, and from what I heard the process can be quite troublesome and your visa application can get rejected even though you can prove that you’re financially able to fund the trip yourself. That and work schedules that were not permitting eventually made me decide not to go. If I do visit the Danish capital one day, this post of yours will definitely come in handy.

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    1. Sounds like it was a big hassle, and it’s a shame you couldn’t make it to Copenhagen. Visas are a pain, as well as work hours not working in your favor…I do hope you get another chance to head over to the Danish capital some day, as it really is a gorgeous place!

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    1. Nice! Even though I don’t drink alcohol anymore, I know having a Carlsburg beer on a hot summer’s day is crisp and refreshing! Glad you got to see where it was made!!

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  5. I like how the chairs are beautifully arranged in the museum exhibit. What a nice view from the top of the actual Round Tower (I’ve only seen the smaller replica in Solvang!) Thanks for sharing this helpful itinerary for Copenhagen, Rebecca!

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    1. Thank you, Darlene! The Designmuseum is truly a distinctive museum I’ve not come across before, but it offers an array of unique exhibitions dedicated to functionality in everyday life. Appreciate you reading!

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    1. Awesome! Copenhagen is a breath-taking city. I’ve only got glimpses of the Danish countryside while en-route to Helsingør, but it was absolutely gorgeous, from the little I saw. Hope you can return to Denmark and discover more!

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    1. Thanks, Tricia! Denmark is a beautiful country, especially in the summertime! Despite the missed opportunity to visit your sister, I have no doubt you’ll be heading to Copenhagen sooner than later! Thanks for reading 😊

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  8. This sounds like an excellent programme for three days here – well-paced, varied and with lots of good food! I’ve not been to Copenhagen but if I do I’ll certainly follow some of your suggestions 🙂

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  9. I revisited Copenhagen a few weeks after you and visited most of the same places. It’s safe to say that the city centre isn’t too big and is easy to explore on foot. It’s flat and the major avenues make it easy to get from one place to another.

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    1. I didn’t know, either, until I did research! Copenhagen has come a long way over the centuries and today is one of the most prosperous and happiest cities in the world! I hope you can visit Copenhagen some day and experience the magic of it, Elle! 😊

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  12. Aw lovely, I’ve been to Copenhagen before and really enjoyed it. Watching the changing of the guard is also a really cool experience 🙂 Sadly I was there in winter, so I didn’t get to visit Tivoli, I will have to go back and remediate that!

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    1. Indeed! Even though I’ve been to Copenhagen twice over the summer (when Tivoli was open), I’ve not made it over to Tivoli yet. Hope you get to head over to Tivoli upon your next trip to Copenhagen!

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  14. Great guide. The Husband (who’s been to Copenhagen) and I (not) have a running joke about the city. He loves to claim it’s the most boring city in Europe. I claim that there’s lots to see and do, backed up by a post by another blog buddy, and now you. I keep threatening him that one of these days I’m going to go over there by myself and prove him wrong. He just laughs and says, “Go ahead, as long as it’s without me.” 😂

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  15. What a great itinerary. I’ve always heard good things about Copenhagen and hope to visit one day. When I look at flights to Europe it’s often one of the cheaper options so perhaps it would make a good 3-day stopover en route to another country.

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  16. I have not been there, as I missed the chance when my visa was delayed last time. I heard about people there being happy and wish I can get to see and experience the vibe.
    My sister loves Coppenhagen and is going back later this year.

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  17. I would agree that Copenhagen sounds much more appealing in the summer months, when the daylight hours are longer! I’m not so fussed on visiting cities these days, but Copenhagen is somewhere I’d like to see one day. I love the fact it’s so walkable (much more appealing to me than figuring out a bus/metro system!).

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    1. I think I’m a city gal through and through, haha. Copenhagen is the perfect city to visit, even for non-citybreakers, as it’s fairly compact and easy to get around from place to place. Even the metro/bus system isn’t too intimidating there!

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  18. Copenhagen really looks like an amazing city! I wanted to go at the end of October this year but felt like maybe it is best to enjoy it in the warmer and sunnier months, so hopefully I can go next year! This guide will definitely come in handy then!

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