Two days in Copenhagen

Here’s the best two days itinerary in Copenhagen to enjoy every corner of the Danish capital.

I suggest staying in Copenhagen for at least two or three days because there’s a lot of things to see. If you are lucky enough to have a nice weather, you can’t miss visiting the countryside as well.

Copenhagen is Denmark’s largest city and capital. The city is located is located on the Zealand and Amager Islands, and is separated from Malmö, Sweden, by the strait of Øresund.

I’ll list here all the things to do when spending a few days in Copenhagen, from the Little Mermaid to the King’s garden, including the famous Nyhavn.

• Day One : The Historical Center
• Day Two : Alongside Hønsebroløbet Canal

Note : The subway is operating 24/7. Tickets are 24 DKK (3€) in the city, and 36 DKK (4,8€) from/to the airport to city center.

Day One

Day one circuit : 30 minutes walk, 7 stops

Start your first day in Copenhagen at the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek. It is an art museum housing a great collection of ancient sculptures, founded in 1888. It gets its name from its founder, Carl Jacobsen, and the word “Glyptotek,” which means a collection of sculptures. Ny is for new, to distinguish it from his father’s brewery. The monument an courtyard are absolutely worth the visit, plus it can be a place to get warm if the weather isn’t pleasant.

Plan at least two hours to visit the museum.

Entrance fee : 95 DKK (12,5€) for students and people under 27 years old, 125 DKK (16,5€) for adults 

Opening hours : Closed on Monday, open every other days from 10am to 5pm, and until 9pm on Thursdays.

An 8 minute walk from the museum will take you to Tivoli Gardens. It is a famous amusement park and garden in Copenhagen, opened since 1843, making it one of the oldest amusement parks in the world.

Entrance fee : 160 DKK (21€) on weekdays, 180 (24€) DKK on weekends and 250 DKK (33,5€) on Fridays after 6pm.

Opening hours : Open everyday from 11am to 10pm, and until 12am on Fridays and Saturdays.

A 4 minute walk and you will arrive at City Hall Square. You will see there the City Hall, a beautiful red-brick building, completed in 1905, blending Italian Renaissance and Nordic design, with a tall clock tower.

From the City Hall Square, walk in direction of Gråbrødretorv, by taking Strøget street. This is one of Europe’s longest pedestrian streets, stretching over a kilometer, filled with shops, cafes, and street performers.

10 minutes later, you will arrive at Gråbrødretorv. This is a historic square known for its cobblestone streets, colorful old houses, and the Gråbrødre Monastery ruins nearby. The whole square has a really charming and inviting atmosphere.

3 minutes from the square is the Round Tower, or Rundetårn. It’s a 17th-century observatory known for its cylindrical shape, spiral ramp, and panoramic views of the city from the top.

Entrance fee : 40 DKK (5,3€)

Opening hours : Open everyday from 10am to 8pm

Plus, there is a small local market right next to it !

After 5 minutes, you will reach the King’s Garden, or Kongens Have. This 1906 public park was originally part of the Rosenborg Castle grounds.

The garden is absolutely beautiful and offers a nice decor to the Rosenborg Castle. This Renaissance castle was built in the early 17th century ans is known for its architecture and the Danish Crown Jewels housed in its treasury.

If you have the time, drop by the garden at sunset, the lighting and atmosphere is really nice :

To end your visits beautifully, cross the street to explore the Botanical Garden. This beautiful garden houses extensive collections of plants, landscaped gardens and six incredible greenhouses, including the famous Palm House, called Palmhuset. The garden entrance is free and open anytime, but there’s a ticket for the Palm house, which gives also access to the Natural History Museum Denmark. Here are the details for the Palm House :

Entrance fee : 115 DKK (15,5€) for adults, 50 DKK (6,7€) for students

Opening hours : Closed on Mondays, open every other day from 10am to 5pm

Day Two

Day two circuit : 30 minutes walk, 7 stops

Start of your second day at Christiansborg Palace. Built in 1167, this grand historic building was destroyed twice by fire. The third and current structure was completed in 1928 and is the seat of the Danish Parliament, the Supreme Court, and the Prime Minister’s Office, and also includes rooms used for royal receptions and functions.

A 10 minute walk will take you to Christianshavn. Take some time to wander in the cobblestone streets of this historic district, walk along the charming canals, and observe this blend of old and modern architecture.

After 5 minutes, you will reach the Church of our Saviour or Vor Frelsers Kirke. This 1695 baroque church is worth a detour to observe its spiraling corkscrew-shaped tower with an external staircase :

Entrance fee : Entrance to the church is free, but climbing the tower is 69 DKK (9€) for adults, 53 DKK (7€) for students

Opening hours : Open everyday from 9am to 8pm

Walking 3 more minutes will take you to Freetown Christiania, a self-proclaimed autonomous neighborhood in Copenhagen, established in 1971, known for its alternative lifestyle, colorful murals, and communal living, existing separately from the city’s conventional regulations.

You can even find all the rules they have set for their community :

After walking for 15 minutes and crossing the modern bridge calle Inderhavnsbroen, you will arrive in Nyhavn. This is the famous, vibrant, historic waterfront district in Copenhagen known for its colorful 17th- and 18th-century buildings, lively restaurants and bars, and picturesque canal lined with boats.

Take some time to walk alongside the less popular canals in this neighbourhood, it’s really beautiful and relaxing :

To get to Amalienborg Palace, you will have to walk 5-10 minutes from Nyhavn. This is the winter residence of the Danish royal family, built between 1750 and 1760 (picture 1 below). If you walk by the palace around noon, you will get to see the daily changing of the guard ceremony.

You can visit Amalienborg museum and have a guided tour as well, for more information and ordering your ticket, check out the official website here.

Entrance fee : 125 DKK for adults, 80 DKK for students, an additional 30 DKK is required for the guided tour

Opening hours : Timeslots vary a lot, they can be checked here.

After 3 minutes, you will discover the impressive Frederik’s Church. Also known as the Marble Church (Marmorkirken), is a amazing baroque-style church with a huge copper dome, completed in 1894 (picture 2 down below).

For our second to last stop of the day, head to Gefion fountain after a 10 minute walk. This 1908 fountain features a sculpture of the Norse goddess Gefion driving with her oxen (see picture 2 and 3 below).

Right next to it is Kastellet, a star-shaped fortress built in the 17th century, now serving as a peaceful park with historic military structures and a windmill.

Entrance fee : Free

Opening hours : Every day from 6am to 10pm

And to finish of in beauty, at the end of park is The Little Mermaid. This bronze statue is the symbol of Copenhagen. Unveiled in 1913, it depicts a mermaid sitting on a rock and gazing out to sea and was inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale (see first picture below).

If you have a bit more time to explore outside of the city center, I would recommend exploring these places :

• Reffen Copenhagen Street Food : An amazing street food market, offering a diverse array of food stalls, craft beers, and live music in an industrial setting. An unmissable for food lovers !

• Elephant Gate : This 1901 entrance at the old Carlsberg Brewery features four big granite elephants holding up the archway, symbolizing strength and support.

• Elephant Tower : This is part of the Elephant Gate structure. It serves as a water tower and is topped with a small observation platform.

• Assistens Cemetery : This burial ground is known for its serene, park-like atmosphere, where notable figures such as Hans Christian Andersen are interred (see picture 3 down below).
• Nørrebro : a multicultural neighbourhood where you can explore for example the Superkilen Park (see picture 2 below) or the Bolsjefabrikken to see street art (see picture 1 and 4 below).

• And of course, take the time to get lost, you will stumble upon cute little streets everywhere !

That’s it for my four days itinerary in Copenhagen ! Copenhagen is a city with a lot of thing to see and do, I listed only the main ones but you could easily spend a few more days there and you wouldn’t be bored a second. If you need more information about what to know before going to Denmark, you can check out this article.

I have also made a post about restaurant and food recommendations, click here to check it out !

If you need a custom itinerary, you can fill this form and I’ll make your own personalised itinerary.