This list of the best places to see in Copenhagen It will help you not to miss anything while visiting one of the most beautiful and amazing cities in Europe.
The Danish capital, with one of the highest standards of living and well-being in the world, has on the bike its most common means of transport and in healthy food, one of its emblems, something that we are sure, will make you fall in love with it at first sight.
It is also a beautiful city with canals and streets surrounded by beautiful buildings of colorful facades, relaxing parks, castles and fairytale palaces, viewpoints of fantastic panoramic views and an amusement park to remember old times, which make it one of the Best getaways in Europe.
Based on our experience during our trip to Copenhagen in 4 days, we have made a selection of what we believe are the 10 essential places to visit in Copenhagen. We start!
1. Nyhavn
The Nyhavn or "New Port" It is the most famous channel and one of the places to see in Copenhagen more beautiful. Built in the seventeenth century, as an entrance to the city by sea for merchants who came to do business in the city, for many years it was inhabited by prostitutes and sailors, although today it is frequented at all times by tourists who stay fascinated with the colorful facades and the wooden boats docked on both banks.
As a curiosity, it is interesting to know that this place served the famous writer Hans Christian Andersen to write some of his most popular stories as The princess and the Pea, during the time he lived in buildings 6, 18 and 20.
We recommend touring Nyhavn day and night, when the atmosphere on the terraces of cafes and restaurants is incredible. Nor can you stop climbing one of the cruises that leave the port of Nyhavn and travel a large part of the canals of the historic center, an experience that offers you another view of the city.
A great option to save time and money on your visit is to buy the Copenhagen Card, with which you will have unlimited use of transportation and free admission to 79 attractions, including the boat ride.
Nyhavn
2. The Little Mermaid
The Little Mermaid sculpture, based on a story by Hans Christian Andersen, is the icon of the city and another of the places to visit in Copenhagen. Created by the sculptor Eriksen in the early twentieth century commissioned by the Jacobsen, the family that owns the Carlsber brewery, this bronze sculpture 1 meter high, was donated to the city and placed on a rock near the port.
Despite suffering several acts of vandalism such as the amputation of an arm or the throw of paint on it, The Little Mermaid continues to be the most visited monument in Denmark, making it an essential event in the city.
We recommend visiting it first thing if you want to take a picture without people or in the moonlight to have a beautiful souvenir image.
After the visit to The Little Mermaid, do not miss the fortress of Kastellet, one of the best preserved in Europe, the fountain of Gefion and the beautiful Church of St. Alban, all located very close.
The Sitenite
3. Christiania
The free city of Christiania is an area of the city that is self-governed by its residents and is considered independent of Denmark. Its history begins in 1971 when several parents occupy this place to have a space to play with their children and little by little, it is transformed into a political movement of rupture with the most habitual way of life in the country.
Today, it is a commune of around 1000 people, in which the use of marijuana or hashish is allowed, although always with the supervision of the Danish government.
Christiania is a curious place to see in Copenhagen, where we recommend taking a walk in the afternoon, especially on its main street Pusher Street, eat in one of its vegetarian places like Morgenstedet, buy some original crafts, in addition to enjoying a alternative environment.
Although it is not much less a dangerous place, we must bear in mind that it is forbidden to take pictures inside and it is something that the inhabitants carry in a quite strict way.
Christiania
4. Stroget Street, one of the places to see in Copenhagen
Touring Stroget, the longest pedestrian street in Europe, is one of the best things to do in Copenhagen. This street goes from Radhuspladsen square, which has the Town Hall and the sculpture of Hans Christian Andersen as main elements, to Kongens Nytorv square, which is surrounded by historic buildings such as the Royal Theater. During the walk through Stroget you will see a multitude of stores among which the LEGO store, the Royal Copenhagen porcelain and the Magasin du Nord shopping center, as well as many others, that mix the best known brands, with some really lovely ones and something else alternatives.
In addition to Strogett, we also recommend stopping at the beautiful squares of Nytorv, Hojbro Plats or Grabrodretorv, the latter located on an adjacent street. Without a doubt, visiting all these places is one of the best tips for traveling to Copenhagen.
A good way to know the history of the city and its most interesting places is to book this free tour with a guide in Spanish Free! or this private tour in which you choose the itinerary.
Stroget, one of the places to see in Copenhagen
5. Rosenborg Castle
Rosenborg Castle, an old 17th-century palace with an impressive garden, is one of the most beautiful places to visit in Copenhagen. Built as a summer residence of the monarch Christian IV, the palace surrounded by a water moat stands out for its Renaissance style that, together with its beautiful garden, gives a fairytale castle look. You can visit inside paying, although we think that the best are the views from the outside, where you can access within hours, but for free.
Next to this castle is the magnificent botanical garden of Copenhagen, another place for which it is very worth taking a pleasant walk through this park to the edge of a lake where there are several glass greenhouses.
If you are a lover of castles, one of the best excursions in Copenhagen is the visit to the castles of Kronborg, Frederiksborg and Fredensborg that are all near the capital.
Visiting hours: every day from 09h to 17h the months of June, July and August. As the winter months approach, the castle closes earlier in the afternoon.
Entry included in the Copenhagen Card.
Rosenborg Castle
Our recommended hotel in CopenhagenWe stayed at the Hotel Nora Copenhagen, located about 10 minutes from the Norreport subway and train station and 15 minutes from downtown, something that allows you to easily access most of the essential places to see in Copenhagen. The accommodation has one of the best quality / price ratios in the city, it also has parking and has a good buffet breakfast included in the room price.
For more information on the best hotels and neighborhoods you can consult this post of where to stay in Copenhagen.
6. Church of San Salvador
The Church of San Salvador is one of the best viewpoints to the city, in addition to being another of the must-see places in Copenhagen. This baroque-style church, visible from many parts of the city, is known for its spiral-shaped exterior staircase located at the top from where you will have the best panoramic views of the city.
Inside it stands out the altar of Our Savior in white marble and a three-story organ of the 17th century and as a curiosity, it is interesting to know that a carillon was added outside, which is the largest in northern Europe, and it sounds every Saturday at four in the afternoon.
The Church of San Salvador is a little far from the center, near Christiania, so a good option if you do not have much time is to book the Copenhagen tourist bus that stops at all the important points of the city.
Visiting hours: every day from May to September from 9:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. As the winter months approach, the church closes earlier in the afternoon.
Views from the Church of San Salvador
7. Amalienborg Palace and the Marble Church
The Amalienborg Palace, the official residence of the royal family during the winter, and the Marble Church in front of the palace, are two of the most beautiful places to see in Copenhagen. The Rococo-style palace is made up of four large buildings that surround a large square presided over by the statue of King Frederick V, which is worth approaching at 12 in the morning, at which time a curious change of guard takes place .
The Marble Church of Baroque style, impresses with its large green dome, inspired by that of the Basilica of St. Peter of the Vatican, where inside you will find an altar with a beautiful altarpiece, several pulpits, baptismal stacks, organs and medieval reliefs.
Schedule of visit to the palace: from Tuesday to Sunday from 11am to 4pm. Entry included in the Copenhagen Card.
Church visiting hours: Monday to Thursday and Saturdays from 10am to 5pm. Fridays and Sundays from 12 noon to 5 pm.
Amalienborg Palace and the Marble Church
8. Tivoli Gardens
The Tivoli Gardens is one of the oldest amusement parks in the world and one of the places to visit in Copenhagen for all ages. Roller coasters, bumper cars, carousels, fair games, shooting galleries, are part of the fun offered by this park that opened in 1843. In addition to all these attractions it has a variety of restaurants such as the Nimb, located in an Arab-style palace, or the Frigate of St. George on a ship. Other famous places in the park are the open-air theater, the Chinese pagoda or the magnificent entrance gate.
Visiting hours: from Sunday to Thursday from 11am to 11pm between April and September. Fridays and Saturdays it closes at 00: 00h. A beautiful medieval market is set up between November and December, which is one of the many reasons to visit Copenhagen at this time of year.
Entry included in the Copenhagen Card.
Another good option is to buy this ticket to the Tivoli Gardens in advance.
Tivoli Gardens, one of the places to visit in Copenhagen
Recommended travel cardsRemember that in order not to pay commissions and always have the current change we recommend you use the N26 card to pay and the Bnext and Revolut cards to get money at the ATMs. They are the ones we use, They are free and will save you a lot.
You can find more information in this article about the best cards to travel without commissions.
9. Slotsholmen
Slotsholmen is a small island surrounded by a beautiful canal and located very close to the historic center, in the port of Copenhagen. In addition to walking along the bank of the canal, we recommend seeing its three most important buildings: the Christiansborg Palace, the Royal Danish Library and the historic Stock Exchange building.
The palace, current seat of Parliament, was built in 1928 and several rooms can be visited, among which the Queen's Library stands out.
The old building of the Copenhagen Stock Exchange is one of the most beautiful buildings in the city, built in red brick and Renaissance style and its most prominent element is the 55 meter high spire, formed by several dragon tails that join in the form of a spiral.
The Royal Danish Library, the largest of the Nordic countries, is our favorite building on the island of Slotsholmen and one of the must-see places in Copenhagen. Composed of several buildings among which stands out the well-known as Black Diamond, a masterpiece of architecture made of black marble and glass, in which the water is reflected, giving it the appearance of a diamond.
Visiting hours of the palace: every day from 09h to 17h. From October to April it opens from Tuesday to Sunday from 10am to 5pm. Entry included in the Copenhagen Card.
Library visiting hours: Monday to Saturday in summer from 08h to 19h. In winter it closes at 9pm.
Keep in mind that in the latter, although photographs can be taken, there are areas that are restricted to the public since we cannot forget that it is a place of study.
Royal Library of Denmark
10. Round Tower
A good way to end a route through the historic center of Copenhagen is to enjoy the views of the city from the Round Tower, another of the must-see places in Copenhagen. This original 17th-century building, in addition to its architecture and its magnificent views, stands out because the climb is done by a huge snail-shaped interior ramp, without any step.
Visiting hours: every day from May to September from 10am to 8pm. In the other months it closes at 6pm.
Entry included in the Copenhagen Card.
Views from the Round Tower
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