Denmark: the land of hygge and some of the happiest people in the world! With such a modern, progressive, and happy culture, Denmark’s capital city, Copenhagen, should be on every traveler’s bucket list. Luckily, this city is the perfect size for a weekend trip. Ready to get started? Read on for how to plan the perfect itinerary for two days in Copenhagen!
Copenhagen Itinerary Day One
Arrive in Copenhagen
Arrive in Copenhagen early in the morning on day one (or the night before!) to maximize your two days in Copenhagen! There are plenty of inter-European flights to CPH airport. From there, you can easily take the M2 metro line or the 029 bus into central Copenhagen. It’s a short 30 minute journey. Public transportation is very reliable in Copenhagen (and Denmark in general), and trains run frequently.
There are plenty of hotels and vacation rentals around the city. We stayed in the Indre By area, which is a historic area close to many of the sites you’ll want to see. However, despite being very close to the city center, there were plenty of quiet residential streets perfect for unwinding after a busy day.
Several sites might be closed on Sunday or Monday, so always check the opening hours before you go and modify this itinerary accordingly!
Finally, a quick insider tip: consider purchasing the 48-hour Copenhagen Card. This pass includes entrance to all the attractions in this itinerary, as well as unlimited rides on the Copenhagen public transportation. To use the pass, simply show your QR code to the ticket office at each site to get your ticket. On the metro or bus, there’s no need to tap in. If a ticket inspector comes around, you can just show them the QR code from the Copenhagen Pass app. Even though this itinerary is packed with activities, you won’t have to worry about buying tickets at each location! Plus, you’ll probably save a few krone!
Mix with Royalty at Christiansborg Palace
Start your day with a visit to Christiansborg Palace. This beautiful castle is the former home to the Danish monarchy. Currently, the Danish parliament, prime minister, and supreme court are all housed here.
Make sure you explore the grand reception rooms, which are all exquisitely designed. My favorite room was the Great Hall which had a series of tapestries depicting the past, present, and future of Denmark. An audio tour is included with your ticket and will tell you a little more about the history of the palace and the monarchy.
You can also visit the ruins of former palaces underneath Christiansborg. These ruins date back to 1167, but were only discovered in the early 1900s during palace excavations. These old ruins were an interesting contrast to the grandeur above!
Cruise the Canals on a Boat Tour
Copenhagen is known for its canals, so no trip to the city is complete without a boat tour! I always like starting my trips with a city tour, because it helps me get oriented and learn the background of all the places I’m about to visit. Plus, being out on the water gives you a whole new perspective of the city.
The Copenhagen Card includes a boat tour, which is a good budget option, although the boat is large and packed with other tourists. For something more intimate, try a smaller, more personalized tour like Hey Captain. Or rent your own boat through GoBoat and explore on your own!
Try Local Foods at Selma and Torvehallerne Food Hall
By this point in your day, you deserve a rest and some sustenance! There’s no better place to get this than Selma, a cute restaurant serving traditional Danish open-faced sandwiches called smørrebrød. They also have a variety of aquavits (Danish liquors) that you can pair with your meal if you’re feeling bold!
The food here was some of my favorite of our entire trip. I got a smørrebrød with herring, beets, pickled red onion, and creme fraiche. (I also paired it with homemade beetroot and horseradish aquavit!) It was heavenly. Make sure to make a booking in advance so you don’t have to wait for a table! This place is popular for a reason.
Save room for a few snacks at neighboring Torvehallerne, a gourmet food hall across the street from Selma. They’ve got a variety of savory food, sweets, and drinks to choose from! You can’t miss trying a traditional Danish pastry.
Step Back in Time at Rosenborg Castle
Now that you’re reenergized for the afternoon, it’s time to head to Rosenborg Castle. This castle is much different from Christiansborg. It was built in 1606 in a Dutch renaissance style, and although it was grand in its own way, I found the rooms were often quite dark.
Here you can tour a variety of rooms preserved in the style of Christian IV. Don’t miss going into the basement to see the Crown Jewels of Denmark!
The grounds at Rosenberg are quite beautiful as well. Enjoy a walk in the sunshine, especially if it’s summertime!
Take in the Views in Rundetaarn
Walk back towards the Old Town and stop at the Rundetaarn. You’ll quickly find that this name aptly translates to ‘the round tower.’ Originally built in 1642 as an astronomical observatory, it’s now a great spot for tourists to take in epic 360-degree views of Copenhagen.
There are a couple of unique features about the Round Tower that I loved. The first was that almost the entire way up to the observatory was a spiral, cobblestoned ramp! I’ve never seen anything like it. Plus, the interior was made of bright, neutral Scandinavian colors, which made me feel relaxed even while climbing!
Another unique feature is the tower is hollow. At the top, you can peer through some thick glass and see all the way back down.
Channel Your Inner Hippie at Freetown Christiania
This might be a good time to stop at your accommodation for a quick freshen up before dinner. After all, you have had a long day exploring some of the best sites in Copenhagen!
Once you’re ready for the next part of your itinerary for two days in Copenhagen, channel your inner hippie and head to Freetown Christiania! This is an independent community that claims to be outside of both Copenhagen and the EU. Originally ‘settled’ by some of the homeless community in old military barracks, the area has now become known as a self-proclaimed anarchist community and has a history of free-flowing cannabis use.
To get to Freetown Christiania, you can walk across the canal or take the 2A bus to the Bodenhoffs Plads stop. From there, you can walk around the community and enjoy the vibrant street art. Stop for a drink at Cafe Nemoland and enjoy some people watching!
A few things to keep in mind for your visit. There are a few local rules, including no running (it’s associated with running from police raids) and no photography, especially on Pusher Street. This is the main street in Freetown Christiania where a lot of drug activity takes place. I would also advise not going after sundown, as it can turn a little seedy.
Watch the Sunset at Reffen Street Food Market
Hop back on the 2A bus and take it north to the end of the line, where you’ll find Reffen Street Food Market. With over 40 food stalls built into old shipping containers, there are cuisines from almost any country you can think of! We spent a good 30 minutes just walking around admiring all the sights and smells before sharing a few dishes from a variety of stalls.
Grab a drink from one of the bars intermixed between the stalls and relax at a picnic table or in beach chairs in the sand. Either way, you’re going to love enjoying your dinner while watching the sunset over the canal.
Have Fun at Tivoli Gardens Amusement Park
Time to squeeze one last activity into your first day in Copenhagen! No itinerary would be complete without a trip to Tivoli Gardens Amusement Park. This park was built in 1843 and inspired the likes of author Hans Christian Anderson and Walt Disney.
Even if you’re not normally into amusement parks, I encourage you not to skip this spot. There are rides and games for all ages, and the architecture alone is worth wandering around and viewing. Don’t miss a ride on the ferris wheel where you can gaze into the grounds of the rest of the park!
Note that the Copenhagen Card will allow you only one entry into Tivoli (you cannot re-enter). You also will have to pay for rides and games separately.
Once you’ve had your fill of fun, time to rest up before your day two of your Copenhagen itinerary!
Copenhagen Itinerary Day Two
Wake Up Early and Enjoy Coffee by Famous Nyhavn
Set your alarm early for day two in Copenhagen – trust me, when you have the famous Nyhavn to yourself, it’ll be worth it!
You’ve definitely seen pictures of the colorful houses of Nyhavn on postcards of Denmark. These 17th century houses line a stretch of canal waterfront and are full of shops and cafes. Walking along the cobblestone streets, past these unique houses and boats, felt like stepping back in time. They were just as picture-perfect in person!
Stop by early in the morning and grab a coffee to enjoy the atmosphere before the hordes of tourists show up! Copenhagen is known for delicious coffee, and we found no shortage of it. Some of our favorite stops were CUB Coffee Bar and Coffee Collective Bernikow.
Walk Along the Marina to the Little Mermaid Statue
Keep walking up the waterfront to another famous Copenhagen landmark, the Little Mermaid statue. This bronze statue is in honor of the fairytale by the same name, written by Danish author Hans Christian Anderson.
Temper your expectations with this statue – it is quite small, and I’ve seen it on many ‘most disappointing landmark’ lists. That being said, I think it’s still worth a quick visit! If nothing else, the walk up the waterfront and past the historic star-shaped Kastellet fortress and windmill is worth it!
Join Hamlet at Kronborg Castle
Next, it’s time to take a half-day trip outside of Copenhagen to another famous castle, Kronborg! Kronborg is a UNESCO World Heritage site for being an excellently preserved renaissance-style castle. Kronborg is also famous for being the setting for Shakespheare’s Hamlet!
To get to Kronborg Castle, take a quick 45-minute regional train ride from central Copenhagen to the town of Helsingør in the north of Denmark. The Copenhagen Card covers both your train ticket and entrance ticket.
From the train station, the castle is a 15-20 minute walk north along the coastline. You’ll pass the cute old town on your left, the harbor on your right, and can even wave to Sweden across the channel!
The rooms of Kronborg are filled with various exhibits to learn more about the time period in which the castle was built. There are also often performances of Hamlet on the grounds in the summertime.
Don’t miss a walk along the paths outside the castle for more coastline views. We brought snacks and ate them while laying in the sun and watching locals fish – it was a relaxing way to end the morning!
Sip on Craft Beers
Head back to Copenhagen and to the trendy neighborhood of Nørrebro for an afternoon of craft beer tasting! Copenhagen is known for their craft beer (as well as macro brewer Carlsberg). Excellent breweries to stop at include Brus, Nørrebro Bryghus, and Mikkeller.
Splurge on Trend-Setting New Nordic Cuisine
It wouldn’t be a trip to Copenhagen without trying some innovative New Nordic cuisine. The premise around this type of food is sustainable, clean, and inventive. The most famous example is Noma, a three-star Michelin restaurant located in Copenhagen that is frequently ranked the best restaurant in the world!
If you can’t make a reservation at Noma, never fear, there are plenty of other Michelin-starred restaurants in the city that you can try (and some delicious non-Michelin starred ones too)! Just make sure to plan ahead and make a reservation wherever you pick, as the best ones are quite popular!
It’s worth a splurge on your last night in the city!
Head Home
Head home late this night or early the next day. Phew, we packed a lot into this weekend!
LGBTQ+ Considerations
Denmark is one of the most progressive countries of the world, and it shows! We felt completely comfortable walking around holding hands on the streets of Copenhagen and never got any stares. With such accepting attitudes, LGBT folks can feel free to go anywhere they please and not be afraid of discrimination. However, there are LGBT spaces you can visit too, including Centralhjørnet, the oldest LGBT bar in the city!
Read more: Top Safety Tips for Queer Travelers
Overall
Copenhagen is a lively city with so many things to do! Luckily, with a little advance planning, you can make the most of two days in Copenhagen with this itinerary!
Read more: Denmark Travel Guide
Tell me – how was your action packed weekend in Copenhagen?
Leave A Comment