Scandinavia has a big place in my heart, and I love to visit whenever I can. One of my favourite cities is Copenhagen, which is a great city break destination all year round. I’ve been a number of times now, as I have friends living in the city, and so I’ve put together what I think is the perfect three day Copenhagen itinerary.
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Day 1 in Copenhagen
Visit Nyhavn – the harbour with the colourful buildings that you have probably seen in photographs. It’s one of the more touristy areas of Copenhagen, but very beautiful.
From Nyhavn, take a canal boat tour around Copenhagen. I’ve done it twice and would definitely recommend it. It takes you past the famous little mermaid statue and around the waterways of Christianshavn.
In the afternoon, head to the famous Tivoli Gardens. The 3rd oldest amusement park in the world, Tivoli has beautiful gardens, rides, and entertainment venues.
Travelling in Scandinavia? Check out our other guides.
Day 2 in Copenhagen
On your second day in Copenhagen walk to the little mermaid statue, based on the fairytale by Hans Christian Andersen. As you walk back along the water, stop at Amalienborg, the winter home of the Danish royal family and continue on to Christiansborg Palace – the Danish Parliament building.
Spend the afternoon wandering along Strøget – (one of the longest shopping streets in the world) and the surrounding streets, which are full of cafés and restaurants.
Day 3 in Copenhagen
On the final day of your Copenhagen itinerary visit Christiania – the Freetown. This is a car-free, hippy neighbourhood, full of colourful buildings where people openly sell and smoke cannabis.
Five minutes walk from Christiania is the Church of Our Saviour, where you can climb the top tower and enjoy incredible views of the city.
Where to Stay in Copenhagen
The city centre is a good area to stay, as it’s easy to walk to the main tourist attractions, however, my favourite neighbourhood is Nørrebro. It’s full of great restaurants and bars and interesting little shops, and while it’s still close to the city centre, it has a more local feel. Vesterbro is also a good option if you want lots of nightlife – it’s home to the red light district – Istedgade, which has lots of great cocktail bars and is generally cheaper than the city centre for drinks.
Hotels:
Budget – Wakeup Copenhagen – Borgergade. This centrally located hotel is 5 minutes walk from both Strøget and Nyhavn and has a 24-hour lobby bar and free WIFI. Rooms from €62 per night.
Mid Range – citizenM Copenhagen Radhuspladsen. This stylish 4-star hotel is located 600m from Tivoli Gardens and features murals by local Danish artists. Rooms from €120 per night.
Luxury – Hotel Sanders. This boutique hotel features a rooftop conservatory garden and a modern restaurant. Rooms from €282 per night.
How to Get There
It’s usually easy to get cheap flights, with 5 airlines flying direct from London. From the airport, it’s a quick 10-15 minute train or metro into the city.
