6 Things To Do in Copenhagen

There is tons to do in Copenhagen, Denmark! The city is young and vibrant and feels a little more trendy than it’s fellow Nordic capitals of Stockholm and Oslo. If you are only in Copenhagen a few days, it’s hard to narrow down what to do, but here are my top picks:

This is first on the list for a reason. Renting a bike in Copenhagen was my favorite thing I did during my whole trip to Scandinavia. I love riding bikes, but the Citibikes in New York are so heavy and this town is hillier than you think (or I’m just out of shape). But in Copenhagen it is FLAT and the rental bikes are easy to ride. With the crazy amount of bike riders and the appearance of extreme bike lane organization, it is intimidating to get on a bike, but trust me, DO IT! Once I was on the bike and had the general etiquette explained to me (more on that, later), biking was a breeze and so much fun.

There are a ton of bike rental options in Copenhagen. Bike Rental Copenhagen is close to the main sights but is about $20 USD and they close at 1pm! Another option is Donkey Republic, which is basically a bike share so you can pay for as little as 30 minutes. A 24-hour rental is about $15 USD. I ended up renting from Copenhagen Bike Shop, which was near my Airbnb in Nørrebro. They were extremely friendly, the bikes were great and it was also quite a bit cheaper than the other places at about $10 USD for 24 hours.

If you have done any research on Copenhagen at all, then you probably already know that these open faced sandwiches are the THING to eat while there. While herring is the traditional option, there are tons of different kinds to try. I had done some general research on where to find some good smørrebrød, but my Airbnb host recommended going to Ida Davidsen. They had endless amounts of options, which is probably why their menu is on an iPad. My friend and I split both a beef and a roasted pork sandwich, both of which were delicious!

Store Kongensgade 70
Very close to both Nyhavn and Amalienborg Palace.
Closet Metro stop is Kongens Nytorv.

There are lots of beautiful parks in Copenhagen, but the King’s Garden is particularly picturesque. Between the immaculate manicured tree lined paths and gardens, the locals sit around drinking six packs of Carlsburg with friends while tourists visit the Rosenborg Castle, which was the home of King Christian IV in the 1600s and now houses the crown jewels. Plus, the King’s Garden is right across the street from the Botanical Garden, which are also free to enter.

I know, I know. This is the definition of touristy destination. But I’m still going to tell you to go because you will not be disappointed by the colorful houses along a boat lined canal. While I did go in May and not the busier months of July and August, I still assumed the crowds here would be unbearable, but it wasn’t bad at all. Get a beer at one of the many sidewalk cafes, or opt for the cheaper option of getting a beer from a convenience store and a hot dog (I only found one stand near where the canal boat tours pick up from) and sit with your legs hanging over the edge of the canal. If you didn’t feel like you were in Copenhagen before, you will now.

To save a little money, I stayed in the cutest little Airbnb in the neighborhood of Nørrebro. It’s the first neighborhood you come to when you cross the river on the north side of main Copenhagen and very accessible via the 5C bus to almost all the main sights, but is still a happening area in it’s own right. In the morning, visit Coffee Collective for one of Copenhagen’s best cups of coffee or even coffee soft serve (my biggest regret is only going here for coffee and not going back for the soft serve) or walk down Nørrebrogade at night for a vibrant bar scene.

There are several towers you can go up in Copenhagen to get a bird’s eye view of the city, but the main one’s are Rundetaarn, Christiansborg Palace and Church of Our Savior. I went up both Christiansborg and Church of Our Savior. but Church of our Savior was my favorite. If you are afraid of heights, I would definitely stick to the other ones as here you first climb inside up a series of tight stairs and ladders and then you go outside to continue up a spiral staircase. The views are breathtaking and it’s so unique to climb on the outside of a church spire. When you reach the top, the stairs get very narrow and just kind of stop, but if it’s not too crowded you can take a moment to soak it all in. Going back down is a bit precarious, but after you are done, walk down the street to check out Freetown Christiania, Copenhagen’s anarchist district.

Have you been to Copenhagen? Leave a comment with your top must-sees!