Copenhagen

Denmark · CPH

20 attractions 10 restaurants

Copenhagen is the capital of Denmark, the cycling capital of Europe and home to roughly 660,000 residents (1.4 million in the metro). The Danish capital was repeatedly voted the world's most liveable city in the 2020s; 49 % of commutes are by bike, harbour water is clean enough to swim in, and New Nordic cuisine put it on every food critic's map. Three to four days covers Nyhavn, Tivoli, Christiania and at least one cinnamon-roll crawl.

Plan a trip →

About this city

Flight from Germany: 1h 30min
Airport ↔ centre: 8 km
Time shift: Same as Germany
Population: 660,000
Area: 90 km²
Founded: ~1167 AD
Currency: DKK
Language: Danish
Timezone: Europe/Copenhagen

Why visit

Bike infrastructure better than most cities' road infrastructure. Harbour baths cleaner than most countries' lakes. World-class design (Arne Jacobsen, Hay, Fritz Hansen). Drawback: it's the most expensive city on this list — beer hits €8, a casual dinner €40 per person.

Neighbourhoods at a glance

·Indre By — old centre, Strøget pedestrian street, Rundetårn.
·Nyhavn + Frederiksstaden — 17th-c. canal, Amalienborg, Royal Opera.
·Christianshavn + Christiania — canals, anarchic Freetown, alternative scene.
·Vesterbro — meatpacking-district-turned-foodie-quarter, Tivoli next door.
·Nørrebro — youngest + most diverse area; Jægersborggade hip street.
·Refshaleøen — former shipyard reborn as street food + Noma's neighbourhood.

Best time to visit

Month	Day temp	Crowds	Don't miss
Jan–Feb	0–4 °C	Low	Cosy hygge season; just 7 hours of daylight
Mar–Apr	5–11 °C	Low	Tivoli reopens 1 April after winter close
May–Jun	14–20 °C	Med	Distortion street festival (Jun); harbour swimming opens
Jul–Aug	21–26 °C	High	Copenhagen Jazz Festival early Jul; 18 hours daylight
Sep–Oct	12–17 °C	Med	Copenhagen Cooking food week (Aug–Sep); golden parks
Nov–Dec	2–7 °C	Med	Tivoli Christmas season + Nyhavn lights; gløgg everywhere

Getting around

Mode	2026 cost	Notes
Bike rental	DKK 100 / day (~€13)	Best way to see the city; 400+ km of cycle lanes
Metro (driverless)	DKK 28 / 24, day 80	24/7; M1/M2 cover airport + centre + Nørrebro
Harbour bus 991/992	Same as metro	Zigzag boat from Refshaleøen to centre — cheap cruise
Airport metro M2	DKK 36	15 min to Kongens Nytorv
Walking	Free	Centre is flat; Strøget 1.1 km end-to-end

What to eat

·Smørrebrød — open-faced rye sandwich; try Selma or Aamanns 1921.
·Pølse — Danish hot dog from a corner pølsevogn (~DKK 40).
·Stegt flæsk — crispy pork belly with parsley sauce, Denmark's national dish.
·Kanelsnegl — cinnamon roll; Juno bakery in Østerbro is the cult favourite.
·Tørrede frikadeller — fried pork meatballs with red cabbage.
·Carlsberg / Mikkeller — domestic + craft beer; bottle ~DKK 50 in bar.