In a nutshell
- One day in Copenhagen is more than enough to soak up the vibe of the city — and we’ll show you exactly how.
- We’ve put together a walking route that takes you past the most beautiful highlights, through charming alleyways, and to some seriously good under-the-radar spots — all on foot.
- We’ll also tell you where to find the best food in Copenhagen — from smørrebrød at Torvehallerne to the city’s best ice cream at Isoteket.
Getting to Copenhagen
For a day trip to Copenhagen, getting there by plane is pretty tricky. You’d need to take a very early flight there and a very late one back to have enough time in the city. And you’d still need to get from the airport to the city center.
There are better alternatives.
Getting There by Train
Taking the train gives you the most relaxed journey. You don’t have to worry about parking, and you arrive right at Copenhagen Central Station on the edge of the city center.
From there, it’s about a 30-minute walk into downtown. By metro, it takes half that time.
Getting There by Car
If you’re driving to Copenhagen for a day trip, your best bet is to park at a park-and-ride lot outside the city center. In the center, most parking spots are extremely expensive — you’ll typically pay around 5 euros per hour.
Most park-and-ride lots cost no more than 15 euros per day, and you even get a public transit ticket included. Sydhavn, for example, is a great spot to park.
Getting There by Cruise Ship
Copenhagen is a popular cruise destination. If you’re arriving by ship, you typically have 8–10 hours in port — more than enough time to explore the city.
You dock at the cruise terminal, and from there it’s just 15 minutes by metro into the city center.
Getting Around on Your Copenhagen Day Trip
Copenhagen isn’t as massive as other major cities. In the center, you can easily walk from one sight to the next.
Honestly, it’s also just the best way to discover the city. You won’t get the same feel for Copenhagen’s unique vibe on public transit as you will wandering through the alleyways.
A great alternative if you want to cover more ground is a bike. Copenhagen is THE cycling city of Europe. Bike-share stations are scattered all over the city where you can rent a bike for a few hours.
One-Day Copenhagen Itinerary on a Map
A single day isn’t enough to hit many museums in Copenhagen or castles, but you’ll get a seriously great mix of highlights like Nyhavn, delicious food, and the city’s unique atmosphere.
Sights to See in One Day in Copenhagen
Now let’s take a closer look at the highlights you can fit into one day in Copenhagen.
Canal Boat Tour
After you arrive, you’ll want to get a quick overview of the city. Luckily, Copenhagen has some really wonderful boat tours where you can catch your first Copenhagen highlights right from the water.
You’ll cruise past Nyhavn, the Little Mermaid, and the Royal Opera House, for example.
There are several boat tours in Copenhagen to choose from. We recommend a tour with Hey Captain. They’re totally relaxed and personal — only 12 people fit on the boat, everyone sits around a table together, and you share lemonade, wine, and hot chocolate.
The boat tour lasts about an hour.
Book your boat tour with Hey Captain
Nyhavn
After your boat ride, you’ll start your own tour through Copenhagen.
First up: Nyhavn. It’s only a 5-minute walk from the boat dock.
Nyhavn is THE must-see in Copenhagen. It’s a narrow canal lined with sailboats and small colorful houses that reflect in the water and look amazing in photos.
Our tip for a snack along the way: Grab a cinnamon roll from Farumhus Bageri. They’re absolutely delicious, and the bakery is practically right at Nyhavn.
Christiansborg Palace
From Nyhavn, you’ll walk toward Christiansborg Palace.
This is one of the three castles in Copenhagen. Christiansborg houses the Royal Library and Parliament. For this itinerary, you’ll just take a look from the outside and move on.
That said, if you have enough time and want to go inside, you can grab a ticket on the spot or through GetYourGuide.
Get your entry ticket for Christiansborg Palace
Amagertorv Square
Next, you’ll continue through Copenhagen’s lovely streets. After about five minutes you’ll reach Amagertorv Square.
Amagertorv is the most famous square in Copenhagen and sits right in the heart of the city. The square features a fountain, and around it you’ll find luxury shops and the Danish design store Illums Bolighus. It’s worth popping in — it’s really cool.
Rundetårn
After Amagertorv Square, you’ll walk on to the Rundetårn to see Copenhagen from above.
The tower has a really cool design. Instead of climbing stairs, you walk up a spiraling ramp — how unique is that!
At the top, you’ll stand on an observation platform and look out over the rooftops of Copenhagen. Tickets for the Rundetårn can only be purchased on-site.
Torvehallerne
By now you’ve already seen quite a bit of Copenhagen and you’re probably starting to get hungry. Perfect timing — your next stop is Torvehallerne.
This market hall is a seriously great place for lunch. There are an incredible number of stalls with delicious food — from Spanish tapas to sandwiches and porridge to Danish specialties.
Our tip: Get a smørrebrød from Hallernes Smørrebrød. They’re delicious there and you have a huge selection to choose from.
More tips on eating in Copenhagen can be found here:
Isoteket
Still have room for something sweet after lunch? Okay, why are we even asking — there’s always room for something sweet. Especially when it tastes as good as it does at Isoteket.
In our opinion, this is the ice cream shop with the best ice cream in Copenhagen, and it’s one of our top local favorites in Copenhagen.
There are a few classic flavors, but the best ones are definitely the unique combinations. Our personal favorite is chocolate cardamom. You have to try it!
Rosenborg Castle
After that little pick-me-up, it’s on to Rosenborg Castle — in our opinion, the most beautiful castle in Copenhagen.
That’s partly because the castle simply looks like something out of a fairy tale, and partly because of the garden surrounding it, which is beautifully laid out.
On nice days, lots of locals come here to relax. Feel free to sit down for a bit and unwind. If you’re only in Copenhagen for one day, we don’t think it’s worth going inside the castle — the exterior and gardens are the real draw.
Christiania
From the castle to your next stop, Christiania, it’s about a 25-minute walk. The walk is really scenic, though, and you’ll even pass by Nyhavn again.
Christiania is its own little city within Copenhagen. The free town was founded in the 1970s by hippies and is full of colorful houses and graffiti — at one point it even had open drug sales on the street.
Pusher Street, where drugs were sold, has since been shut down. Overall, Christiania is now pretty family-friendly. There are even playgrounds.
Read all our tips for Copenhagen with kids here
Vor Frelsers Kirke
Just around the corner is Vor Frelsers Kirke. From the church tower you’ll get the best panorama over Copenhagen — you really don’t want to miss it.
The tower has a seriously cool design. The staircase to the top runs along the outside of the tower, so you have a great view the entire way up. Just make sure you’re comfortable with heights.
You need to reserve your visit to Vor Frelsers Kirke in advance. Tickets are available on the official Vor Frelsers Kirke website.
Christianshavn
After that beautiful vista, evening is slowly setting in. So instead of cramming in more sights, take it easy and stroll through Christianshavn.
The neighborhood has many narrow canals lined with colorful houses and little boats — perfect for winding down your day at a relaxed pace.
Broens Street Food
After a full day of exploring Copenhagen, you’ve definitely earned a good dinner. You’ll find it at Broens Street Food.
The street food market has a wide selection of stalls with delicious food — from porridge to pizza to California-style bowls. It’s located right on the water, across from Nyhavn.
If you’d prefer to sit down at a restaurant in the evening, we recommend Sporvejen in the city center. It’s a burger joint decorated on the inside to look like an old subway car. The burgers are really good and the price-to-quality ratio is solid too.
Our Hotel Tips for One Day in Copenhagen
If you need a place to stay for your Copenhagen day trip, your best bet is to book something central. That way you won’t have far to go anywhere.
We have three hotel recommendations for you. All three are centrally located and offer great value for the money.
citizenM: our personal pick. The rooms are pretty small, but they’re super modern and the layout is surprisingly well done.
Hotel Kong Arthur: Great value for the money — you won’t find anything cheaper yet still this high-quality in the city center. The rooms are beautifully and elegantly decorated.
Motel One: Perfectly located in the center. The rooms are colorful and really cool.
All our hotel recommendations can be found here:
Frequently Asked Questions About a Day Trip to Copenhagen
Can you explore Copenhagen well on foot?
Absolutely! In the center, everything is so close together that you can easily walk from one highlight to the next without any trouble.
Is it worth taking a day trip to Copenhagen?
100%.
What makes Copenhagen special is above all its vibe — and you can feel it even in a single day, especially if you follow our one-day Copenhagen itinerary.
On top of that, you’ll get to see the most important sights and try some seriously delicious food.
How long do you need to sightsee in Copenhagen?
To explore Copenhagen at a relaxed pace and visit a museum, castle, or even Tivoli, you’ll need at least three days in Copenhagen.
Is the Copenhagen Card worth it for one day in Copenhagen?
No. In a single day, you won’t be able to visit enough attractions to make the card worth it. You’ll mainly be seeing the sights from the outside, and you don’t need the card for that.
You won’t have public transit covered either, but honestly, strolling through the beautiful streets is really what Copenhagen is all about. On a day trip, you’re better off walking or renting a bike.
The Copenhagen Card is worth it from three days onward.
We’ve written a detailed review of the Copenhagen Card if you want to dig into the numbers.
Is Hop-On/Hop-Off in Copenhagen Worth It for One Day?
No. You’re much better off strolling through the beautiful streets than navigating Copenhagen on a hop-on/hop-off bus.
Walking lets you feel the vibe of Copenhagen so much better. And since everything is centrally located, the distances are totally manageable on foot.
