Visiting Copenhagen in 3 Days

A coffee, paid by card because nobody at the table is carrying cash: that’s the kind of detail that sums up Copenhagen from the first morning. Three days are enough to see the essential. Day 1: the historic heart, from Strøget to the Little Mermaid via Nyhavn and Amalienborg. Day 2: Rosenborg Castle in the morning, Christianshavn in the afternoon, and an evening at the Tivoli Gardens. Day 3: the Louisiana Museum on the sound, or the creative districts of Nørrebro and Vesterbro. Budget 110 to 150 euros per person per day excluding flights, book the climb up Our Saviour’s spire online, and leave your cash at home: in Denmark, everything is paid by card, even that coffee.

Two hours’ direct flight from Paris (there are also connections from Lyon, Nice or Marseille), then 15 minutes on the driverless metro between the airport and the centre: Copenhagen is the easiest Scandinavian capital to reach for a long weekend. The city is compact, flat, built for cycling, and its mix of royal palaces, canals and contemporary design rewards a slow pace rather than a rush. Denmark is expensive, no question, but a well-planned itinerary cuts unnecessary spending without sacrificing the coffee breaks that are almost a local institution.

Day 1: the historic heart, from Strøget to the Little Mermaid

Morning: Strøget, the Round Tower and Christiansborg

Start at the City Hall Square (Rådhuspladsen), then head up Strøget, the 1.1 km pedestrian street that runs through the whole centre. Turn off towards the Rundetårn, the Round Tower built in 1642: you climb it via a 209 metre spiral ramp (no steps at all, the king’s horses once rode up it) for a first view over the rooftops, for around 8 euros.

Continue to the islet of Slotsholmen and Christiansborg Palace, seat of the Danish Parliament. Good news for the budget: its tower, the tallest in the city at 106 metres, is free to visit (closed on Mondays, expect a brief security check). The royal reception rooms, on the other hand, are worth the ticket if the sky clouds over.

Afternoon: Nyhavn, Amalienborg and the Little Mermaid

Nyhavn, the old harbour with its colourful facades, is the city’s most famous image: it’s also where the canal cruises depart from (an hour’s sailing, 12 to 18 euros depending on the operator; Netto-Bådene remains the cheapest option). Board in the early afternoon, when the light is at its best and the commentary gives useful bearings for the rest of the trip.

Then walk along the waterfront to Amalienborg, home of the royal family: four identical palaces around an octagonal square. The changing of the guard takes place every day at noon (the guards leave Rosenborg at 11.30 am); if you’re keen to catch it, swap the order of the day around. Finish at the Kastellet, a perfectly preserved 17th century star fort, and the nearby Little Mermaid. The statue itself is small and often crowded, but the walk to reach it, past bastions, moats and a windmill, is worth the trip on its own.

Day 2: Rosenborg, Christianshavn and an evening at Tivoli

Morning: Rosenborg Castle and Torvehallerne market halls

A Renaissance residence built by Christian IV and set in the King’s Garden, Rosenborg Castle houses the crown jewels in a reinforced basement. Allow around 19 euros and a good hour and a half for the visit; book your slot online in summer. All around, Kongens Have becomes Copenhageners’ favourite picnic spot as soon as the sun comes out.

Ten minutes’ walk away, near Nørreport station, the covered market halls of Torvehallerne are the perfect lunch spot: smørrebrød counters (these open sandwiches cost 10 to 20 euros each, but one is usually enough), smoked fish, speciality coffee and cinnamon buns.

Afternoon: Christianshavn, Our Saviour’s spire and Christiania

Cross the harbour to Christianshavn, Copenhagen’s own little Amsterdam, with canals lined by sailing boats and houseboats. The highlight: the Church of Our Saviour and its golden spiral spire, climbed via 400 steps, the last 150 of them outside, spiralling around the spire itself. The view is breathtaking and the thrill guaranteed; around 13 euros, book a slot online in high season, closed to visitors in strong wind.

Just next door, Christiania, the self-governing free town founded in 1971, can be visited as long as you follow a few simple rules (no photos on the main street). Artists’ workshops and self-built houses by the lake: another world just ten minutes from Parliament. If the weather holds, carry on to Reffen, the large street food market on the harbour (open from April to the end of September).

Evening: the Tivoli Gardens

Opened in 1843 right in the city centre, Tivoli is far more than an amusement park: it’s a national institution, made up of illuminated gardens, exotic pavilions and a wooden roller coaster from 1914 still running today. Entry costs around 22 euros (rides extra, an unlimited pass around 37 euros), and the park is open from April to the end of September, then again for Halloween and the Christmas season. Spending the evening here, as thousands of lanterns light up, remains one of the great memories of a trip to Copenhagen.

Day 3: Louisiana or the creative districts, depending on what you fancy

Option A: the Louisiana Museum, on the sound

35 minutes by train from Central Station (direction Helsingør, alight at Humlebæk, then a 10 minute walk), the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art is regularly ranked among the finest museums in the world. Its collection is first rate (Giacometti, Warhol, Danish art), the temporary exhibitions are ambitious, but the real draw is the sculpture park suspended above the Øresund strait, facing the Swedish coast. Entry around 20 euros, closed on Mondays. Those with more time to spare continue on to Kronborg Castle in Helsingør, the fortress behind Hamlet, ten minutes further by train.

Option B: Nørrebro and Vesterbro, the locals’ Copenhagen

Stay in the city and spend the morning in Nørrebro: the Superkilen urban park with street furniture gathered from around sixty countries, Jægersborggade street with its ceramicists’ workshops, then the Assistens Cemetery, a garden cemetery where Andersen and Kierkegaard are buried (locals sunbathe there without a second thought, it’s very Danish). In the afternoon, head to Vesterbro: vintage shops on Istedgade, coffee at a micro roastery, then a drink in Kødbyen, the former meatpacking district now at the heart of the local nightlife. In summer, finish with a free dip at the Islands Brygge harbour baths, where water quality is tested daily.

Practical tips for a successful city break in Copenhagen

To build your programme hour by hour and decide between Louisiana and Nørrebro depending on the weather, our guide to planning the perfect city break with AI will save you valuable time. Since Denmark is far from the cheapest destination in Europe, take a look too at our tips to estimate and track your travel budget. And if northern Europe agrees with you, read our itineraries for visiting Stockholm in 3 days and visiting Berlin in 3 days.