Colourful houses and sailing ships on the Nyhavn canal, Copenhagen
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Copenhagen in 3 days

  • 3 days
  • 9 km on foot
  • 18 stops
  • Audio guide

Three days is just right for living Copenhagen the way locals do: a tour in the morning, a museum or the water in the afternoon, and time to sit down without checking the clock. This plan adds Danish art, the Glyptotek, a food market and Nørrebro, the city's most diverse neighbourhood, and saves the legends for last. Ideal if you like getting to know a city slowly.

Day 1From the Little Mermaid to the Crown Jewels

Begin with "Copenhagen highlights: from Tivoli to the Little Mermaid", from the Tivoli gate to Nyhavn and Amalienborg. From the Little Mermaid, the train whisks you from Østerport to Nørreport: have smørrebrød at Schønnemann, an institution since the 19th century, a stone's throw from Rosenborg. After the castle, cut through Kongens Have and the Botanical Garden to the SMK, which usually opens late one evening a week. Dinner is up to you: head back to Nyhavn after dark, when the façades shimmer in the canal.

  1. Morning

    Copenhagen highlights: from Tivoli to the Little Mermaid

    Mixed · 4.3 km · 2 h 30 min

    1. Tivoli GardensOne of the world’s oldest amusement parks, born on the old ramparts with a king’s blessing.
    2. Strøget and AmagertorvThe pedestrian street that changed European cities, and a fountain of storks that many swear are herons.
    3. NyhavnThe canal of colourful houses was once a harbour of sailors and taverns and, for years, Andersen’s home.
    4. Amalienborg PalaceFour twin palaces built for four noblemen that ended up as the royal family’s home after a fire.
    5. The Marble Church (Marmorkirken)A church that lay in ruins for almost a century and a half before a banker saw it finished.
    6. The Little Mermaid (Den lille Havfrue)A small statue with a turbulent life: two beheadings, a stolen arm and a trip to China.

    Start the audio guide See the route

  2. Lunch

    Try Smørrebrød at Restaurant Schønnemann. Hauser Plads 16

  3. Afternoon

    Rosenborg Castle

    Christian IV, the builder king of our tours, put up this Renaissance castle as a pleasure palace. Its basement treasury holds the Danish Crown Jewels and royal regalia. Around it lies Kongens Have, the city's oldest royal garden. Booking ahead is wise in high season.

    Directions

    SMK – National Gallery of Denmark

    The country's great art museum brings together Danish Golden Age painting, European old masters and a remarkable Matisse collection, in an 1896 building extended with a modern wing overlooking the park. It's a short walk from Rosenborg.

    Directions

Day 2Royal ruins, boats and marble

A morning of history with "From Absalon to Christian IV": City Hall, Gammeltorv, Thorvaldsen's cathedral, the Round Tower and Christiansborg, whose underground ruins reveal Absalon's castle wall. Cross the Knippelsbro bridge for stegt flæsk at Christianshavns Færgecafé. In the afternoon, take a canal tour from Nyhavn or Gammel Strand and finish at the Glyptotek, next to Tivoli. If the park is open, tonight's the night to go in and watch its lights come on.

  1. Morning

    From Absalon to Christian IV: the city that rose from its ashes

    History · 2 km · 1 h 55 min

    1. City Hall Square and City HallA square born where the ramparts fell, and a city hall that looks to Siena and shows off a golden founder.
    2. Gammeltorv and NytorvCopenhagen’s oldest square, a fountain from Christian IV and a courthouse proclaiming that the land is built on law.
    3. Church of Our Lady (Vor Frue Kirke)A cathedral lost twice over, reborn as a Greek temple filled with Thorvaldsen’s apostles.
    4. Rundetårn, the Round TowerChristian IV’s observatory, with a spiral ramp instead of stairs and a royal rebus on its façade.
    5. Højbro Plads and the statue of AbsalonThe warrior bishop who founded the city rides towards the castle he built in 1167.
    6. Christiansborg PalaceThe only building in the world housing all three branches of government, raised on eight centuries of castles.

    Start the audio guide See the route

  2. Lunch

    Try Stegt flæsk med persillesovs at Christianshavns Færgecafé. Strandgade 50

  3. Afternoon

    Canal boat tour

    Tour boats leave from Gammel Strand and Nyhavn and, in just over an hour, squeeze under very low bridges and glide past the Opera House, the Royal Library and the Little Mermaid. The best rest your legs will get. Bring a jacket: it's chilly on the water.

    Directions

    Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek

    Founded by Carl Jacobsen, the Carlsberg brewer, to share his collection with the public: Egyptian, Greek and Roman sculpture, Rodin and French painting. Its palm-filled winter garden is one of the loveliest spots in the city to sit for a while. It's right across from Tivoli.

    Directions

Day 3Market, neighbourhood and spirals

This morning belongs to the streets. Grab a kanelsnegl at Torvehallerne and browse the stalls, then cross Queen Louise's Bridge into Nørrebro, on foot or by bike, as far as Superkilen. Head back to the centre for frikadeller at Restaurant Kronborg on Brolæggerstræde. Rest up, because at dusk comes "Traitors, dragons and spirals": the Pillar of Shame on Gråbrødretorv, the dragons of Børsen and the staircase of Vor Frelsers Kirke, all the way to Christiania. Sign off with flæskesteg at Det Lille Apotek or Restaurant Puk.

  1. Morning

    Torvehallerne

    Two glass market halls by Nørreport with more than sixty stalls: fish, cheese, specialty coffee, rye bread and food to go. It opened in 2011 and is the city's go-to food market. Come early, before the crowds arrive.

    Directions

    Nørrebro and Superkilen

    Nørrebro is Copenhagen's most multicultural neighbourhood. Superkilen, an urban park from 2012 filled with objects from dozens of countries, is its most original sight. On the way, step into Assistens Cemetery, where Hans Christian Andersen and Kierkegaard are buried.

    Directions

  2. Lunch

    Try Frikadeller at Restaurant Kronborg. Brolæggerstræde 12

  3. Early evening

    Traitors, dragons and spirals: hidden Copenhagen

    Mysteries & legends · 2.7 km · 2 h

    1. The Lur Blowers (Lurblæserne)Two Bronze Age musicians atop a column, and a cheeky legend every Copenhagener knows.
    2. Gråbrødretorv and the Pillar of ShameA charming square where a traitor’s mansion once stood, torn down so that no one would forget his name.
    3. Christiansborg and the Blue TowerBeneath the palace of the three powers lie the foundations of the tower where a princess spent almost 22 years as a prisoner.
    4. Børsen, the Dragon Stock ExchangeFour entwined dragons guarded the old Stock Exchange from fire for almost four centuries, until one April morning in 2024.
    5. Church of Our Saviour (Vor Frelsers Kirke)A golden staircase coiling around the outside of the spire, and an architect who, legend says, leapt to his death.
    6. Christiania, the FreetownA former barracks occupied in 1971 that became Scandinavia’s most famous social experiment.

    Start the audio guide See the route

  4. Dinner

    Try Flæskesteg at Det Lille Apotek. Store Kannikestræde 15

The map

Copenhagen in 3 days, on the map

Each route’s stops are numbered in order; the stars are the extra sights.

Mixed History Mysteries & legends Extra sight

Loading the map…

Before you go

Tips for Copenhagen in 3 days

  • Over three days, look at the 72-hour transport pass or the Copenhagen Card, which also covers many museums. For Nørrebro, a rental bike is easiest; just don't leave it in the middle of the pavement.
  • If you're here between spring and autumn, keep an afternoon for street food at Reffen or for CopenHill, the waste-to-energy plant with a ski slope and viewpoint on its roof. Check opening times, as both depend on the season.
  • The weather turns fast: always carry a rain jacket and, in winter, bring outdoor sights forward, because it gets dark very early and the mysteries tour is almost in darkness by mid-afternoon.

Questions

Copenhagen in 3 days: your questions

Can I take a day trip to Kronborg or the Louisiana?

Yes: Kronborg Castle in Helsingør and the Louisiana Museum in Humlebæk are on the same coastal train line, under an hour away. Each needs half a day, so you can swap one of them for the third morning and still keep the dusk tour.

Is it worth popping over to Malmö?

If you have half a day to spare, it's a fun trip: the train crosses the Øresund Bridge and has you in Sweden in about 35 minutes. Malmö has a pleasant old town and the Turning Torso. Bring your passport or ID card, as there may be border checks.

How far will I walk in three days?

The tours add up to about 9 km: 4.3 km on day one, 2 km on day two and 2.7 km on day three. With the museums, the market and Nørrebro, expect 8 to 12 km a day. It's a comfortable pace, with metro, train and boat to rest your legs.

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