So you only have one day in Copenhagen, Denmark but you want to make the most of it. This is the situation I found myself in in January of 2020. Robin and I were flying home after spending the holidays with my in-laws in Jönköping, a city in Southern Sweden. The Copenhagen airport was closer than the Stockholm airport and we had never been to Denmark before. So we left ourselves one extra day to explore Copenhagen before we flew home.
I knew I wanted to make the most of our one day in Copenhagen but it took some careful planning, especially since in the winter the sun sets by 3:30 pm which means it gets dark and cold. These are the 5 things we did in a 24 hour period listed in the order I would recommend doing them to cut down on backtracking and unnecessary walking!
All this took us from 11:30 a.m. till about ten at night. That leaves you time to sleeping and grab breakfast, or you could add in another sight in the morning.
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// Chambray Top // Lace Midi Dress (similar) //
Helpful Tips for Copenhagen
The #1 question searched on Google about Denmark: What country is Denmark in?! HAHA so if you are one of those people that searched that, I am here for you. Denmark is a country and Copenhagen is the capitol city. It is located in Northern Europe just beneath Sweden.
In Denmark they use the danish crone (DKK) the conversion is roughly 6.5 DKK to $1 USD. Credit cards are VERY widely accepted (in all of Scandinavia really) so if you have a credit card with no conversion fees then you won’t need to bring much cash.
The winter can be a very wet time in Copenhagen and it does not always turn into snow. Bring water resistant shoes and an umbrella to help you stay dry and warm.
Little Mermaid Statue
The Little Mermaid statue is actually pretty underwhelming BUT it is one of the most famous sights in all of Copenhagen. If it were far out of the way I would say skip it but it is only a 10 minute walk away from Kastellet Park which is the next place the list. So stop on by, snap a quick picture and you can say you’ve done it!
The statue was inspired by Hans Christians fairytale The Little Mermaid. The statue sits in the water right near a large walking path that is a nice place to walk along the water.
Kastellet Park
Kastellet Park is a large park that used to be a military fortress full of army barracks on a star shaped island! If you look at it on google maps it really is a star shape surrounded by a moat.
Now days it is a public park and a historic site that many locals use to walk their dogs or enjoy a little fresh air in the city. We had so much fun walking around here.
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Rosenborg Castle
There are several castles you can visit in Copenhagen that are easy to get to. Amelienborg Palace is where you can watch the changing of the guard. Fredericksborg Castle and Kronborg Castle are both just under an hour away, great options is you have a little more time.
I personally thought that Rosenborg Castle was the prettiest of those that we had time to visit. I am sure they are all wonderful but that is how I narrowed it down lol.
Rosenborg castle is home to the crown jewels and you can take a tour through the castle to see them. It costs 120 kr for adults, 0 kr for kids up to 17 years and 85 kr for students with an ID.
The grounds are free and absolutely stunning. They were pretty even in the winter I would love to get to see them in the spring or summer when they are full of blossoms.
Nyhavn
Welcome to Instagram heaven but also the cutest place on earth. Nyhavn is a large canal surrounded by colorful buildings. The canal has a dozen or so boats in it that can’t leave because they don’t fit under the low bridges. But they do add a lot of character to photos and the atmosphere of Nyhavn.
The ground floor of most of the buildings lining the canal are filled with restaurants. We ate at one called Cap Horn so that we could try Smørrebrød, an open faced sandwich I’ll talk about more below! It was a little more pricy than I normally prefer but it was so delicious, I highly recommend it.
The bridges that span the canal are a great spot for photos. They are covered with locks from couples that show the permanence of their love by throwing the key in the water. Cute right?!
Tivoli Gardens
Tivoli Gardens is the second oldest amusement park in the world (the first oldest is also in Denmark!) and it is where Walt Disney got the inspiration for Disneyland. I totally see it. We went right before Christmas and the park was so festive, it really transported you to another place. There was no snow in Copenhagen when we visited but the whole park was covered in a layer of fake snow. That is dedication.
Tivoli Gardens during the holiday season is magical. They have a christmas market and a New Years celebration with fireworks.
The park is open late into the night, 11pm on weeknights and midnight on weekends. It is perfect when you’re trying to make the most of your one day in Copenhagen. The fee to get into the park is 135 DKK per adult and 60 DKK per kid (ages 3-7). The rides, big and small, cost extra.
Food to Try in Copenhagen
Red Hot Dogs
Hot dogs are the perfect cheap meal on the go, like when you’re trying to see a lot of one city in one day! The red hot dogs are very danish and they put a lot more toppings on them than just mustard and ketchup. I tried one with all the toppings and it was pretty good!
There are hot dog stands all over the city, so just stop by one while you’re out exploring. We got our red hot dogs from a stand just outside Kastellet Park.
Smørrebrød
Smørrebrød is a traditional danish food, it is an open-faced sandwich. The sandwich is a piece of bread piled high with delicious ingredients and usually eaten with a fork and knife. They come in all kinds of flavors especially fish flavors because seafood is very common. I am not big on seafood (my husband is though!) but I had the best filet mignon smørrebrød at Cap Horn.
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Transportation in Copenhagen
Copenhagen isn’t a giant city so almost everything is within walking distance. We walked everywhere on this list while we were there and no walk was longer than 15-20 minutes. Of course my feet killed by the end of the day but part of that may have been my choice in footwear!
Just like the rest of Europe, Denmark has a great public transportation. So alternatively you can purchase a 1, 2 or 3 day pass online. Definitely worth it if you’re going to be in town for more than a day in my opinion.
Helpful Items to Bring to Copenhagen
Even if all you have is one day in Copenhagen there are a few items you’ll need for an amazing visit!
Cozy Hat (Winter)
If you are in Copenhagen during the winter it will be an enjoyable trip IF you can stay warm. Packing a warm winter coat, scarf, gloves are all important. The item that will make all the difference is a warm hat to keep out the wind.
Plug Adaptor + Converter
Denmark uses a E and K type outlet which is two or three round pronged (one grounded, one not, either will work) with a 230 V output. Make sure you are prepared with the right plug adapter and converter to protect your devices. I have used this combo device for the last few years and I love it! With three plug-in spots and 4 USB charging ports it also makes the most of limited plugin space. It has adapters for world-wide use too.
Comfortable Shoes
Between the fact that Copenhagen is VERY pedestrian friendly and the cobblestone roads you are going to want comfortable shoes. You will most likely be walking and standing for hours at a time as you sightsee, ride the public transportation, and get lost. Don’t let painful shoes ruin your experience. I have these Dr Scholl’s shoes in the light grey and I love them! I got them off the recommendation of my favorite affordable fashion blogger @livingmybeststyle!
Portable Charger
You will be doing a lot of walking and sightseeing while you are out and about in Copenhagen. Using maps, taking pictures and looking up facts are all sure to drain your battery. Make sure you can find your way home at night with this portable charger. It will charge an iPhone four times before it needs to be recharged itself and has great reviews.
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One Day in Copenhagen, Denmark
I will say that one day is not enough time to fully explore this awesome city or get to know the culture and people. But when a day is all you have then this is a great way to spend it. I can’t wait to head back and get the opportunity to spend more than one day in Copenhagen! If you have time during your trip to Copenhagen, I recommend taking a day trip to Malmö, a nearby Swedish city.
Copenhagen is a pretty pricey city overall. I thought many of the attractions were more expensive than I would have liked but there are plenty of free thing you can do as well.
While in Copenhagen and Sweden for two weeks this is the exact packing list I used. I also used it for two weeks in Italy, you’ll find it very helpful and versatile.
