Planning on going to Copenhagen?
This guide will show you where to go, eat and stay in the city during Winter. It’s an expensive place so I’ve included some tips on how to spend less.
I visited with my boyfriend before Christmas, its a great time to visit as it’s so festive with all the lights, decorations and Christmas markets around.
Where to go in Copenhagen during Winter?
Nyhavn
Nyhavn is the picture perfect area you see when you Google Copenhagen or look on Instagram.
This beautiful area is located by the canal and is full of colourful houses, it was lit up with Christmas lights and decorations. There are also many stalls selling drinks and Christmas gifts.
Tivoli Gardens
The enchanting Tivoli Garden amusement park was actually inspired by Walt Disney. It’s home to one of the oldest running wooden roller coasters in the world and many food stalls. At Christmas it is absolutely magical as it’s full of festive lights, decorations and trees.
Entrance to the park is 120DKK/£14.40. For 230DKK £27.60 you can get an unlimited ride ticket. If you don’t want to go on all the rides you can buy individual tickets for around £3 each.
Top tip: if you don’t get the unlimited ticket make sure you check entrance for the rides you want to go on as some rides are 2 or 3 tickets per person so can get expensive.
Explore Freetown Christiana
Founded by a group of hippies, this green and car free neighbourhood has its own set of rules.
Consisting of art galleries, workshops, homemade houses, organic eateries and gorgeous nature, it’s most certainly a unique place to visit.
Free Walking Tour
Spending the day walking around Copenhagen is a fantastic way to explore the city. It’s a great way to learn more about Danish culture and the city of Copenhagen. These free walking tours run daily and they have a variety of different tours such as the grand tour of Copenhagen or a pop up walk and snack tour.
Go Ice Skating
Enjoy ice skating a quintessential winter activity, there’s a couple of outdoor ice skating rinks in Copenhagen. Admission is free you just pay by the hour to rent your own ice skates.
- Frederiksberg Runddel | Address: 2000 Frederiksberg, København K, Denmark
- Toftegårds Plads | Address: Toftegårds Plads 1, 2500 Valby
The Little Mermaid
This famous sculpture is displayed on a rock by the water side. It’s a bit out of the centre, about a 20 minute walk from Nyhavn.
The mermaid sculpture is pretty small and the area will be full of tourists taking photos but it’s definitely worth visiting. If you look at my Instagram posts then you can read about the fascinating old story of the two mermaids in Warsaw and Copenhagen.
See the Changing of the Guard
The Danish royal guards march from Rosenborg Castle to Amalienborg Palace, where the changing of the guards takes place, this happens every day at 12pm. Whilst in the area go and check out Frederick’s church.
Relax in a Hot Sauna
A hot steamy sauna is the perfect place to visit after a day of exploring in Copenhagen in the cold Winter. There are plenty of saunas in Copenhagen but one of the best is CopenHot this sauna even has stunning views of the harbour skyline. There’s a few different services you can choose from such as a sailing hot tub, tower sauna and panoramic sauna with great views of the Little Mermaid statue.
Frederick’s Church
This impressive church stands out in Copenhagen, with its beautiful architecture and copper green dome. Be sure to stop by here to take a photo or have a look inside.
Day Tip To Visit Fairytale Castles
Fairytale castles in Europe are the most magical places to visit in Winter. Copenhagen is close to a few such as Frederiksborg castle, located in the sleepy village of Hillerød where you can explore over 400 years of Danish history. Another amazing castle is Kronberg the castle that Shakespeare set Hamlet in. Rosenberg castle is also beautiful, it was built in the early 17th Century and located in King’s Garden, this Royal castle hosts the crown jewels and is set in the most beautiful grounds. The perfect spot for a stroll and to combine with a visit to the Botanical Gardens nearby.
Christmas Markets
If you visit in November or December make sure you visit the Christmas markets, there are some by Nyhavn harbour. All along the waterfront there are stalls set up selling warm drinks, food, presents and christmas decorations. If you are looking for Danish art and Christmas ornaments then visit this shop in Knabrostraede.
10 Foods to Try in Copenhagen
1. Danish pastries
2. Smorrebrod – open faced sandwiches, usually on rye bread with a wide variety of toppings
3. Hot dogs
4. Frikadeller – Danish meatballs
5. Krebinetter – pan fried pork patties normally served with potatoes
6. Flæskesteg – roasted pork baked with spices and bay leaves, it’s normally served at Christmas markets
7. Salmon – Danes usually add a slice of cold smoked salmon to rye bread
8. Brot (bread) – rye bread is commonly eaten here
9. Fiskefrikadeller – fish cakes
10. Grod (porridge) they even have a porridge cafe
What to drink
Hot chocolate
Hotel Chocolat cafe is the ideal place for chocolate lovers. They have a selection of hot chocolates to choose from, I went for the Christmas edition clementine and salted caramel with chocolate whipped cream. It’s very thick and creamy, so make sure you drink it with a straw otherwise the liquid will ooze out and go everywhere.
Mulled wine – Gløgg
As you browse the Christmas markets pick up a hot mug of Gløgg. This sweet mulled Danish wine is delicious. For an even stronger cup of Gløgg, you can add rum.
Coffee
Copenhagen has plenty of trendy coffee shops, why not try one with a delicious Danish pastry.
Where to eat
Copenhagen is pretty expensive but if you avoid eating at Nyhavn and walk a bit further away from the centre you can find cheaper restaurants there. Most restaurants had some outdoor seating with soft blankets and a heater to keep you warm and cosy.
We went at the end of November so there was a lot of Christmas market stalls which you could grab food from. Hot dogs are also a good choice if you want to grab something in the go – the sausages are amazing!
Street Food Market ‘Papiroen’
Located across the bridge from Nyhavn, this area has a huge variety of street food to choose from. The venue was bustling with people and the food we had was delicious. Unfortunately it’s closed now, but there is a food stall area called Reffen.
Where to stay
Sam and I stayed at the Wakeup Copenhagen hotel. This hotel is very central, close to shops and not very far from Nyhavn. This hotel was a lot cheaper than the others we found but was still a great hotel.
There’s underfloor heating in the bathroom, which is brilliant after a long day exploring in the cold and the room is quite cosy. The lobby had lots of seats to relax in and computers to use along with a restaurant.
You will have to pay to check in luggage if you arrive before check in at 3pm. There’s also no tea or coffee making facilities in the room which we would have liked.
What I liked/disliked
I’d definitely recommend a Christmas break in Copenhagen. My favourite part was the magical Tivoli Gardens. I also loved that everything was walkable and it was easy to get to from the airport. With all the Christmas lights up it felt very festive and romantic. The sunrises around 8am and sets around 3pm so try and get up early to explore and then spend the evening wandering around the lit up markets.
The main downside to visiting Copenhagen is that it’s expensive but if you want to save money, bring some snacks with you. Eat at street vendors and try go down side alleys or further away from centre for cheaper restaurants. If you get Copenhagen city passes you’ll get free entrance to a lot of the attractions.
How to get here
We managed to get return tickets with Ryanair for £20, such a bargain! This was travelling from London Stansted.
When you arrive at Copenhagen Airport you can get the train or metro. We got the metro to Nørreport, as this was the closest stop to our hotel. Tickets cost about £4 per person and the journey only took 15 minutes.
What to pack
Winter in Copenhagen from December to February can be cold and snowy so make sure you pack plenty of layers with you. The temperature will range from 5° to -1° with January normally being the coldest month.
Bring a hat, gloves and thermals as it can get chilly when you are wandering around outside.
Where to go next
We took a trip to Malmo in Sweden, the drive was very easy and only took 45 minutes. The bridge crossing is pretty expensive though at £45 each way. For a cheaper option you could always get the train instead.
