One Day in Copenhagen: A First-Time Visitor's Guide -

BY JARED DILLINGHAM

TRAVEL GUIDE: ONE DAY IN COPENHAGEN

You can accomplish a lot as a visitor, even if you only have one day in Copenhagen!

Scandinavia is a beautiful region to visit, and it’s very easy to get from one country to another.

If you find yourself in Stockholm or Oslo, it’s definitely worth a visit to Copenhagen. The flights between the cities are usually only about $50 (one-way) and can take less than an hour.

➡️ COPENHAGEN HOTEL RECOMMENDATION: Manons Les Suites

One Day in Copenhagen: 5 Things to Know

These are some of my takeaways from spending (more than) one day in Copenhagen 😀

Its famous colorful, canal-side area is called Nyhavn
It’s one of the most eco-friendly cities in the world.
It’s home to one of the longest shopping boulevards in Europe.
Public transportation is easy to use.
It’s expensive!

1. Nyhavn

Nyhavn is likely the most famous landmark in Copenhagen. The iconic, colorful canal-side row of stores and restaurants is what I envision when I think of the city.

Really, if you only have one day in Copenhagen, you could spend it right here and feel pretty satisfied with your visit!

2. Eco-Friendly

Copenhagen is one of the most eco-friendly cities in the world. You’ll notice it as soon as you arrive and start walking around.

The streets have a lot of charging stations for electric vehicles. All of the taxis are electric!

The hotels all have the option to run off green, renewable power.

3. Shopping

Copenhagen is home to one of the longest shopping boulevards in Europe. Strøget is about a mile long, and lined with everything from local stores to international chains to high-end luxury brands.

It’s mostly closed to street traffic, so Strøget is very pedestrian-friendly.

4. Public Transportation

The metro system is very easy to use, even if you only speak English. It’s a short ride into the city center from the airport, and you can easily connect to any part of Copenhagen you’d like to visit.

It’s about a 15 to 20 minute ride from the airport into Copenhagen. The cost is about the equivalent of $5 (USD). You’ll find helpful staff at the ticket kiosks after the baggage claim area in the airport, and the trains run every 5 minutes or so. I loved the efficiency!

5. The Costs

You’ll quickly notice: Copenhagen is an expensive city. It’s difficult to have dinner (with wine) for two people, for under $100. One day in Copenhagen might be all the budget will allow!

You might spot a building-sized banner along one of the shopping districts, warning visitors of the high prices! While it’s an advertisement for a discount grocery chain, it makes a good point:

One Day in Copenhagen: The Main Sites

If you only have one day in Copenhagen, you can pretty efficiently cover many of the main sites of the city.

Nyhavn

Nyhavn is likely the most famous part of Copenhagen.

It’s a 17th Century port, which these days is lined with colorful townhomes, shops, and restaurants.

Over its 350-year history, Nyhavn has been an important port, plus a home for bars and brothels.

Today, you’ll see a wide variety of ships docked along the canal, from antiques to modern boats. Many of them have been turned into restaurants.

Nyhavn is also a spot to stop by if you’re looking for a city tour, since many of the cruises take off from the waterway.

Hans Christian Andersen used to live at #20 Nyhavn, and wrote several of his fairytails from the home.

Copenhagen’s “Little Mermaid” (Den Lille Havfrue)

The “Little Mermaid” statue is small in stature, but has a storied history since it was first displayed in Copenhagen in 1913.

She’s only about four feet tall.

The story of “The Little Mermaid” was written by Hans Christian Andersen 200 years ago.

The statue has been damaged, vandalized, and restored many times over the decades.

Vandals have decapitated the mermaid, sawed off her arm, and even blew her off the base into the water.

The mermaid, of course, looks nothing like the modern day Disney interpretation, but the statue always has a crowd around it taking photos.

Just walking the promenade down to the Little Mermaid is enjoyable (on a decent day). It’s lined with a few restaurants to stop in for food or drinks along the way.

It’s also home to other public art, in addition to Den Lille Havfrue.

Stairway to Heaven Spire

The spire on top of the Church of Our Saviour is one of the city’s most famous landmarks, so it’s definitely worth a stop if you just have one day in Copenhagen.

The spiral staircase was built in the 1750s, and you can still climb the 400 steps to the top. The final 150 steps are on the outside of the spire (and not for those scared of heights)!

Once outside, the steps and gold-painted handrails wind four times counterclockwise around the spire to its peak.

The winding stairs get narrow, but you’re still able to pass by other people making the trek 90 meters into the sky for a 360 degree view of Copenhagen.

I think one of the more unexpected and interesting parts of the stair-climb is the series of old broken statues and church paraphernalia which line the platforms and landings along the way.

The spire tends to close during the winter months, and gets crowded at times during the summer, so check its schedule and book ahead.

St. Alban’s Church

St. Alban’s is an Anglican church built in the 1880s.
It’s surrounded by water, gardens and a large fountain, and is next to the Kastellet military barracks.

Kastellet

From above, Kastellet, or the Citadel, looks like a star. The pentagon-shaped military fortress dates back 400 years, and is one of the oldest operating military barracks in Europe.

Kastellet was built to defend Copenhagen against an attack.

It became the Nazi headquarters in Denmark during the occupation in World War 2.

Today, the property includes the barracks, offices, a windmill, and a museum.

The grounds are open to the public, and are a popular spot for walkers and joggers.

The Danish Museum of Resistance

The museum highlights Denmark’s resistance to the Nazi occupation during World War 2.

Much of the museum is underground, below its circular structure.

An arsonist burned the original museum down in 2013, and a new one was built in its current location near the citadel.

Strøget

Strøget is Denmark’s most famous shopping district, and one of the longest shopping boulevards in Europe.

It stretches about a mile long, and is pedestrian-only.

In addition to stores and restaurants, you’ll also find street performances and other spectacles. It’s especially pretty during the Christmas season.

It’s very crowded with shoppers, especially in the evenings. This photo was taken shortly after sunrise when the street was nice and calm:

One Day in Copenhagen: A Walking Tour Map

This is the path I’d follow, to hit most of the big sites in Copenhagen in a single day. The letters correspond to the letters on the map below:

A: Nyhavn
B: Church of Our Savior
C: Freetown Christiana (one I would skip)
D: Little Mermaid Statue
E: St. Alban’s Church
F: Kastellet (Citadel)
G: Museum of Danish Resistance
H: Strøget

Granted, walking is only enjoyable in decent weather, so if rain moves in you can always duck into the metro system or grab an EV cab!

Another option is to hop on one of the bikes or scooters you can rent from stalls all over the city.

Where to Stay

I loved our stay at this jaw-droppingly beautiful 5-star hotel in Copenhagen: Manon Les Suites.

Each of the suites is unique, and they go above-and-beyond, when it comes to sustainability.

➡️ JARED’S DETOURS BLOG: The Best Eco-Friendly Hotel in Copenhagen

The Bali-inspired pool is a main draw at Manon, but I was even more impressed at everything they do to reduce their carbon footprint.

The whole place is run by renewable energy, and from the eco-friendly linens to the bamboo (rather than plastic) toiletries, each aspect is well thought-out.

The kitchen serves all organic food, which is mostly locally-sourced and seasonal. Any kitchen waste is sent off to be turned into bio-fuel.

Much of the furniture, rugs, and decor is from second-hand-shops, which I think is truly unique for a 5-star luxury hotel. Plus, if something breaks (a button on a pillow or a leg on a chair) Manon Les Suites has staff on hand to fix it, rather than throw it out.

Is it Worth a One Day Visit to Copenhagen?

Without a doubt, Copenhagen is with much more than a one day visit.

Still, sometimes airlines will have full day layovers. People on business might only have a day off to sight-see at a conference. Or people traveling through Scandinavia might only have a day or so in each place as they hop from city-to-city.

So, yes, I’d say you can pack a LOT into one day in Copenhagen.

If you’re heading to Scandinavia, check out a few other blogs I’ve posted about Stockholm. Again, it was just a 50 minute, $50 flight from Copenhagen.

➡️ JARED’S DETOURS BLOG: Stockholm Walking Tour Itinerary

➡️ JARED’S DETOURS BLOG: Best Stockholm Ferries for Tourists

➡️ JARED’S DETOURS BLOG: Best Day Trips from Stockholm

➡️ JARED’S DETOURS BLOG: How to Use Stockholm’s Airport Train