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By Monika

How to Spend One Day in Copenhagen (Best Highlights + Map & Tips)

Only have one day in Copenhagen?

Don’t worry – you can still experience the charm of Denmark’s capital – the city that so effortlessly blends history and modern design and where colorful historic buildings line the canals nestled between cafés and shops.

Whether you visit on a layover (like me!), stopping in on a cruise, or squeezing the city into a packed Europe itinerary (also me!), a single day is enough to capture the best highlights.

From iconic sights like Nyhavn and the Little Mermaid to royal palaces and delicious food, I’ll guide you through how to make the most of your 24 hours in Copenhagen.

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How to get to Copenhagen from the airport

The best way to get to the city from the airport is by metro. I’ll talk about getting around Copenhagen a little later in this post, but taking the metro is best.

Helpful hint: there are free maps of Copenhagen and the city’s public transportation displayed I various places if the airport – make sure to grab them!

You can buy metro tickets right at the airport – there is a large area with ticket vending machines to buy metro, train and bus tickets. If you run into any trouble, there are attendants there ready to help you.

Helpful hint: we had trouble with the payment and the attendant helping us for explained that for some transactions in Denmark, especially in self-service kiosks you need a credit card with a pin if it’s over 350 DKK.

Tip: you can also purchase them online by using the DOT Tickets App.

We purchased the “City Pass Small” for about $16 per person and it was enough.

The metro station is also located right inside the airport. Take the yellow line and ride 8 stops to “Kongens Nytorv”. That will get you right to Nyhavn – the first stop of this one-day Copenhagen itinerary.

After you get off the train, take the escalator two flights up and you’ll be greeted by a beautiful green square right in the heart of the city and very close to Nyhavn – Copenhagen harbor.

The square is called Kongens Nytorv, just like the metro station. It means “The King’s New Square” and it’s Copenhagen’s main square, with the statue of King Christian V on horseback.

All attractions mentioned in this itinerary are described in much more detail in my guide to the best things to do in Copenhagen.

What to do in Copenhagen for a day?

The key is to start early so you have plenty of time to explore this fascinating city.

I’ll share with you the exact itinerary that we followed during our one day in Copenhagen on the way to Portugal, with some options in case you want to change or add things to better fit your plans.

Our flight was delayed by 2 hours, so it put a small wrinkle in our “start early” plan for the day but we still had an amazing time in Denmark’s capital.

Here is the itinerary at a glance:

1. Grab a hot dog (pølse)

You may be thinking – what’s so special about a hot dog???

Well, Denmark is quite famous for its hot dog carts and stands (pølsevogn) and eating one is just as much of a cultural experience as it is in Iceland!

It’s a great way to start your day in Copenhagen!

2. Stroll along the canal in Nyhavn

Nyhavn (the “New Harbor”) is a historic 17th-century waterfront district, lined by colorful houses along the canal. It is Copenhagen’s most iconic spots – the most famous and most recognizable place in Copenhagen.

It is also just a very nice and fun place to spend some time – the views of the canal with boats docked on the water are unmissable.

Stroll along the cobblestone streets and check out the historic houses, little cafes and restaurants, and of course, go souvenir shopping!

3. Take a canal cruise

In my opinion, this is a must!

It’s a great way to explore the canals of Copenhagen, see the harbor, and possibly some of the sights you may not have the time to get to in one day, like the Copenhagen Opera House or the Royal Library, and the Little Mermaid statue, which is a bit out of the way for this itinerary but the boat passes right by it.

The tours depart right from Nyhavn. There are many different kinds of canal tours; however, for this itinerary, I recommend a classic 1-hour canal cruise – we took it and loved it!

4. Amalienborg Royal Palace

8-minute walk from the canal tours in Nyhavn

Home to the Danish Royal Family, this complex consists of 4 palace buildings around a large cobblestone courtyard with a statue of King Frederik V on horseback in the middle.

It’s most famous for the Royal Guard, and for most visitors, the main attraction is watching the changing of the guards, which takes place daily at noon.

Helpful hint: you can visit the Amalienborg Palace Museum, located in one of the buildings around the courtyard. Buy just the entry ticket or a guided tour departing from Nyhavn.

5. Frederick’s Church (Frederiks Kirke)

4-minute walk from Amalienborg Palace

This church is also known as the “Marble Church” and you’ll easily recognize it by its signature green dome. Its architecture was inspired by St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome.

Even though originally designed to be built with marble, it was later switched to limestone, but the name remained.

The church is free to enter and the dome can also be entered for a small fee – it offers a great view of the area. Just check the official website for the opening hours.

6. Rosenborg Castle and the King’s Garden

16-minute walk from the Marble Church

This 17th-century castle was built as a summer residence for King Christian IV, complete with a moat and beautiful gardens.

We walked around the gardens for quite a while – they now serve as a popular park in Copenhagen.

We did not go inside the castle, but if you’d like to see the art, the tapestries, and the royal jewels, just cut down on your time in the gardens and make sure to buy your TIMED entry ticket in advance to avoid waiting in potentially long lines.

7. Try Smørrebrød at Torvehallerne food market

11-minute walk from Rosenborg Castle

Torvehallerne is Copenhagen’s iconic food market, where you’ll find numerous stalls with fresg produce, specialty foods, but also small shops and local bars/cafes where you can try some of the best Danish delicacies.

One of the must-try foods is “Smørrebrød” – famous Danish open sandwich, made with dark rye bread and served with different toppings. Pickled herring is one of the more traditional ones but you can choose from many different ones.

Grab one so you have the energy to climb some stairs at the next stop on this packed itinerary!

8. The Round Tower

8-minute walk from Torvehallerne

The Round Tower was my second-favorite stop of the day (after Nyhavn and the canal tour) – climbing the winding ramp is awesome and leads you to the top of the tower for truly amazing views of the city.

The tower was built in the 17^th century by King Christian IV to serve as an Observatory and a place for the University Library and the Trinity Church.

You can’t buy the tickets in advance – just show up and don’t get discouraged if you see a line – it moves fast! And the tower is worth the wait!

You can learn more about the history of the Round Tower on the official website.

9. Grab a pastry from Skt. Peders Bageri

7-minute walk from the Round Tower

This is the oldest bakery in Copenhagen, best known for their cinnamon rolls, but they sell a wide selection of sweet treats, breads and rolls.

Definitely try one after climbing the ramp at the Round Tower!

10. Take a walk along Strøget

3-minute walk from the bakery

Strøget is the main shopping street in Copenhagen and at 1 km long, it’s the longest pedestrian street in Europe.

You’ll find a little bit of everything here: upscale shops, souvenir stores, restaurants, cafes, and even street performers.

After all the historical sights on this itinerary, walking this street will give you a taste of modern Copenhagen.

If you walk the entire length of it, you’ll get right back to Kongens Nytorv Park, where we started this itinerary.

Up until this point, we visited the main highlights of Copenhagen in one, walkable loop.

Here is a map of this itinerary for your reference:

Additional itinerary options

This is where you have some choices, depending on how much you have left in your day (and how much energy!)

Freetown Christiania

You can do what we did and end your day with a visit to Freetown Christiania.

It’s an independent neighborhood of Copenhagen, famous for being a hub for artists, hippies, and others wanting to live a less conventional, alternative lifestyle.

You may be looking at the slightly run-down buildings covered in graffiti and wondering if it’s safe – it is! We were there at the end of the day, along with many other tourists, and never felt uneasy for any reason.

On the contrary, there was something about this area that made it feel very peaceful.

Even the infamous Pusher Street has had a recent makeover and is now just another – safe -colorful street in Christiania.

We walked there from Strøget (it took about 25 minutes) but you can also take the metro which will cut down your travel time in half.

As we walked, we came across another well-known Copenhagen landmark – the Church of Our Saviour, with its serpentine spire, towering over other buildings in the area.

You can climb the 400 stairs to the top of the tower (150 of them on the outside of the spire – so it’s not for the faint of heart!) but I recommend you purchase the tickets online in advance or you may not be able to enter.

The number of visitors allowed in the tower is strictly controlled for safety reasons. We skipped that part, as by then we were tired from the flight and a long day.

After visited Freetown Christiania we took the metro back to our hotel to rest before the next leg of our trip.

Christiansborg Palace

10-minute walk from Strøget

If visiting Christiania does not seem appealing to you, you can add one more Palace to your itinerary – the Christiansborg Palace.

It used to be home to the Royal Family, and now it houses the Danish Parliament, the Supreme Court and the Ministry of State.

Your entry ticket gives you access to all rooms that are open to the public, including the stables, the kitchen and the underground ruins.

Tivoli Gardens

Want more fun at the end of your day? Visit Tivoli Gardens – the second oldest amusement park in the world! Enjoy rides, live performances, beautiful gardens and good food!

You can book your tickets on the official website or here.

You can get to Tivoli by taking the metro (blue line) from Kongens Nytorv – ride 2 stops and then walk for about 5 minutes.

And that will conclude your magical one day in Copenhagen!

If you’d rather visit a museum vs. my evening suggestions or instead of other attractions on this itinerary, check this list of top museums in Copenhagen.

Let’s get to some logistics now:

Where to stay for one day in Copenhagen?

In my opinion, the best place to stay is near the airport. It’s very well connected to the city and it’s very convenient, especially if you have an early morning flight to your next destination.

There are two hotels within walking distance of the terminal – there are actually signs for those hotels in the terminal, and you don’t even have to go outside!

They are Clarion Hotel and Comfort Hotel. We stayed at Comfort Hotel.

You actually walk through the Clarion’s lobby to continue to Comfort Hotel. Clarion has a flight display board on the lobby, so you can check your flight details as needed, which I thought was very cool!

Both serve breakfast, and for a small extra fee, they offer an ”early bird breakfast” starting at 3 am!

It’s a full breakfast spread – delicious! So we were able to grab some real food before heading out to catch our flight to Lisbon.

And the hotel will also store your luggage if you arrive before check in time, so you’re free to explore Copenhagen without your carry-ons!

Want more options? Check the map below:

How to get around Copenhagen

You’ll need a metro ticket to get to the city which I mentioned at the beginning of this article.

Once there, the best way is to walk or continue using the metro to move between attractions.

If the weather is nice, you can also rent a bicycle – either from one of the bike shops or stands/kiosks that are almost around every corner of every street!

Prefer a bike tour? Consider one of the tours below:

You can also book the Hop On Hop Off bus ticket.

We found walking and metro to be the easiest.

🛜 Stay connected during your trip with an eSIM like Airalo, Saily or Sim Local!

Use promo code PLANPACK to unlock your 5% discount!

Should you buy the Copenhagen Card?

It all comes down to cost and convenience.

The Copenhagen Card covers all public transportation, the classic canal tour, and provides access to over 80 attractions in the city, including the castles and palaces mentioned in this itinerary plus the entrance (not rides) to the Tivoli Gardens.

The cost for 24 hours is around $87.

While it seems like great value, unless you plan on entering all these attractions (which may not be attainable in such a short time), it may not be worth it for this itinerary.

Important: as of April 1st, 2024, the Round Tower is NOT included in the Copenhagen Card.

Best time to visit Copenhagen for one day

I would recommend visiting in the warmer months – with only one day to see the city, choose the season with likely good weather and more daylight so you don’t seem rushed.

We went in late April and had great weather, still without the summer crowds.

Choose late spring or summer if you plan on visiting Tivoli Gardens (usually open from mid-April to mid-September).

👉 Don’t forget TRAVEL INSURANCE! I don’t travel without it. Get a quote from my personal #1 choice – Travel Guard – or check more options here!

Can you see Copenhagen with a tour?

Easily! If you’d rather explore with a guide, the tours below are very highly reviewed and cover a good amount of the itinerary described in this article.

And they are short enough to leave you some time for a bite to eat or more exploring.

Is Copenhagen worth visiting for one day?

Absolutely! Copenhagen is a great city for a short visit and you can easily see the best of it even if you only have 24 hours!

READ MORE: Best Things to See in Copenhagen: Top Attractions + Local Favorites

Do you have more time? Follow this 2-4 Copenhagen itinerary to plan a longer trip.

Are you ready to plan your trip? 👉 To learn about my trusted travel resources that help me (and will help you too!) plan trips easily and save money, read this guide: How to Plan a Trip to Europe: My Favorite Travel Resources Revealed.

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