Copenhagen, the capital of Denmark is an incredible city surrounded by canals and colorful houses. It is a rather large city with so much to do! Whether or not you’re taking a weekend trip to Copenhagen or spending a week in this Scandinavian city, you definitely will not run out of things to do. Below I’ll go through the best things to do with 2 days in Copenhagen.
And don’t forget to pin this for later!
This post contains affiliate links to the products that I use and trust. Meaning that I might receive a small commission (at no extra cost to you) if you make a purchase using any of my links below. See full disclosure here.
LOCATION
Located in Northern Europe, Copenhagen is considered one of the five capitals of Scandinavia along with Stockholm, Oslo, Helsinki, and Reykjavik. As such, it’s a great city to visit on a trip to Scandinavia. I paired Copenhagen with a few locations in Sweden and Norway which was perfect! Traveling between Sweden and Denmark is easy as several cities are connected via high speed train. It takes approximately 3.5 hours to travel from Copenhagen to Gothenburg and 5 hours to travel between Copenhagen and Stockholm. However, if you’re flying between Norway and Denmark, I suggest flying.
DURATION & WHEN TO VISIT
Ideally you’ll want to spend at least 2 days in Copenhagen. If you’re looking to travel outside the city, I suggest adding a few days onto your itinerary. While Copenhagen is large, the city is walkable and of course bikeable so you’ll be able to see a lot on a quick trip!
We visited Copenhagen in September which was perfect! The weather was great for walking around and exploring but the city wasn’t overly crowded. Since Copenhagen is located so far north, spring through fall is a great time to visit. It’s generally cold with a potential for snow between the end of November and March.
NYHAVN (COLORED HOUSES)
The first thing I recommend doing on this Copenhagen travel guide is heading to Nyhavn to check out the colored houses, restaurants, and canals along the water. This area used to be a commercial shipping port where ships from all over the world docked. Since then, the houses have been renovated with new restaurants filling the homes. While the restaurants are more expensive along the water in Nyhavn, I highly recommend eating at least one meal on the water. The view is incredible, and the colored houses are a site to see.
COPENHAGEN CANAL TOUR
The Copenhagen Canal Tour is a perfect tour to take upon arrival. It is an easy way to learn about Copenhagen and get a great view of the city! You’re able to book the tour online in advance as well as last minute. If you book online, tickets are open departure. The schedule is displayed on site every morning so you can choose the time that works for you. We took the hour long tour at sunset, and it was the perfect time to go. You’re able to bring drinks on the canal tour, as well, which made for a fun time!
RUNDETAARN (THE ROUND TOWER)
For one of the best views in Copenhagen, head to The Round Tower. It’s one of the most iconic buildings in Denmark inspired by German Renaissance castles and ancient structures. Construction began on the Round Tower in 1637 and took 5 years to build.
It is roughly 4 USD to enter the tower and quite the walk as it is a gradual incline of about 200 meters to the top. There is a platform around the edge of the tower, at the top, giving a 360 degree view of the entire city. You’ll even be able to see Sweden from the top.
TORVEHALLERNE MARKET
My favorite part of Copenhagen was checking out Torvehallerne Market! There are over 80 stands selling everything from vegetables and chocolate, to fresh meats and fishes. There are also stands selling quick bites to eat and drink. Wander around the market for awhile before deciding what to get because there are so many options! It’s a great place to sit outside with a few small bites and a drink.
RENT A BIKE
Copenhagen is known for biking, it’s estimated about 60% of people bike to work in Copenhagen – rain or shine. It feels like there are more bikes than cars scattered throughout the city, making it the easiest form of transportation. It’s so easy to rent bikes in Copenhagen as bike rentals are scattered across town. You can simply grab a bike and pay as you go. While renting a bike is easy, personally, I found biking in Copenhagen to be overwhelming! I highly suggest taking a tour for this reason especially if you’re not a confident biker. Either way, biking through Copenhagen is most definitely memorable!
Booking – Guided Bike Tour in Copenhagen
STROGET SHOPPING STREET
Strøget is the perfect spot to get your shopping game on! It’s actually the longest pedestrian shopping street in the world. Even if you’re not a shopper, Strøget is a cool area to wander around with local shops and international stores filling the street. You’ll pass a ton of street performers and main Copenhagen attractions. It is an easy walk to Strøget from The Round Tower. You’re bound to make it here while being in Copenhagen!
If you’re planning to spend 2 days in Copenhagen I hope this helped you plan your trip! While there is a lot to see, there are a few key places that you cannot miss. I absolutely loved visiting Copenhagen and look forward to visiting again at some point.
If you’re looking for more ideas in Scandinavia you’ll find my four day guide to Norway here.
Safe Travels,
Sarah :)
I’ve linked a few of my favorite travel essentials below! See our travel shop for more essentials including my favorite baby travel gear. Let me know if you have any questions in the comments below, I’m happy to help!
Headed to Copenhagen in May. I’ll be sure to check out the Torvehallerne Market. It sounds amazing!
Ps.. Thanks for sharing about the Strøget Shopping Street. I am excited to go check it out! But my boyfriend might not enjoy be to thrilled about that…
Thanks,
Makenna
Hi Makenna! I hope you have an amazing trip to Copenhagen! Torvehallerne Market is awesome. I hope you can get a little shopping in as well since Strøget is such a cool area. Thanks for reading!
Thank you for the most informative post – we have exactly 2 days in Copenhagen in November 🥶 – so it was was perfect!! 😃👏🏻 Did you go to Tivoli Gardens? Would you recommend it? Thank you so much 🙏🏻