La capitale danese offre una vivace accoglienza. Copenhagen, mecca del design e della gastronomia nordica, offre tante attività gratuite che vanno dalle visite guidate, all’ingresso ad alcuni musei storici, oltre che tante esperienze per gustare la nordic cuisine senza spendere troppo.
Free tour in Copenhagen
Ready for a tour of the capital? Join a local guide for a free walking tour of central Copenhagen! There are several tours, from the 3-hour guided walk starting from the City Hall to the Amalienborg Royal Palace to a shorter 90-minute tour from Christianshavn to the entrance of Christiania.
For a wonderful 360° view of the city, you can climb to the top of the Round Tower, the oldest working observatory in Europe, built in the 17th century – the entrance costs only €3.50. Right in front of the Tower, you will find the best Hot Dog (typical Danish street food) in Copenhagen. Alternatively, you can admire the city from the top of the Christiansborg Palace Tower, the tallest tower in Copenhagen. The visit is free, and on clear days you can even see Sweden.
The Copenhagen Card is an economical way to explore the city, benefiting from free access to over 79 museums and attractions, discounts at restaurants, and free access to all public transport (buses, trains, harbour buses, and metro) including transport from the airport to the city center. Starting from GI. Strand, with the card, the canal boat tour is also free, allowing you to admire the main monuments from the water. The adult card allows you to accompany up to two children under 10 years old. The Copenhagen Card is available for 24, 48, 72, and 120 hours. You can also buy it online but it must always be physically collected at one of the many sales points.
The city is small and it is easy to get around on foot to visit some free attractions, such as The Little Mermaid, Christiania, the famous Nyhavn canal, Børsen (the beautiful and ancient stock exchange building), and the Botanical Garden. There are also many public parks in the city, such as the King’s Garden at Rosenborg Castle, and the peaceful Assistens Cemetery Park in Nørrebro, where you can visit the graves of famous Danes, such as the fairy tale writer Hans Christian Andersen and the philosopher Søren Kierkegaard.
Copenhagen by Bike
Ride like the Danes, get on your saddle and pedal! For an authentic experience of the Danish lifestyle, a tour on two wheels along the extensive network of bike lanes is a must. Don’t miss the Bryggebroen bridge (known as the Bike Snake), 190 meters long, connecting Havneholmen to Islands Brygge, as well as the brand-new Cirkelbroen connecting Christiansbro and Appelbys Plads. Designed by Danish-Icelandic artist Olafur Eliasson, the circle bridge is a new architectural landmark. It was conceived as a new urban space, inviting those who cross it to slow down and have new perspectives on the city.
Museums and Attractions Not to Miss
There are numerous museums with free entry, including the National Museum, which traces Danish history from the Stone Age and Vikings to the present day, and the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek, which offers free access on Tuesdays to the museum’s beautiful winter garden and over 10,000 masterpieces from the largest collection of French Impressionist works in Scandinavia. At the Statens Museum for Kunst (National Gallery), there is free access to permanent exhibitions showcasing exceptional collections of Danish and international art from the last seven centuries.
For lovers of contemporary art and beyond, we recommend a visit to the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art (paid admission and included in the Copenhagen card), located by the sea about 45 minutes by train from the city center. The Louisiana houses a permanent collection of over 3,500 contemporary works, as well as internationally renowned temporary exhibitions. The museum also features a magnificent garden with beautiful sculptures, just steps from the sea. A visit to the Tivoli Gardens (admission included with the Copenhagen card) is not to be missed; it is a world-famous amusement park. Created in 1843, it is the second oldest amusement park in the world, inspired Walt Disney’s theme parks, and offers many attractions, fun activities, rides, theatrical shows, concerts, and restaurants for all budgets. With the Copenhagen Card, you can access these attractions and many other museums in the city for free.
Eat and drink cheaply in the Danish capital
With as many as 18 Michelin stars awarded to 15 restaurants, Copenhagen is known as the capital of the “New Nordic Cuisine.” However, Copenhagen also offers many high-level gastronomic experiences for all budgets. The Copenhagen Street Food, for example, opened in 2014 on Paper Island, offers imaginative, sustainable, and affordable street food from around the world in a colorful space dotted with food trucks and stalls.
For a refined culinary experience but still on a budget, the city offers 10 restaurants awarded the Bib Gourmand, the Michelin Guide’s category recognizing great yet more accessible restaurants with excellent value for money. Interesting prices can also be found at Cofoco (Copenhagen Food Consulting) restaurants: currently, there are 14 venues in the city offering high-quality food with fixed-price menus, such as the Nordic restaurant Höst or the South American restaurant Llama. Madklubben also offers 9 high-quality restaurants at reasonable prices – the latest restaurant of the concept recently opened in the lively Vesterbro area.
For a light bite, the city offers a wide variety of cafés and organic places including GRØD, specialized in porridge, with a space in the Nørrebro district and in central Copenhagen. For takeaway lovers or quick snacks, we also suggest a stop at the covered market Torvehallerne, also in Nørrebro, where you can taste the best Hot Dogs (typical street food) in Denmark. In Vesterbro, many bars serve drinks at reasonable prices in the Meatpacking District, or at Boutique Lize, while at Dupong you can play ping pong while enjoying a beer or a cocktail.
Where to stay in Copenhagen on a budget
The economical WakeUp Copenhagen offers two central hotels by the famous Danish architect Kim Utzon, both featuring modern and minimalist design yet trendy and high quality. For a cool and affordable accommodation, we recommend Hotel Cabinn and for those who simply can’t give up on design, we recommend the Stealhouse Hostel to stay in style in the capital in a luxury hostel. Speaking of luxury, the brand new Hotel Denmark offers low-cost rooms bookable on the Airbnb platform or on Booking.
How to get to Copenhagen
Copenhagen is easily accessible with direct flights from various Italian cities with low-cost airlines. To reach the city center from the airport, you need to take the metro (direction Kongens Nytorv or Nørreport Station) or the train (direction Copenhagen Central Station). Both take about 15 minutes for a price of around 5 euros, or free with the Copenhagen Card, which can already be purchased at the airport.
