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 downtown 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 trip 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 functioning 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 Tånet at Christiansborg Palace, the tallest tower in Copenhagen. The visit is free and on clear days, you can even see Sweden.
The Copenhagen Card is a cost-effective way to explore the city, benefiting from free entrance to more than 79 museums and attractions, discounts in restaurants, and free access to all public transport (bus, train, harbour bus, and metro) including transport from the airport to the city center. Starting from GI. Strand, the canal boat tour is also free with the card, allowing you to admire the main monuments from the water. The adult card permits accompanying up to two children under 10 years old. The Copenhagen card is available for 24, 48, 72, and 120 hours visits. You can also purchase it online, but it must always be physically picked up 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 numerous public city parks, such as the King’s Garden at the Rosenborg Castle, and the peaceful Assistens Cemetery Park in Nørrebro, where you can visit the graves of famous Danes, like the fairy tale writer Hans Christian Andersen and the philosopher Søren Kierkegaard.
Copenhagen by bicycle
Do as the Danes do, get on your bike and pedal! For an authentic experience of the Danish lifestyle, a ride on two wheels through the extensive network of bike lanes is a must. Don’t miss the Bryggebroen bridge (known as the Bike Snake), 190 meters long, which connects Havneholmen to Islands Brygge, as well as the brand new Cirkelbroen connecting Christiansbro and Appelbys Plads. Designed by the 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 gain new perspectives on the city.
Museums and attractions not to be missed
There are numerous museums with free admission, including the National Museum, which traces Danish history from the Stone Age and the Vikings to the present day, or the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek, which on Tuesdays offers free access to the museum’s beautiful winter garden and to over 10,000 masterpieces from the largest collection in Scandinavia of French Impressionist works. The Statens Museum for Kunst (National Gallery) offers free access to permanent exhibitions, featuring exceptional collections of Danish and international art from the last seven centuries.
For lovers of contemporary art and more, we recommend a visit to the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art (admission fee applies and included in the Copenhagen Card) overlooking the sea about 45 minutes by train from the city center. The Louisiana hosts a permanent art collection of over 3,500 contemporary works, as well as international caliber temporary exhibitions. The museum also has a magnificent garden with beautiful sculptures, just steps from the sea. Not to be missed is a visit to the Tivoli Gardens (admission included in the Copenhagen Card), the world-famous amusement park. Created in 1843, it is the second oldest amusement park in the world, Tivoli 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 it is possible to access these attractions and many other museums in the city for free.
Eating and drinking 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 all over 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 category of recognition by the Michelin Guide for great restaurants that are more accessible and offer excellent value for money. Interesting prices also for Cofoco restaurants (Copenhagen Food Consulting): currently there are 14 establishments 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 concept restaurant recently opened in the lively Vesterbro area.
For a light bite instead, the city offers a wide variety of cafés and organic places including GRØD, specializing in porridge, with a space in the Nørrebro district and in central Copenhagen. For take-away lovers or quick snacks, we also suggest a stop at the covered market of 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, along with a beer or cocktail, you can play ping pong.
Where to sleep in Copenhagen on a budget
The economical WakeUp Copenhagen offers two central hotels by the famous Danish architect Kim Utzon, both characterized by a modern and minimalist design yet fashionable and high quality. For a cool and affordable accommodation, we recommend the Hotel Cabinn and for those who simply cannot give up on design, we suggest 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 about 5 euros, or free with the Copenhagen Card which can be purchased already at the airport.
