The ultimate Copenhagen weekend guide

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The public transport system in Copenhagen is clean, safe, and incredibly efficient. You can get almost anywhere by metro, bus, or train, and for shorter distances, bikes and e-scooters are everywhere.

From the airport, the metro takes you straight to the city center in around 15 minutes, the easiest way to start your trip.

 

Copenhagen is also known for being one of the most bike-friendly cities in the world. And as a Dutchie, I can definitely confirm that. We often use Lime to rent bikes or e-scooters, they’re perfect for covering a bit more distance without a lot of effort.

 

If you’re planning a day trip, trains run frequently to nearby highlights like the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art or Dyrehaven. Everything runs on time, and you can easily plan your routes with Google Maps and buy your tickets at the machines on the train stations. 

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After arriving in the city and checking in, we took a slow walk through the center to discover all this city has to offer.

Our first stop was Rosenborg Castle . We didn’t go inside, but the gardens and exterior are beautiful and free to visit. Rosenborg Castle was built in the early 1600s as a summer residence for King Christian IV and is one of Copenhagen’s most beautiful examples of Dutch Renaissance architecture. Designed by Hans van Steenwinckel the Younger, a Danish architect of Dutch descent, the castle’s red-brick façades and copper spires feel surprisingly familiar if you’re from the Netherlands (like us). Fun fact: the surrounding King’s Garden is the oldest royal garden in the country.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From there, we wandered down to Nyhavn, the most famous canal in the city, lined with colorful houses and boats. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We ended the day in the sauna. Our hotel had one, but there are also several public saunas in the city, such as CopenHot, Nordhavn Sauna, and La Banchina.

 

 

 

 

We started our second day with the Little Mermaid, one of Copenhagen’s most famous sights, and honestly, our least favorite. It’s super crowded, you can barely see the statue and the surroundings are nothing out of the ordinary. So if you don't want to be underwhelmed, I would advise you to skip it.

Next up was SMK: the National Gallery of Denmark, one of our highlights of the trip. The exhibitions are inspiring, the space is beautiful, and it’s a great place to spend a few hours. It's also the largest art museum in Denmark. 

After lunch, we stopped by the Botanical Gardens. The butterfly house was lovely, but much of the rest was under restoration, so it didn’t fully live up to expectations.

Later, we climbed the Round Tower. It's a fun spiral walk up and a great view over the city from the top.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We finished the day with vintage shopping. Copenhagen is an incredible city for secondhand and vintage finds, with beautiful stores and high-quality items. But, like much of the city, it can be really pricey. Some great shops: Prag, Episode, Wasteland, Time’s Up Vintage, OSV Secondhand and Veras Vintage.

 

 

 

 

Time to explore what it's like outside of Copenhagen. Take the train towards Helsingør, first stop: Louisiana Museum of Modern Art. It’s a 40-minute train ride from the city, followed by a 10-minute walk to one of the most unique museums in Europe, which combines art, architecture, and a sculpture garden overlooking the sea. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For the second part of the day trip, take the train back toward Copenhagen and get off at Klampenborg Station, conveniently located between the Louisiana Museum and the city center. From there, it’s just a 3-minute walk to Dyrehaven, which was my personal highlight of the trip. This national park is home to around 2,000 deer. We visited during the rutting season (from September to November), when the stags compete for the attention of the females, a truly spectacular thing to witness.

Dyrehaven is a really big park, and you could easily spend a couple of hours exploring its trails. Walk through the woodland and meadows up to the Eremitage Palace, an 18th-century hunting lodge built for royal festivities. The palace sits beautifully within the park, surrounded by fields of grazing deer, which make it feel like you're on a movie set.

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​Train details:
Copenhagen to Louisiana: around 40 minutes.
Louisiana to Dyrehaven (Klampenborg): around 20 minutes.
Dyrehaven to Copenhagen: around 20 minutes.
Same train line, just different stops: making it the perfect day trip combo!

 

 

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We started the morning at the Glyptoteket, a stunning art museum

with ancient sculptures, lush indoor gardens, and a beautiful glass-

roofed courtyard café. After the museum, we stopped at Lille Fugl, the

final stop on our hunt for the best cardamom buns in Copenhagen.

They even have a vegan version, and it was so good. Honestly, I’d

probably return to Copenhagen just for that bun.

Before heading to the airport, we visited the Royal Library, also known

as the Black Diamond. Beautiful architecture, calm atmosphere, and it’s

free to enter.

 

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Budget breakdown of this trip

Return flight from Amsterdam to Copenhagen: €210

Hotel: €475 (including breakfast and access to gym and sauna)

Food: €120

Activities: €78 

Transport: €60 (including airport transfer, trains on day trips and bike rides)

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Is the Copenhagen Card worth it?

If you’re planning to visit multiple attractions, the Copenhagen Card can be a great deal. It gives you free entry to over 80 attractions and unlimited use of public transport, including to and from the airport and day trips like Louisiana Museum.

We spent around €138 on museums and public transport (all mentioned in this itinerary), while the Copenhagen Card costs €133. So for our trip the price was about the same, but if you plan to visit more museums, you’ll definitely save money.

 

Good to know: we used Lime bikes and scooters a lot because they were more convenient (and more fun haha) than the metro. These aren’t included in the Copenhagen Card, so keep that in mind when budgeting.

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If you have extra time to explore beyond this 4-day itinerary, here are some great additions to your list: 

• Amalienborg Palace: the royal residence of the Danish monarchy, known for its daily changing of the guards.

• The National Museum: a fascinating look into Denmark’s history and culture, from the Vikings to modern times.

• Christiansborg Palace: home to the Danish Parliament, Supreme Court, and Royal Reception Rooms (you can visit the tower for free).

• Kronborg Castle: a UNESCO World Heritage site and the real-life setting of Shakespeare’s Hamlet, located in Helsingør.

• The Open Air Museum: one of the oldest and largest open-air museums in the world, perfect for learning about traditional Danish life.

• Natural History Museum Denmark: great for science lovers, with exhibitions on everything from dinosaurs to biodiversity.

• Planetarium: a fun and educational stop, especially if you’re visiting with kids (or just love space).

• The Marble Church: this church has one of the largest domes in Europe.

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Copenhagen has something to offer year-round, depending on what kind of experience you’re after.

Spring: Sunny days return, flowers bloom, and the city comes alive. Perfect for picnic's and biking around town.

Summer: Warm, long days with plenty of light. Ideal for swimming, rooftop bars, and enjoying the city’s parks.

Autumn: Crisp air, golden trees, and warm autumn sunlight reflecting off the colorful buildings. It can rain, but it’s atmospheric and beautiful.

Winter: Cold but cozy. Christmas markets and if you're lucky snowy streets.

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We stayed at 25hours Hotel Copenhagen, located right on the edge of Indre By, Copenhagen’s historic city center, and close to Østerbro, one of the city’s greenest and most elegant districts. It’s an ideal area if you want to be near the main sights while still enjoying a calm, local atmosphere.

From here, we could easily walk or cycle to Rosenborg Castle, the Statens Museum for Kunst (SMK), and the Botanical Garden. 

The hotel itself had everything we needed: a small gym, a large outdoor sauna (free for guests), and comfortable rooms to relax after a day in the city. Our stay at 25hours Hotel was partly gifted, but as always, all opinions are completely my own​​.