Copenhagen

Ny Carlsberg Glyptoteket

The Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek houses over 10,000 works, divided into two principal collections. One is of works from the Mediterranean cradle of Western culture, including classical Egyptian, Roman and Greek antiquities and Romanticist sculptures; the other of Danish and French art from the 19th and 20th centuries, including paintings by Monet, Pissarro, Renoir, Cézanne and van Gogh, as well as several bronze sculptures by Degas. Completed in 1897, the building is an attraction in its own right, especially the sub-tropical winter garden.

Tue-Sun 11:00–18:00, Thu 11:00-22:00, closed on Mondays · Adul 115 kr, under 27 85 kr, under 18 and Tuesdays free · Wi-Fi · Entry DKK 125

Tivoli

main entrance shown on map

Tivoli is a garden built around a lake stemming from the old fortification of the city. It was opened in 1843 by its founder Georg Carstensen, just outside the city walls. Since then Copenhagen has grown up around it, and today the world-famous gardens and amusement park, is a magic and green oasis smack in the center of the city, between the central station and the city hall square. The magic is particularly obvious after dark, when the lights and lanterns in every colour of the rainbow, lights up everywhere. Main season is mid-April to late September. From mid November to late December there is Christmas in Tivoli. Tivoli is especially beautiful at night when coloured lamps light up everywhere. Pop/rock concerts every Friday night, sometimes with internationally known names. Some evenings end with fireworks, consult the programme. Also brass bands, pantomime theatre, etc., on the program.

Daily 11:00-23:00 (later on weekends) · Entry adults (8 years and up) 130 kr, children 3-7 years old 60 kr (discounts available online and for groups) · Limited wheelchair access

Kongens Have

King's Garden

This park adjacent to Rosenborg is the most frequented park in the city. It is a place for a stroll, a picnic, drinking beers in the sun, or whatever you feel like doing. The topless sunbathers often inject a shock into foreign visitors. Also the marionette theatre in the eastern corner is doing plays every day at 14:00 and 15:00. Great for kids.

07:00-22:00 · Free · Free entry

Naturhistoriske Museum

Natural History Museum of Denmark

Formerly called the "Geologisk Museum", still with a strong focus on geology. Has some impressive samples of minerals, rocks and fossils from all over the world on display. Including stones from the moon were brought back to the earth by Apollo 17, dinosaur fossils, and the kids favorite; glow in the dark minerals. The entry fee includes a visit to the palm house in the botanical garden.

Tue-Sun 10:00-17:00, Mondays closed · Adult 105 kr, children (aged 3-16) and students: 50 kr

The University of Copenhagen Botanical Garden

The Botanical Gardens are one of several parks, dotted along the string of lakes, which used to form part of the old city fortifications. Run by the University of Copenhagen, the garden hosts Denmark's largest collection of living plants, including an impressive collection of orchids. The signature palm house is a huge greenhouse, with large tropical trees, and a sky walk in the canopy.

Palmhouse:10:00-15:00, garden: Mar-Oct 08:30-18:00 Nov-Feb 08:30-16:00 · Garden free, palm house access included in the ticket for the Naturhistoriske Museum or 60 kr for adults and 40 kr for kids and students · Free entry

The City Hall

Rådhuset

The City Hall is open to the public, so you can stroll through the hallways, stairs, and study all the paintings, frescoes, and other decorations on your own. City Hall guided tours in English M–F at 13:00, Sa 10:00, 50 kr. Visit the tower: M–F 11:00 and 14:00, Sa at 12:00, 30 kr or free with Copenhagen Card. There is a nice little garden that cannot be seen from outside the city hall. The city hall is also home of Jens Olsen's World Clock - this mechanical masterpiece of a complete astronomical clock is in the foyer.

Mon-Fri 07:45-17:00 · Free · Built 1905 · Wheelchair accessible

Mindelunden

Ryvangen Memorial Park

Mindelunden is a memorial park in Hellerup where the Danish freedom fighters who died in World War II are buried. The park has among other things a memorial wall, tombs for the victims of the KZ-camps and a shooting range which the Germans used for execution.

Jan-Apr 10:00-16:00, May-Aug 10:00-19:00, Sep-Jan 10:00-16:00 · Free

Cisternerne

Museum of Modern Glass Art

The museum is the old, catacomb like, water cisterns under Søndermarken park opposite the main entrance to Zoo, and the unusual environs, combined with the stained glass art and various sculptures makes the museum quite unique.

Open Fri 14:00-18:00, Sat Sun holidays 11:00-17:00. Closed Dec-Jan · 70 kr

Møstings Hus

Changing art exhibition in small but very cute house next to the Frederiksberg Garden and a small idyllic pond. It is open to any artist that applies and is accepted by the municipality.

Tue-Fri 11:00-16:00 · Free entry · Wheelchair accessible

Amager Strandpark

Amager Beach

Probably the largest beach in the near vicinity of Copenhagen, artificially constructed some years back. Includes a large sand island and an inner lagoon. There is usually a good range of activities going on, even outside the bathing season, such as windsurfing, diving, water skiing, sea kayaking and some hugely popular beach volleyball fields. If you're visiting during winter you have a chance to show your inner Viking with winter bath on the New Helgoland pier.

Landbohøjskolens Have

Horticultural Garden

The University Garden of the University of Copenhagen's Frederiksberg campus is a relatively small but beautiful botanical garden with a focus on cultivated plants.

sunrise to sunset · free · Built 1858

Fælledparken

Fæleldparken is the big park behind the football stadium, the largest in Copenhagen. There is a lake, big trees and a pavilion with a cafe which hosts concerts during the summer, the outfit Salsa Brava also gives Salsa lessons in the park during the summer. Most of it is covered with grass, much of it marked as football fields. Go there for a game of football or another game, a picnic, or just lie in the grass. At May 1st, during the International Workers day, most of Copenhagen's population comes here in a peculiar mix of a political rally, and a seriously huge party.

Morgenstedet

Morgenstedet is a vegetarian eatery, and all the food here is made from organic and fresh vegetables from a Danish farm. Nice outdoor seating along benches in the garden, and nice rustic interiors inside. The service is can be really laid back, and the place is mostly self-service, but the open kitchen and talkative chefs make up for it.

Tue-Sun 12:00-21:00 · Mains from DKK 70 · Vegan options · Wi-Fi · Outdoor seating

Park bio

The only cinema on Østerbro, has an atmospheric lobby with tall plants, caged birds, and a café. Plays many Danish and European movies.

Usually 12:00-23:00 · 65 kr

Kastrup Fort

Another of Copenhagen's old fortifications, which has been turned into an attractive park. Other than the outline, moat, walls and a few buildings remaining, there is not much to see here in terms of history. But there are some nice views over the sound and you can venture into the open part of the catacombs and see bullet holes from Nazi executions during WWII. A stroll here is easily combined with a visit to Amager Strandpark (see Do section), but otherwise probably not worth the effort.

07:00-18:30 · Built 1887

Den Franske Cafe

The French Cafe

This café has outdoor tables by the lake under trees and coloured lanterns. The menu is mostly café classics like filled croissants, nachos, chilli con carne, pasta, burgers, but during the summer there is barbecue available until the late hours.

Mon-Fri 09:00-22:00, Sat Sun from 10:00 · From 98 kr · Limited wheelchair access · Outdoor seating · Vegetarian options

Hellerup Strandpark

This small beach,marina and park is hidden away at the end of a residential street of Strandvejen street. While the beach here is not as good as the other beaches in the area, it is less crowded and closer to the city. The small marina is open to visiting yachts, and there is cluster of Tennis courts right behind it.

Cafe Langebro

Established in 1917 and for long a classical Copenhagen bar, now still a relaxed but more modern bar/cafe. Seating both inside and out. Next to the Harbour Park and Bath, which is crowded on warm summer days.

Mon-Thu 13:00-02:00; Fri Sat 11:00-03:00; Sun 11:00-20:00 · Outdoor seating

Café Nemoland

This lovely place is part outdoor beer garden, part concert venue, part indoor café, with possibility to eat outside. Creative decoration, and the most varied crowd you are likely to see anywhere in Copenhagen.

09:00 - 21:00 (in summer until 22:00) · Limited wheelchair access

Restaurant Klubben

Danish

Cosy traditional Danish place, where people from all walks of life come and enjoy the relatively cheap food, with all the Danish classics on menu, in either the indoor restaurant, or in the place real attraction, the very attractive garden seating.

12:00-22:00 · Mains from 89 kr · Outdoor seating

Asador Argentino

Argentine restaurant specializing in tasty charcoal-grilled Argentine steaks, served with good Argentine wine. Limited outdoor garden seating for summer days.

Daily 17:30-00:00 · Mains from 145 kr

Cyprus

Greek

This cafe is in the Fisketorvet shopping centre, with all the impersonal quirks that entails, but the cheap buffet is good if you get a Mediterranean crave from the Copencabana beach located just in front of the shopping center.

11:00-22:00 · Buffet: 79 kr day, 119 kr evening

Svanemølle Strand

Beach with a 130-m pier

24/7 but there are lifeguards 10:00-18:00 in the summer · free

Statens Museum for Kunst (SMK)

National Gallery of Denmark

Seven hundred years of Western art and cultural history lie under the roof of this striking Italian Renaissance building, which is itself situated in a nice park. Blockbusters include: Titian, Rembrandt, Picasso, Leger, Matisse and Emil Nolde. An array of other icons, paintings and sculptures are also on display.

Tue-Sun 11:00-17:00, Wed 11:00-20:00, Mon closed · Adults 110 kr, under 30 years 85 kr, under 18 years free

Mio

Often packed in peak times, this tiny takeaway pizza joint probably offers the best value in Copenhagen with good medium-sized pizzas for a very low price. You can either take them to the neighbouring bar or enjoy them in the Frederiksberg Have park, not far away, on a sunny day.

Sun-Thu 11:30-21:00, Fri Sat 11:30-21:30 · veg pizza 49 kr, meat 59 kr, dessert 21 kr

Folkets Hus

House of the People

Along with the park in front of the house, the place is a product of the squatting movement from the 1980s, and still carries some of the spirit of the old days. Go here for a cup of coffee, discussions, lectures, concerts or parties with left-wing peers. Or simply ooze or have a barbecue in the nice park in front of the house.

Nyhavn

New Harbour

Nyhavn is a canal leading from the main harbourfront all the way to the Kongens Nytorv square, lined with colourful historic buildings. It was built to originally be what the name says - Copenhagen's new harbour. Over time, it became too small and lost its commercial and transportation importance, and in the 1970s it was designated as the historic port area, where historic boats and their replicas are moored. It is immensely popular with tourists and locals due to its picturesque nature and is full of restaurants, cafes and bars offering waterside gardens. Consider visiting in the evening to avoid the crowds, as it can become extreme during a sunny day. The restaurants lining its sides are rather expensive and have few vegetarian options.

Fisketorvet

A large shopping centre and cinema complex overlooking the harbour just behind Dybbølsbro Station. 120 stores, 55,000 m². The artificial Copencabana beach is just behind the center.

Mon-Fri 09:00-20:00, Sat 08:00-17:00

Heidi's Bier Bar

2 floors of Tyrolean after ski attitude a short walk away from Rådhuspladsen.

Mon-Wed 16:00-03:00, Thu-Sat 16:00-05:00, Sun 16:00-02:00

Strandtutten

While this is mainly an ice cream kiosk serving the guests at the Amager Beach, they are famous for dishing out their mushy and famous Tuttenburgers — if you are a hungry beach lion or kitten, it is highly recommended.

Hours vary greatly · Burgers 50 kr