Best 2 days in Copenhagen itinerary

Wondering how to spend 2 days in Copenhagen and wishing someone had put together 48 hour Copenhagen itinerary for you?

Well, you’re in luck!

Having spent over a week exploring Copenhagen from top to bottom I’ve tried and tested the best things to do in Copenhagen and the things that aren’t worth doing if you’ve only got two days in the city.

Copenhagen is the capital of Denmark and as such there are many things to do. From museums to beautiful parks, castles and historical sites and sampling some of the best food this city has to offer, you won’t be short of things when it comes to what to do in Copenhagen in two days.

While 2 days in Copenhagen isn’t very long, it is enough time to get a feel for the city and see some of the very best of Copenhagen in 2 days.

Psst, if you have 3 days in Copenhagen or more, check out my 3 day Copenhagen itinerary!

So, let’s get to it!

I’ve broken down this 2 days in Copenhagen guide into how to get there, how to get around Copenhagen, what to do and where to stay during your Copenhagen city break.

2 Day Copenhagen Itinerary

Here’s an overview of the 2 days in Copenhagen itinerary.

• 1 Day in Copenhagen: Nyhavn Canal Cruise, Round Tower, Torvehallerne lunch, Rosenborg Castle and gardens, dinner and drinks in Nørrebro
• Day 2: Kastellet and Little Mermaid, Amalienborg Palace Square, St Frederik’s Church, Freetown Christiania + lunch, Church of Our Saviour, Glyptotek Museum, Tivoli Gardens, dinner in the Meatpacking District

2 days in Copenhagen map

Below is my two day Copenhagen itinerary map. It’s broken down by day so you can just look at the first two days, or pick out bits that you like from across the 2 days.

This Copenhagen 48 hour guide has a mix from across the two days to help you get the most out of your limited time there.

Just click the image, or here, to open it up and use it during this Copenhagen two days trip.

Day 1: Copenhagen itinerary

Nyhaven Copenhagen Canal Cruise

From your accommodation in Copenhagen, head to Nvyhavn first thing in the morning to enjoy these picturesque and pretty buildings at their quietest before the crowds rock up.

Early morning and sunset was my favourite time to see Nyhavn as in the middle of the day it was extremely busy.

As this is one of the top things to see in Copenhagen, you won’t want to miss it if for no other reason than to say you saw it. Personally, I think there are prettier streets and places to see in Copenhagen that you’ll just come across as you walk around, but you should still visit Nyhavn too!

Another of the most popular things to do in Copenhagen is to take a canal cruise. This is one of the best ways to see the city while learning about its history and more about the buildings you pass by.

There are a couple of companies that do canal boat cruises or you can rent your own private boat through GoBoat Copenhagen but then you won’t get the information from a tour guide as you sail around.

The canal cruise I took was 2 hours long and really interesting. You start by heading out towards the Little Mermaid where you can view it without waiting in line and then we headed back into the city to go around some of the canals.

I booked my Copenhagen Canal tour through GetYourGuide in advance which I highly recommend when you visit Copenhagen in two days, especially in the summer since this is one of the most popular things to do in Copenhagen and they get full!

Note: If you’ve bought a Copenhagen Card, you actually get a free canal tour through that. The email confirmation you get with your card will explain how to redeem your Copenhagen Canal trip.

Top Tips: If you’re doing this in winter or on a colder day, be sure to pack some gloves and a warm coat, my hands were freezing by the end! Also, I recommend sitting on the right-hand side of the boat (as you look at the front to your tour guide) to get a better view of everything you’re going past.

Strøget

From Nyhvn where your canal cruise ends, we’ll head up towards the Round Tower.

If you’re in need of a drink after the canal cruise, or a cinnamon or cardamon bun, then I recommend checking out Buka Bakery or Reinh van Hauen.

From Nyhavn, head through Indre By which is pretty much the centre of Copenhagen, towards Strøget through the city hall square.

This area is the main shopping district of Copenhagen and while you’ll find more independent stores in other parts of the city, walking through here is worthwhile just to look at the architecture.

You’ll also pass through a few squares including The King’s New Square (Kongens Nytorv) and Gråbrødretorv Square, and just get a feel for the city.

The Round Tower

Within this busy shopping area, you’ll find the Round Tower which is just like it sounds; a round tower.

At 36 m high, the Round Tower has a super interesting history and is the oldest functioning observatory in Europe dating back to 1642. It’s also one part of the academic Trinitatis Complex along with the University library and Trinitatis Church.

The tower was built as ordered by Christian IV. He was actually responsible for many of the buildings throughout the city. If you look up towards the top of the buildings you can see a CIV mark on them which denotes his part in getting them built.

While you climb to the top of the tower, there are very few steps which might surprise you!

For the most part, you’re going uphill on a flat surface as you go round and around. Along the way, there are a few exhibits about the history of the building and you can get views of the streets of Copenhagen below you.

It’s only the last section where there’s a narrow spiral staircase. There’s a traffic light system in place so you can only have people going up or down at one time which makes it easier to navigate.

The Round Tower is definitely worth going all the way to the top for the views of Copenhagen

• Opening hours: 10 am – 8 pm, daily April – September, 10 am – 6 pm on Tuesdays, and 10 am – 9 pm on Wednesdays from October to March.
• Ticket cost: 40 DKK (€5.50) per adult
• Where to book: In person at the entrance.
• Included in Copenhagen Card?: Yes

TorvehallerneKBH Market

From the Round Tower, continue heading slightly north to Torvehallerne for lunch.

You’ll have plenty of options for food at Torvehallerne and I recommend you do a lap of it once to pick out what you want and don’t get envious when you see something else.

I ended up getting a barley mushroom risotto from Grød which is a cafe/restaurant that’s become famous for its porridge. These days they also do acai bowls and risottos and other grain-based meals and the bowl I had was delicious

You can also get some delicious open sandwiches from Hallernes Smørrebrød and great salads from Smag.

You can also get your weekly fruit and veg, meat and fish and beautiful flowers.

• Opening hours: 10 am – 7 pm Tuesday – Friday, 10 am – 6 pm Saturday – Monday

Rosenborg Castle (Rosenborg Slot) and the King’s Gardens

As you walk around the gardens you’ll soon come across Rosenborg Castle which I think is one of the prettiest castles near Copenhagen.

This castle has a moat, stone lions guarding the entrance and some turrets too which make it look a bit like something out of a fairytale.

The castle was built in the 1600s by Christian IV and named after one of his favourite horses. It was used as a royal residence for about a century and now it’s more of a museum.

You can pay to go inside and walk from grand room to grand room, learning about the former royal residents and admiring portraits and their trinkets.

The castle is relatively small (for castles) and has three floors with 24 rooms overall. Many still maintain the decor from Christian IV’s residence but some were changed by later Kings.

Some things not to miss include the Royal Danish Crown Jewels in the basement and the throne room upstairs.

• Opening hours: 10 am – 5 pm, daily in summer and until 4 pm in winter. Closed Mondays in winter.
• Ticket cost: 130 DKK (€17.50) per adult
• Where to book: In person at the entrance.
• Included in Copenhagen Card?: Yes

Make sure to leave time to see the King’s Gardens too, they’re one of the best things to see in Copenhagen and surround the beautiful Rosenborg Castle.

This part and castle are within easy walking distance from Torvehallerne and it’s a great place to go after you’ve filled up on lunch.

The gardens were first arranged by Christian IV in 1606 and laid out in the typical Renaissance Style with a rectangular network of pathways that you can see throughout European cities.

Today, there’s the addition of benches, sculptures and children’s play areas.

It’s a lovely place to walk through or head to with a picnic and you’ll see plenty of people just chilling out here.

• Opening hours: Daily from 7 am – 5 pm/11 pm depending on the season.
• Entrance fees: Free

Drinks and dinner in the Nørrebro district

Nørrebro was my favourite area of Copenhagen. It’s got loads of bars and restaurants and seems to be the epitome of Copenhagen cool.

There is loads of street art too and I recommend just taking a wander around the little streets until you find somewhere that looks good for dinner and drinks.

I got myself drinks from BRUS Brewery in Nørrebro. They had so many beers on tap and a huge outdoor seating area as well as plenty of seats inside. It seemed to be a popular meeting spot for after-work drinks and had a cool vibe.

We then headed to La Neta Nørrebro, a cool Mexican restaurant for some tacos.

There are a bunch of wine bars here too where you can get wines by the glass or the bottle alongside some charcuterie and other bar snacks.

Day 2 Copenhagen itinerary

It’s the second day of your Copenhagen itinerary and below you’ll find more details on the list of places to visit in Copenhagen in 2 days!

Kastellet Fortress

Kastellet Fortress is a beautiful park and historic site all in one and well worth visiting as you cycle around Copenhagen today.

On a map of Copenhagen, you’ll notice a star-shaped park with a moat, green areas and then a fort at the centre. The first fortress was started in 1626 and finished in 1663.

In the past, Kastellet was used as a prison and during World War II, the German forces took over and used it as their headquarters. It’s still a military-owned area today.

As we cycled around Copenhagen one evening, we came past here and locked up our Donkey Republic bikes by the entrance before taking a walk through the fort area and then up on the walls past the windmills. It’s a popular area for walkers and it’s easy to see why.

• Opening hours: 6 am – 10 pm, daily
• Ticket cost: Free

The Little Mermaid

Hop back on your bikes and continue towards the Little Mermaid Statue (Den Lille Havfrue). Along with the colourful houses in Nyhavn, this small statue is something that people associate with Copenhagen.

Though I knew the Little Diver Girl statue in Vancouver’s Stanley Park was similar to this, I hadn’t fully realised just quite how similar the two are, even though the sculptor of Vancouver’s statue denies being inspired by this one.

The Little Mermaid statue was created by Edvard Eriksen in 1913 and is a bronze sculpture of a mermaid sitting on a rock in the water gazing at the passing ships in the harbour and was modelled on that of Eriksen’s wife but based on Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale.

I ended up going past this statue a few times during our stay in Copenhagen, and the only time it was surrounded by people queuing up for a photo was later in the evening just as the sun was going down.

In all honestly, the statue is really small and while it’s worth checking out as you pass by, it’s not something I’d go out of my way to see it!

Another nearby attraction in Copenhagen is the Genetically Modified Mermaid Statue designed by Bjørn Nørgaard, a professor at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts who described the piece as a humorous look at postmodern society.

This mermaid statue shows a twisted figure with a non-human head. She’s just a 10-minute walk from the original Little Mermaid statue or a few minutes by bike.

Amalienborg Palace Square

After checking out the mermaid statue, follow the cycle path close to the water and make your way to Amalienborg Palace which is the winter residence of the Danish royal family.

This area is actually home to four palaces and a big courtyard. You’ll have to get off your bike and walk as there are lots of guards and no biking allowed, but it’s worth walking up to the fountain and checking out the buildings. You can also get a great view of Frederik’s Church peeking.

These palace buildings were built in the 18th century for wealthy families but when the Christiansborg Palace burned down in 1794, they became royal residences.

If you happen to be here at midday, you’ll be in time for the Changing of the Guard ceremony. And, if you see flags waving on top of the buildings, you’ll know that some of the royal family are home.

You can visit the Amalienborg Museum to learn about the royal family’s way of life or book a tour of Christian VII’s Palace on select days.

• Opening hours: 10 am – 4 pm daily (some seasonal variation)
• Ticket cost: 120 DKK (~€16) per adult
• Where to book: In person at the entrance.
• Included in Copenhagen Card?: Yes

Frederik’s Church

Just a short walk from Amalienborg Palace, you’ll find the huge Frederik’s Church also known as Marble Church. It’s beautiful from the outside with its green dome (the largest dome in Scandinavia) and the statue of Danish saints, but even more impressive when you see it from the inside.

It’s actually quite similar looking to St. Peter’s Cathedral in Rome and it’s free to go inside. It’s a quick visit, and won’t take you more than 10 minutes, but walking inside is worth it.

You can also climb the dome of Frederik’s Church. There are 260 steps to the top and the view is great as you’ll be able to see downtown Copenhagen, Amalienborg Castle and the harbour and canals.

If you plan on climbing the dome, you can do so on Saturdays and Sundays only at 1 pm. There are only 30 tickets for each day, so be sure to arrive early.

• Opening hours: 10 am – 5 pm most days (some variation)
• Ticket cost: Free

Explore Christiania Freetown

From the church, make your way past Nyhavn where you started your day yesterday and ride over the Inderhavnsbroen bridge towards Christiania.

Along the way, you’ll pass Popl, a burger restaurant run by some of those from Noma and an area with some food trucks and outdoor seating just by the canal. This looks like a cool spot, but we’re heading somewhere even cooler for food trucks and outdoor dining later!

Christiania is a unique place in Copenhagen, unlike any other sightseeing spot. It’s a community of about 900 people who follow their own rules instead of those that govern the rest of the country.

Having said there aren’t really any rules, there are rules that visitors should follow which include not taking photos.

In the central area of Christiania, you’ll find some bars and places to eat and then there’s Pusher Street which is kind of self-explanatory. As you wander you’ll also come across Green George, one of Thomas Dambo’s famous wooden trolls!

During the summer months (end of June to end of August) and on weekends throughout the year, locals of Christiania offer guided tours that take you deep into the community. These tours are available in English and cost 40-50 DKK, they’re worth doing to learn more about this unique neighbourhood

Climb up the Church of Our Saviour

Not far away from Freetown Christiania is the Church of Our Saviour which has a dramatic twisty spire that you’ve probably seen as you walk or cycle around Copenhagen.

You can actually go up the top of the church which is pretty cool, especially if you didn’t go up the Round Tower already.

You get great views from up here and the building itself is just kinda cool so it’s worthy of being on your Copenhagen two day itinerary.

• Opening hours: 9 am – 8 pm daily (some seasonal variation)
• Ticket cost: 69 DKK (9€30)
• Where to book: In advance online here
• Included in Copenhagen Card?: No

Glyptotek Museum

This is one of my favourite museums of all time, it’s just so beautiful and the perfect size in my opinion as you can see the majority of it in a few hours.

I highly recommend making a stop here on your Copenhagen two day itinerary.

The Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek Museum in Copenhagen has Danish and French paintings, sculptures, and a temporary exhibit (the one I saw was on the Ancient City of the Sun God and was super interesting). There’s also an area where you can see items from ancient Greece and Egypt.

The first thing you see when you walk in is the beautiful winter garden which is a conservatory-style building full of plants and Roman statues as well as some fountains. It’s such a nice spot to just sit and read or people-watch.

• Opening hours: 10 am – 5 pm daily (some seasonal variation)
• Ticket cost: 125 DKK (17€) for adults
• Where to book: In advance online here
• Included in Copenhagen Card?: Yes

Tivoli Gardens

Head over to Tivoli Gardens via Copenhagen City Hall if you want to check out the exterior of the buildings and enter one of Copenhagen’s most popular tourist attractions.

When it comes to what to do in Copenhagen in 2 days this should definitely be on the list!

I think Tivoli Gardens is best visited in the evening as the sun begins to go down, or after dark when the park gets lit up by Chinese lanterns. Tivoli first opened in 1843 making it the second oldest amusement park in the world.

Tivoli Gardens is more than just a theme park as it not only has loads of amusements and rides, but it also has beautiful parks and landscaping that make it worth visiting even if you don’t want to go on the rides. There are several restaurants, a hotel and a pantomime Theatre too.

Walt Disney was inspired by Tivoli during his visit in 1950 and it’s believed this is what Disney parks ended up being based on so it might seem familiar if you’ve been to one of the Disney Parks before.

Tivoli Gardens is open throughout the year during three periods: mid-April to mid-September, mid-October to early November (for Halloween), and mid-November to late December (for Christmas). So time your visit so you can check out this top item on a list of things to see in Copenhagen in 2 days.

• Opening hours: 11 am – 10 pm daily (some seasonal variation)
• Ticket cost: 155 DKK (21€) for adults, or get an unlimited ride pass here to try their wooden roller coaster.
• Where to book: In advance online here
• Included in Copenhagen Card?: Yes, free entry but you’ll need to pay for rides, or buy an additional pass.

Dinner in the Meatpacking District

After all that cycling, get ready to feast at Warpigs Brewery in Copenhagen’s Meat Packing District. This area is full of cool bars and restaurants and there’s often live music nearby.

My family recommended we went to Warpigs after they’d been during those trips and it didn’t disappoint.

Warpigs does BBQ food and beers and has a huge outdoor seating area as well as seating indoors. It does get very busy so you may need to wait for a seat but tables turn over pretty quickly.

• Opening hours: 11 am until midnight, until 2 am Thursday to Saturday

How to get to Copenhagen

Many people will arrive in Copenhagen by flight from another country, however, if you’re already travelling around Eueop then you may arrive by train, bus or car.

Below, I’ve included various details on how to get to Copenhagen.

Copenhagen flights

Copenhagen Airport is a well-connected Scandinavia airport that’s well-served by many airlines including budget airlines through Europe. We flew from Faro in Portugal to Copenhagen with Ryanair and the flights were pretty cheap.

You can also fly direct from airports in the UK as well as other major European cities and capitals.

Skyscanner is what I use to find cheap flights.

Getting from Copenhagen airport to the city

Once you arrive at Copenhagen Airport, it’s very easy to get to the city centre by taking the subway/Copenhagen metro or an overland train.

From Copenhagen airport to central Copenhagen is about 15 minutes. I recommend taking the metro as there are more stops (so you can find one closer to your accommodation), and it runs more regularly.

Buses and trains to Copenhagen

If you’re coming from Sweden you can get the rain from Stockholm to Copenhagen or Malmö to Copenhagen pretty easily since there are direct trains between these cities to the Copenhagen central station.

You can also get the train from Hamburg in Germany and use connections across Europe to travel by train.

The same is true for getting the bus to Copenhagen.

Omio is a great platform for booking European and UK travel on. You can check train and bus prices and schedules and book super easily!

How to get around Copenhagen, Denmark

Copenhagen is an expensive city to visit but you can get around the city without spending too much.

You can walk between most of the top Copenhagen attractions which is free to do and for those that are a bit further away, you can either take the metro, or the buses, ride electric scooters or use the bikes which can be rented on a minute-by-minute basis.

Cycling in Copenhagen

Copenhagen is a very flat city which makes walking or cycling around the city super easy.

We opted to cycle pretty much everywhere we went, just like the locals. As someone who used to spend countless hours pedalling through the bike-friendly streets of Vancouver, I can confidently say that I’ve never felt safer cycling in any other city than I did in Copenhagen.

We used the Donkey Republic bikes which are bright orange and come with phone holders and baskets.

The best part is that these bikes can be picked up and returned at numerous locations throughout the city, so they’re super easy to use.

Copenhagen public transport

Copenhagen has a highly efficient and clean public transportation system.

To get around the city, you can choose between the metro or bus. Simply purchase tickets from ticket machines at the stations, and these tickets will remain valid for 90 minutes, eliminating the need to purchase multiple tickets in advance.

If you’re planning to spend two days in Copenhagen, consider purchasing the 48 hour Copenhagen Card. This tourist card not only covers your bus, train, and metro rides throughout the city but also provides entrance to over 80 museums and attractions, including Canal Cruises and Tivoli Gardens.

It’s a cost-effective way to explore the best of Copenhagen while enjoying the convenience of having all your transport covered too.

Where to stay in Copenhagen

When it comes to where to stay in Copenhagen, there are so many districts and areas to choose from, let alone hotels! The top-rated Copenhagen hotels below are places I would recommend to friends and family visiting Copenhagen.

They’re all close to the city center which makes it easy to visit the top Copenhagen attractions and get around the city in two days without wasting too much time travelling.

• citizenM Copenhagen Radhuspladsen: Stylish hotel with good buffet breakfast included and a short walk from Tivoli Gardens
• Motel One Copenhagen: An intimate Danish design hotel inspired by the 50s & 60s fashion with a homey vibe and design furnishings in central Copenhagen
• Zoku Copenhagen: Zoku Copenhagen is an apartment hotel perfect for professionals and business travellers. It has private apartment-style rooms, rooftop social spaces, and convenient access to transportation.
• STAY Nordhavn: In Copenhagen’s cool Østerbro district near Svanemolle Beach, STAY Nordhavn offers comfortable rooms with convenient amenities such as a garden and washing machine.

FAQs about 2 days in Copenhagen itinerary

Final thoughts on this Copenhagen 2 day itinerary

Whether you’re backpacking Europe or taking a city break, spending 2 days in Copenhagen will give you just enough time to get a taste of this great city and is recommended over a day trip.

Spending 48-hours in Copenhagen gives you plenty of time to visit the city’s top attractions including Tivoli Gardens, Glyptotek Museum and see some of the famous buildings in Copenhagen.

However, when it comes to how to spend 2 days in Copenhagen, I highly recommend adding an extra day if you can so you can take a day trip to Malmö, or spend more time exploring the best things to do in Copenhagen.

Looking for more Copenhagen travel tips? Check out my 3 day Copenhagen itinerary.