20 Places to Visit in Copenhagen, Tourist Places & Attractions (2024)

One of the most famous tourist places in Copenhagen, the little mermaid is a small statue made of bronze and granite sitting on a rock at the Langelinie promenade. The statue was commissioned by Carl Jacobson and unveiled by a Danish sculptor, Edvard Eriksen in August 1913.

The statue is inspired by the fairytale ‘ little mermaid’ by Hans Christian Andersen and depicts the moment when the mermaid transforms into a human, looking towards the shore and waiting for her prince.

Location: Langelinie, 2100 København Ø, Denmark

Nyhavn is a waterfront, entertainment, and canal district that was founded in the 17th century as a gateway to the old inner city from the sea. The numerous 17th and 18th-century townhouses, cafes, bars, and restaurants situated on the harbour make this district one of the best places to visit in Copenhagen.

You can see several historic ships lined up in the Nyhavn Veteran Ship and Museum Harbour and the Danish National Museum. You can also see the Memorial Anchor and explore the bars and restaurants offering a great view with excellent food and drinks.

Location: Indre By, Copenhagen, Denmark

Best Time: July

The home of the Danish Royal family, Amalienborg castle has four identical facades around an octagonal courtyard with a monumental equestrian statue of King Frederick V, founder of Amalienborg, in the centre. Here you can see the changing of the Royal Guard, Den Kongelige Livgarde, that takes place at 12 noon every day.

You can visit the four identical buildings with classical rococo interiors and royal history, where many monarchs have lived with their families over the years. You can also explore the Amalienborg Museum and experience the royal history stretching back to over 150 years.

Location: Amalienborg Slotsplads 5, 1257 København K, Denmark

Entry fees: DKK 95 per head for adults, DKK 65 per head for students, free for children under 18

The Copenhagen Zoo was founded in 1859 and is one of the oldest zoological gardens in Europe, most famous for its new Elephant House that was built by Sir Norman Foster. The zoo promotes and maintains numerous European breeding programs and has a wooden observation tower that was built in the year 1905 and offers views of the city and surrounding parklands.

Some of the exotic animals that you can see here are turkey vultures, roseate spoonbills, Bactrian camels, black-capped squirrel monkeys, Dalmatian pelicans, scarlet ibises, and lions.

Location: Roskildevej 32, 2000 Frederiksberg, Denmark

Entry fees: DKK 170 per head for adults, DKK 95 per head for children between 4 to 12, free for children under 3

Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek, also known as Glyptoteket, is an art museum that houses the personal collections of Carl Jacobson, the Carlsberg Breweries’ founder’s son. The two main departments of the museum, the Department of Antiquities and the Modern Department, exhibit sculptures and paintings from many ancient and modern cultures, making it one of the famous places to visit in Copenhagen.

You can see art and history from 3500 years ago, 19th and 20th-century paintings and sculptures, relax in the Winter Garden, and quench your hunger at the restaurants nearby.

Location: Dantes Plads 7, 1556 København, Denmark

Located near the Copenhagen Zoo, the Frederiksberg Palace was originally built as a summer residence for the royal family, with baroque-style architecture. Its location on top of Frederiksberg Hill with a view of the stunning Frederiksberg Garden has earned it a place in the list of top places to visit in Copenhagen.

You can take a guided tour of the castle and the chapel to see the beautiful architecture including ceiling paintings, stucco work, a marble bathroom with a secret staircase for access, and the pancake kitchen of the Princesses.

Location: Roskildevej 28 A, 2000 Frederiksberg C, Denmark

Entry fees: DKK 75 per head for adults, DKK 60 per head for students/senior citizens, DKK 20 per head for children between 6 to 15

One of the world’s most modern Opera houses, the Copenhagen Opera House was opened in January 2005 and is the most expensive opera house built till now. The southern German Jura Gelb limestone clads the entire opera house and the foyer is made of Sicilian Perlatino marble, making it one of the must-visit tourist places in Copenhagen.

The walls are adorned with maple wood, the ceilings have sheets of 24-carat gold leaves and the decor also has four bronze reliefs and three light sculptures on the foyer.

Location: Ekvipagemester Vej 10, 1438 København K, Denmark

Stroget is Copenhagen’s largest pedestrian and car-free shopping area located in the centre of the city and is also one of the city’s most high-profile streets. Here you can find numerous shops ranging from budget-friendly shopping chains to some of the most expensive brands in the world.

The presence of international brands like Louis Vitton, Prada, Max Mara, Boss, Hermes, and Mulberry makes it one of the favourite places to visit in Copenhagen for the shopaholics. Besides shopping, you can also visit the Church of Our Lady, the Stork Fountain, and the City Hall Square.

Location: Frederiksberggade. 1459 København K

Founded in 1917, Christiania or the Freetown Christiania is a planned residential community located in Copenhagen and is most famous for its relaxed view about cannabis or hash. Some areas of this community, especially the Pusher Street area is considered quite rough and has their own separate rules that visitors have to follow.

You can explore the area through guided tours provided by the locals, offering a visit to the workshops, galleries, music, and eco-restaurants. Here you get a unique experience of the Danish culture that you can’t find anywhere else.

Location: Prinsessegade, 1422 København K

Formerly known as Stellaburgis Hafniens, the Round Tower is a 17th-century tower astronomical observatory, most famous for its equestrian staircase. It is the oldest observatory in Europe still functioning, and one of the top places to visit in Copenhagen offering an expansive view of old Copenhagen.

You can see the core of the tower from a glass floor hanging above the floor and you can also visit the library hall inside the tower, which now holds exhibitions about art, culture, history, and science.

Location: Købmagergade 52A, 1150 København, Denmark

Entry fees: 25 DKK per head

Famous for its largest collection of Islamic art, the David Collection is an applied and fine arts museum, housing the private collections of C.L. David, after whom the museum is named. It is one of the best places to visit in Copenhagen for the history and art lovers and houses an 18th-century collection of European art, 8th to 18th-century Islamic art, and Early Danish Modern Art.

Islamic art has been collected from all over the world, from Spain to India, and the main Danish and European collections include Porcelain, furniture, silverware, ceramics, and sculptures.

Location: Kronprinsessegade 30, 1306 København, Denmark

Amager Beach Park is Copenhagen’s biggest beach area. With over 4 kilometers of surf-swept sands, the Park consists of long artificial islands forming lagoons and sand dunes on either ends. The Beach Park also accommodates a toddlers’ pool and broad promenade areas.

Amager attracts swimmers and sunbathers throughout the year, although it is oft-visited by kayakers, snorkelers and surfers as well. Day picnics and skating are some of the other popular things to do here.

The Park also offers a separate area for beach sports. The Beach Park comes alive during the short summer months, when a number of sports events and live music gigs take place here.

Highlights:Sunbathe, cycle, sail, kayak, snorkel, underwater activities, windsurf, kite-surf.