42 Best Sights in Copenhagen, Denmark

The four identical rococo buildings occupying this square have housed royals since 1784. It's still the queen's winter residence. The Christian VIII Palace across from the royals' wing houses the Amalienborg Museum, which displays the second part of the Royal Collection (the first is at Rosenborg Castle) and chronicles royal lifestyles between 1863 and 1947. Here you can view the study of King Christian IX (1818–1906) and the drawing room of his wife, Queen Louise. Rooms are packed with royal heirlooms and treasures.

On Amalienborg's harbor side is the garden of Amaliehaven, at the foot of which the queen's ship often docks. In the square's center is a magnificent equestrian statue of King Frederik V by the French sculptor Jacques François Joseph Saly. It reputedly cost as much as all the buildings combined. Every day at noon, the Royal Guard and band march from Rosenborg Castle through the city for the changing of the guard. At noon on April 16, Queen Margrethe's birthday, crowds of Danes gather for a special treat: their monarch stands and waves from her balcony at Amalienborg and the Danes cheer her on with many a "Hurra!" Queen Margrethe has been on the throne since 1972.

This peaceful, leafy cemetery in the heart of Nørrebro is the final resting place of numerous great Danes, including Søren Kierkegaard (whose last name actually means "cemetery"), Hans Christian Andersen, and physicist Niels Bohr. In summer the cemetery takes on a cheerful, city-park air as picnicking families, young couples, and sunbathers relax on the sloping lawns amid the dearly departed.

En route from Christianshavn to Refshaleøen is Copenhagen's legendary freetown Christiania, which was founded in 1971, when students occupied army barracks. It's now a peaceful community of nonconformists, consisting of 630 adults and 130 kids, where wall cartoons preach drugs and peace. There are a number of businesses here, including a bike shop, a smithy, a rock-music club, and several good organic eateries. When exploring Christiania, make sure to leave the central, busy part of the community to walk around on the idyllic, pedestrian paths that run through the forest, past the riding school, along the lake, and between the imaginative self-built houses.

A group of residents recount their experiences as well as the history of Christiania on daily English-language tours, which are a great way to discover the nooks and crannies of this quirky community.

Many inhabitants are not fond of cameras, and picture taking is forbidden on Pusher Street.

Surrounded by canals on three sides, the massive granite Christiansborg Palace is where the queen officially receives guests and from where the Parliament---and the prime minister---rules the country. From 1441 until the fire of 1795, it was used as the royal residence. Even though the first two castles on the site were burned, Christiansborg remains an impressive neobaroque and neoclassical compound. Several parts of the palace can be visited, including the Royal Reception Chambers, Ruins of Bishop Absalon's Castle, the Royal Kitchen, and the Royal Stables, all of which have separate admission fees unless you buy a combination ticket. The tower, which is free to access, offers wonderful views over Copenhagen. While Christiansborg was being rebuilt around 1900, the National Museum excavated the ruins of Bishop Absalon's castle beneath it. The resulting dark, subterranean maze contains fascinating models and architectural relics.

At the Kongelige Repræsentationslokaler, you're asked to don slippers to protect the floors in this impossibly grand space.

Officially the Frederiks Kirke, this ponderous baroque sanctuary of precious Norwegian marble was begun in 1749 and remained untouched from 1770 to 1874 due to budget constraints. It was finally completed and consecrated in 1894. Around the exterior are 16 statues of various religious leaders from Moses to Luther, and below them stand sculptures of outstanding Danish ministers and bishops. You can can scale 273 steps to the outdoor balcony on the top of the church for great views of the queen's palace and the Opera, across the canal. Afterward, continue along Bredgade to the exotic gilded onion domes of the Russisk Ortodoks Kirke (Russian Orthodox Church).

One of the best museums of its kind in Europe, the National Museum sits inside an 18th-century royal residence that's peaked by massive overhead windows. Extensive permanent exhibits chronicle Danish cultural history from prehistoric to modern times. The museum has one of the largest collections of Stone Age tools in the world, as well as Egyptian, Greek, and Roman antiquities. The exhibit on Danish prehistory features a great section on Viking times. The children's museum, with replicas of period clothing and a scalable copy of a real Viking ship, makes history fun for those under 12. Displays have English labels, and the do-it-yourself walking tour "History of Denmark in 60 Minutes" offers a good introduction to Denmark; the guide is free at the information desk.

Exquisite antiquities, a beautiful winter garden, and a world-class collection of Impressionist masterpieces make this one of Copenhagen's most important museums. The neoclassical building was donated in 1888 by Carl Jacobsen, son of the founder of the Carlsberg Brewery. Surrounding its lush indoor garden, a series of rooms house works by Pissarro, Degas, Monet, Sisley, Rodin, and Gauguin. The museum is also renowned for its extensive assemblage of Egyptian and Greek pieces, not to mention Europe's finest collection of Roman portraits and the best collection of Etruscan art outside Italy. A modern wing, designed by the acclaimed Danish architect Henning Larsen, provides a luminous entry to the French painting section. From June to September, guided English-language tours start at 2. The café Picnic, overlooking the winter garden, is well known among Copenhageners for its delicious small dishes.  The museum's permanent collection is free on Tuesday.

This pretty harborfront neighborhood, whose name means "new harbor," is perhaps the most photographed location in Copenhagen. It was built 300 years ago to attract traffic and commerce to the city center. Until 1970, the area was a favorite haunt of sailors. Though restaurants, boutiques, and antiques stores now outnumber tattoo parlors, many old buildings have been well preserved and retain the harbor's authentic 18th-century maritime character. You can even see a fleet of old-time sailing ships from the quay. Hans Christian Andersen lived at various times in Nyhavn houses at numbers 18, 20, and 67.

This cultural and culinary hub used to be an artificial island home to a historical shipyard, but the island has been annexed with the rest of Amager, and the shipping industry is long gone. Instead, Refshaleøen’s former factories are being turned into art galleries, not-so-micro-breweries, busy beach bars, music venues, and gourmet restaurants. It's the perfect place to while away an afternoon and evening.

The Dutch Renaissance Rosenborg Castle contains ballrooms, halls, and reception chambers, but for all of its grandeur, it has an intimacy that makes you think the king might return at any minute. Thousands of objects are displayed, including beer glasses, gilded clocks, golden swords, family portraits, a pearl-studded saddle, and gem-encrusted tables. The underground treasury contains the crown jewels. The castle's setting is equally welcoming. It's in the middle of King's Garden, amid lawns, park benches, and shady walking paths.

King Christian IV built Rosenborg Castle as a summer residence but loved it so much that he ended up living here until his death. In 1849, when the absolute monarchy was abolished, all the royal castles became state property except for Rosenborg, which is still passed down from monarch to monarch.

Old Master paintings—including works by Rubens, Rembrandt, Titian, El Greco, and Fragonard—as well as a comprehensive array of antique and 20th-century Danish art make up the National Art Gallery collection, the biggest art museum in Denmark. Also notable is the modern art, which includes pieces by Henri Matisse, Edvard Munch, Henri Laurens, Emil Nolde, and Georges Braque. The space also contains a children's museum, which puts on shows for different age groups at kids' eye level. Wall texts are in English. The bookstore and café, which was recently taken over by Frederik Bille Brahe, one of Copenhagen's most hyped chefs, are also worth a visit.

Tivoli is not only Copenhagen's best-known attraction, but also the most charming one. The amusement park, the second-oldest in the world, is located conveniently next to the city's main train station and attracts an astounding 4.4 million people from mid-April to mid-September. Tivoli is a pleasure garden as well as an amusement park. Among its attractions are a pantomime theater, an open-air stage, several dozen restaurants (some of them very elegant and with Michelin stars), and frequent concerts—from classical to rock to jazz. Fantastic flower exhibits color the lush gardens and float on the swan-filled ponds. The park was established in the 1840s, when Danish architect George Carstensen persuaded a worried King Christian VIII to let him build an amusement park on the edge of the city's fortifications, rationalizing that "when people amuse themselves, they forget politics." Try to see Tivoli at least once by night, when 100,000 colored lanterns illuminate the Chinese pagoda and the main fountain. Tivoli is also open select hours around Halloween and in the winter season.

This museum chronicles the working class from 1870 to the present, with evocative life-size "day in the life of" exhibits, among them reconstructions of a city street and re-creations of apartments, including the home of a brewery worker, his wife, and eight children. Changing exhibits focusing on Danish and international social issues are often excellent. The exhibitions have explanatory texts in English. The museum also has a 19th-century-style café and beer hall serving old-fashioned Danish specialties and a 1950s-style coffee shop.

Trees, flowers, ponds, sculptures, and a spectacular 19th-century Palmehuset (Palm House) of tropical and subtropical plants blanket the garden's 25-plus acres. There's also an observatory and a geological museum. Take time to explore the gardens and watch the pensioners feed the birds. Some have been coming here so long that the birds actually land on their fingers.

This masterpiece of fantasy and architecture is Europe's oldest stock exchange. Børsen was built between 1619 and 1640, with the majority of the construction in the 1620s. Christian IV commissioned the building in large part because he wanted to make Denmark the economic superpower and crossroads of Europe. Rumor has it that, when it was being built, he was the one who twisted the dragons' tails on the spire that tops the building. When it opened, it was used as a medieval market, filled with shopping stalls. Though parts of Børsen still operate as a stock exchange, the bulk of the building houses the chamber of commerce, and the interior isn't open to the public except on special occasions such as Culture Night, held in mid-October. Across the canal, look for a square, modern building: the Nationalbanken (Denmark's central bank), designed by the famed Danish designer and architect Arne Jacobsen.

A large, ornate chimney makes this mid-19th-century brewery visible from a distance. J. C. Jacobsen, one of Denmark's most important historical figures, named the brewery after his son Carl; berg, or mountain, signifies the brewery's location on Valby Hill. The four giant granite elephants that guard the main entrance were inspired by Bernini's famous obelisk in Rome. In the visitor center, interactive displays, also in English, take you step by step through the brewing process. At the end of your visit, you can sample some of the company's beers for an additional fee. The Carlsberg Museum, also on the grounds, tells the story of the Jacobsen family, their beer empire, and Carlsberg's extensive philanthropy, which still greatly benefits Danish culture. Large-scale beer production has now moved outside of the city, and the old brewery complex is being developed for residential and cultural use. The visitor center has been closed for years due to major renovation work, but it was scheduled to reopen in mid-2023.

This Dutch baroque–style castle on Kongens Nytorv was built by Frederik III's half brother in 1670. Since 1754 the garden-flanked property has housed the faculty and students of the Danish Academy of Fine Art. A section of the building is devoted to exhibitions of contemporary art and is open to the public.

Once isolated from central Copenhagen, the former navy base north of Christianshavn dating from the 17th century is now an attractive area for arts, culture, and chic living. The Royal Academy's schools of theater, film, music, and architecture are all housed in old barracks here on the island of Holmen. The most famous resident of the island, however, is the new opera house, designed by the famous Danish architect Henning Larsen and placed symmetrically opposite the Marble Church and Amalienborg. Operas are in their original language with Danish subtitles. The building opens three hours prior to performances and includes a café and restaurant, the latter only for ticket holders.

The Danish Architecture Center occupies an old wharf-side warehouse built in 1880. The center hosts rotating exhibitions that cover trends and trendsetters in architecture and architectural design. The displays are labeled in English, and the museum's website has a guide for discovering noteworthy architecture in Denmark's major cities.

In a wing of Det Kongelige Bibliotek (Royal Library), this national center of Jewish culture, art, and history holds objects of both secular and religious interest, including paintings, prints, jewelry, scrapbooks, and films. The site was designed by the famed architect Daniel Libeskind. The museum also gives extensive coverage to the Danish resistance movement, whose work during World War II helped bring nearly all of Denmark's 7,000 Jews to safety in Sweden. The museum has information in English.

This small statue from 1913 commemorates Hans Christian Andersen's lovelorn Little Mermaid. You may want to read the original Hans Christian Andersen tale in advance; it's a heartrending story that's a far cry from the Disney animated movie. Donated to the city by Carl Jacobsen, the son of the founder of the Carlsberg Brewery, the innocent waif has also been the subject of some cruel practical jokes, including decapitation and the loss of an arm, but she's currently in one piece. The Langelinie Promenade is thronged with Danes and visitors making their pilgrimage to the statue, especially on sunny Sundays. Although the statue itself is modest, the views of the surrounding harbor are not.

Originally built in the 18th century as a royal hospital, the fine rococo Danish Museum of Art and Design houses a large selection of European and Asian crafts. The focus is on design from the 19th century. Also on display are ceramics, silverware, tapestries, and special exhibitions that often focus on contemporary design. There are labels in English. A small café also operates here.

If you like grand architecture and great views, visit the majestic Royal Library. Among its more than 2 million volumes are accounts of Viking journeys to America and Greenland and original manuscripts by Hans Christian Andersen and Karen Blixen (Isak Dinesen). Peer through the glass opening in the door to the old, ornate reading room, which is open only to readers.

The library's massive new glass-and-granite addition, called the Black Diamond, looms between the main building and the waterfront. The Black Diamond hosts temporary historical exhibits that often feature books, manuscripts, and artifacts culled from the library's extensive holdings. The National Museum of Photography, also housed in the Black Diamond, contains temporary exhibitions with handouts and wall texts in English.

Escalators that lift you from sea level to the main study areas provide spectacular views of both the harbor and an impressive ceiling mural by the Danish artist Per Kirkeby. The small park that lies hidden between the library and the Parliament is a lovely place for a stroll or a pensive rest.

The old, pillared Royal Theater, dubbed Gamle Scene (the old stage) after the openings of the Opera and the Skuespilhuset (Royal Danish Playhouse), is almost as beautiful on the outside as on the inside. The main stage is located in what might just be the most stunning place in all of Denmark. The theater was established in 1748, although the facade dates from 1874. Since the division of the Royal Theater into separate venues, the original building is primarily devoted to ballets performed by the world-renowned Royal Danish Ballet. Statues of Danish poet Adam Oehlenschläger and author Ludvig Holberg—whose works remain the core of Danish theater—flank the facade.

Free tours of the Folketinget are given on weekends, holidays, and certain other days. A full list of the days the parliament building accepts visitors is on its website. You can sign up for a tour in advance or pick up a ticket when they are distributed at 10 am on tour days. You can also visit the tower and see the view for free most days.

Evocative, often moving displays commemorate the heroic Danish resistance movement, which saved 7,000 Jews from the Nazis by hiding and then smuggling them to Sweden. The homemade tank outside was used to spread the news of the Nazi surrender after World War II. The displays have information in English. The museum was recently renovated and is set to reopen in mid-2020.

Not far from the Little Mermaid, this fountain illustrates another dramatic myth. The goddess Gefion was promised as much of Sweden as she could plow in a night. The story goes that she changed her sons into oxen and used them to portion off what is now the island of Zealand.