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Holidays

Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

How would you spend 4 days in Copenhagen (with children)?

48 replies

Puffinshop · 24/01/2023 12:59

We've been to Copenhagen before and we absolutely loved it. Now our kids are a little older (will be just 8 and almost 6 in the summer) we are going back to get more out of the Tivoli.

Last time we had a toddler and a baby and did the Tivoli, the zoo and the science museum (Experimentarium). We had such a great time I am quite tempted to just do the same again but now we have 4 whole days rather than 3 so we can do one other thing at least, or skip some of those 3 to try something new. We prefer to do one 'big' thing per day and then fill in the edges with wandering, ice cream, hot dogs, playgrounds - we're not trying to cram too much in.

We will definitely do a day in the Tivoli, but what are the most fun things for a family with primary age kids? It'll be July, so busy peak season but hopefully pretty good weather. What about the aquarium, is that worth it over the zoo?

OP posts:
S3agr0v394686 · 24/01/2023 21:20

Crack on. I will continue to offer a differing opinion.

multivac · 24/01/2023 21:22

S3agr0v394686 · 24/01/2023 21:20

Crack on. I will continue to offer a differing opinion.

I can see that. But the thing is, your opinion is, from my (greater) experience, a misrepresentation.

Raggletaggles · 24/01/2023 21:23

Viking longboat museum. Easy to get to on the train … book a place on one of the boats and you go out and actually sail/ row one. It’s really interactive. We loved it!

Havanananana · 24/01/2023 21:58

Each to their own, but I quite like Malmø, although if I only had 4 days in and around Copenhagen, I would probably not choose to spend one day there and miss out on somewhere like Roskilde.

If I did fancy a day trip to Sweden, I'd go to Lund.

Puffinshop · 25/01/2023 13:38

CurtainsBeforeMorning · 24/01/2023 20:16

I currently live in Copenhagen so happy to answer any questions directly.

In addition to the places you’ve already been, such as Tivoli, the zoo etc,
I would suggest:

Reffen - street food festival that you get the boat taxi too. Very nice, beach’y vibe

Boat tour or renting a Go Boat and driving it yourself with a picnic. Could also be a nice way to see Christianshavn from the water

The round tower - nice, easy thing to do if you’re in the city. You could then walk to the lake at Peblinge So and do a pedal boat ride and La Glacé for an amazing Danish pastry (La Glacé gets very busy)

The beach at Amager Strand if the weather is nice. You can kayak, crazy golf and there’s volleyball and a great pizza place nearby.

The ski slope - might be something a bit different

The aquarium is okay - very close to the airport so might be something you can do on a travel day if you’re landing early/leaving late

Fredericksburg park - it’s next to the zoo but very nice on a sunny day

Have a lovely holiday!

Thank you, that is such a helpful list! I like the sound of the street food market, that would be a big hit with DP especially. We will definitely not miss this round tower - it's not far from where we're staying. Would you say to do the zoo again rather than the aquarium if we don't have time to do it before the flight out of Copenhagen?

If you live there, have you tried the Christiania bikes (trikes I suppose) and if so, is it easy enough to get the hang of the steering? Can you get up hills OK (I know it's not a particularly hilly city) with a full load? We are used to cycling and I often pull the kids in a trailer, so I theoretically have the leg power for it even if they are getting a bit heavy with both of them, but the Christiania bikes look heavier than my hybrid bike + trailer set up. We just loved getting around by bike last time as you see so much more than taking the train/bus and it gives you so much freedom.

OP posts:
SweetSakura · 25/01/2023 13:42

My children loved the aquarium at that age, they still talk about it several years later.

lidolemon · 25/01/2023 15:33

Our kids love it here, and it was full day out, but you might need a car to get there.
sagnlandet.dk/en/denmarks-largest-viking-kings-hall/

Also check out if a Copenhagen card can save you money visiting places.

Puffinshop · 25/01/2023 17:49

We're definitely not going to hire a car. Feel free to suggest more general Denmark stuff for other people who might read this thread, but we're just going to be in Copenhagen.

We're actually from Iceland so they have seen an awful lot of Viking age stuff already and they are only mildly interested in it. They quite like weaponry demonstrations but long houses, long boats, all other stuff about 'the olden days'... let's just say we've had little success getting them excited about their history.

OP posts:
Puffinshop · 25/01/2023 17:54

It looks amazing, though! I am an enormous fan of open air history museums and history in general. My children are a huge disappointment to me 😆

OP posts:
LarryStylinson · 25/01/2023 17:59

The workers museum - www.arbejdermuseet.dk/en/ great for kids! Food at Paper Island. Weekend morning food market in the meatpacking area if still running- good fun and live bands

buonnatale · 25/01/2023 18:58

Following with great interest as going in August 😃

HamSandwichKiller · 25/01/2023 19:08

I would recommend the Aquarium. Not the best I've ever seen but really top tier. The Science Museum is epic and i'd go back there if I were you. We had a full day and wish we had more time there.

The Louisiana Art Museum was a real highlight. It has a kids section (not crap either) and beautiful grounds. Just really calming and special.

CurtainsBeforeMorning · 25/01/2023 19:43

@Puffinshop I’m glad the list was helpful.

i was in a bit of a rush so just a few things to add to it.

Reffen - I highly recommend Reffen. If you google it or look on Instagram you’ll get a good feel for the place. It has a really relaxed, beachy feel and it’s a great place to relax and try some really nice food and drink. It’s temporary so only opens during the summer but it’s well worth a visit. There’s a scooter ramp for children and it has a nice family atmosphere. You can cycle there (it’s at Refshaleon on Google maps) so if you do go to Christiana then you could cycle from there. Alternatively you can get the water boat from all of the ports - Nyhavn, Little Mermaid etc.
Also, just behind Reffen is a climbing and paintball centre that might be of interest.

The ski slope is called Copenhill - it’s within walking/cycling distance from Reffen. I think they do events and tubing over the summer so might be worth checking their calendar to see what’s on.

The Go Boats/swimming - the boats are a really cool alternative to a typical boat tour. You can cycle over the bridge just past Tivoli to get there. We take a picnic onboard and go through the various canals. The pick up point is a busy open water swimming area (Islands Brygge) Not sure if you like swimming but if you do this is a really nice area to swim. There’s another open swim area in Nordhavn which is nice too.

Amager beach - easy to cycle to or get the metro. Large beach area with plenty of places to relax. The pizza place I recommend is called Pomodoro D’oro. The pizzas take a while but they are worth it!

Aquarium - sorry if i came across too negative on this. It’s a nice aquarium - a few areas where you can touch fish/hold crabs, lots of sea life to look at, an outdoor play area/sand pit, and an indoor jungle. It’s nice, but after a couple of hours you’re done and there’s not a lot else to do in the surrounding area. If the above sounds like the things your kids would enjoy though, it’s definitely worth going.
Personally, and especially in summer, I would go to the zoo. I think you can spend the day there, and there’s also a new viewing tower so you can see Copenhagen from the sky. It’s next to Fredericksberg Palace and Gardens. In the Gardens you can go on a boat, sit and take in the sun. Fredericksberg is also a really, really cool neighbourhood so it’s worth going just to cycle through Fredericksberg and grab a coffee.

Train tour - during the summer there’s a mini train tour that goes around the centre. I think you can book it on via tours - it’s quite cheap and might be helpful if your children are tired.

Also, not sure when in summer you are coming but the city really comes alive during summer so worth seeing if there are any events on. We went to the Jazz festival, European diving championships and street dancing competition last year which were all good. Red Bull run a lot of events so worth checking on their calendar but also things like eventbrite. The jazz festival was a personal favourite of mine

If you’re staying near the Round tower a few other suggestions:
The boating lake at Peblinge So - nice pedal boats that fit a family of four and there’s an ice cream parlour called Isoteket nearby. Best ice cream in Copenhagen for sure.
If you’re visiting Rosenborg Castle/the Kings Garden then the Herkules Parlour is a nice place to sit and people watch in the summer. They do simple lunches too.
Just behind this is the Botanical Garden - a really nice place to walk around in the sun (I think a few people have mentioned this). This is also where the main art gallery is if that’s your thing.
Nyhavn - I’m sure you’ve been here before but just to say there’s a nice cafe in the design museum which is a little more hidden and less touristy/busy. I think it’s called Apollo.
Kastellet - not far from the Round Tower and a nice place to walk around. It’s just in-front of the little mermaid there are some nice seafood restaurants around this area. There’s also Frederick’s church which is nearby - worth popping in to see this amazing building.
Changing of the Guard - starts at Rosenborg Castle at 11:30am and ends at Amalienborg where there’s a mini display. You can walk to Frederick’s Church and then Kastellet from here.
Trampoline centre - if you have a rainy day then there’s a huge trampoline centre in Nordhavn worth checking out. It’s called Airtrix.
La Glacé - already mentioned this but if you’re staying in the area then it’s definitely worth a try.

In terms of the bikes - I totally agree that Copenhagen is best explored by bike/on foot. Especially during the summer.
The cargo bikes do take some getting used to. I know a few people that have turned over on corners as they are particularly hard to steer/balance on a bend. That said, I’m sure the rental company will give you some pointers and if you can get a hybrid one then I found this easier to manage. I also watched a few YouTube videos :-)
I think if you ride with a trailer currently then you’ll be okay with the weight, especially if you can get a hybrid one. You will no doubt clock up plenty of miles on your holiday but if you bike often then I think you’ll be okay.
It’s really flat here - I think the only inclines you will experience will be going over the bridges to get to Christiana etc.

EL0ISE · 25/01/2023 19:59

LarryStylinson · 25/01/2023 17:59

The workers museum - www.arbejdermuseet.dk/en/ great for kids! Food at Paper Island. Weekend morning food market in the meatpacking area if still running- good fun and live bands

I think paper island is closed now, they are developing the area 😟

AgnesR · 26/01/2023 12:35

Great tips here! We are going in Feb half term and I mistakenly thought Tivoli was open but it isn't! Can anyone recommend anything do do with kids in the winter? Thanks!

lilsupersparks · 15/02/2023 20:59

If you take a trip in Malmo, don’t do as we did and go on a Monday - the museums are both closed!

Sorchamarie · 16/02/2023 05:24

Love Copenhagen! Another recommendation for Louisiana if you're into art. Fantastic place with beautiful gardens and an easy train journey. Another good place for food is Torvehallerne, a lovely big food hall right by Nørreport Station with lots of different options under one (very nice) roof.

Sorchamarie · 16/02/2023 05:33

Also, if you can hire bikes for the kids (I'm sure you'll be able to in what is one of the most bike friendly places in the world!) there's a cool place for kids called the children's traffic playground, in a lovely big park in Østerbro not far from the lakes (which are also lovely to walk or bike around or have a picnic next to)

Trolltrotters · 22/02/2023 18:45

Great thread. I have made several notes!

Thinking of going at Easter. I've seen Billund mentioned - how would be the best way to travel between Copenhagen and Billund? Car/train?

Havanananana · 22/02/2023 22:13

Billund is nowhere near Copenhagen - it is on the other side of Denmark. To get there either involves a 3-hour or more drive or a train to Vejle and then a bus to Billund.

Billund is all things Lego and you need at least a day in Legoland and another day in the Lego House to make the trip worthwhile - so it's not really a day trip but could be combined with a few days in Copenhagen. From the UK it is possible to fly into Copenhagen and out of Billund (or vice versa) as both airports have several flights to the UK.

Puffinshop · 23/02/2023 08:37

Yeah, we're flying into Billund and out of Copenhagen, I wouldn't want to bother going back and forth. We're going to do the bus/train. I don't think it's much slower and no way we're renting a car for a few hours anyway.

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Feelquiteisolated · 24/02/2023 00:07

I'd love to go in the summer. We went on boxing Day a couple of years ago and stayed for 4 days. We got the tourist card and did the round tower, Rosenborg, Louisiana, aquarium, science museum. Also went north of Louisiana to get the ferry across to Sweden, visited a couple of places by train down to Malmö and back across to Copenhagen. I didn't live Malmö, I'm quite a nervous traveller and felt quite intimidated there. But nice enough shopping area and nearby park, and the bridge/tunnel over to Copenhagen.

We went to an urban park somewhere too, I can't remember the name but it was great.

We went to the museum of design, I think it was. I remember hundreds of chairs. A boat trip, and a trip to Christiania. I didn't enjoy that at all.

Also did Tivoli, the carlsberg museum and the Hans Christian Andersen museum. And ate quite a few hot dogs.

We stayed at the meininger, near the train station. I liked it so much we've stayed in the same chain in Berlin and Brussels since!

Hope you have a great time!

Feelquiteisolated · 24/02/2023 00:16

The urban park we went to was superkilen. It was in a quirky neighbourhood but a really cool park.

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