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16 Hours in Copenhagen!

16 replies

Shambles123 · 25/04/2025 11:19

As per title! Land in Copenhagen at 18.30 on a Saturday in July and will get a train out of there at 10.30 or 11.30 the next morning.

I have booked a hotel near Nyhaven.

Any recommendations for dinner and breakfast and a couple of sightseeing opportunities?!

TIA

OP posts:
Havanananana · 25/04/2025 12:30

There is a whole street of restaurants on Nyhavn - but some seem to be a bit of a tourist trap. Likewise the restaurants in Tivoli. Look at the Visit Copenhagen website for some other ideas, or the restaurant reviews on Tripadvisor. A warm July evening in Copenhagen should have a really chilled atmosphere, so even if you eat elsewhere, a drink afterwards at one of the friendly outdoor bars on Nyhavn is a nice way to end the day.

Does your hotel not offer breakfast? Hotel breakfasts in even the most basic hotels in Denmark are usually excellent buffets with rolls, cheeses, cold cuts of meat, jams and spreads, yoghurts, cereals, Danish pastries and pots of strong coffee. Tea choices can be a bit hit and miss, so take a couple of your favourite tea bags if you prefer "builders' tea" to fancy fruit-based herbal infusions.

Believeinmarmite · 25/04/2025 12:33

Tivoli, always Tivoli

Forgottenmyphone · 25/04/2025 12:37

I’d do a canal cruise and a stroll through Freetown Christiana. Dinner at Færgecafé in Christianshavn.

Shambles123 · 25/04/2025 13:27

Thank you all! Hotel does have breakfast but I was thinking normally not as nice as going somewhere else - will relook now. Off to google these suggestions, thanks again.

OP posts:
Decorhate · 25/04/2025 16:15

I was there recently and also stayed in Nyhavn. There are a couple of good bakeries/cafes within walking distance that I would recommend. My top favourite was Hart Bakeri Holmen branch. It's not a long walk from the canal but obviously depends on what time it opens etc if it would suit you timewise

https://maps.app.goo.gl/VTmnBBDZYhFMJGPe8?g_st=ic

Another one we went to was Buka Bakery

https://maps.app.goo.gl/ZrMAMN8VXMuv6Hzi9?g_st=ic

The restaurants and bars along the canal can be a bit touristy and very busy during the summer but if you want to try Danish food I recommend Hyttefadet. It's gets better review than most on that area and takes bookings.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/VTmnBBDZYhFMJGPe8?g_st=ic

Decorhate · 25/04/2025 16:18

If the canal boat trips are running in the evenings they are definitely the best way to see a good bit of the city in a short period of time. I also loved Christianshavn and enjoyed walking around there, it's not far from Nyhavn.

samarrange · 25/04/2025 16:53

I don't want to burst your bubble, but by the time you get through passport control and checked in to your hotel it's going to be close to 20:00, and you probably won't have time for much more than a walk to the Little Mermaid and back (about 3/4 of an hour round trip) before dinner. And there also aren't going to be too many tourist attractions open at 09:00 that also leave you time to get to the train. Tivoli is near to the central station but it doesn't open until 11:00, and the two boat trip operators that I checked nearest to Nyhavn don't start until after 10:00.

RedToothBrush · 25/04/2025 17:24

Last year I had an extra day in Copenhagen last year before meeting a friend. 16hrs is a good amount and you can do a lot. The problem is your timings. Get the later train. Getting the train onward is dead easy.

Arrival at 6.30pm is great. The train is dead easy into the city and only about half an hour. If you are hand luggage only you can be into the city for 7.30 - 8.00pm.

The meat packing district generally has a bunch of really good restaurants but it gets very busy. The area is pretty trendy and not necessarily the cheapest but if your alternative is Nynhaven it's much of a muchness in terms of price. The Meat Packing District opens late so if you want a night out it's fab. If you want to go for a drink I highly recommend mikkeller which is close to the meat packing district. It's one of the best breweries in the world and has a bunch of great beers - it's pricey but if you go for a couple of 1/3s for tasters it's great. It's a bit of a walk from Nynhaven though and that would be my reservation. My recommendation would be to go straight from the station for dinner BEFORE you check in because of your timings - this would work with eating out in the meat packing area. Getting food much later you may struggle as the Danish tend to eat fairly early. I would book ahead of you can - a table at 8.30 would work.

Then go to your hotel and have a potter around the harbour in the evening. That way you get to see more of the city. Walking around is fine - it's a safe city and having been alone it's fine.

Personally I wouldnt have the little mermaid on the top of my list to do - there's better things but you can do it as part of a walk up to the old barracks and the windmill and that's nice. And you can do that early. As long as you do that rather than just the mermaid (which is a massive disappointment) it's fine. But it's a nice walk and you won't get time to do much else.

The Roundtower is a great little thing to do. Again in the centre. You have to pay to get it but it gives you great views of the city. It's not something that takes that long either. You might be able to squeeze that in at a push but it's one I'd play by ear.

The city doesn't really wake up until 10am. I would suggest doing that then walking back to the station getting a Danish pastry on your way at one of the cafes.

Tivoli is Tivoli. It's great but there's better times of year to go and if you don't like rides, I'd argue there's better things to do. (It's a must at Christmas for me). Wouldn't be on my list for such a short visit.

Honestly it depends on how chilled you are and how much walking you want to do. If you want to really make the most you can but I appreciate not everyone wants to run around like I do on holiday.

Shambles123 · 25/04/2025 18:02

Thank you everyone! We could arguably get the 12.30 train actually.

I had clocked canal cruises start a bit late for us and I'm not sure that it would be something I'd do on a tight visit - I do love a wander! Tivoli probably same for us, that would be a longer trip visit I think (Im hoping we do come back for longer at some point!)

Would we gain time getting a taxi from the airport at all?

Thanks for all the restaurant/bar/bakery names!

OP posts:
abricotine · 25/04/2025 18:11

The train is very fast so I wouldn’t do a cab.

i definitely wouldn’t bother with the little mermaid. It’s quite a walk and pretty ordinary.
walk around Borgen, the palace and the old town.

RedToothBrush · 25/04/2025 18:15

Shambles123 · 25/04/2025 18:02

Thank you everyone! We could arguably get the 12.30 train actually.

I had clocked canal cruises start a bit late for us and I'm not sure that it would be something I'd do on a tight visit - I do love a wander! Tivoli probably same for us, that would be a longer trip visit I think (Im hoping we do come back for longer at some point!)

Would we gain time getting a taxi from the airport at all?

Thanks for all the restaurant/bar/bakery names!

Nope. Train is your fastest option.

RedToothBrush · 25/04/2025 18:17

I should add the trains are very regular. And dead easy.

Shambles123 · 25/04/2025 18:17

Ok, got it! Thank you!

OP posts:
Decorhate · 25/04/2025 19:27

The guide on our canal boat tour said the Little Mermaid statue is the second most boring one (that people make a lot of effort to see)

ellaballoo · 25/04/2025 19:48

We had a lovely breakfast at Cafe Ermanno,which is close to Nyhavn and the Palace.

ellaballoo · 26/04/2025 03:45

I also recommend dinner at Tivoli Foodhall. A wonderful choice of food and if you sit on the terrace you can admire twinkly Tivoli without paying the entrance fee.

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