Copenhagen, the capital of Denmark, is a city waiting to be discovered! Packed with attractions and things to do, it is perfect to visit even with the little ones. With its green soul, this city is also often included in Northern European cruise itineraries, so you can't miss the chance to visit it!
Here are all our tips for visiting Copenhagen on a cruise!
SEE ALSO: What to see in Copenhagen
To optimise your time, especially if you haven't had a chance to organise your itinerary beforehand, we recommend opting for an Italian walking tour of the old town. Copenhagen is also one of the most bike-friendly cities in Europe, so consider a guided bike tour.
Do-it-yourself cruise itinerary: 10 things to see
Copenhagen is full of wonderful attractions! Unfortunately, with limited time it is impossible to visit them all, so you will need to make a selection according to your interests. Here are the 10 must-sees to choose from (distances are calculated using Oceankaj pier, the main one, as a reference point):
Statue of the Little Mermaid: the symbol of Copenhagen, the statue representing Andersen's Little Mermaid
Distance to harbour: 5.4 km, 11 min by taxi - Get directions. Cost: freeRosenborg Castle: one of the city's most beautiful historic palaces, houses the Crown Jewels
Distance to harbour: 6.6 km, 15 min by taxi - Get directions. Cost: DKK 120.00 (€16.10)Christiansborg Palace: Copenhagen's royal palace, now the seat of parliament
Distance to harbour: 7.6 km, 30 min by bus 164 and metro M4 - Get directions. Cost: DKK 160.00 (€21.50)Amalienborg Royal Palace: winter residence of the Queen, consisting of 4 buildings
Distance to port: 6.5 km, 30 min by bus 164 and metro M4 - Get directions. Cost: 95.00 DKK (€12.80)Tivoli Gardens: The world's oldest amusement park in the heart of Copenhagen
Distance from the harbour: 8.5 km, 20 min by taxi - Get directions. Cost: DKK 135.00 (€18.10), recommendedfast-track admission with optional attractionsNyhavn: Copenhagen's former harbour, now one of the city's busiest canals
Distance to harbour: 7.1 km, 17 min by taxi - get directions. Cost: free, canal cruise from €13.00Christiania: Copenhagen's partially self-governing district, founded in 1970
Distance from the harbour: 8.2 km, 20 min by taxi - Get directions. Cost: freeStrøget: the city's most famous street and Europe's longest pedestrian street, packed with shops and clubs
Distance to harbour: 8.2 km, 20 min by taxi - Get directions. Cost: freeDanish National Museum: Museum tracing the history of Denmark
Distance from the harbour: 7.8 km, 20 min by taxi - Get directions. Cost: DKK 55.00 (€7.40)Carlsberg Brewery: Copenhagen brewery producing the world's most famous Danish beer
Distance to port: 10 km, 25 min by taxi - Get directions. Cost: experiences from DKK 100.00 (€13.45)
Recommended Itinerary: What to see in half a day
First stop: Statue of the Little Mermaid, Kastellet, The King's Garden
The day can only begin at the Statue of the Little Mermaid, a true symbol of Copenhagen. Taking Oceankaj harbour as a reference point, the best solution is to take a taxi and in just over 10 min you will have arrived. If, on the other hand, you arrive by cruise ship at Langelinie, you can easily walk there (850 m, 10 min).
Once you have taken a picture of the Little Mermaid, head to the nearby park surrounding the star-shaped Kastellet. It is an old 17th century fortress with ramparts. There is not enough time to visit it inside as well, so just enjoy a walk in the park.
Head towards the centre to the marvellous King's Garden, the Rosenborg Gardens, one of the most beautiful palaces in the city, where the crown jewels are kept. Again, enjoy a walk through the gardens, as a visit inside the palace would take you almost 2 hours.
Second stop: Strøget
From King's Gaarden walk to Strøget, Europe's longest pedestrian street. Here you will find a succession of cafés and shops, ideal if you want to buy a souvenir.
Here, the best way to optimise time and visit is a walking tour of the old town in Italian, for a first approach to the city with a guide, and not to miss the must-sees. Alternatively, opt for a guided bike tour.
Finally, head to the Nyhavn canal, one of Copenhagen's most famous and fascinating attractions, home to the city's former harbour, which operated until 1950. Today it is a lively meeting place at any time of day, frequented by locals and tourists alike. Don't miss the opportunity to take a canal cruise from here.
From here, you can walk across the Inderhavnsbroen bridge to Broens Gadekøkken, a wonderful area full of small restaurants and street food, ideal for sampling Danish specialities and choosing between a quick lunch or sitting comfortably at the table. From here you can also enjoy a splendid view of the Copenhagen Opera House, the theatre overlooking the canal.
Third stop: Christiania district
Photo by News Oresund. Finally, after lunch, you are a stone's throw away from the Christiania district, the partially self-governing district established in 1970. Here you can stroll through its streets, past murals and open-air cafés, workshops and special shops - a unique experience!
Finally, from Christiania the quickest way back to Oceankay harbour is by taxi, traffic permitting it takes about 20 min. Alternatively, you can use transport: walk to the Nyhavn Canal and here take the M4 metro line to Nordhavn, where a 4 min walk takes you to the Kalkbrænderihavnsgade stop, where you will need to take the 164 bus to the pier. Average time 40 min.
In summary:
Distance travelled: 18.6 km / 3 h 50 min on foot
Places visited: Little Mermaid Statue (free), Kastellet (free), The King's Garden (free), Strøget (free), Nyhavn (free), Christiania Quarter (free)
Where to eat: For a quick meal/snack The Organic Boho. Average cost €15.00 - Get directions / for a full meal Boathouse. Average cost €45.00 - Get directions
Tours and excursions for cruise passengers:
Copenhagen sightseeing bus: Cost, route and stops
The sightseeing bus is a great way to visit a city when you're short on time! It allows you to enjoy a wonderful sightseeing tour and its stops are strategically located near the main attractions!
The Copenhagen service includes three different routes. The main one is the Classic Copenhagen Tour, the Red Line, which is available all year round and runs through the city centre. In summer there are two additional routes: the Colourful Copenhagen, or Purple Line, which includes a visit to the Freetown and the Opera; and theUrban Green Copenhagen, or Green Line, which goes to the Zoo and Frederiksberg Garden. On board the buses you will find audio guides in 11 different languages and free WiFi.
Stages: Three routes are available, Tour Classic Copenhagen (red line), Colourful Copenhagen (purple line), Urban Green Copenhagen (green line).
Cost: fullprice €28.00, concessions 6-15 years €14.00
Useful tips
Plan your itinerary in advance and identify your must-see attractions
Move around the historic centre on foot, preferably with a guided tour in Italian. Wear comfortable shoes to get around smoothly
In the case of visits to the main and most famous sights, we recommend buying a skip-the-line ticket to avoid wasting valuable time in the ticket line
Evaluate the Copenhagen Card, with reduced entrance fees and discounts and free use of public transport (from €56.33 - see details)
Visit the city with the Hop-on Hop-off bus because it gives you a general overview of the attraction and all its stops are located near the main attractions, or consider a guided bike tour
Avoid museums because they take too long to visit. Alternatively, choose just one and budget at least 2 hours
Prefer fast food and street food to maximise time. Broens Gadekøkken is one of the best areas to stop for lunch, where you can find several stalls with competitively priced street food and excellent quality
Where Copenhagen cruises dock
There are three different cruise piers in Copenhagen, all located quite close to each other in the northern part of the city centre. In detail:
Oceankaj: this is the largest and most used pier, where Costa Cruises and MSC also dock. It is the northernmost, about 7 km away from the centre, and the best option from here is to travel by taxi. In most cases you will arrive here
Langelinie: pier 3 km north of the city centre, not far from the famous Little Mermaid Statue. Cruise ships mainly depart from here for Scandinavia.
Nordre Toldbod: located opposite the Kastellet fortress. Easily accessible on foot also from Langelinie (about 15 min).
How to get from Copenhagen's Oceankaj port to the centre
Distance to the centre: 7 km
How to get there onfoot: 1 h 28 min - Directions
How to get thereby bus+metro: first bus line 164 from Oceankaj to Kalkbrænderihavnsgade, then metro line 4 from Nordhavn to Gammel Strand. Total time 30 min - Directions (link)
Getting there by taxi: average 15 min depending on traffic, average cost €20.00 - Directions ( link)
Getting around
Copenhagen is a perfect city to visit on foot! The main attractions are all close together and, for a first approach to the city, we recommend taking a guided tour in Italian. A great alternative is also the bicycle, which will allow you to get around more quickly! There are numerous cycle paths in the city and many guided bike tours are also organised.
If your cruise docks at the Oceankaj pier, you will necessarily have to use transport. In this case, we recommend that you opt for the tourist bus, with a stop located right in front of the pier entrance, or take a day ticket (cost DKK 134.00/€18.00) to travel by vehicle.
SEE ALSO: Getting around Copenhagen