Copenhagen is one of those cities I return to again and again, especially when my son was studying and then working there. The pace is gentle, the design effortless, and daily life seems beautifully balanced. It is a city that rewards walking, lingering, and curiosity, and it works just as well for a long weekend as it does for a slower stay.
Over the years, I have stayed in several hotels I genuinely like, and built up a list of places I always recommend.
This article contains affiliate links. If you click through and make a booking or purchase, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Your support helps us keep Travelling Cooks alive and sharing more recipes and travel tips.
Planning a Trip to Copenhagen?
If you’d like help choosing where to stay, finding memorable places to eat and creating an itinerary that suits your pace, I offer personalised travel planning to make the experience easier and more enjoyable.
This is my personal guide:
Hotels in Copenhagen
what to do in and around Copenhagen
Easy day trips from Copenhagen
Hotels I Love in Copenhagen
These are all places I have stayed in, each with its own personality, but all very much aligned with the Copenhagen way of life.
Central & Stylish:
WIDE Hotel
Central, contemporary, and calm, WIDE Hotel is an excellent base for exploring the city on foot. The design is modern without being cold, and everything feels comfortable and well considered. A great option if you want simplicity, good beds, and a location that makes everything easy.
Coco Hotel
Coco hotel feels warm and welcoming, with a real sense of personality. It is stylish without trying too hard, and it feels intimate rather than anonymous. The area is full of great restaurants that I mention in my other article.
Boutique & Design:
Hotel Sanders
Hotel Sanders is elegant, cosy, and beautifully designed. It feels more like staying in a private home than a hotel, with soft lighting, thoughtful details, and a sense of quiet luxury. Ideal if you appreciate refined design and a calm atmosphere.
Manon Les Suites
A bold and playful hotel, best known for its lush indoor pool and tropical feel. It is very different from traditional Scandinavian minimalism, and works well if you enjoy hotels that feel like a destination in themselves.
By the water:
Kanalhuset
Set by the water in Christianshavn, Kanalhuset has a convivial, almost communal feel. The atmosphere encourages slowing down, and it is a place where you naturally start conversations, especially at breakfast. One of my favourite stays in the city.
What to Do in and around Copenhagen, My Personal Favourites
Copenhagen is not about rushing from one sight to another. These are places I return to, or happily recommend, because they capture the spirit of the city.
Classic Sights and Culture
- Nyhavn, iconic and colourful, best enjoyed early in the morning.
- Tivoli Gardens, nostalgic, atmospheric, and beautiful during the Christmas period.
- SMK – Statens Museum for Kunst, calm, spacious, and inspiring
- Amalienborg Palace and Frederik’s Church and for architecture and history
- Rosenborg Castle and the botanical garden for open spaces and greenery and close by the Round Tower
- Christiansborg Palace for its layered political and royal past
- Carlsberg Brewery Tours, a fascinating insight into Danish industrial history and design heritage
Freetown Christiania, A Place in Transition
Freetown Christiania
Christiania has always been one of Copenhagen’s most complex and thought-provoking places. Founded as an alternative community, it has long represented freedom, creativity, and resistance to convention.
In recent years, it has changed noticeably. Increased tourism, political pressure, and renewed efforts to address organised crime have reshaped parts of the area. Some of the raw, anarchic energy has softened, and there is a stronger presence of rules and regulation than before.
Yet Christiania remains unique. There is still creativity, community and a feeling that this is a place that exists slightly outside the norm. Walking through it today feels different from ten years ago, but it remains an important part of Copenhagen’s identity.
If you want are into troll hunting, you will find the famous Green Georges in Christiania.
Water, Swimming, and Outdoor Life
One of the things I love most about Copenhagen is how naturally water is woven into daily life. Swimming is not a holiday activity here, it is simply part of living in the city.
- Islands Brygge is lively and social, especially on warm days
- Badezone Sandkaj feels more residential and calm
- Amager Beachpark offers long stretches of sand and space
Locals swim before work, after work, and even in winter. There is something deeply refreshing about seeing how confidently the city embraces outdoor life, whatever the season. Even if you do not swim, these places are perfect for walking, sitting, and observing everyday Copenhagen; but I do recommend trying it!
The Ski Slope on a Power Plant, Only in Copenhagen
CopenHill
Copenhagen is full of clever urban ideas, but few are as memorable as its ski slope built on top of a power plant.
Known as CopenHill, this extraordinary project combines sustainability, architecture, and outdoor fun in one bold statement. The building underneath produces energy for the city, while the roof has been transformed into a artificial ski slope, hiking paths, and one of the highest climbing walls in Scandinavia.
Even if you do not ski, it is worth going up just for the views over the city and the harbour. It is easy to reach by public transport, and makes for a refreshing change from museums and palaces. Another reminder that Copenhagen constantly reinvents itself in ways that are both playful and purposeful.
Easy day trips from Copenhagen
Louisiana Museum of Modern Art
Louisiana is not just a museum, it is an experience. Set above the sea, north of Copenhagen, it brings together art, architecture, landscape, and light in a way few places manage. I have been many times, and it never loses its magic.
You move effortlessly between galleries and nature, sculptures appear among the trees, and the view over the water changes constantly. It is one of my favourite museums in the world, and a place I recommend even to people who think they are not museum lovers.
You can enjoy a bite to eat at their restaurant either indoor or outdoors and you can go down to the beach to jump in the sea.
How to get there by train?
If travelling with the Danish State Railways (DSB), the Sound coastal route takes about 40 minutes from Copenhagen’s Central Station. You get off at Humlebæk Station and from then it is approx a 10-15 minute walk to the museum.
Helsingør and Kronborg Castle
On the coast in between Hornbæk and Humlebæk (Louisiana museum, you can visit Helsingør and the Kronborg Castle.
Just under an hour north of Copenhagen by train, Helsingør makes for an easy and rewarding day trip. The town itself is pleasant to wander, with small streets, harbourside views, and a relaxed provincial feel, but the real draw is Kronborg Castle, dramatically positioned at the narrowest point of the Øresund strait. Famous as Shakespeare’s Elsinore in Hamlet, the castle is both imposing and atmospheric, with grand courtyards, sea views, and dark casemates beneath the ramparts.
After enjoying the Castle, we had lunch at a great food market called Værftets Madmarked and choose crispy fish an delicious sandwich with beef and fries.
Want to stay a little longer on the Danish coast?
Rather than returning straight to Copenhagen, continue along the coast to Hornbæk at the Hornbækhus hotel. With its long sandy beach, relaxed atmosphere and characterful places to stay, it makes a lovely addition to a Copenhagen trip.
→ Read my 3-day Hornbæk itinerary and discover where to stay, eat and what to do.
Exploring More of Denmark by Car
Copenhagen is best explored on foot, by bicycle or public transport. But if you’re planning to venture further into Denmark, renting a car gives you the freedom to discover charming villages, beautiful coastlines and places off the usual tourist trail.
For inspiration, explore my Road Trip Through Jutland: Copenhagen to Skagen and Back.
Compare car rental prices for your Danish road trip.
Practical Notes
- Copenhagen is best explored on foot or by bike.
- Spring to early autumn is ideal, but winter has its own quiet beauty but the sun dissapears at 3pm.
- Combine Copenhagen with a visit to Louisiana Museum and a few days on the Danish coast for a wonderfully balanced journey, mixing city life, art, nature and time by the sea. For inspiration, explore my 3-day Hornbæk itinerary.
Planning Your Own Copenhagen Journey?
Looking for a more personal way to experience Copenhagen? I can help you create a journey around your interests, with beautiful places to stay, memorable food and time to enjoy the city at your own pace.
