Copenhagen

Built across the coastal islands of Zealand and Amager facing the Øresund strait, Copenhagen has transformed its former industrial shipping channel into a clean, swimmable living room lined with timber decks, pedestrian cycle bridges and contemporary architecture. In the historic core of Indre By and Nyhavn, 17th-century merchant townhouses painted in ochre, terracotta and pale blue face wooden schooners moored along the canal.

Within a twenty-minute walk or a ten-minute pedal from the centre stand the copper spires of Rosenborg and Christiansborg castles, the pagoda lanterns of Tivoli Gardens, the cobbled canals of Christianshavn and the independent bakeries and food halls of Vesterbro and Nørrebro. Start with our before-you-go briefing and top things to do in Copenhagen.

Copenhagen Airport, Kastrup (CPH), sits just eight kilometres south-east of the city centre on the island of Amager. Both driverless Metro Line M2 (to Christianshavn, Kongens Nytorv and Nørreport) and mainline DSB / Öresundståg trains (to København H Central Station) make the crossing in under fifteen minutes. Inside the city, four automated Metro lines, yellow Movia harbour buses and rented bicycles cover every district. See how to get to Copenhagen and public transport cards.

First-time visitors who want to walk between the royal palaces, canal boats and museums usually stay in Indre By around Kongens Nytorv or the Latin Quarter, while food-focused travellers look to Vesterbro near Central Station, Nørrebro north of the lakes or quiet waterfront hotels in Christianshavn and Islands Brygge. We compare all six main areas in where to stay in Copenhagen.

Walk the waterfront from Nyhavn past Amalienborg Palace, climb the spiral ramp of the Round Tower, inspect the Crown Jewels at Rosenborg Castle, ride the wooden roller coaster inside Tivoli Gardens, and take a day train to Louisiana Museum and Kronborg Castle. Browse the complete list in things to do in Copenhagen.

Copenhagen's food culture shines just as brightly in morning sourdough bakeries and traditional lunch taverns as it does in experimental tasting rooms. Order tall open-faced smørrebrød sandwiches on dense dark rye bread with pickled herring or roast beef and crispy onions, flaky spandauer pastries and knotted cardamom buns (kardemommesnurrer), or organic street food overlooking the water at Reffen. Read more in our Copenhagen food and bakery guide.

Founded as a 10th-century Viking fishing settlement and fortified by Bishop Absalon in 1167 under the name Købmændenes Havn (Merchants' Harbour), Copenhagen grew under the 17th-century builder-king Christian IV, who gave the city its green copper spires, Rosenborg Castle, the Round Tower and the canals of Christianshavn.