Why Visit Copenhagen? 18 Reasons You Will Love the Danish Capital

Why should you visit Copenhagen?

Copenhagen is one of the coolest cities in the world.

Okay, we might be a bit biased as we were both born and raised here.

But there are so many reasons to fall in love with the beautiful capital of Denmark.

Whether you’re just visiting for a weekend or consider moving here for a job or as an exchange student.

Copenhagen is quite small compared to other European capitals like Paris or London. The compact size makes it easy to explore the vibrant Nørrebro on the same day as taking a stroll through a romantic landscape garden in Frederiksberg and ending up in Vesterbro’s meatpacking district for a drink.

There’s so much to do and see!

Here are 18 reasons why Copenhagen is such a wonderful city.

1. You can walk everywhere

It is easy to get from A to B by foot in Copenhagen.

The districts you’ll want to visit are closely situated to each other and there are sidewalks everywhere.

And even if you don’t like walking, you can use public transportation which is punctual and covers the whole city – or you can take a bike like the locals.

2. It’s clean and safe

Copenhagen is a city that strives to be green and clean.

You’ll find trash cans on almost every street so you don’t have to hold on to your rubbish for long.

People care about recycling and you get between 1 and 3 Danish kroner back when returning beer bottles and soda cans to the supermarkets.

Copenhagen is also considered very safe. People trust each other and treat each other with respect.

The crime and violence rate is very low and you can safely walk around at all times. Solo female travellers included.

However, take precautions like you would in any other big city.

3. Long nights in the summer

Some nights in June, the sun will set at around 22:00.

The sky never turns completely dark and the mild weather makes for very pleasant (albeit perhaps too long) nights out.

4. Almost everyone speaks English

Yep, that’s true. No need to learn our weird language, we speak English!

Most Danes dislike their own accents, though.

5. Public spaces are super chill

Squares, parks, harbour fronts and the like are meant to be used.

Copenhageners love to drink their takeaway coffee on a bench by one of The Lakes or go for a picnic in a park. Especially if the sun is out.

6. There is plenty of greenery

Speaking of parks, Copenhagen actually has quite a few!

Kongens Have (The King’s Garden), Ørstedsparken, Botanisk Have (Botanical Gardens), Søndermarken (The Southern Field) and Frederiksberg Have (Frederiksberg Gardens) are just some of the central parks and gardens that are worth visiting.

For even more nature-like parks, visit Amager Fælled and Kalvebod Fælled on Amager or take the train 20-25 minutes to Jægersborg Dyrehave (a big, lovely park home to hundreds of deer).

7. Go for a swim in the harbour

The waters surrounding Copenhagen are actually so clean that you can go for a swim in the harbour.

On hot summer days people flock to the harbour baths of Islands Brygge, Fisketorvet and Sluseholmen.

If you like sand between your toes opt for Amager Beach Park, Svanemølle Beach, Hellerup Beach or Bellevue Beach – all are free and close to the city.

When temperatures drop, some brave souls still take the plunge. Walk directly into a sauna afterwards at Refshaleøen’s La Banchina.

8. There’s always a party somewhere

Danes like to party and drink alcohol (perhaps too much!) and the nightlife scene in Copenhagen is buzzing.

You can find both trendy bars and fashionable nightclubs.

There’s always something happening at Vestergade and Gothersgade (at the end close to Kongens Nytorv).

The Meat Packing District is one of the coolest places to go out – especially if you don’t mind paying a bit more for fancy cocktails.

Mondays and Tuesdays are a bit slow but you can still find a lot of bars serving beers or go for something stronger at a bodega (kind of like a pub) where you’ll typically meet old regulars and students.

9. People are tolerant and open-minded

At least the majority are!

Copenhagen is known as a LGBTQ+ friendly city.

In fact, Denmark was the first country in the world to recognise registered partnerships for same-sex couples.

Copenhagen has a vibrant LGBTQ+ nightlife and here you can find the world’s oldest openly gay bar, Centralhjørnet (which is more than 100 years old).

Though Danes are not the most flamboyant people in the world, Copenhageners are in general very tolerant and open-minded towards different ethnicities and sexualities.

10. You can bring your children

Copenhagen is a very family friendly city!

As previously mentioned, it’s safe and walkable and there are actually lots of activities for families.

Spend the day at the adventurous amusement park Tivoli, test your knowledge at the science centre Experimentarium or visit one of the many museums that have exhibitions and workshops for children.

You can also chill out in the parks, go for a swim or play at some of the many public playgrounds.

11. Eat delicious food

Copenhagen is a mecca for foodies!

Whether you want to try the famous New Nordic food, Asian fusion, hipster tacos or Neapolitan pizzas, the city has it all.

Go for fine dining (Copenhagen has plenty of Michelin restaurants) or sample tasty street food at one of the many food markets.

We’re not saying it’s going to be cheap, but you can definitely get lots of quality bites during your stay.

12. The canals are charming

Copenhagen is surrounded by water and several charming canals run through the city.

You can’t help but to find this alluring!

13. Stroll through historical streets

Founded in the 10th century, Copenhagen is an old city.

Although it looks a bit different today, you can find a lot of buildings from the 16th and 17th centuries – for example Rosenborg Castle and Rundetårn (The Round Tower).

Several streets in the Inner City are paved with cobblestones and lined with charming houses.

To name a few, you should check out Nyboder, the district of Christianshavn as well as Magstræde and the surrounding streets.

14. Coloured houses in abundance

Along the historical streets and many other places in Copenhagen, you’ll see the most beautiful coloured houses.

Check out this guide with 12 colourful streets in Copenhagen if you would like to know where to find these romantic gems.

You might be interested in:Colourful Houses: 12 Beautiful Streets in Copenhagen The most colourful Instagram-spots in the vibrant capital of Denmark Read more

15. Marvel at the old churches

There are numerous old churches in the Inner City and the neighbouring districts.

Some of our favourites include Church of Our Saviour, Church of Our Lady and Frederik’s Church (The Marble Church).

16. There’s world-class architecture

Apart from the old churches and historical monuments, Copenhagen has several modern architectural masterpieces.

That makes for a great mix of old and new buildings.

If you have an eye for design, you would want to check out The Royal Danish Opera House, The Circle Bridge, The 8 House, Axel Towers and the library called The Black Diamond.

17. Shop Danish design

Denmark is famous for simple and functional designs whether it’s architecture, furniture or clothing.

Copenhageners sure value great design and you’ll notice this everywhere.

From buildings around the city by the architect Bjarke Ingels to a whole hotel designed by Arne Jacobsen.

You’ll also see stores selling electronics from Bang & Olufsen, porcelain from Royal Copenhagen, jewellery from Pandora and modern home accessories from HAY.

If you’re into fashion, look for some of these Danish clothing brands when in Copenhagen: Ganni, Wood Wood, Norse Projects, Soulland, Baum und Pferdgarten, Henrik Vibskov, Mads Nørgaard, Stine Goya, Samsøe Samsøe, RAINS, Won Hundred and Han Kjøbenhavn.

18. Get cultural at the great museums

There are so many cool museums in Copenhagen!

Whether you like modern art, findings from ancient times, marble sculptures, Egyptian mummies or international contemporary art, you’ll find it here.

Our personal favourite is Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek.

We also enjoy Thorvaldsens Museum, Statens Museum for Kunst (National Gallery of Denmark), Nationalmuseet (National Museum of Denmark) and the occasional visit to Louisiana Museum of Modern Art which is 35 kilometres north of Copenhagen.

We also think the open air museum Frilandsmuseet is worth a visit. Travel back in time to experience the old Denmark just 30 minutes from Copenhagen.

Want to visit Copenhagen?

We think you should!

Ready to buy a ticket?

Search for the cheapest flights on Momondo here (adlink).

Or read our guide on How to Get to Copenhagen From Anywhere on the Cheap.

Thank you for reading all the way to the end

We hope that you will love Copenhagen as much as we do.

If you’ve already been, it would be awesome to hear what you like the most about the city.

And if you haven’t been yet, please don’t hesitate to ask us anything in the comments. We’re glad to help.