Copenhagen is often associated with colourful harbours, bicycles, and Scandinavian design, but we found it equally rewarding as a destination for history lovers. Over five days, we explored royal palaces, museums, historic neighbourhoods, gardens, and some of the city’s most recognizable landmarks.
The city is compact and easy to navigate on foot, which allowed us to combine several attractions in a single day without feeling rushed. Most destinations were reachable from our hotel within 10 to 30 minutes.
At a Glance
| Duration | 5 days, including arrival and departure |
| Transport | Walking and public transport |
| Pace | Moderate |
| Approximate budget (2 people) | €1000, excluding flights and accommodation |
Best for: History, royal palaces, museums, architecture and city exploration
Day 1 – Amalienborg, Marmorkirken & Historic Copenhagen
We began our visit in the royal heart of Copenhagen. Our first stop was Amalienborg Palace, residence of the Danish royal family, where we spent about two hours. We arrived early enough to explore the palace and adjacent square before the crowds arrived and to watch preparations for the Changing of the Guard at noon.
After a quick lunch, we continued to Marmorkirken (Frederik’s Church), a short walk from Amalienborg. The church’s interior is well worth the visit, where we stayed about two hours.
In the afternoon, we joined a three hours guided walking tour of the city centre, which proved to be an excellent introduction to Copenhagen’s history and architecture. The route also took us past Copenhagen City Hall and through parts of the old centre.
We finished at the 17th-century Nyhavn (“New Harbour”), where we spent the evening walking along the colourful waterfront.
Planning Tip: Try to arrive at Amalienborg before noon if you’d like to explore the palace area before the guard ceremony begins.
Day 2 – Rosenborg Castle, Natural History Museum & Botanical Garden
This day required very little travelling because all three stops are concentrated around the same part of Copenhagen. We started at Rosenborg Castle exploring royal rooms, collections and Danish Crown Jewels. We allowed around three to four hours for the castle and surrounding area.
Planning Tip: Arrive early and try to book your spot in advance. This was one of the few attractions where queues became noticeable later in the day.
From Rosenborg, we continued to the nearby Natural History Museum of Denmark. The museum is small but well structured, and it pairs well with the nearby Botanical Garden, where we spent the remainder of the afternoon exploring the outdoor collections and greenhouses.
Day 3 – Christiansborg Palace and Tivoli Gardens
We began this day with a one hour walk around Slotsholmen, the small island that forms the historic and political centre of the city. The main destination was Christiansborg Palace, one of the most important buildings in Denmark and home to royal, parliamentary and ceremonial functions. The complex is large enough to occupy four hours, especially if you visit the reception rooms, ruins, chapel and tower.
In the afternoon we headed to Tivoli Gardens, one of the world’s oldest amusement parks. Even for visitors who are not interested in rides, Tivoli is worth visiting for its atmosphere, gardens and architecture. We stayed until late evening to enjoy the illumination around the lake, fireworks, and lively summer atmosphere.
Planning Tip: Download the Tivoli app before visiting. It helps with schedules, maps and event times.
Day 4 – Canal Tour, Rundetaarn, Kastellet & The Little Mermaid
We started the morning with a canal tour of one hour and forty-five minutes departing from Ved Stranden. Seeing Copenhagen from the water offered a different perspective on the city, particularly the historic harbour districts and modern waterfront developments.
After lunch, we visited Rundetaarn (The Round Tower) and climbed its famous spiral ramp to reach what is considered the oldest functioning observatory in Europe. We were fortunate to visit on a day when the observatory was exceptionally open to the public, and visitors could queue to observe the Sun through the telescope. This turned out to be one of the most memorable experiences of the trip!
Later in the afternoon we walked to the star-shaped fortress of the Kastellet, one of Europe’s best-preserved military fortifications, and the Little Mermaid, Copenhagen’s most famous monument.
We ended the day with dinner at Gasoline Grill, an iconic and somewhat unusual burger takeaway located inside a working petrol station. Despite its unconventional location, it has earned a reputation as one of Copenhagen’s most popular burger spots.
Day 5 – Copenhagen Zoo
With an evening flight home, we wanted our final day to be enjoyable without trying to squeeze in another sightseeing route. We chose Copenhagen Zoo, where we could spend several hours at our own pace before leaving for the airport.
The zoo is one of the oldest in Europe and is large enough to occupy most of the day. At the same time, keeping a single destination for our departure day made the logistics much easier.
How It Worked for Us
The balance between museums, palaces and outdoor attractions helped to keep the pace comfortable. None of the days felt repetitive, and Copenhagen’s compact layout made it easy to walk around. With additional time, we would rather add another day for something outside the centre than make the existing days fuller.