The capital of Denmark, Copenhagen, sits across the the islands of Sjælland and Amager. It’s the most populated city in the country, with around 1.4 million residents. Of course there are amazing things to do in this city and lots of beautiful things to see. However, it is also one of the more expensive cities in Europe. Because of this, we have put together a list of eight things to do in Copenhagen for free to make your visit as wonderful as possible without breaking the bank.

In this post:

1. Visit Nyhavn and Strøget
2. Kastellet Fortress
3. Little Mermaid Statue
4. Freetown Christiania
5. Rosenborg Castle
6. Gardens
7. Christiansborg Palace Viewpoint
8. Changing of the Guard at Amalienborg

When you think about Copenhagen, you probably think of the famous waterfront street with the coloured houses. We actually thought more of the city would be like this, but turns out it’s just one street: Nyhavn. Either way, it is beautiful and should absolutely be your first stop when visiting Copenhagen. You will find it just a couple of minutes walk from the Kongens Nytorv metro station. Many restaurants, cafes and shops border the water and in good weather people will be sitting at outdoor seating or on the canal eating. Also good to note that there are free and clean public toilets at Nyhavn too. If you know much about Europe, you’ll know how excited we were to find a free public toilet!

Also near Kongens Nytorv is Strøget, a big long shopping area composed of seven different streets and squares. This is a stretch of over one kilometre with both designer and cheaper shops, and lots more restaurants and cafes. As well as shopping, you will also see some landmarks as you walk around Strøget. Helligaandskirken (the Church of the Holy Spirit) is along the stretch. This church is where Prince Frederik and Princess Mary got married. At the start and end of Strøget you can also see The Royal Playhouse and Copenhagen City Hall.

Street performers regularly perform around Strøget, so don’t be surprised if you see people playing music, doing magic or even performing acrobatics as you wander around. Of course, you will also find lots of hot dog carts selling the famous Danish hot dog. Hot dogs have been in the country since 1920 and are a big part of their culture. Most of these carts sell regular hot dogs in sliced buns, and also the French version where the hot dog is stuffed into a hole in the bun. There are various different sauces you can add as well as pickles, bacon and onions. It’s a great snack to have while you wander this shopping area.

A great and popular way to see Copenhagen is to jump on a canal boat cruise. Doing these, you can see many of the famous landmarks quickly and in a fun and unique perspective. This guided cruise leaves from a spot close to Kongens Nytorv, is one hour long and costs €25 per person. The boat is bigger with a roof over the top but does provide ponchos in wet weather too.

If you prefer, this smaller cruise has no more than 9 people at one time plus a guide and is a small electric boat. It is also one hour long but leaves from a location a little further away, and costs €28. Lastly, if boats aren’t your thing, this three hour bike ride with a local guide is a great way to see the sights while getting some exercise. It leaves from the city, they provide helmets, ponchos, and bikes in all sizes and it costs €53.

This star shaped fortress is located less than a 30 minute walk from Nyhavn. It was finished in 1664 but was used from the early 1600s to 1830. Today it is still an active military site but is also a public park. It is open from 6am to 10pm every day and is completely free to visit. You can walk along the walls and get a great view over the fortress and the city surrounding it. Inside the walls there’s also some great things to see. There’s a windmill from 1840 that was used to grind grain until 1903. There’s also a beautiful church built in 1704 and other historic buildings.

This is a great place to escape the city for a bit and just enjoy some quiet in beautiful surroundings while also learning a bit about the history of Copenhagen for free!

One of the most popular things to do in Copenhagen for free, and one of the most well known symbols for the city, is the Little Mermaid Statue. This statue was commissioned by a Danish art collector after he saw a ballet performance of the Little Mermaid at the Royal Opera House. A Danish sculptor created the piece out of bronze. It was placed in the water in 1913. The one you’ll see today is a replica as the original was vandalised and ruined multiple times over the years. It’s located along the Langelinie promenade which is a waterside park and walk alongside the Kastellet Fortress. It’s easy to walk to from the city and is a great spot to take photos.

Of course, the statue is also connected to the city through the creator of the Little Mermaid, Hans Christian Andersen. Best known for his creation of over 150 fairy tales, his body lies in the nearby Assistens Cemetery which you can also visit for free.

Freetown Christiania is a micronation and commune of around 850 to 1,000 residents, founded in 1971. It was originally a military base which squatters moved into. It is often compared to Užupis in Vilnius, Lithuania for it’s vibe, which is very bohemian and arty. Inside the commune there is a music venue, a stage, a skate park, a nightclub, shops, cafes and restaurants. Keep an eye out for the big wooden troll statue named Green George who has been in his spot since 2019.

There’s lots of great art and graffiti around the area as well as colourful houses and streets to look at. Something to keep in mind is that photography isn’t always welcome in all parts of the area though so be respectful and follow signs while visiting. Freetown Christiania is a really interesting place and is one of the great things to do in Copenhagen for free.

Rosenborg castle was originally built as a summer home for Christian IV between 1606 and 1624. It ended up being a royal residence until 1710 and is now a venue for royal events and a museum. It’s a beautiful building built in the Dutch Renaissance style. Inside you can find rooms used by the royals and the Danish crown jewels. If you do want to go inside and do a tour you can book tickets here.

Of course, this will cost money but luckily you can visit the King’s Garden for free. This garden was designed in 1606 when the construction on the castle began. It was originally a small Renaissance style garden, however over time it slowly transformed to a Baroque style garden. This garden has low neat hedges in different shapes, with paths going between them. From 1710, the garden opened to the public and it is now a beautiful 12-hectare park. There’s long paths lined with lime trees, a rose garden, a restaurant and a café. It is open from 7am to 8pm every day and is a lovely place to relax and get a great view of the castle.

There are a couple of lovely gardens in Copenhagen that you can visit to escape the busy city. The first one is the Botanical Gardens which is actually part of the Natural History Museum Denmark. The museum is located in the garden, but the garden itself is free to visit. It is open from 8:30am to 6pm in the summer, until 4pm in the winter. It closes for Christmas and New Year. Inside, you’ll find landscaped garden beds, a big lake, and a stone mound to get a view from. There’s also a café, a coffee stand, some public toilets and a flower shop. If you’re interested, there is also a palm house and a butterfly house. These both require tickets, which are available here.

From the Botanical Gardens you can walk along the canal until you get to Ørstedparken. Inside there’s a large lake, a café, two playgrounds, and a statue of the namesake of the park, Hans Christian Ørsted. Also near the canal is Fælledparken, a big park with the largest skate park in Northern Europe. There’s also a water park and a traffic playground for kids, a dog park, a dance stage and sports fields. Of course there’s public toilets, a café, a beer garden, and lots of big open spaces to relax in. All these parks offer lovely green spaces in Copenhagen for free!

Often getting a view of any city is going to cost money, but this is not the case in Copenhagen. You can get a free view up the tower of Christiansborg Palace which is located right in the city centre. This palace was a royal residence until the late 1800s, and you can now tour the old royal rooms. Of course the tours cost money, but you can climb the tower for free. The tower itself was built between 1907-1928 and is the highest in the city. The viewing platform is 44 meters up, and thankfully there is a lift.

Up the top you get a 360° view over the city where you can see the tops of churches, cathedrals and towers. You can also see the Tivoli amusement park and across the coastline to Sweden, where you can see the turning torso building in Malmö. We have a whole post on taking a day trip to Malmö from Copenhagen! The view is open from Tuesday to Saturday from 11am to 9pm, and on Sunday until 5:30pm. As well as the view, you can also see an exhibition of old plaster casts that were used to make the permanent models. There’s also a restaurant that is open from Tuesday to Saturday from 11:15am to 4:30pm. You will need to book ahead to visit the restaurant.

While not originally built as a royal residence, Amalienborg Palace became one in the late 1800s when the royals moved over from Christiansborg Palace. Ever since, the palace has seen a long line of royals who reside in the palace when they’re in Copenhagen. Amalienborg is actually four different palaces, Christian VII’s Palace, Christian VIII’s Palace, Frederik VIII’s Palace and Christian IX’s Palace. Only two of the palaces are open to the public, which you can buy tickets to here.

However if you want to experience something royal without spending any money, you can see the changing of the guard. The Danish Royal Life Guard marches from Rosenborg Castle at 11:30am and arrives at Amalienborg at midday. The changing of the guard then happens at the equestrian statue in the square in the middle of the palaces. Sometimes the guard is accompanied by a band and this depends on which royals are in residence on the day. Whichever version you see, it is a very cool thing to do in Copenhagen for free!

While it may be one of the most expensive cities in Europe, there is still so much to do in Copenhagen for free! You’ve got a great city centre with the famous Nyhavn street beside the canal and Strøget for shopping. There’s beautiful green spaces like Kastellet Fortress, the King’s Garden, the Botanical Garden and even more. You can also see the famous little mermaid statue, the changing of the guard, a great view from Christiansborg Palace and experience the unique Freetown Christiania. So many different and cool things to do in such a wonderful city without breaking the bank!

To see everything we got up to in Copenhagen, check out our vlog:

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