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🇩🇰Things to Do in Denmark
From Copenhagen's colorful harbor to the castle that inspired Hamlet - the essential sights, and how to keep your own record of them.
Travel guide - last updated September 2026
Copenhagen carries most of a first trip to Denmark, and it does it well - a walkable, bike-friendly capital with a harbor, a historic amusement park predating Disneyland by nearly a century, and some of the best food in Scandinavia. Beyond the city, day trips reach a Shakespeare-linked castle and, further afield, LEGO's home turf. Here are 8 places worth building a trip around.
Top attractions
The sights most first-time visitors build an itinerary around.
Nyhavn, Copenhagen
A 17th-century harbor lined with brightly colored townhouses, now full of cafes and restaurants - one of the most photographed streets in Scandinavia, especially in the evening light.
📍 Copenhagen
🚉 Nearest station: Kongens Nytorv on metro lines M1, M2, M3 and M4, a two-minute walk to the head of the canal where the harbour buses also stop.
Tivoli Gardens
One of the oldest operating amusement parks in the world, opened in 1843, and a reported inspiration for Walt Disney's own theme parks. It's beautifully lit at night, especially around Christmas.
📍 Copenhagen
🚉 Nearest station: Kobenhavn H, the central station, directly across the road from Tivoli's main entrance - Vesterport and the M3 at Radhuspladsen are equally close.
The Little Mermaid, Copenhagen
A small bronze statue on the harbor, inspired by Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale - modest in scale, and best appreciated as a quick stop rather than a dedicated outing.
📍 Copenhagen
🚉 Nearest station: Osterport, about 15 minutes' walk along the Langelinie promenade; harbour bus 991 and 992 stop closer at Nordre Toldbod.
Kronborg Castle
A Renaissance castle in Helsingør, the real-world setting Shakespeare used for Hamlet's Elsinore, an easy train ride north of Copenhagen.
📍 Helsingør
🚉 Nearest station: Helsingor, 45 minutes from Copenhagen on the coastal line, with the castle a 10-minute walk along the harbour from the platform.
LEGOLAND Billund
The original LEGO theme park, in the town where LEGO itself was founded, with miniature cityscapes built entirely from the company's bricks alongside standard rides.
📍 Billund
🚉 Take the train to Vejle, then bus 43 to Billund and the park, about 40 minutes; Billund airport is a 10-minute walk from the entrance for those flying in.
Christiania, Copenhagen
A self-governing 'freetown' neighborhood founded by squatters in 1971, with its own informal rules, street art and a noticeably different atmosphere from the rest of the city.
📍 Copenhagen
🚉 Nearest station: Christianshavn on metro lines M1 and M2, a five-minute walk - photography is not allowed inside the Pusher Street area, and the community asks visitors to respect that.
Aarhus
Denmark's second city, home to the ARoS art museum's rainbow rooftop walkway and Den Gamle By, an open-air museum of historic Danish buildings relocated from around the country.
📍 Aarhus
🚉 Nearest station: Aarhus H, with the ARoS museum and the old town both walkable, and the light rail running north to Skejby and out along the coast.
Bornholm
A Baltic Sea island known for its round medieval churches, smokehouses, and a food scene that draws comparisons to Copenhagen's own new-Nordic cuisine.
📍 Bornholm Island
🚉 The island is reached by the fast ferry from Ystad in Sweden, connected by through trains from Copenhagen, or by air from Copenhagen - island buses then run to Hammershus and the round churches.
Mark Denmark, get the stamp
In MyPassportStory, every country you mark - visited, lived in, or still on the list - becomes a stamp like these in your own travel passport. Add the cities you stopped in, draw the route between them, and turn the whole trip into a shareable passport-style image.
Open MyPassportStoryPlanning questions
How many days do you need in Denmark?
4-5 days covers Copenhagen well, including day trips to Kronborg Castle or LEGOLAND. A week lets you add Aarhus or slow the pace considerably.
What's the best time to visit Denmark?
May-September has the mildest weather, best for cycling and outdoor cafe culture. Tivoli Gardens runs special Christmas and Halloween seasons that draw their own crowds outside the main summer season.
Is Denmark good for a first-time visit?
Yes - Copenhagen is one of the most bike- and pedestrian-friendly capitals in Europe, English is spoken almost universally, and the public transport system is easy to use without any local language.
Do I need a visa to visit Denmark?
Denmark is part of the Schengen Area, so citizens of the US, UK, Canada, Australia and many other countries can visit visa-free for up to 90 days in any 180-day period; other nationalities need a Schengen visa arranged in advance. Check the official visa information for your nationality: um.dk.
What are some things to do in Denmark on a tight budget?
Walking Nyhavn and most of Copenhagen's parks and harbor paths costs nothing, renting a city bike is cheap and often the fastest way to get around anyway, and self-catering from a grocery store or bakery cuts into Denmark's relatively high dining costs.
Can I rent a car in Denmark, and what licence do I need?
Yes, though Denmark is a country where trains and bicycles genuinely cover most of what you want. EU and EEA licences are valid as issued; visitors from elsewhere can drive on a home licence for up to 90 days, with an International Driving Permit alongside it if the licence is not in English or a Nordic language. Minimum age is normally 21, with under-25 surcharges. The Great Belt and Oresund bridges both charge substantial tolls, and Copenhagen parking is expensive and tightly zoned. Cyclists have priority in ways visiting drivers often underestimate - always check the cycle lane before turning right. The road authority publishes the rules at vejdirektoratet.dk; cars come from Sixt, Europcar and Avis.