Often described as one of the most liveable cities in the world. Copenhagen is a haven for foodies, art lovers, design enthusiasts, and history buffs. Whether you plan to taste your way around Copenhagen’s famous food scene, ride a bicycle along its pretty roads or visit one of its many museums, there’s plenty to explore in the Danish capital! Here’s our pick of the best things to see and do in your short visit to Copenhagen.

Top tip: A Copenhagen Card (copenhagencard.com), which can be purchased online or at the airport, gives unlimited use of public transport and free entrance to 72 museums and attractions for 24 or 48 hours (DKK379 or DKK529, or from about £43, up to two children under 10 free).

Day 1:

Morning: Start the day grabbing a bite to eat at the hip Kaffekalaset before exploring Copenhagen’s colourful streets

Head to the laidback Kaffe kalaset to grab a bite to eat in the morning. The neighbourhood cafe/bar is run by an Italian-Swedish couple and has a super informal vibe and homely vintage decor. All-day breakfasts and brunch can be partnered with an alcoholic drink as this place is a great spot for early birds and night owls alike! We suggest getting the fluffy pancakes topped with local berries for a sweet fix to set you up for the day. Yum!

Now you’ve satisfied your hunger, head over to one of Copenhagen’s most iconic areas. The colourful houses of Nyhavn were once frequented by rowdy sailors seeking female company in its many taverns, now a popular tourist area, it has transformed into a lively space full of restaurants and shops. If you are looking for somewhere to sit back and people-watch during the summer, this is the place. From here you can catch a boat along the canal to admire the city and a fun way to see Copenhagen’s sights. With the company of a tour guide, the boat departs from Nyhavn and takes you to the city’s main attractions. National Bank of Denmark, the Opera, the Little Mermaid, Amaliehaven, and Our Saviour’s Church are only some of which you’ll come across, while you sit back and enjoy the cool breeze. After that walk over to Snaregade and Magstræde and marvel at the higgledy-piggledy array of different-sized houses with brightly painted plasterwork. They are two of the oldest streets in the Old Town of Copenhagen and still have their original cobbles.

Afternoon: Head to Torvehallerne food market before walking up the Round Tower

For lunch head to Torvehallerne food market. Situated right by Nørreport Station, it is one of the most diverse food halls in Europe, offering more than 80 shops, bars, and eateries to choose from. Here you’ll find everything from fresh fish, local butcher stalls, seasonal veg, bottle shops, and deli counters selling artisan produce. Seafood lovers should make a stop by Hav, a great fish shop that consists of a fresh department where you can buy the sea’s best catch, as well as an open kitchen where you can sample gourmet fish tapas, freshly cooked shellfish, freshly fried herring in vinegar, terrines, pies, fish meatballs and whatever other exciting ideas the chef has caught. It was my birthday and I was feeling fancy so we ordered the champagne and oysters which the woman behind the counter suggested pairing with a fiery mango hot sauce, such a delicious birthday experience and a food market worth visiting!

Walk over to one of the best-known and most popular structures in Denmark, the Round Tower has been a distinctive feature of the Copenhagen skyline since 1642. Located today on one of the city center’s busy shopping streets, it’s easy to escape the crowds and walk up the wide spiral path to the top of the tower to witness some of the best city views below. This is another attraction that is covered by the Copenhagen Card!

Evening: Slurp away at Slurp Ramen Joint before a nightcap at Lidkoeb

With no real plans for dinner, we decided to wander around until something caught our eye and it didn’t take long before spotting the electric pink neon sign that is Slurp Ramen Joint. A cosy 21-seat restaurant dedicated to making the best ramen in all of Scandinavia, that gives you the experience of a buzzing ramen joint with good vibes, great music, and even better food! While the menu is small, it has options for both meat lovers and vegetarians making it the perfect spot to get your slurp on. End the evening with a nightcap in Lidkoeb, a cosy cocktail bar hidden away in a back alley in the cool district of Vesterbrogade. Expect old chesterfield sofas, a roaring fire, and some of the best whiskey-based cocktails out there. The perfect spot to end the first day.

Day 2:

Morning: Fill up on Danish pastries before admiring some incredible modern art and danish design

A trip to Denmark is not complete without sampling the delicious danish pastries! Copenhagen has an array of cafes and bakeries offering baked goods but I recommend Hart Bageri to really satisfy your sweet tooth. It was an incredibly hard decision to pick just one but ended up going for the spandauer, a mouth-watering cutard-y treat. No regrets.

You won’t experience what is inside this building anywhere else in the world. The Danes care about design in a way that deserves to be seen and not just read about and nowhere is it more obvious than at the Designmuseum Denmark. Denmark is incredibly influential in the world of modern design so this is a must-see if you are interested in that. Again this is free entry with your Copenhagen card so it’s worth a visit!

Afternoon: Try a traditional danish Smørrebrød at Ibens Smorrebrod before visiting the medical museum

Again like many of the places we visited, we stumbled across Ibens Smorrebrod after our visit to the Design Museum. Serving some of the city’s best smørrebrød, I found Ibens Smorrebrod to be incredibly welcoming and very well-priced compared to a lot of places in Copenhagen. The Danish smørrebrød, also known as the open-face sandwich, is a beloved part of Danish cuisine that you should try at least once while visiting, and what better place to try!

Take advantage of your Copenhagen pass and visit the Medical Museion. Dating from 1787, the building originally housed the Royal Danish Academy of Surgery however nowadays it is home to a collection of fascinating medical curiosities from preserved body parts to old medical equipment. At the centre of the museum is the anatomical theatre in which generations of medical students witnessed dissections of corpses and learned about anatomy. The anatomical theatre is still used for public lectures, doctoral defences, and teaching. Medical Museion also hosts concerts, performance art and theatre in its historical surroundings, and arranges public events based on the exhibitions. This is one museum that is definitely not for the squeamish!

Evening: Head to the meatpacking district and dine in an old pâté factory

Copenhagen’s trendy Meatpacking District is home to numerous restaurants, bars, and markets to check out. While we were there we booked a last-minute table at Paté Paté, the oldest restaurant in Meatpacking District. This pâté factory-turned-restaurant presents itself as a wine bar, eatery, and tapas bar all roll into. Between the two of us, we ordered seven dishes which was probably a bit too many but everything looked too good not to try. The food is inspired by Spain, France, the Middle East, and Morocco and the menu regularly changes but I highly recommend the burrata with salted courgette, spring onions, chili, basil, and walnuts! Sharing food at its best!

Morning: Carb up at a Danish bakery before catching the train to the Louisana Museum

There is no better way to start a day of exploring than with a sticky Kanelsnegle, otherwise known as a cinnamon swirl. In Denmark, you will find them in every single bakery, lining the window display cases in all their beautiful, sweet, spiced glory. We somehow managed to find the largest cinnamon swirls in the whole of Denmark (added my head for size comparison).

After filling up, take the train to the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art. Often hailed as one of the most beautiful museums in the world, It’s home to constantly changing exhibitions of modern works by international artists and an outdoor sculpture park, and lucky for us the entrance fee is covered by the Copenhagen pass. It’s located in Humlebæk, North Sealand, in a beautiful old park offering magnificent panoramic views of the Sound and is fairly easy to reach by train. The park provides a magnificent setting for Louisiana’s large sculpture collection and the building itself is absolutely stunning so it’s definitely worth a visit, even if you aren’t too fussed about modern art. The gift shop also serves as the perfect place to pick out a souvenirs and the restaurant/cafe serves up some tasty meals!

Afternoon: Head back to Copenhagen and visit the hippy town of Christiania

Christiania is a former military base that sat abandoned for many years before becoming the neighborhood we know today. In 1971, a group of hippies broke down the barricades and began squatting there. Nowadays, approximately 900 people live in the area, comprising a community that has its own rules and regulations completely independent of the Danish government. From breakfast and brunch to hamburgers and vegetarian restaurants, Christiania is a place to suit all food tastes and a perfect spot for lunch.

Evening: Head to the meatpacking district and dine in an old pâté factory

Even though Copenhagen is a small city, it has so many things to see and do that it feels that 72 hours isn’t enough time to properly explore it. However, this guide is proof that all you need is a good plan and the eagerness to dive in! So what are you waiting for?

Written by Lucy Kaufmann