One Day in Copenhagen: The Ultimate Cruise Stop Guide

Make the most of your time on shore with this guide to what to see in Copenhagen in one day in Copenhagen on a cruise stop

I’ll level with you. With its historic city centre, complete with cobbled streets and candy-coloured gabled houses, and a cutting-edge design scene, one day in Copenhagen is not enough.

Its city streets are crammed with effortlessly cool shops and bars, a thriving restaurant scene – 14 Michelin-starred restaurants in 2022 – and world-class museums. There is enough to keep even the most restless visitor occupied for a good week.

But if like me, you are visiting Denmark’s capital as part of a Scandinavia & Baltic Sea cruise and have only 24 hours or less to discover its treasures, you will need to make some tough choices.

To help you make the most of your day in Copenhagen and hit the ground running, here are some essential practical tips. These include how to get from the cruise terminal, and my pick of what to see and do.

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Plan Your Copenhagen Cruise Stop

How to get from Copenhagen cruise terminal to the city centre

The good news is that, with the exception of the underwhelming Little Mermaid, most of Copenhagen’s highlights are scattered over a relatively compact, and therefore walkable, area.  The bad news is that you are not going to stumble across these attractions straight off the ship.

If you are lucky, you will disembark at Langelinie Quay just north of the Little Mermaid. However, most ships park up at the Ocean Quay (Oceankaj) Cruise Terminal which is 6 km north of Copenhagen city centre.

Therefore, unless you fancy over an hour’s walk into town, you will need to take some form of transport. Here are your options.

Option 1: Use public transport

Bus #25 will bring you to Norreport in 15 minutes, which is walking distance or a short metro ride to Copenhagen’s main attractions.

You can buy tickets from the bus driver or from the ticket machine at the bus stop at the cruise terminal.

But my top tip is to purchase a 24-hour travel ticket online before you leave home, which will be delivered to you as an e-ticket via text and email. Buy a City Pass Small, covering Copenhagen’s public transport in Zones 1 – 4. A one-day pass costs DKK 80 in 2023.

Copenhagen – Essential information for cruise passengers

• Language – Danish. English is widely spoken.
• Currency – Danish Krone (DKK). However, cards are widely accepted, even as payment for small purchases such as a cup of coffee. Therefore, I did not bother getting local currency and used my card instead.
• Tipping – As a 10 – 15% service charge is added to your bill, tipping in restaurants is not expected. However, if you feel that the service was exceptional, you can leave a small tip.
• Getting around Copenhagen – As most of the main sights are grouped close together, your best bet is to get around on foot.

How to Spend One Day in Copenhagen from a Cruise

1. Take a Copenhagen Canal Cruise

I recommend doing this early in your cruise stop in Copenhagen.

Not only does it allow you to see the city from a different perspective, but it is also an excellent way to get an overview of Copenhagen and identify places that you would like to return to. Also, if you do not have time to visit The Little Mermaid, the canal cruise takes you there by water.

The boats leave regularly from Nyhavn and Ved Stranden. A pre-recorded audio commentary is available (headphones provided). Although there was a guide on board my cruise, she didn’t say much.

>>> CLICK HERE TO BOOK YOUR CANAL CRUISE

2. Pay your respects to The Little Mermaid (Den Lille Havfrue)

Yes. The Little Mermaid is underwhelming but the poor old girl has had a bit of a rough time.

Sculpted from granite and bronze, she is just four feet tall and is based on the beloved Hans Christian Anderson fairy tale about the mermaid who forsakes all to be with her handsome prince. A gift to the city from Danish brewer Carl Jacobsen, the statue was unveiled in 1913.

However, over the years she has fallen foul of vandals. She has had an arm sawn off, lost her head twice and has been doused with paint several times.

Although there are better things to do during your precious day in Copenhagen, the Little Mermaid is an iconic sight and that is a good enough reason for visiting her. Unless you visit early in the day, expect it to be busy.

If you have time, it is worth taking a quick look at the Kastellet. The star-shaped fortress dating from the early 17^th Century is set within a tranquil park and you will also find a windmill and church.

After you’ve taken the obligatory photo of the Little Mermaid, rather than get back on the bus, follow this harbour-side walk to reach Nyhavn.

3. Take a Copenhagen walking tour from the Little Mermaid to Nyhavn

From the Little Mermaid, take this lovely self-guided walking tour along Larsen Plads that shows Copenhagen off to her best.

Copenhagen walking tour map

To help you on your way, here’s my Copenhagen walking tour map. Click on this image for an interactive map.

Let’s take a look at the highlights of this Copenhagen walking tour.

If you would like someone else to take care of the arrangements for you or want to benefit from the knowledge of a local guide, why not join a guided 2-hour walking tour of Copenhagen? Click here to book.

St Albans Church

I stumbled upon this church completely by accident but was glad that I did.

Also known as the English Church, St Albans Church is the only Anglican church in Denmark. In the 19^th Century, as Denmark started to welcome open worship by non-Lutherans, there was a need to accommodate these groups of worshippers. Until then, these groups congregated in various rented halls in Copenhagen and Elsinore.

A 30-year project, led by Princess Alexandra of Denmark, daughter of the king of Denmark and wife of Edward, Prince of Wales, culminated in the consecration of the church in 1887.

Designed by the Victorian church architect Sir Arthur Blomfield, St Alban’s is a fine example of Early English Gothic architecture. But whilst the church looks very English, most of its building materials are Danish. Its interior is gorgeous with a beautiful altar, organ and stained glass windows.

In front of St Alban’s is the Gefion Fountain. Nothing to do with the church, this represents a group of four oxen driven by the Norse goddess Gefjon and is based on the mythical story of the creation of the island of Zealand, on which Copenhagen is located.

When you exit the church, take a look at the striking modern sculpture on the waterfront. Constructed from scrap metal, this ‘thinking man’ sculpture is part of the zinkglobal initiative.

The Design Museum (Design Museum Danmark)

Continue walking along the harbourside path, and the next landmark that you will come across is the Design Museum. My one regret is that one day in Copenhagen was not long enough to allow me to fit in a visit to this museum.

Housed in one of the fine 18^th Century rococo buildings that are typical of this area of Copenhagen, this museum offers a crash course in Danish design.

Opening hours: 10 am – 6 pm (until 10 pm Thursdays); closed on Mondays

Entrance fee: DKK 130

Nyhavn

With its crayon-hued houses, Nyhavn is the poster child of Copenhagen.

The quayside of the Nyhavn canal was once a rough sailors’ district and a favourite haunt of writers including Hans Christian Anderson. He lived at No. 20 – look out for the plaque – and also at No. 18 and No. 67.

4. Walk along Copenhagen’s oldest street

Now veer inland to check out cobbled Magstraeda, which is the city’s oldest street.

En route, you will pass the home of the Danish Parliament, Christiansborg Slot, which is open for tours (DKK 90).

For a fun way of seeing Copenhagen in a day, why not join a Segway tour? Click here to book.

If You Have More Than One Day in Copenhagen

If you have a little bit more time in Copenhagen, then you will have a chance to visit the Tivoli Gardens or Christianshavn. Of course, which one you pick will depend on your preferences but I plumped for Christianshavn.

5. Christianshavn

Once a firmly working-class area, today Christianshavn is a super-trendy area of Copenhagen with cool cafes, hip restaurants and charming 19^th Century houses lining its canals.

Christianshavn’s main landmark is the Vor Freisers Kirke (Church of Our Saviour) and its striking 18^th Century spire with steps spiralling its exterior. The spire is crowned with a gilded globe and a figure of Christ keeping watch over the city.

If you have a head for heights – not me! – you can climb the tower’s 400 steps for panoramic views of Copenhagen.

6. Freetown Christiana

For a different side of Copenhagen, on the eastern edge of Christianshavn is the hash-perfumed community of Freetown Christiana. Established by squatters in 1971, this area has attracted non-conformists from across the globe.

Although it was an interesting place to wander through, I found the main drag, the aptly named Pushers St, unpleasant.

Populated by drug dealers, who adopt a zero-tolerance approach to filming, it was not exactly a welcoming environment. I was challenged purely because my camera was slung around my neck. I moved quickly on.

Plan your Baltic Sea Cruise

Packing a good guidebook to allow you to explore the ports of call on a Baltic Sea cruise independently is a wise move. I can recommend this excellent Lonely Planet Cruise Ports Scandinavia & Northern Europe that I used when I was visiting these ports.