Copenhagen in 3 Days: a guidebook for getting the most out of your visit

If you are planning a visit to Copenhagen and want to make the most of your stay, here is a three-day itinerary that includes the main tourist attractions and some hidden treasures so you can experience the real Danish life.

From visiting the iconic Little Mermaid statue to strolling through the city of Christiania, enjoying the local culture and cuisine, this guide will give you the best things to do in Copenhagen in three days.

You can start your first day exploring the Old Town by yourself or book a private tour of Copenhagen to discover the city by yourself.

You'll find some of Copenhagen's most iconic buildings, learn about its history as you stroll through its old buildings and beautiful squares, and sample some of Denmark's typical food and drink at local markets and cafes.

Langeline Park

To start this tour of the city of Copenhagen I recommend that you start at Langeline, a park where you will find many interesting monuments, statues and buildings. Some of the points that you can not miss are:

• Nyhavn harbor: it is a place full of life, with many bars, restaurants and stores, perfect for breakfast on your first day in the city.
• The Little Mermaid statue: it is the most famous monument in the city and a popular place to take pictures.
• Kastellet Fortress: a fascinating historical site with a moat, old buildings and a beautiful park, making it one of the best things to do in Copenhagen in spring. It is free to enter and offers several points of interest, such as the Fortress Church and an old gunpowder magazine.

The Marble Church

Continuing along Bredgade, in just a few minutes you will reach Frederick's Church, better known as the Marble Church. It was built in the 18th century and both the exterior and interior are impressive, with a richly detailed decoration and lots of sculptures.

Amalienborg Palace

In front of the church is the Amalienborg Palace, another must-see if you want to know the best palaces in Copenhagen. The palace is composed of four identical buildings surrounding an octagonal square.

If you arrive at noon, you can witness the changing of the royal guard, a traditional spectacle that is more than 300 years old.

Rosenborg Castle

After leaving Amalienborg Palace, I suggest you go to Rosenborg Castle, which was a summer castle for the royal family and now serves as a museum. It is famous for its collection of historical objects, such as crown jewels, antique furniture, weapons, works of art and for its beautiful gardens.

To get to Rosenborg Castle you should take a walk of about 15 minutes from Amalienborg or take a bus or cab.

Optional: The National Museum of Denmark

If you are particularly interested in museums I recommend booking tickets for the National Museum of Denmark, which is a 20 minute walk southwest on Christiansborg Ridebane. It is the most visited museum in Copenhagen and can also be reached by cab or bus.

The museum offers a wide variety of exhibits covering Danish history, culture and art from the Stone Age to the present day.

It is an ideal attraction for adults and also a fun visit if you are visiting Copenhagen with children, as it offers interactive activities and educational programs that present history and culture in an accessible and entertaining way.

• Location: Ny Vestergade 10, 1471 København K.
• Hours: Tuesday to Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (October to May) and closed on Mondays. From June to September daily from 10 am to 6 pm.
• Admission fee: approximately 17€ for adults. With the Copenhagen Tourist Card is free. Children under 17 are free.
• Important information: I recommend booking the Copenhagen Card for free access to museums, other attractions and free pass on public transport.

On your second day in Copenhagen I propose a tour through the green spaces of Copenhagen and the Free City of Christiania. It is an ideal tour to do by bike, breathing fresh air of a city oriented to take care of the environment. Not for nothing Copenhagen is considered a bike friendly city.

In fact, many of the sites that I propose for this day you can see by booking a bike tour in Copenhagen or renting a bike around the city.

Fælledparken Park

For starters, I suggest you grab a bike and head to Fælledparken, which is the largest park in Copenhagen and has a large expanse of greenery and sports fields. It is one of the favorite places for locals to enjoy nature and relax outdoors.

Here are some of the things you can do and see in this park:

• Hiking and biking: the park has several trails and paved paths, ideal for walking or biking tours around Copenhagen.

• Sports activities: there are several sports fields, such as soccer, basketball, tennis, a skatepark and chess tables.

• Picnic areas: you can bring your own food or buy it at one of the stalls.

• The playground: with swings, slides and other attractions.

• Fountains and lakes: where you can take a walk, take pictures and enjoy the scenery.

• Sculptures and monuments: like the statue of the famous writer Hans Christian Andersen.

Copenhagen University Botanical Garden

From Fælledparken you can continue your ride to the University of Copenhagen Botanical Garden, an oasis of tranquility and beauty in the heart of the city. You can reach it in about 12 minutes by bike along Øster Farimagsgade or in 30 minutes walking. You can also go by bus or cab.

The Copenhagen Botanical Garden covers about 10 hectares with more than 27,000 species of plants, distributed in themed gardens, and an impressive collection of aquatic flora, orchids and cacti.

Visiting the garden is one of the best things to do in summer in Copenhagen as you can enjoy a number of outdoor events and activities, including concerts and dance performances.

Tivoli Gardens

From the Botanical Gardens you can set off on your bike or walk to Tivoli Gardens, or you can even get there in 10 minutes by metro. On the way, you will pass by interesting sites such as the Copenhagen City Hall building and the Copenhagen University.

Booking tickets to Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen is highly recommended, as it is one of the oldest and most famous amusement parks in the world, with a variety of attractions and live shows. Among these, the Christmas shows stand out, so you can not miss it if you visit Copenhagen at Christmas.

Tivoli Gardens is also an ideal place to enjoy food and drink in Copenhagen, as it has a variety of restaurants, cafes and bars, both within the park and in the surrounding streets.

Experience the Free City of Christiania

By bike you will reach The Free City of Christiania in about 9 minutes. There are many things to see and do in Christiania, especially exploring the area on foot. I suggest you walk along the main street, Pusher Street, where you will find some bars, craft stores and cultural centers. I also recommend:

• Walk the path around a canal that starts at the exit of this city. You will pass by bridges and sculptures in the water between the houses of the neighborhood.
• Visit the lake, a perfect place to relax.
• Get to know the many murals and graffiti that adorn its streets and alleys, where you can discover art galleries, a concert hall and organic stores.
• Download the Freetown Christiania exploration game to get to know this area of the capital in a different and fun way.

Christiania is famous for being a partially self-governed neighborhood, so it is important that you pay attention to the sign at the entrance that points out the rules of the locals. It also has some tourist interest because of the price of drinks and food, which are almost 50% cheaper than in other parts of the city, as there are no taxes.

On your third day in Copenhagen you still have plenty of things to explore, such as the Round Tower, the Workers' Museum and Frederiksberg Palace, which are popular tourist sites with plenty of activities to enjoy.

Round Tower

In the morning I suggest you visit the Round Tower, a historic building that offers a very nice panoramic view of the city. It is one of the attractions that you can not miss, even if your stay is 2 days in Copenhagen.

To get to the Round Tower you can walk from the city center, which will take about 15 minutes. You can also take the bus or subway to Gammel Strand or Nørreport station and walk from there. I recommend that you start the tour early as the museum opens at 10:00.

At the tower, you can climb to the top via a spiral ramp, which is comfortable and offers a unique view of the interior of the tower. You can also visit the old library located in the tower.

• Location: Købmagergade 52A, 1150 København.
• Hours: 10:00 to 20:00 daily.
• Admission fee: about 5 EUR for adults and 1,5 EUR for children under 15 years.

Workers' Museum

From the Round Tower you can go to the Workers' Museum, which you can reach on foot in about 10 minutes. It is one of the most interesting museums in Copenhagen and is located in the historic building of the Workers' Union and Workers' Meeting, very interesting for its architecture.

In the Workers' Museum you will find permanent and temporary exhibitions, including art, photographs, historical documents and objects related to the history of labor in Denmark. There you will learn about the Danish labor movement and its struggle for rights.

In the museum there is a 1950's style cafeteria where you can try the famous coffee substitute known as Rich's, which was used during World War II, along with the classic Danish chocolate sponge cake; or have a Star beer from the old Danish brewery. You can also have a typical 1892 lunch at the Café & Øl-Halle restaurant located in the museum's cellar.

• Location: Rømersgade 22, 1362, Copenhagen K.
• Hours: 10:00 to 17:00 daily except Thursdays when it closes at 20:00.
• Admission: about 14 EUR for adults, about 12 EUR for young people aged 18 to 25 and free for children under 18.

Frederiksberg Palace

To continue, you can visit the Frederiksberg Palace, which is 4 km from the Workers' Museum. There you can tour its halls, exhibitions and palace gardens that tell the story of Danish royalty and daily life in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.

Frederiksberg Palace is noted for its baroque architecture and impressive marble hall. It is home to the Museum of Danish Art, which houses an extensive collection of art and design objects, ranging from the 18th century to the present day.

Admission to the palace is included in the Copenhagen Tourist Card, so it's a great way for you to visit palaces and tourist attractions at a promotional price.

• Location: Roskildevej 28, 2000 Frederiksberg.
• Hours: 10 am to 5 pm daily from April to October and 11 am to 3 pm from November to March.
• Admission: about 12 EUR for adults, 4 EUR for children from 6 to 15 years old and free for children under 5 years old. Booking the Copenhagen Card costs about 68 EUR.

This has been the itinerary that I propose to visit Copenhagen in 3 days, and get to know the most characteristic of the city. There is much more to see in this city, so if you stay at least 7 days in Copenhagen, you will really enjoy the experience.