Colourful harbours, world-class food and a way of life so cosy they had to invent a word for it. Denmark is the Scandi city break that feels like a warm hug, with Copenhagen delivering stunning design, brilliant restaurants and enough hygge to last a lifetime.
Holidays to Denmark 2026/2027 Highlights
🏘️ Nyhavn's colourful waterfront is one of the most photographed spots in Scandinavia, lined with 17th-century townhouses, cafes and canal boats
🎢 Tivoli Gardens is one of the world's oldest amusement parks, with rides, live performances, beautiful gardens and some of the best Christmas markets in Europe
🍽️ New Nordic cuisine was born here, and Copenhagen is home to more Michelin stars than any other Scandinavian capital
🚲 The most bike-friendly city in the world where cycling isn't just transport, it's a way of life, and the whole city is built around two wheels
Good to Know
☀️ Summers are pleasant at 20-25°C with long, bright days perfect for outdoor exploring and canal-side drinks. Winters drop to 0-5°C but bring magical Christmas markets, twinkling lights and peak hygge season
💷 Denmark uses the Danish Krone (DKK), not the euro. A pint of beer costs around 55-70 DKK (roughly £6-8), a main course at a mid-range restaurant about 150-250 DKK (£12-20) and a coffee about 40-50 DKK (£3-4). Comparable to Stockholm, slightly cheaper than Oslo
🧱 Denmark is the birthplace of Lego. The original Legoland in Billund opened in 1968, and Hans Christian Andersen (The Little Mermaid, The Ugly Duckling) was Danish too. The Little Mermaid statue sits in Copenhagen harbour
🏨 Top Hotels for Denmark Holidays 2026/2027
💑 Couples
🏨 Copenhagen Strand - a stylish four-star in a converted 1869 warehouse on the harbourfront. 174 rooms with a maritime theme, exposed brick breakfast room and a bar. Nyhavn and Amalienborg are both a short stroll away.
🏨 Cphliving - a floating boutique hotel with just 12 rooms, harbour views from your shower and a sun terrace on the water. Twenty minutes' walk from the city centre and right next to a bus stop. Properly unique.
👨👩👧👦 Families
🏨 Hotel Danmark - a family-run four-star in a historic 1790 building right by City Hall Square and Tivoli Gardens. 88 rooms, a rooftop bar, kids' club, bicycle rental and a restaurant with proper Danish food. Families couldn't ask for a better location.
🏨 Scandic Sydhavnen - a big 391-room hotel 3km from the centre with a gym, sauna, games room, sun terraces and a restaurant. Good transport links into town and well priced for Copenhagen, with space for the whole family.
✨ Luxury
🏨 Villa Copenhagen - a stunning 390-room five-star right next to Central Station and Tivoli Gardens. Heated rooftop pool, gym, sauna, multiple restaurants and a cafe, all housed in a grand historic building. The most prestigious address in the city.
🏨 Copenhagen Island - a striking design hotel on an artificial island in the harbour with 326 rooms, harbour views, a gym, sauna, restaurant, bar and conference facilities. Tivoli is 1,100 metres away and there's a bus stop 50 metres from the door.
🎉 Groups
🏨 Go Hotel Osterport - 170 modern rooms right beside Osterport station with the Little Mermaid, Amalienborg and Nyhavn all within walking distance. Gym, bar, breakfast buffet with vegan options and solid transport links for getting the group around.
🏨 Andersen Boutique Hotel - a 69-room boutique in trendy Vesterbro, 200 metres from Central Station and 400 from Tivoli. Designers Guild interiors, Molton Brown toiletries, a fitness room, bike hire and the Meatpacking District is 500 metres away for nightlife.
💰 Value
🏨 Coco Hotel - 90 elegant rooms near the railway station with Tivoli 600 metres away and Stroget shopping street 800 metres. Cafe, bar, game room, sun terrace and a breakfast buffet. Proper good value for such a central location.
🏨 Maritime Hotel - a 64-room hotel in the heart of the city, walking distance to Nyhavn, Amalienborg and Stroget. Breakfast buffet and a no-fuss approach that keeps prices friendly. Simple, clean and brilliantly located.
🏔️ Must-Dos on your Denmark Holidays
Copenhagen packs an absurd amount into a compact, walkable city. You could spend a week here and barely scratch the surface.
🎢 Tivoli Gardens - one of the world's oldest amusement parks (opened 1853), with rides, live music, beautiful gardens and seasonal events. The Christmas market and the Halloween season are particularly special.
🏘️ Nyhavn - the famous colourful canal lined with 17th-century townhouses. Grab a coffee, watch the boats and soak up the atmosphere. Hans Christian Andersen lived at number 20.
🏰 Kronborg Castle, Helsingor - the setting for Shakespeare's Hamlet, about 45 minutes from Copenhagen by train. UNESCO-listed, dramatically perched on the coast with views across to Sweden.
🧜 The Little Mermaid - Copenhagen's most famous statue, sitting on a rock in the harbour since 1913. It's smaller than you expect, but you've got to see it at least once.
🏛️ National Museum of Denmark - free entry, packed with Viking artefacts, interactive exhibits and thousands of years of Danish history. Brilliant for rainy days and curious minds.
🏘️ Freetown Christiania - Copenhagen's famous self-governing commune with street art, organic cafes and a totally unique atmosphere. Free to enter and unlike anywhere else you've been.
🏘️ Where to Stay on your Denmark Holidays
OTB's Denmark hotels are all based in Copenhagen, which is brilliant because the city's compact size means you can reach everything on foot, by bike or with a quick metro ride from almost any neighbourhood.
👨👩👧👦 Families
The area around Tivoli and Central Station is the most practical base for families. You're next to the main attractions, the transport hub and plenty of restaurants. Hotels like Hotel Danmark and Scandic Sydhavnen are great picks with kids' facilities and space to spread out.
💑 Couples
Nyhavn and the Indre By (inner city) area is the most romantic base. Cobbled streets, canal-side dining and all the main sights within walking distance. Copenhagen Strand puts you right on the harbour, and Cphliving is a properly unique floating hotel experience for couples after something different.
🎉 Groups
Vesterbro, near Central Station, is the best neighbourhood for groups. It's Copenhagen's trendiest district with the Meatpacking District (Kodbyen) for nightlife and restaurants, plus easy connections to everywhere else. Andersen Boutique Hotel is right in the thick of it.
🗣️ Local Lingo
🇩🇰 Hello - Hej (hi)
🙏 Please - Vaer venlig (vair VEN-lee)
😊 Thank you - Tak (tahk)
🍺 Cheers! - Skal! (skoal)
🍽️ The bill, please - Regningen, tak (RYE-ning-en, tahk)
😋 Delicious! - Laekker! (LEK-er)
☀️ Good morning - God morgen (go MOR-en)
🗺️ Where is...? - Hvor er...? (vor air)
👋 Excuse me - Undskyld (oon-SKYOOL)
👀 Denmark Travel Guide 2026/2027
👨👩👧👦 Families
🎢 Tivoli Gardens - rides for all ages, live performances, beautiful gardens and a pantomime theatre. The Christmas and Halloween seasons are magical for kids. Open from April to late September, then again for Halloween and Christmas
🐼 Copenhagen Zoo - one of Europe's oldest zoos with polar bears, pandas, elephants and a brilliant tropical house. A short bus ride from the centre
🌊 Blue Planet Aquarium - Northern Europe's largest aquarium, with walk-through tunnels, touch pools and marine life from around the world. Kids love it and it's easy to reach by metro
🏛️ National Museum - free entry and packed with Viking weapons, coins and interactive exhibits that keep curious kids properly engaged
🏖️ Amager Beach - only 15 minutes from the centre by metro, with clean sand, shallow water and a man-made island lagoon. A genuine beach day in the city
💑 Couples
🌅 Canal cruise at sunset - float through the city past Nyhavn, Christianshavn and the Opera House as the light turns golden. Several operators run evening cruises with food and drinks included
🎨 Louisiana Museum of Modern Art - a stunning seaside museum 35 minutes north by train. The art is world-class, the sculpture garden overlooks the sea and the cafe is brilliant. One of Europe's best day trips for couples
🏰 Day trip to Helsingor - visit Kronborg Castle (Hamlet's castle), wander the medieval streets and grab lunch by the harbour. You can even pop across to Malmo in Sweden on the way back via the Oresund Bridge
☕ Coffee and pastries in the Latin Quarter - Copenhagen invented the Danish pastry (locally called wienerbroed). Settle into a cafe in the old university quarter and work your way through a few
🍽️ Dinner at a New Nordic restaurant - Copenhagen's food scene is world-famous. Even if a Michelin star is out of budget, the mid-range restaurants serving New Nordic cooking are extraordinary
🎉 Groups
🍖 Meatpacking District (Kodbyen) - Copenhagen's nightlife epicentre in a converted industrial quarter. Restaurants, cocktail bars and clubs all crammed into a few atmospheric streets
🚲 Group bike tour - hire bikes (everyone does it here) and ride through the city hitting Nyhavn, Christiania, the Little Mermaid and the harbour. The flat terrain means absolutely anyone can manage it
🎡 Tivoli by night - the park stays open late on summer evenings with live music, illuminated gardens and rides. A brilliant group night out that feels properly magical
🍺 Craft beer in Norrebro - Copenhagen's craft beer scene is thriving, with Mikkeller, Warpigs and loads of independent bars in the Norrebro neighbourhood. A pub crawl here is a proper good night
🏊 Harbour swimming - Islands Brygge Harbour Bath is a free public swimming pool right in the harbour, open in summer. Combine it with a picnic on the waterfront
🌍 More Destinations
Danish Cities
Copenhagen Colourful Nyhavn, Tivoli Gardens, New Nordic cuisine, world-class design and the most bike-friendly city on the planet
More Scandinavian Destinations
Stockholm Spread across 14 islands with a medieval old town, world-class museums and 30,000 archipelago islands
Oslo Fjords, world-class museums, a thriving waterfront food scene and the Munch Museum
Gothenburg West coast charm with Scandinavia's biggest theme park, brilliant seafood and a laid-back atmosphere
Helsinki Saunas, design, island-hopping and the gateway to Finnish Lapland
Lapland Northern Lights, Santa Claus Village, husky safaris and glass igloos under the Arctic sky
Popular Denmark hotels
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FAQs
What currency does Denmark use?
What currency does Denmark use?
Danish Krone (DKK). The exchange rate sits at roughly 9 DKK to £1. Like the rest of Scandinavia, Denmark is essentially cashless and you can pay by card almost everywhere, from restaurants to street food stalls. You might not need to withdraw any cash at all.
When are Copenhagen's Christmas markets on?
When are Copenhagen's Christmas markets on?
Tivoli Gardens runs its famous Christmas market from mid-November to late December, with fairy lights, mulled wine (glogg), traditional stalls and an ice rink. It's genuinely one of the most atmospheric Christmas markets in Europe. There are also markets at Kongens Nytorv, Christiania and several neighbourhood squares across the city.
Is Copenhagen expensive?
Is Copenhagen expensive?
It's up there with the other Scandinavian capitals. A pint of beer in a bar costs around 55-70 DKK (roughly £6-8), a main course at a mid-range restaurant about 150-250 DKK (£12-20) and a coffee about 40-50 DKK (£3-4). You can keep costs down by using the Copenhagen Card (which covers transport and 80+ attractions), eating at food halls like Torvehallerne and Reffen, and buying supermarket snacks for picnics. Many of the best experiences, including Christiania, the National Museum and harbour swimming, are completely free.
What's the best time to visit Copenhagen?
What's the best time to visit Copenhagen?
Summer (June to August) is the most popular season with temperatures around 20-25°C, long bright days and the city at its most vibrant. Tivoli is open, the harbour baths are busy and the outdoor dining scene is brilliant. Spring (April to May) is quieter with pleasant weather and blooming parks. Winter (December to February) brings the famous Christmas markets, cosy cafes and peak hygge vibes, though it's cold at 0-5°C. The shoulder months of May and September often offer the best balance of good weather and fewer crowds.
Can I cycle even if I'm not a confident cyclist?
Can I cycle even if I'm not a confident cyclist?
Absolutely. Copenhagen is flat, the cycle lanes are wide and clearly separated from traffic, and locals are used to sharing the road with tourists. Most hotels rent bikes, and the Donkey Republic app lets you pick up and drop off bikes all over the city. Just remember to signal when turning and stay in the bike lane, not on the pavement.