Copenhagen (Denmark) around Christmas: The best winter activities

Copenhagen is so much more fun than expected! Especially during Christmas season. In this article, I will tell you all about the Christmas activities in Copenhagen.

What to expect in this article:

About my trip to Copenhagen

We visited Copenhagen in November, just before Christmas and we loved the vibes. The city was already fully in festive mode: lights everywhere, Christmas markets open, people walking around with hot drinks (like Glögg), and that cosy Danish hygge feeling that somehow makes cold weather enjoyable (because it was really cold!)

We were also super lucky with the weather. We had sun the entire weekend, which made everything even better. It was already cold enough 🙂 Especially walking through the parks and along the water. Copenhagen in winter can be grey, but when the sun shows up? It’s lovely.

If you’re visiting Copenhagen around Christmas (or just before, like us), here are the best festive activities, based on what we actually did and loved. But also based on the opinion of my friend who lives in Copenhagen!

When to visit Copenhagen for Christmas vibes

Based on our experience & recommendations from our friends:

November: Already festive, less crowded, markets open – This is also the moment we visited Copenhagen & Malmö
Early–mid December: Best overall Christmas atmosphere
Late December: Quieter, but fewer markets. New Year’s Eve is supposed to be fun, though!

November was perfect for us, we loved the Christmas vibes without the peak crowds.

Don't forget to book an activity in Copenhagen

Visit Tivoli Gardens Theme Park at Christmas

Let’s start with the obvious one: Tivoli Gardens, a Theme Park in the middle of the city! Have you ever seen this before?

Even if you don’t go inside any attractions (like us), Tivoli is something you simply can’t miss when visiting Copenhagen around Christmas. The decorations, the lights, the atmosphere — everything feels festive and joyful. Check out this video on my Instagram for the vibes.

Yes, Tivoli is quite expensive, but it is still necessary to go! Like my friend said, you haven’t been to Copenhagen, if you haven’t been to Tivoli. She has been living there for some years and it is one of her favorite places in Copenhagen, next to the lakes.

P.s. don’t forget about the Tivoli Food Hall, where you can find all kinds of food. My Ramen tasted nice! You can access this even without any tickets.

Ticket prices: 200KR for entrance or 379KR for entrance & rides
Website: Link

Nyhavn Christmas market

Copenhagen has several Christmas markets, and they’re perfect for slow walks and festive snacking.

Nyhavn Christmas Market was one of our favourites — colourful houses, Christmas stalls and lots of people enjoying the season. This is also where my boyfriend completely fell in love with gløgg.
For me? It tasted pretty much the same as glühwein 😉 But he was convinced it was amazing, so he had it more than once.

My favorite? A Frank’s Hot Dog at Nyhavn. Normally, I don’t eat Pork or Beef, but abroad, I make exceptions and omg, I’m not exaggerating when I say this was one of the best hot dogs I’ve had in a long time. Perfect while walking in the cold and enjoying this part of the city.

Ice skating at Kongens Nytorv

Ice skating in Copenhagen is not just a tiny rink, but it’s actually a large area, which makes it even more fun and lively.
There are multiple places in Copenhagen where you can go ice skating, but at Kongens Nytorv seemed to have such a good vibe and is unique as the rink is round and goes in circles.

Even if you’re not great at skating (I’m definitely not), it’s such a festive activity and perfect around Christmas. Plus, there’s always something warm nearby to drink afterwards, which helps 🙂
One day, I want to go ice skating with my boyfriend, as he has never done it!

Cafés, Chai lattes & hygge moments

One thing I absolutely loved: chai latte is everywhere in Copenhagen — which is one of my favourite drinks. Big win for me.
Anyway, in Danish there is a word that you need to know: Hygge, which means“a form of everyday togetherness“, How to Hygge: ”a hearty dinner in a historic restaurant surrounded by candles is a good way to start. So is a sunny day at the wonderful Tivoli Gardens amusement park in Copenhagen.”

As my boyfriend and I love food and it is kind of our love language :P, Hygge means good food for us.

So here are two cafés we really enjoyed:

Buka: Which is a bakery that you can find in multiple places in Copenhagen. They have special croissants, pastries, chai latte and good coffee. Scandinavia for me, means cardemom or cinnamon buns and amazing coffee 🙂
Espresso House: Another place that you can find all over the city, but with my favorite chai latte and many good pastries. Be aware that it can get crowded.

Winter in Copenhagen is really about slowing down: walking, stopping for drinks to warm up, then continuing again. The cafés are a big part of that experience.

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Rosenburg Park

Because we had sun the entire weekend, we spent quite some time outside and also visited the Rosenburg park. Copenhagen’s parks are beautiful even in November. The beautiful King’s Garden in central Copenhagen is the country’s oldest royal garden.

Just imagine this: walking in the winter sun, crisp air and festive surroundings. Do you not want to go immediately? It was so lovely to sit and be warmed up by the sun. Sometimes you don’t need an activity, just walking and enjoying the sun is enough.

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Copenhagen city center

Another thing we loved, was walking around the city center and buying Christmas presents. The streets are decorated, shop windows are festive, and everything feels cosy. Now and then you stumble upon a Christmas market.

Even if you don’t buy much (Copenhagen prices are real 😅), it’s still lovely to just wander around and enjoy the atmosphere. Everywhere you walk, there are happy people.

LEGO Miniature

Here is just a fun tip from me, which has nothing to do with Christmas, but you will thank me for.

Close to Tivoli, you’ll find the LEGO Store Copenhagen, where you can build your own LEGO mini figure. Yes, even as an adult. Did you know LEGO is from Denmark? This was the most unique souvenir we could take home and it deserves a nice place in our home.
Just be aware it does not completely look like you (which I thought before), but it is worth the money.

How to get around in Copenhagen

I would recommend using public transport in Copenhagen, to make the trip affordable and buses are everywhere. The easiest way to use public transport in Copenhagen is by downloading the DOT Tickets app. We found this super convenient, as you just have to show a ticket on your phone.

Another tip from me:
If you’re staying for a long weekend (like we did), the 72-hour public transport pass is a great option. It only cost us 220DKK (approximately 30 euros pp) and you can also travel to the airport and back. For a Dutchie like me, who is used to NS, this felt pretty cheap.

Once I have my own house, I also want this map!

Where to stay in Copenhagen

We stayed at Cabinn Copenhagen. The hotel is located close to Tivoli, which was good for us. From here, you can easily walk to Tivoli or hop on public transport.

Let’s be real though: Scandinavia means small rooms for high prices. Cabinn Copenhagen is no exception. The room was compact, but clean and comfortable. And after a full day of walking, Christmas markets and café hopping, all we needed was a bed and a shower. That’s my standard while travelling 🙂

If you’re looking for luxury or lots of space, this might not be the place. But if you want a central, affordable (for Copenhagen) and no-nonsense stay, Cabinn Copenhagen does the job just fine. Check out the map below for other accommodations.

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How many days in Copenhagen?

For us, 2 to 3 days in Copenhagen was perfect. We actually spend a Saturday and Monday afternoon in Copenhagen. Monday evening we flew back & Sunday we went to Malmö (Sweden).

In that time, you can:

Explore the city & Nyhavn
Visit Christmas markets
Enjoy cafés and their pastries
Walk through parks and neighbourhoods
Go to Tivoli Gardens for some hours
Do some fun extras (hello LEGO mini figure 😄)

One of the best things about Copenhagen is how easy it is to combine it with a day trip to Malmö in Sweden. The train ride is very easy, quick (around 35 minutes) and perfect for a spontaneous extra country visit

We actually did Malmö as a day trip, and it was such a fun contrast to Copenhagen. Smaller and calmer and it can be done in a few hours. If you would go, I would highly recommend The Disgusting Food Museum

If you’re in Malmö, don’t miss the Disgusting Food Museum. I wrote a full article about our experience at the Disgusting Food Museum in Malmö and some other spots we visited in Malmö.

Don't forget to book an activity in Copenhagen!

Final: Is Copenhagen worth visiting around Christmas?

Yes it is! Eventhough it is cold 🙂

Even in November, when we visited, Copenhagen felt festive. From Christmas markets and gløgg to chai lattes, hot dogs, sunshine-filled walks and Tivoli vibes. We fell in love with Copenhagen and can’t wait to go back next year. Do keep in mind that Scandivanian prices are not funny and all will be fine. Enjoy!!