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An urban cosmopolitan, Copenhagen has tons to offer. Even though there’s great transit, there’s nothing better than renting a bike and exploring the city on your own. You’ll be surprised with how much you’re able to see and do like a real Danish local.
Copenhagen has truly blossomed into world-class city with its sophisticated juxtaposition of cobbled streets and palaces with mind-blowing architecture. As a gateway to Scandinavia, you’ll find the city different from the rest of Europe. In Copenhagen, you won’t find any glittering skylines or the bustle that you’ll find in most other capitals. Instead, you’ll find the most cozy city with locals never looking too stressed, bike lanes to put any other city to shame, and refined dining experiences.
The Perfect Day Exploring Copenhagen
So hopefully you’re already situated in one of the many great Copenhagen hotels, hostels, or guest houses. That’s probably the first thing to figure out. Once you’ve had a great night’s sleep, it’s time to get rolling.
Join the Bicycle Revolution
Your best bet for a bike is at Central Station beneath platform 12 at a shop named Kobenhavns Cykler. It rents out bikes for Dkr75 a day (roughly $13 USD). The city also has its very own self-serve bike rental system called City Bike One. The cost is Dkr25 an hour, which is more expensive, but you can pick up and drop off at different locations all around the city.
The Little Mermaid statue, built in 1913, is synonymous with Copenhagen. Based on the fairy tale of the same name by Hans Christian Andersen, this small unimposing statue sits atop a rock in the water.
Making your way south, you’ll see the palace that has been the royal residence since 1751 and is currently the winter residence for the Danish Queen and her family. Walk around and see a 360-degree view of the four flanking buildings that make up the palace. If you’re around at noon, see the changing of the guards.
Ride over to the picturesque harbor of Nyhavn. Find a local cafe, try the local open-face smørrebrød sandwiches, and people watch. If you’re looking for more, catch a 50-minute canal tour with DFDS Canal Tours.
Bike your way over to The Round Tower (Rundertaarn) for fantastic panoramic views of the city. This tower was built between 1637 and 1642, so it is steeped in history. While it isn’t the tallest building in the city, you’ll fall in love with the spiral walk and gallery along the way to the top.
A short ride away is the pedestrian-only shopping street of Strøget. Whether you shop ’til you drop or just window shop, this is a great street to stroll down to Town Hall Square.
And there you have it, a great day exploring Copenhagen on a bicycle. There’s so much more to see so if you’re looking to mix things up, check out this one day in Copenhagen article to give you even more ideas.
This is a family-run hotel in the vibrant Vesterbro district which is ultra convenient being only 5 minutes walk away from the Copenhagen train station and Tivoli Gardens. They offer bicycle rentals and have a really good Scandinavian breakfast buffet. Rooms are clean and staff are friendly.
This is a modern spin on a hostel and does a fine job in balancing price with amenities, cleanliness, and room options. There are plenty of private room options with your own bathroom which makes this a good choice for those that typically don’t search for hostels. It’s located 5 minutes away from Tivoli and Copenhagen main station.
Will is the Chief of Awesome at Going Awesome Places which is focused on off-the-beaten-path, outdoor adventure, and experiential travel. His true passion lies in telling stories, inspiring others to travel, writing detailed trip itineraries to help others plan their own trips, and providing helpful tips and tricks to guide readers to travel better. He is based in Toronto, Canada but you'll find him on the road more often than not. Make sure to learn more about Will to find out his story and how Going Awesome Places started.
