3 days in Copenhagen: an itinerary built round the bookings, the Monday closures and the winter hours

💡 The Short Version: Day 1, the royal quarter: Rosenborg Castle (a booked slot, DKK 140), the changing of the guard at noon, the Amalienborg Museum (DKK 125) and Nyhavn. Day 2, Slotsholmen and Christianshavn: Christiansborg Palace and its free tower, the National Museum (DKK 135) and the Our Saviour’s tower (a booked slot, DKK 70). Day 3, the harbour and the west: the Little Mermaid (free), Home of Carlsberg (DKK 235) and the Glyptotek (DKK 135), then Tivoli if it is in season. Buy the Royal Palace Pass, DKK 245, for the three palaces. The plan runs Tuesday to Thursday, which keeps every sight open. Or book a walk: the Classic City Walking Tourad is from DKK 142.

Before you go: what to book

The Royal Palace Pass

The three palaces separately come to DKK 405 even if you count only the Royal Reception Rooms at Christiansborg: Rosenborg DKK 140, the Amalienborg Museum DKK 125 and the Reception Rooms DKK 140. The pass is DKK 245 online. Copenhagen Card: is it worth it? runs the other sums.

Fitting the plan to your dates

The plan runs Tuesday to Thursday, which keeps every sight open. If your days differ:

• Monday. Swap days. Rosenborg and the Amalienborg Museum are shut from 1 and 2 November to 23 December, and the National Museum from November. Spend Monday on Tivoli in season, Home of Carlsberg, the Round Tower and the Our Saviour’s tower, which are open.
• Wednesday. SMK is open to 20:00 and the David Collection to 21:00, and the Glyptotek is free on the last Wednesday of the month.
• Saturday and Sunday. The Christiania open tour is at 12:00, and the Marble Church dome normally opens at 13:30 for 15 people at DKK 50, but its visits are cancelled during roof repairs. The Christiansborg Tower closes at 17:30 on Sundays.
• January. The Our Saviour’s tower is closed all month.
• Christmas. Tivoli is closed on 24 December, and shops are shut on the 24th, 25th and 26th: see Copenhagen Christmas markets 2026.

Day 1: the royal quarter

• 09:00, coffee at Torvehallerne. The food hall sells coffee and bakery items from 07:00: see Copenhagen’s food halls.
• 10:00, Rosenborg Castle. Book the slot ahead; no backpacks. The crown jewels are in the basement: see Rosenborg Castle tickets.
• 11:15, the Round Tower. A spiral ramp, with no lift, up to the view. The march of the guard leaves the barracks on Gothersgade at 11:27 and passes the tower and Kongens Nytorv.
• 12:00, the changing of the guard at Amalienborg. Free, every day; stand on the green areas of the square. See the changing of the guard.
• 12:15, the Amalienborg Museum. An hour is enough.
• 13:30, lunch at Told & Snaps, on Toldbodgade, which is open to 16:00 from Sunday to Thursday, with the kitchen closing at 15:30. See smørrebrød in Copenhagen.
• 14:30, Nyhavn and the canal boat. In winter the boats run to about 15:00, so take the boat by 14:30. See Nyhavn.
• Evening. Tivoli, if it is in season, or dinner: where to eat in Copenhagen.

Day 2: Slotsholmen and Christianshavn

The Black Diamond, the Royal Library’s extension on Slotsholmen. Photo: Fred Romero, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0.

• 10:00, Christiansborg Palace. The Royal Reception Rooms, the Ruins and the Kitchen. The sites close without notice for state events, so check the Royal Danish Collection’s front page the day before: Christiansborg Palace.
• 11:30, the Christiansborg Tower. A free lift to a platform 44 metres up, open from 11:00.
• 12:30, lunch at Restaurant Kronborg, on Brolæggerstræde, open 11:00 to 18:00 from Monday to Wednesday.
• 13:30, the National Museum, two hours. See the best museums in Copenhagen.
• 16:00, the Our Saviour’s tower in Christianshavn. Book the slot ahead. It shuts in wind, rain or snow. See the best views in Copenhagen.
• 17:00, Christiania, free, and not a place to photograph: see Christiania.
• 18:30, dinner at Popl, a burger restaurant on Strandgade that serves daily from 17:00 to 22:30.

Christianshavn’s canal, with moored boats and a barge. Photo: Julian Herzog, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0.

Day 3: the harbour and the west

• 09:30, the Little Mermaid. A 15-minute walk from Østerport station, beside the ramparts of Kastellet: the Little Mermaid.
• 11:30, lunch at Lumskebugten, on Esplanaden, which serves lunch from 11:30 Monday to Saturday.
• 13:00, Home of Carlsberg. Book the timed ticket ahead: Home of Carlsberg. It is within walking distance of Enghave Plads metro station.
• 16:30, the Glyptotek. It is open to 21:00 on Thursdays, and has an exit onto Tivoli’s gardens.
• Evening, Tivoli in season, and dinner at the Tivoli Food Hall, which is open from 11:00 to 22:00 daily and free to enter from the street.

Swap day 3 for a day trip. Kronborg Castle and Louisiana are on the coast line north of the city, Roskilde is about 25 minutes west by train and Malmö is across the bridge. Day trips from Copenhagen compares them.

With children

Copenhagen with kids sorts the sights by age and price. Under-18s are free at the palaces, the National Museum, SMK, the Glyptotek and the Design Museum.

Plan the rest

Where to stay in Copenhagen compares the areas, and hotels near Copenhagen Central Station lists the ones beside Tivoli. For the way in, see Copenhagen airport to the city, and for the trains, Copenhagen public transport. What to book before you go to Copenhagen has the hours for every sight, and the best time to visit Copenhagen has the weather by month. For free sights, see free things to do in Copenhagen. The two walks that join these sights are the old town walk and the Nyhavn to Little Mermaid walk.