Wondering what to do in Copenhagen? If you’re visiting Copenhagen with children, we’ve got you covered. Read on for the top things to do in Copenhagen, and our 2 Days in Copenhagen Itinerary.
Copenhagen was our second capital city stop on our family trip to Scandinavia, and one we all loved! I’d been before, but this time I was in Copenhagen with children and keen to see what the city has on offer for the younger generation.
With 2 days in Copenhagen, I was prepared for busy days if we wanted to fit in as many of Copenhagen’s tourist attractions as possible. There’s lots on offer in this city – and plenty of things to do in Copenhagen with kids. Here’s our 2 day Copenhagen Itinerary to help you plan your trip!
Overview: Two Days in Copenhagen – What To Do
Day 1: Copenhagen Zoo, Experimentarium, The Tube and Tivoli Gardens
Day 2: Copenhagen Food Tour, Museum of Illusions, Canal Tour and Nyhavn
Take a look at the Copenhagen Map below to help you plan your itinerary. I’ve included all recommended attractions, hotels, restaurants and bakeries.
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Getting Around Copenhagen
Copenhagen has a fantastic Public Transport system. Its buses, metro, and trains are all regular, clean and efficient. Tickets are available at all train and metro stations (plus 7-Eleven stores) and are valid for all forms of transport.
Children aged 11 and under travel free on public transport in Copenhagen.
Another great way to cover the costs of travel while in Copenhagen is to consider purchasing the Copenhagen City card. I have more information on this below!
Getting from Copenhagen Airport to the City Centre: If you arrive at Copenhagen Airport (CPH), you can get the train to Copenhagen Central Station – the journey takes less than 15 minutes and trains go every 10 minutes.
You can also use the Metro, which takes a similar length of time. From the airport, head to Kongens Nytorv and onto Metro Line M3.
Bus 5C from the airport (departing from just outside Terminal 3) is also an option for getting to the city centre. However, this takes a bit longer (approximately 35 minutes). Taxis will take a similar length of time but will obviously be a pricier option.
We arrived in Copenhagen by train from Stockholm. This was such a fantastic journey, taking us over the Oresund Bridge, and one I’d definitely recommend if you’re thinking of combining the two cities.
Of course, you can’t mention Copenhagen and modes of transport without talking about bikes. Cycling is a way of life in Copenhagen and there are plenty of family-friendly bikes available to rent, including cargo bikes – perfect for transporting kids.
Although there are cycle lanes everywhere, from observation, I think you need to be a fairly confident cyclist if you’re going to go it alone. Cyclists move quickly and efficiently and you need to be able to keep up – and know where you’re going. Otherwise, a guided cycling tour is a better idea!
We did a combination of walking and taking the metro while in Copenhagen, using our Copenhagen City card. If you do get one, just show it to the driver of the bus or to the ticket inspector if you see one on the trains.
The Copenhagen City Card
Is the Copenhagen City Card worth it? We used the Copenhagen City Card while on our Copenhagen family holiday and I have all good things to say about it!
Here are a couple of the main perks:
- Free Travel (on trains, trams and buses) within zones 1-99. This includes transport to and from the airport.
- Entry to pretty much all the main tourist attractions in Copenhagen (over 80 in total).
- Children aged 11 and under get a free pass with a paying adult (a real plus if you’re travelling to Copenhagen with family).
Prices:
24 Hours: Adults 67 EUR, Juniors (aged 12-15 years) 38 EUR, Children 11 and Under Free
48 Hours: Adult 100 EUR, Juniors 54 EUR, Children 11 and Under Free
72 Hours: 124 EUR, Juniors 66 EUR, Children 11 and Under Free
✅ Purchase the Copenhagen City Card HERE
Whether it is worth purchasing depends on how much you think you’ll want to see and do. To work out whether it’s worth buying, you can use the calculator on the Copenhagen Card’s website HERE.
Day 1 in Copenhagen
On your first day of your 2 days in Copenhagen itinerary, head straight to Copenhagen Zoo and Experimentarium for some family fun that’ll have both the adults and children smiling.
Copenhagen Zoo
How To Get There: Get the Metro to Frederiksburg Alle. You can walk to the zoo from there (which we did, but regretted as it was further than we thought). A better option is to hop on the Number 7A bus from the station, This will take you to the entrance to the zoo.
Opening Hours: 9am to 6pm every day, with extended opening hours (normally until 8pm) in summer months
Copenhagen Zoo is one of the oldest zoos in Europe and is home to over 4,000 animals (including elephants, pandas, and polar bears).
The zoo is separated into two sections, on either side of the main road it’s located on. We actually spent all our time in just one section as we were lucky and got some great views of some of the animals here (especially the polar bear). There’s a great indoor reptile, bird and monkey house in this part too.
If you’re looking for activties in Copenhagen for kids, this has to be at the top of the list. We were really impressed by how well kept the zoo was, and how well looked after all the animals seemed to be. It’s a little way out of the city centre, but worth the trip.
✅ Book HERE for tickets to Copenhagen Zoo
Experimentarium
How To Get There: Experimentarium is 6km north of the city centre. Head to Hellerup or Svanemollen Station by train and then get the 1A bus. Get off the bus at Tuborg Boulevard.
Opening Hours: 9.30 am to 5 pm
Experimentarium has some great exhibitions such as The Bubblearium, The Labyrinth of Light and an Interactive Film Theatre, amongst others.
There are regular Science shows, experiments demonstrated by scientists and lots of hands-on activities for kids here. All information is in both English and Danish.
Experimentarium is a particularly great venue for kids aged 5 to 12 years, bringing both learning and fun into the picture.
✅ Book HERE for tickets to Experimentarium
The Tube
How To Get There: The Tube is inside Copenhagen Central Station
Opening Hours: 11 am to 7 pm
The Tube is a fun immersive experience which is great for families. It’s quite an eclectic mix of rooms and experiences but it’s something kids will love. There’s a ball pit, Tiki bar and tunnels to climb through plus opportunities to dress up and get your picture taken. You need to be fairly agile to take some of the experiences on (others you may want to leave for the kids).
A visit to The Tube is also a great rainy day in Copenhagen activity and helpful if you’ve got an hour or so spare before moving on to your next activity. It’s just a few minutes away from the main entrance to Tivoli Gardens, so perfect to pop into before heading there.
✅ Book HERE for tickets for The Tube
Tivoli Gardens
How To Get There: Tivoli is pretty central. The main entrance to Tivoli is opposite the Central Station, and the closest Metro stop is Havneholmen.
Opening Hours: 11 am to 10 am Sundays to Thursdays, 11 am to midnight Fridays and Saturdays. Tivoli is open for three seasons: Summer (March to September), Halloween (October) and Christmas (November and December). Check the website for exact dates.
NOTE: You can purchase tickets for Tivoli in advance (BOOK HERE) or gain free entry with the Copenhagen City pass. However, you won’t be able to enter if there’s a big concert taking place unless you have a dinner reservation – check the website for details of what’s on when.
Tivoli (meaning ‘funfair in Danish) Gardens is one of the world’s oldest amusement parks and it’s probably one of the world’s most beautiful too. The gardens alone are worth a visit, and many people come to eat in the restaurants and enjoy live music here on summer evenings (they have some big names too: Diana Ross was singing when we went).
Although Tivoli is open from 11 am, I’d recommend visiting in the evening when the park is particularly magical and illuminated with fairy lights. Halloween and Christmas are also fun times to visit due to all the decorations.
You can purchase a wristband which will allow you on all rides, or you can pay as you go. If you chose this option (which we did, as we weren’t sure how many rides we might go on), you just pay by tapping your card when you reach the front of the line for the ride.
There are a range of rides for all ages so whether you’re in Copenhagen with teens or younger kids, a visit here will suit everyone. We all loved The Milky Way Express, while my son was brave enough to have a go on The Demon.
✅ Book HERE for your Tivoli Gardens tickets
Day 2 in Copenhagen:
Your second day in your Copenhagen 2 day itinerary is all about getting a true sense of this city: Danish food, a Canal Tour and Copenhagen’s most famous spot – Nyhavn. Feel free to complete the activities below in any order. The food tour usually runs with several different slots in the summer.
Copenhagen Food Tour – with Secret Food Tours
Details: Tours start at 10.30am (in summer months there are two or three tours daily) near Torvehallerne food market.
For me, no visit to another part of the world is complete without first sampling some of their most loved dishes and snacks. We enjoyed doing just that while in Copenhagen, with Secret Food Tours.
Beginning in Torvehallerne, one of Copenhagen’s largest food markets, we enjoyed tasting smørrebrød (open-faced sandwiches), chocolates, organic Danish hot dogs and Danish pastries.
One of the reasons I love doing a food tour when I’m in another city is that, usually, you get a walking and history tour combined with the reward of food! It’s a great way to see the city, hear stories and facts you probably wouldn’t have learnt elsewhere, and find out some of the best spots for food in the area.
Food tours are also great activities to do with kids and teens. I’ll usually have a quick look at the food stops before booking, but Secret Food Tours tends to be very family-friendly and my daughter happily ate most of what was on offer on this food tour. Despite the rain, we had a great time!
✅ Book your Food Tour with Secret Food Tours HERE
Museum of Illusions
How To Get There: The closest Metro station is Radhusplasen
Opening Hours: 10 am to 10 pm every day
A new addition to Copenhagen tourist attractions, the Museum of Illusions only opened in 2024. It’s brand new! It’s a great spot for some fantastic photos (I guarantee you’ll have dozens by the end) and a contender for one of the most fun things to do in Copenhagen.
You’ll get to experience a number of different rooms, activities and experiments – all of which will test you and challenge your perception. There are lots of fun and very clever illusions and we really enjoyed how you could be part of these – with staff taking photos for you to take home with you.
When we visited, the museum was very busy (possibly as it was rainy outside) so we had to wait for a slot to enter. We didn’t find this too much trouble as there are lots of shops and lovely cafes nearby (in fact, you really should stop at Buka across the road for one of their Danish pastries or Cardamom buns).
Our food tour ended at Buka, so if you follow our plan then a visit here follows on perfectly. Expect to spend around an hour at the museum.
Canal Boat Trip
How to Get There: Tours usually start from Ved Stranden or Nyhavn (for tours using the Copenhagen City Card, tours go from Ved Stranden only)
Seeing Copenhagen from the water is a must-do activity if you’re visiting in the Spring, Summer or early Autumn months. Not only will you be able to see many of the city’s landmarks from the peace and comfort of your boat, but you’ll also most likely learn a lot about the city on the way.
Kids will love all the bridges you’ll get to go under (be warned, some of them are pretty low at times – but that’s half the fun, of course).
A boat trip is a great way to see the Little Mermaid statue (apparently voted one of the most disappointing tourist attractions in the world) without battling the crowds. Although you won’t be able to get that close. Some of the other buildings you’ll probably see are the Opera House, The Old Stock Exchange – and possibly the royal yacht.
Our canal tour didn’t venture into Nyhavn harbour (we walked there afterwards) but many tours start and end there.
✅ Book HERE for Copenhagen Boat Tours
Nyhavn
You might be able to combine Nyhavn with your Copenhagen canal tour. If not, you likely won’t be far from Nyhavn and I’d recommend walking there (like we did) before or afterwards. Nyhavn is top of the list when it comes to must sees in Copenhagen.
You’ll probably have seen pictures of Nyhavn before: traditionally, it’s what’s shown when people are referring to Copenhagen. And you’ll understand why – the brightly coloured Danish buildings set back from the water look pretty awesome – especially on a sunny day!
If you have a bit of time, pop into one of the Danish cafes in this area and buy yourself a smørrebrød.
✅ Book HERE for Nyhavn Boat, Walking and Audio Tours
Where to Stay in Copenhagen
It has to be said, Copenhagen isn’t the cheapest city to stay in – but you do have options.
We stayed in a mid-range hotel very close to Copenhagen Central station and I’d definitely recommend both the hotel and staying centrally if you only have 2 days in Copenhagen.
Here are my top three accomodation recommendations, depending on your budget:
- Budget Option: Good Morning City Copenhagen Star – A centrally located hotel with family rooms near Tivoli Gardens. It’s a bit more basic than some options in Copenhagen, but it’s perfectly fine and one of the best options in the city for families looking to explore Copenhagen on a budget.
✅ Book HERE for Good Morning City Copenhagen Star
- Mid-Range Option: Anderson Boutique Hotel: We loved our stay at the Anderson Boutique Hotel. We stayed in one of their suites, which is perfect for a family. Breakfast and happy hour drinks are included plus, if you choose not to have your room cleaned, you receive perks such as drinks vouchers, money off bike rental or sweet treats. The staff are also excellent here, with lots of recommendations and support on offer. Finally, the location can’t be bettered – it’s right in the centre, a short walk from Tivoli.
✅ Book HERE For the Anderson Boutique Hotel
- Luxury Option: Nimb Hotel – Located within Tivoli Gardens, this hotel is the ultimate luxurious stay. With Michelin-star dining, family activities, and beautiful rooms, it’s THE place to stay in Copenhagen.
✅ Book HERE for the Nimb Hotel
Must-Try Eats in Copenhagen
Wondering where to head for fantastic food in Copenhagen? Here are some suggestions:
- Tivoli Food Hall: There’s so much choice here and the fantastic thing about that is that each family member can choose their food from a different vendor. I went for sushi, my husband went for mexican, son chose a chicken burger and daughter plumped for steak and chips. All top notch. You don’t have to have tickets for Tivoli Gardens to eat at the Food Hall. If you do and you’re entering from the gardens, they’ll stamp your hand so you can go back in afterwards.
- Maple Casual Dining: I loved this restaurant (which has amazing reviews) as the menu is short and sweet but everything’s great. It’s also pretty reasonbly priced for Copenhagen. I went for the duck which which was indulgent but delicious.
- Sporvejen: For great burgers (eaten inside an old train), head to this restaurant. It’s a fun place to eat with kids.
- Anderson Bakery, Skt Peders Bageri or Buka: For the best Danish pastries and cardamom buns.
Copenhagen FAQ
Is Copenhagen worth visiting with children?
Visiting Copenhagen with kids is a great idea and I’d happily recommend a visit. My daughter and I had a day in Copenhagen together, with my husband and son joining us for the second day. Copenhagen feels very safe (as long as you’re careful when you walk across the cycle lanes). It’s clean, easy to navigate and English is widely spoken (to a very high standard).
Is Copenhagen Expensive?
Yes, speaking honestly, Copenhagen is an expensive city to visit, by most people’s standards. Accomodation, in particular, can be pricey, as can eating out and grabbing a cup of coffee. However, if you look around, you can find places to stay and eat on a budget (such as Good Morning City Copenhagen Star, and food markets such as Torvehallerne, where you can pick up food on the go).
What’s the best time to visit Copenhagen?
- Summer (June to August) is a really popular time to visit as the days are longer and the weather warmer. If outdoor activities are your thing (for example, an evening at Tivoli Gardens and a boat ride on the canal), then book your trip in the summer.
- Winter (December to February): Copenhagen is beautiful in the winter, especially at Christmas when you can expect Christmas markets, ice skating, and fabulous decorations. Some attractions may be closed and outdoor activities will be more limited.
- Spring and Autumn/Fall: This time of year has fewer crowds and you may find more availability and better prices when it comes to accommodation. Weather is likely to be varied.
2 Day Copenhagen Itinerary: The Verdict
Copenhagen is a wonderfully family-friendly city which lends itself perfectly to a short city break. If you’re hoping to see Copenhagen in 2 days, you’ll definitely be able to experience the best of what the city has to offer and get a real sense of Denmark’s capital.
Hopefully this Copenhagen itinerary will help you organise some great activities which adults and kids alike will enjoy. I hope you have a fantastic time on your Copenhagen family holiday.
