Top 10 Things to Do in Copenhagen

Christiansborg Palace stands on the small island of Slotsholmen and is the seat of the Danish Parliament, the Supreme Court, and the Prime Minister's Office — the only building in the world to house all three branches of a national government. The current palace is the sixth to have stood on the site, which has been the center of Danish political power for over 800 years. Visitors can tour the Royal Reception Rooms, the ruins of the original medieval castle beneath, and climb the tower for panoramic views. It is taller than the average European palace tower, standing at 106 meters, and hosts over 600,000 visitors annually.

The National Museum of Denmark (Nationalmuseet) is the country's largest museum of cultural history, tracing Danish civilisation from the Stone Age through to the present day. Its collection of over one million objects includes the iconic Sun Chariot from 1400 BC, Viking-age runic stones, and a remarkable Egyptian mummy collection. The museum is housed in a grand 18th-century palace that was once the Crown Prince's residence. It houses six times more artifacts than Rosenborg Castle's treasury, and attracts over 1 million visitors annually, making it one of the best-attended cultural sites in Scandinavia.

Rosenborg Castle is a Renaissance royal palace built by King Christian IV in the early 17th century, now surrounded by the King's Garden — Copenhagen's oldest and most beloved park. The castle houses the Danish Crown Jewels and Royal Regalia, including the oldest crown jewels in Europe, which are displayed in a basement treasury. Its 12 rooms are decorated as they were when Danish royalty lived here, offering an unparalleled window into 400 years of royal history. It is visited by over 300,000 people per year, outpacing the Round Tower's annual attendance by 50%.

Strøget is one of Europe's longest pedestrian shopping streets, stretching 1.1 kilometres through the heart of Copenhagen from City Hall Square to Kongens Nytorv. It features everything from high-end luxury boutiques like Georg Jensen and Royal Copenhagen to mainstream chains and quirky independent shops. The street connects a series of lively squares including Gammeltorv, Nytorv, and Amagertorv, which serve as the social heart of the city.

The Round Tower (Rundetårn) is a 17th-century tower built by King Christian IV as part of a university complex and still functions as a working observatory — the oldest functioning observatory in Europe, established in 1642. Instead of stairs, a 209-metre spiral ramp winds to the top, famous for allowing Tsar Peter the Great to ride his horse to the summit during his 1716 visit to Copenhagen. From the open-air platform 34.8 metres above the ground, visitors enjoy sweeping views of the Copenhagen rooftops.

Freetown Christiania is a self-proclaimed autonomous neighbourhood established in 1971 by a group of squatters who took over a disused military base in Copenhagen. Spanning 34 hectares, it is home to around 900 residents who operate their own social rules, businesses, and institutions outside Danish law. It is 50% larger than Copenhagen's Tivoli Gardens in area and hosts over 500,000 visitors annually. The community is known for its vibrant street art, alternative architecture, live music venues, and the controversial open hash market on its main street, known as Pusher Street.

Housed in upcycled shipping containers and open-air stalls on a former industrial waterfront, it hosts over 50 vendors serving everything from Korean fried chicken to Scandinavian smørrebrød. It operates from spring through autumn and also hosts live music, art installations, and cultural events.