How we spent 3 days in Copenhagen — from historic landmarks and canal tours to bakeries, museums, and a day trip to Sweden.

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• Private Walking Tour of the Old City
• Climbing the Round Tower
• Nyhavn, The Little Mermaid & Canal Tour
• Freetown Christiania
• Louisiana Museum of Modern Art
• Danish Pastry Baking Workshop
• Day Trip to Lund, Sweden
• Where We Ate in Copenhagen
• Favorite Hotels in Copenhagen

A Long Weekend in Copenhagen

My first visit to Copenhagen was when I was 8 years old. We stopped there on our way to visit family in Sweden. The one memory that stayed with me is my brother and me on a merry-go-round that broke while we were on it, going round and round, convinced it would never stop.

The second time was in my 20s, during a few months of solo travel in Europe. I took the train from Holland to Stockholm and changed trains in Copenhagen.

And then last summer was my third time — this time with my own family. After hearing so many good things from friends who had visited recently, I wanted to see it again with fresh eyes. Traveling through European cities with the kids has become one of our favorite kinds of trips — something we also experienced during our visit to London with teenagers. Revisiting places at different stages of life often feels like discovering a completely new destination — something we also experienced while planning our family-friendly Italy itinerary.

And like I once wrote in another post: if only the winters weren’t so dark… I could easily see myself living there.

Our Copenhagen Itinerary on a Map

Here’s a personalized Google Map with all the places we visited during our long weekend — from the Round Tower to Christiania, and even our day trip to Lund, Sweden. Use it to plan your own visit or just get a sense of the city layout.

Took a Private Walking Tour in the Old City Center

Our guide, Maya, asked me during our prep call what we wanted the tour to focus on. I told her we were hoping to get to know Copenhagen through the eyes of a local.

We wandered through back streets around the historic city center and talked about everything along the way: the city’s history, its architecture, Danish design, the Carlsberg family (did you know the founder and his rebellious son argued so much that they split the company and ran rival breweries next door to each other?), and Copenhagen’s Jewish history — including the story of how most Danish Jews were helped to escape to Sweden during WWII.

We also talked about the Danish education system and even a bit about local food culture.

This is something I almost always recommend when arriving in a new place: start with a city tour. It doesn’t have to be long. Even 2–3 hours is enough to get context and a feel for the city.

I find it makes the rest of the trip much more meaningful.

Walked Up the Round Tower

The Round Tower (Rundetaarn) is one of Copenhagen’s most iconic landmarks, located right in the heart of the city near Strøget, one of Europe’s longest pedestrian shopping streets.

Walking up the spiral ramp is absolutely worth it. At the top you get a 360-degree view of Copenhagen. We had a clear day and could even see all the way to Sweden.

A real treat for not such a big effort.

Note: After the long spiral ramp, there are two short stair sections at the top. The last one is a tight spiral staircase with fairly steep steps leading to the roof platform. It only takes a few seconds to climb.

Visited the Little Mermaid, Took a Canal Boat Ride, and Walked Around Nyhavn

We had heard how touristy it is, and some family members who visited recently said it was a bit disappointing. But how can you be in Copenhagen and not see The Little Mermaid?

So we built a larger outing around it.

First we stopped at Kastellet, a beautifully preserved star-shaped fortress from the 1600s. From there we walked to see the Little Mermaid.

I actually thought it was beautiful. As a travel professional, it was also interesting to watch so many people standing there, all looking at it through their phone cameras.

Next we took a canal boat tour, which ended up being one of the highlights of our trip. We chose the Memories Canal Tour rather than the classic route.

It’s a 45-minute guided tour combining the city’s main sights with stories about everyday life in Copenhagen. Our guide was funny and engaging, and it was a great way to see the city from the water.

Afterward we walked around Nyhavn, probably the most iconic harbor in Copenhagen, lined with colorful historic houses you’ve likely seen in photos.

Yes, it’s crowded — but it’s also undeniably beautiful.

Wandered Through Freetown Christiania

In the heart of Copenhagen, Freetown Christiania is a small self-governed neighborhood that began in the early 1970s when people set out to create a different kind of community.

It was built around shared spaces, creativity, and a more free-spirited way of life.

Today it still has a distinctly alternative atmosphere, with colorful murals, quirky self-built houses, small cafés, and workshops tucked along leafy paths and canals.

For me, having grown up on a kibbutz — a socialist collective — it was fascinating to see a somewhat similar spirit of communal living in such a different setting.

Visited the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art

The Louisiana Museum of Modern Art is a short train ride north of Copenhagen (just over 30 minutes) and truly not to be missed.

Even if you’re not a big art lover, if you visit just one museum during your 3 days in Copenhagen, this should probably be the one.

The combination of modern architecture and coastal landscape makes the museum incredibly beautiful.

The museum hosts several exhibitions and an impressive permanent collection.

Don’t miss Gleaming Lights of the Souls by Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama. The mirrored walls and ceilings create an immersive infinity-like effect as you stand on a small platform surrounded by water. Also make time to walk through the sculpture park overlooking the Øresund coast. It’s just as memorable as the museum itself.

Learned How to Make Danish Pastry

In our family there’s one pastry that really stands out: “Grandma’s Cakes” — cinnamon buns my mom bakes from a Swedish recipe she got from her mother.

Over the years I tried to recreate them, but every attempt ended in a small culinary disaster. Eventually I gave up on yeast dough altogether.

Then, while planning our Copenhagen trip, I came across a recommendation for a baking workshop.

With a slight sense of betrayal toward my Swedish roots, I decided this might be my chance to make peace with yeast dough.

The workshop takes place in a lovely home in a beautiful residential neighborhood. For about three and a half hours we learned how to make Danish pastries, fillings, and baking techniques in a hands-on class.

It was incredibly fun — and very tasty.

Traced Our Roots on a Day Trip to Lund (Sweden)

If you have time during a long weekend in Copenhagen, it’s surprisingly easy to take a quick trip to Sweden. Both Malmö and Lund are less than an hour away by train.

For us, Lund was an obvious choice. This is where my grandparents met and where my mother was born. My older brother joined us with his family, and we were all determined to visit.

Right outside the train station we noticed a place called Hummus Bar Lund. Once from the Mediterranean, always Mediterranean — so we couldn’t resist. And it was delicious.

From there we visited the house where my mother grew up. We walked into the building and stood outside the apartment door. No one was home, so instead we called our mom and showed her the building, the backyard, and the street. It was a very moving moment.

Afterward we explored Lund University, where our grandparents first met — a medical student and a law student.

We finished the day wandering through the medieval town center, visiting Lund Cathedral, and having excellent coffee at Broder Jakobs Stenugnsbageri.

Note: If you visit Lund, locals also recommend Kulturen, an open-air museum with historic buildings from different periods.

Where We Ate: Favorite Food and Coffee Spots in Copenhagen

Copenhagen has an incredible food scene, from neighborhood bakeries to modern Nordic restaurants. During our long weekend in Copenhagen, we happily hopped between bakeries, cafés, and casual restaurants.

These were some of our favorites:

Beyla — A small vegan restaurant in the Carlsberg Byen district known for creative plant-based dishes.

Barr — On the waterfront in a former Noma space, serving Nordic classics with a modern twist. The schnitzel was a huge hit.

Bæst — One of Copenhagen’s best-known pizza spots, famous for organic ingredients and house-made mozzarella.

Buka Bakery — A fantastic bakery known for flaky pastries — especially the Nutella croissant.

Juno the Bakery — Probably the most famous bakery in Copenhagen, and well worth the visit for its cardamom bun.

Torvehallerne KBH Market — A lively indoor food market with dozens of stalls serving everything from Danish smørrebrød to international street food.

Reffen Street Food Market — A large waterfront street food market with global vendors, music, and harbor views.

Lille Fugl — A tiny neighborhood café known for excellent coffee and delicious pastries.

Favorite Hotels in Copenhagen

If you’re planning a long weekend in Copenhagen, staying somewhere central makes it easy to explore the city on foot.

These are some of my favorite options — and if you book with me, I can often arrange additional perks at no extra cost.

Villa Copenhagen
A beautifully restored historic building with grand architecture and sleek Danish design, located next to the central train station and Tivoli Gardens.

Hotel Sanders
A cozy boutique hotel with a warm hygge atmosphere. It’s centrally located near Nyhavn but tucked away on a quiet street.

1 Hotel Copenhagen
Perfectly located within walking distance of many major sights, with sustainable design, natural materials, and calming Scandinavian interiors.

And if the winters weren’t quite so dark… I could very easily imagine living there!

If you’re planning a trip to Copenhagen and want help putting together an itinerary, feel free to reach out — I’m always happy to share ideas.