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If you have only 24 hours in Copenhagen, don’t worry. This slow travel itinerary will help you discover its charming neighborhoods, cozy coffee shops, and hearty cuisine in one day!
Known for its effortlessly cool vibe, minimalistic and modern fashion sense, cozy coffee shops, and delicious pastries, Copenhagen is one of those places I have always wanted to visit.
So when a good friend told me she was working just outside the city, I jumped on the first train out of Germany to finally check the stylish Danish capital off my list.
I spent 36 leisurely hours here, which gave me the perfect opportunity to craft my ideal itinerary for how to spend one day in Copenhagen.
While I know there are some main attractions in Copenhagen that every guide will tell you to visit, such as Tivoli Gardens and the Little Mermaid statue, I ended up skipping them.
I did not feel like going to a theme park while visiting a friend, the Little Mermaid seemed a bit too far out of my way, and it got dark by the time I got to the colorful houses of Nyhavn.
So instead, I spent the day “living” in the city, walking around, trying the local cafes, and stopping by the local shops. After living abroad continuously, on tour, I found this to be the best way to get a more personal sense of any new city—so that’s what we did.
And this is why I’m considering this a “cozy guide”—there is no rush, and no big checklist of top attractions to see. It’s all about exploring and getting to know the city at a leisurely pace, always ready to stop at the next cozy coffee spot.
I have also been lucky to meet some Danish friends through work, and after showing them my Google Maps pins of Copenhagen they all seemed impressed with my research and approved of everything on this list.
So you know this concise itinerary of how to spend 24 hours in Copenhagen has a local stamp of approval. So let’s begin!
Where to stay in Copenhagen: Urban House Copenhagen By Meinniger
First things first, where to stay in Copenhagen to make the most of our 24-hour trip?
During my short trip to Copenhagen, I stayed at the Urban Copenhagen by Meinniger and it was just perfect; clean, well-located, and affordable, I couldn’t ask for more.
They have lots of spaces to hang out in the hotel, a bar, lockers for your luggage, and very friendly staff—a perfect score for me.
How To Spend 24 Hours In Copenhagen: A Cozy Guide
Breakfast At GROD: Mouthwatering Danish Porridge
If you know me, you know that I love breakfast food, I live for brunch, it is the first thing I will look for in a new city—that and coffee. And while breakfast for me normally means some kind of egg dish, this porridge restaurant looked too good not to try.
Grod, or GRØD, specializes in traditional Danish porridge. I never would have considered porridge to be a favorite dish, but they have completely converted me!
I still dream about their porridge up to this day. So much so, that I visit GRØD twice during a 36-hour trip. It’s just that delicious!
They have different porridge set options on the menu, or you can personalize and add your own toppings to their basic porridge. I got a small size and added banana, coconut flakes, crunchy granola, and their caramel sauce, and it was just *chef’s kiss*
GRØD has a few locations around the city, but the one that I went to, and recommend based on the accessibility of the location, is the one inside the food hall TorvehallerneKBH, which is very central.
PS: Local friends of mine also gave their stamp of approval to GRØD as one of the best breakfasts in Copenhagen.
Coffee At Local Coffeeshop: Coffee Collective
Another perk of GRØD’s location is that is surrounded by tons of great food options, a few shops to wander through, and most importantly, it’s very close to one of the best coffee shops Copenhagen has to offer: Coffee Collective. Where we will have our first coffee of the day.
Coffee Collective is a local coffee shop that has a few locations around the city. The one in TorvehallerneKBH is very open, making it feel more like a big coffee stand instead of a cozy coffee shop—like some of their other locations— but the coffee is still great!
This location offers some indoor seating, as well as some outdoor tables, which are perfect for people-watching and taking mental notes of all those amazing Scandi outfits.
Walk In The Park: Ortedsparken Or The King’s Garden
Now let’s go for a little walk in the park after fueling up on porridge and coffee. Luckily, the food hall is surrounded by two gorgeous parks, Ortedsparken and The Kings Garden.
Ortedsparken is a relatively small park with a lake in the middle. I ended up walking through the park as I was on the way from my hotel to the food hall and found it very cute during a crisp fall day. Perfect if you want a shorter walk in nature and then keep moving along.
The King’s Garden is a bit bigger, offering a few gardens, tree-lined paths to walk through, and a castle. Once I put it that way, this one probably sounds much better. However, it will also take longer to walk through, and people like different things, so I’m giving you two options.
Shopping At Strøget: The Longest Pedestrian Shopping Street In Europe
Whichever park you choose, the popular Strøget shopping street will still be just around the corner.
Strøget is the main shopping street in Copenhagen, and it is also the longest pedestrian shopping street in Europe with 1.1 km of length, offering a variety of retail shops for all price points.
From the minimalistic and convenient Uniqlo to high fashion houses, cafes, souvenir shops, and some second-hand stores sprinkled through the side streets.
Shopping is not a mandatory activity when visiting this popular street, walking along the beautiful pedestrian boulevard is a must in itself when spending 24 hrs in Copenhagen.
Plus, window shopping in the area is also a great way to get some Scandinavian fashion inspiration.
Nyhavn: Copenhagen’s Picture-Perfect Waterfront
Since we are already in the area you can also make your way to see the colorful houses of Nyhavn, a waterfront district, known for the eye-catching view of its vibrant 17th and 18th-century townhouses that line one side of the canal.
This is, undoubtedly, one of the most iconic views in the city, and a must-visit spot during our 24 hours in Copenhagen.
Smørrebrød At Rort: Must-Have Danish Lunch
After wandering around Stroget Street and hopping in and out of shops, we might be ready for lunch. And what better way to make the most of our 24 hours in Copenhagen than by trying one of Denmark’s most iconic dishes: smørrebrød.
I knew I wanted to try smørrebrød while in Copenhagen, even though the concept of it never sounded too appetizing to me—fish on bread. However, all my Danish friends guaranteed that it was actually delicious and that I would most definitely change my mind once I tried it. And they were right.
While looking for Grød on that first morning at the food market, I noticed this little stall close by, offering a small menu of different smørrebrød. I made a mental note to go back.
And I did. Twice, during a 36-hour trip…
Rørt offers a small but delicious menu of smørrebrød variations to eat there and also sells the toppings to go—which I saw lots of local purchasing.
I had the shrimp with kimchi and the smoked salmon smørrebrød, and both, the toppings and that famous Danish bread, were mind-blowingly delicious!
They also offer a small menu of wine and beers to accompany your lunch. We had some rose wine to celebrate our little get-together in Copenhagen and it was also really good!
Assistens Kirkegard: A Beautiful Walk Through A Park/Cemetery
After fueling up on a couple of smørrebrøds, it is time to keep exploring, and we are moving north to the trendy neighborhood of Nørrebro.
Walking from Torvehallerne, you will have to cross Peblinge So Lake and to get to our main destination—the quaint Jaegersborrgade street—we will walk through Assistens Kirkegard, a beautiful park… that is also a cemetery.
It may sound a bit dark to just take a leisurely walk through a cemetery, but it is also considered a park, used by locals as an everyday commute route.
Plus, the beautiful tree-lined promenade that goes through it, will get us exactly to where we need to go.
Jægersborggade: Cute Shopping Street With Bakeries And Cafes
Exiting the Assitens Kirkegard Park we will arrive at Jægersborggade, a cute street in the trendy Nørrebro neighborhood.
Jægersborggade is the street where locals go to hang out, lined with bakeries, independent coffee shops, local shops, and many options for international eats, this cute street has a lot to offer for both tourists and locals alike.
While spending 24 hours in Copenhagen this is a must-visit spot to get a better sense of the city and the relaxed local lifestyle.
Some shops worth visiting in Jægersborggade St:
- Ladyfingers: A Copenhagen jewelry collective with some beautiful handmade pieces
- Tricotage: A cute little clothing and accessories store
- Plant Kobenhavn: Even if you cannot buy a plant, it is always nice to look at them
- Mikkeller & Friends: There is also a location of the popular Danish craft beer brand just around the corner
Coffee Collective Jægersborggade: Coffee Break
Why fix it if it isn’t broken? As you may have noticed, I do have a tendency to visit the same place more than once during a trip. Because if I know it’s good, I don’t want to risk trying something bad elsewhere.
But also, because it makes me feel a little bit like a local, at least for a day, I become a regular at that one coffee shop.
So while we are in the lovely Nørrebro neighborhood, I think it’s worth paying a visit to another Coffee Collective location, for a second round of caffeine, and a much-needed little break.
Coffee Collective’s location in Jægersborggade has a cozier vibe than the one in the food market, with plenty of tables inside, and some sitting space outside.
It is easy to see that this is the place where the stylish locals gather to meet and hang out with friends over a cup of coffee.
Meyers Bageri: Danish Cinnamon Rolls Of Dreams
One of my absolute favorite things that I discovered in Jægersborggade Street has to be Meyers Bageri, a little bakery selling Kanelsnegle, the Danish cinnamon rolls of dreams!
I kid you not, I still dream of these Danish cinnamon rolls to this day—technically all my dreams now are just about Danish porridge and cinnamon rolls.
I discovered this place by pure luck, but my local friends agreed that these are some of the best Danish cinnamon rolls in the city. So stopping here for a little treat is an absolute must while spending 24 hours in Copenhagen!
They were so good I didn’t even manage to get a picture of the full roll…
Hija De Sanchez: Some Of The Best Tacos In Europe
Now for a not-so-traditional Danish meal; tacos.
I know this is not what we go to Denmark for, but as a Mexican, I feel like it is my duty to inform you that Copenhagen has some of the best tacos I have ever had in Europe. And I had them here at Hija de Sanchez.
Depending on where you are staying in the city, and at what time you are ready to have dinner, you could visit either of their two locations. One is in—you guessed it—the food hall, and the other one is Kodbyen, another neighborhood that we hadn’t explored yet, and the one that I actually visited.
The Hija de Sanchez in the food hall closes at 8 pm, and the one in Kodbyen closes at 10 pm. Plus, the one in Kodbyen is its own little restaurant, so it is a bit cozier to sit there for dinner instead of going back to the food hall.
The thing that sold me on these tacos was the quality of the tortilla, which is actually corn-based and handmade. Their menu is simple but authentic, with no weird Tex-Mex stuff, it’s all the real stuff.
Risteriet Coffee Halmtorvet: Cozy Basement Coffee Shop
In case you need a coffee before taking your train or flight the next morning, Risteriet Coffee is just a block away from the Urban House.
Risteriet Coffee Halmtorvet is a cute little basement coffee shop and roastery, that serves great coffee, a nice selection of breakfast options, and some light lunch.
If you stay at Urban House like I did, this is the perfect place to wait out for your next move after checkout time.
Copenhagen is one of those places I always wanted to visit, and I’m happy to say it did not disappoint.
Being here just made me fall more in love with the Danish minimalistic and elegant aesthetic. I appreciate their love for good coffee, and needless to say, I am now obsessed with their porridge, smørrebrød, and Danish cinnamon rolls.
Truly, I cannot wait to go back for round two!
I hope this cozy guide for how to spend 24 hours in Copenhagen motivates you to explore the city in a slower-paced way. Or, at least combine some of my recommendations with your original itinerary.
What are you most excited about visiting Copenhagen? For me, it was the fashion, but I seriously got blown away by the food.
PS: Eat an extra cinnamon roll for me!
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