How to Spend the Perfect 24 Hours in Copenhagen

Last updated on September 1st, 2026

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If you only have 24 hours in Copenhagen, this slow travel itinerary will help you discover its charming neighborhoods, cozy coffee shops, and tasty local bites in one day.

Known for its effortlessly cool vibe, minimalistic, modern fashion sense, cozy coffee shops, and delicious pastries, Copenhagen is one of those places I’ve 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 off the stylish Danish capital.

I spent 36 hours here, slowly discovering the city, hopping from coffee shop to coffee shop, exploring locally loved neighborhoods and stopping by any cute boutique I came across.

This mini guide to spending 24 hours in Copenhagen is a very relaxed itinerary that will take you through locally approved coffee shops, bakeries, and the trendiest neighborhoods for you to enjoy the local vibe of this charming city.

How to Spend the Perfect 24 Hours in Copenhagen

My slow travel approach to 24 hours 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 didn’t 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’ve also been lucky to meet many 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!

Breakfast at GROD: Mouthwatering Danish porridge

If you know me, you know that I love breakfast food. It’s the first thing I’ll 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’ve considered porridge to be a favorite dish, but they have completely converted me.

I still dream about their porridge 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 Coffee Collective: Locally loved coffee shop

Another perk of GRØD’s location is that it’s 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’ll 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 Torvehallerne KBH 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: Orstedsparken 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, Orstedsparken and The King’s Garden.

Ortstedsparken 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 on 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, 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 Copenhagen’s main shopping street and the longest pedestrian shopping street in Europe, with 1.1 km of retail shops for all price points.

From the minimalist and affordable Uniqlo to high-fashion houses, cafes, souvenir shops, and second-hand stores sprinkled through the side streets, there’s something for everyone.

Shopping is not a mandatory activity when visiting this popular street; simply strolling along the beautiful pedestrian boulevard is a must in itself when spending a day in Copenhagen.

Plus, window shopping in the area is also a great way to get some Scandinavian fashion inspiration.

Admire Nyhavn: Copenhagen’s picture-perfect waterfront

Since you’re already in the area, make your way to see the colorful Nyhavn, a waterfront district known for the eye-catching view of its vibrant 17th and 18th-century townhouses on one side of the canal.

This is undoubtedly one of the most iconic views in the city and a must-visit spot during your 24 hours in Copenhagen.

Lunch at Rørt: Mandatory Danish lunch

After wandering around Strøget Street and hopping in and out of shops, you might be ready for lunch. And what better way to make the most of your day 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 Rørt, a little stall nearby, offering a small menu of 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 locals 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 rosé wine to celebrate our little get-together in Copenhagen, and it was also really good!

Stroll through Assistens Kirkegård: A picturesque park/cemetery

After fueling up on a couple of smørrebrøds, it’s time to keep exploring, and we’re moving north to the trendy neighborhood of Nørrebro.

Walking from Torvehallerne, you’ll cross Peblinge Sø Lake, and to get to your main destination—the quaint Jaegersborrgade street—you’ll walk through Assistens Kirkegård, a beautiful park… that is also a cemetery.

It may sound a bit dark to take a leisurely walk through a cemetery, but it’s also considered a park, used by locals as an everyday commute route.

Plus, the beautiful tree-lined promenade that cuts through it will get us exactly where we need to go.

Explore Jægersborggade: Cute shopping street with bakeries and cafes

Exiting the Assistens Kirkegård Park, you’ll arrive at Jægersborggade, a cute street in the trendy Nørrebro neighborhood.

Jægersborggade is 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.

Shops worth visiting in Jægersborggade St:

• Ladyfingers: A Copenhagen jewelry collective with beautiful handmade pieces.
• Tricotage: A cute little clothing and accessories store.
• Plant Kobenhavn: Even if you cannot buy a plant, it’s always nice to look at them.
• Mikkeller & Friends: There’s also a location of the popular Danish craft beer brand just around the corner.

Coffee stop at Coffee Collective Jægersborggade

Why fix it if it isn’t broken? As you may have noticed, I tend to revisit places 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 seating space outside.

It’s easy to see why this is the place where stylish locals gather to meet and hang out with friends over a cup of coffee.

Try the perfect Danish cinnamon roll at Meyers Bageri

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 in Copenhagen.

They were so good I didn’t even manage to get a picture of the full roll…

Tacos for dinner at Hija De Sanchez

Now for a not-so-traditional dinner plan in Denmark: tacos.

I know this is not what we go to Denmark for, but as a Mexican, I feel like it’s my duty to inform you that Copenhagen has some of the best tacos I’ve 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 one 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.

Final thoughts on how to spend 24 hours in Copenhagen

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 minimalist, elegant aesthetic. I appreciate their love for good coffee, and needless to say, I’m now obsessed with their porridge, smørrebrød, and Danish cinnamon rolls.

Truly, I cannot wait to go back for round two!

This one-day Copenhagen itinerary is exactly what you need if, like me, you like to explore cities slowly, experience a more local side, and simply take in the atmosphere of the place.

What are you most looking forward to trying from this one-day Copenhagen itinerary? Let us know in the comments.

PS: Eat an extra cinnamon roll for me!