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Christmas in Copenhagen: 1–4 Day Hour-by-Hour Itineraries

Christmas in Copenhagen means Tivoli: from 13 November to 3 January the park is full of lights, stalls and gløgg.

Plan with your own dates

Itineraries by length

What’s open on 24 December?

Denmark celebrates Christmas at home on the evening of 24 December, and the city goes quiet in the afternoon. If your trip includes that day, the planner builds a separate route for it.

  • Tivoli and the markets: Tivoli is closed on 24 December and reopens at 11 am on the 25th. The city markets end on 20–21 December.
  • Museums and palaces: Closed on 24 and 25 December; most reopen on the 26th.
  • Canal tours: They run on 24–26 December too; departures are fewer, so book ahead.
  • Churches: The cathedral (Vor Frue Kirke) holds Christmas Eve services in the afternoon; 2026 times will be announced in December.
  • Restaurants: Most close in the evening; hotels and a few restaurants serve a Christmas menu (julemiddag), so book in October or November.

When are the Christmas markets open?

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MarketDatesHours
Christmas at Tivoli13 November 2026 – 3 January 2027 (closed on 24 December)from 11 am; until 11 pm on 25–26 December and midnight on 31 December
Gammeltorv & Nytorv6 November – 21 December 2026Mon–Wed 11 am–7 pm, Thu 11 am–8 pm, Fri–Sat 11 am–9 pm, Sun noon–7 pm
City Hall Square11–20 December 2026provisional (11 am–6 pm expected)
Nyhavn2026 dates not out yet (last year early November – 21 December)last year daily 10 am–7 pm, until 8 pm Fri–Sat
Christiania (Grå Hal)2026 dates not out yet (last year early December – 20 December)last year daily noon–8 pm

Open and closed over Christmas

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PlaceDecember (ordinary day)24 December25–26 December
Tivolifrom 11 am ✓closed ✓11 am–11 pm ✓
Rosenborg CastleTue–Sun 10 am–4 pm (closed Mon) ✓closed ✓25th closed · 26th: 10 am–4 pm ✓
Amalienborg MuseumTue–Sun 10 am–4 pm (closed Mon) ✓closed ✓25th closed · 26th: 10 am–4 pm ✓
Christiansborg PalaceTue–Sun 10 am–5 pm (closed Mon) ✓closed ✓25th closed · 26th: 10 am–5 pm ✓
National MuseumTue–Sun 10 am–5 pm (closed Mon) ✓closed ✓25th closed · 26th: 10 am–5 pm ✓
The Round Tower10 am–6 pm (viewing platform closed 8–12 December) ✓closed ✓25th closed · 26th: 10 am–6 pm ✓
Canal toursdaily on heated boats ✓running, fewer departures ✓running ✓
Shops and restaurantsnormal ✓close in the afternoon; most restaurants shut in the evening !mostly closed !
  • Official for 2026
  • Last year’s information; 2026 schedule pending
  • Not out yet; check before you go

Tips

  • Since 8 October 2026 Copenhagen Airport has run extra security screening, and on some days the queues reached an hour. Be there 2 hours before Schengen flights and 3 hours before non-Schengen flights; non-EU travellers should also allow time for the new Entry/Exit System (EES) registration at the border.

  • The metro runs 24/7; line M2 takes about 15 minutes from the airport to Kongens Nytorv. Buy tickets in the DOT Billetter app or at station machines; buses, metro and trains in the city share the same ticket.

  • Using several museums, a canal tour and public transport over 2–3 days? The Copenhagen Card can pay off; check what it covers before you buy. Copenhagen Card

  • Card is accepted almost everywhere and some places don’t take cash. The currency is the Danish krone (DKK), not the euro.

  • Bike lanes are separate from the pavement and very fast: don’t walk in them, and look out for cyclists before you cross.

  • In winter it gets dark at 3:30–4 pm, so we put outdoor stops around midday and museums in the morning and late afternoon. Danes sit down to dinner at 6–7 pm; book the popular places.

How we built these routes

The city markets run on Gammeltorv–Nytorv until 21 December and on City Hall Square from 11 to 20 December; the 2026 dates for Nyhavn and Christiania are not out yet. Our sample routes use 10–13 December, when all the markets are open. Because it gets dark at 4 pm in winter, we put the palaces in the morning and the markets and Tivoli in the late afternoon. On 24 December Danes celebrate at home: Tivoli, the markets and the museums are closed. There are two paces: relaxed and balanced–packed.

Enter your own dates and the route adapts to that day’s opening hours, markets and your flights.

Frequently asked questions

When do the Copenhagen Christmas markets open?

The Gammeltorv–Nytorv market opens on 6 November and Tivoli’s Christmas season on 13 November 2026. City Hall Square has a ten-day market from 11 to 20 December. The 2026 dates for Nyhavn and Christiania are not out yet; last year Nyhavn opened in early November and Christiania in early December.

Do you pay to get into Tivoli?

Yes: entry and rides are ticketed separately (there is also an unlimited-ride pass). Weekends are busy, so book ahead. The lights are best after dark, from about 4 pm.

What is closed on Mondays?

In November and December Rosenborg, Amalienborg, Christiansborg, the National Museum, SMK and the Glyptotek close on Mondays. On Mondays our routes swap them for the Round Tower, a canal tour and the palaces from outside.

What is the weather like in December, and what should I wear?

Usually 0–5 °C, windy and damp, and dark by 4 pm. Bring a waterproof coat, a hat and comfortable waterproof shoes; the canal boats are covered and heated.

How early should I be at the airport?

Copenhagen Airport has run extra security screening since October 2026, and on some days the queues reached an hour. The airport advises arriving 2 hours before Schengen flights and 3 hours before non-Schengen flights.

Sources

Hours compiled from official sources (30 October 2026). The marks in the table show each time’s status: confirmed for 2026, based on the last season, or not yet published. Holiday hours can change; check the official websites before you go.