Relaxed pace — Christmas markets, Tivoli and café breaks
Markets, Tivoli and hygge: 1–2 main stops a day is plenty; the rest is for long meals, café breaks and an afternoon rest. In winter it gets dark at 4 pm, the best time for the lights.
Saturday 12 December11:00–17:56
Strøget’s Christmas markets & Tivoli
Two main stops: Strøget and the Gammeltorv–Nytorv Christmas market until midday, a long lunch; then Tivoli in its Christmas lights in the afternoon and evening.
11:001
Kongens Nytorv 15 min
The city’s largest square: the Royal Theatre, Magasin du Nord and the head of Nyhavn. From late November an ice rink sets up in the middle.
11:15
Walk · 3 min
To the east end of Strøget.
11:182
A walk along Strøget 40 min
The pedestrian street from City Hall Square to Kongens Nytorv, strung with lights: the Stork Fountain on Amagertorv, Royal Copenhagen’s Christmas table windows and Illum.
11:583
The Gammeltorv & Nytorv Christmas market 35 min
The biggest market in the centre: wooden stalls with gløgg, æbleskiver, roasted almonds and Danish design decorations. 6 November – 21 December 2026; Mon–Wed 11 am–7 pm, Thu 11 am–8 pm, Fri–Sat 11 am–9 pm, Sun noon–7 pm.
12:334
Lunch: Gråbrødretorv 75 min
Herring, meatballs or roast beef on rye at a smørrebrød restaurant; in December there is also a Christmas plate (julefrokost).
13:48
Walk · 10 min
To the west end of Strøget.
13:585
The City Hall Square Christmas market 25 min
A ten-day market in front of City Hall (11–20 December 2026): stalls, a lit tree and the Hans Christian Andersen statue on the corner, looking across at Tivoli. Hours are provisional (11 am–6 pm expected).
14:23
Walk · 3 min
Across the square to the Tivoli gate.
14:266
Tivoli Gardens 210 min
Tivoli at Christmas: thousands of lights, gløgg and æbleskiver in wooden stalls, a Christmas village by the lake and the wooden roller coaster from 1914. It gets dark at 4 pm, the best time for the lights.
Estimated hours · Season dates are official; the daily closing time is estimated (usually 11 pm in the Christmas season, midnight on Fridays and Saturdays).
Balanced pace — Palaces, a canal tour, the markets and Tivoli
Explore the city and see the markets: nearby stops come in one flow (Christiansborg, a canal tour and the Glyptotek; Rosenborg, Torvehallerne and Christianshavn; Strøget’s markets and Tivoli; Nyhavn, Amalienborg and Kastellet). In winter museums come in the morning and outdoor stops around midday.
Saturday 12 December10:00–17:36
Strøget’s Christmas markets & an evening at Tivoli
The Vikings at the National Museum in the morning; Strøget, the Gammeltorv and Nytorv Christmas market and City Hall Square; Tivoli in its Christmas lights in the afternoon and evening.
10:001
The National Museum (inside) 80 min
The story of Denmark: the 3,400-year-old Sun Chariot, the Egtved Girl, Viking weapons and silver. The coin galleries are closed for renovation.
The pedestrian street from City Hall Square to Kongens Nytorv, strung with lights: the Stork Fountain on Amagertorv, Royal Copenhagen’s Christmas table windows and Illum.
11:583
The Gammeltorv & Nytorv Christmas market 30 min
The biggest market in the centre: wooden stalls with gløgg, æbleskiver, roasted almonds and Danish design decorations. 6 November – 21 December 2026; Mon–Wed 11 am–7 pm, Thu 11 am–8 pm, Fri–Sat 11 am–9 pm, Sun noon–7 pm.
12:284
Lunch: Gråbrødretorv 60 min
Herring, meatballs or roast beef on rye at a smørrebrød restaurant; in December there is also a Christmas plate (julefrokost).
13:28
Walk · 10 min
To the west end of Strøget.
13:385
The City Hall Square Christmas market 25 min
A ten-day market in front of City Hall (11–20 December 2026): stalls, a lit tree and the Hans Christian Andersen statue on the corner, looking across at Tivoli. Hours are provisional (11 am–6 pm expected).
14:03
Walk · 3 min
Across the square to the Tivoli gate.
14:066
Tivoli Gardens 210 min
Tivoli at Christmas: thousands of lights, gløgg and æbleskiver in wooden stalls, a Christmas village by the lake and the wooden roller coaster from 1914. It gets dark at 4 pm, the best time for the lights.
Estimated hours · Season dates are official; the daily closing time is estimated (usually 11 pm in the Christmas season, midnight on Fridays and Saturdays).
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.
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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.
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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
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Card is accepted almost everywhere and some places don’t take cash. The currency is the Danish krone (DKK), not the euro.
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Bike lanes are separate from the pavement and very fast: don’t walk in them, and look out for cyclists before you cross.
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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.
Times are for Saturday 12 December. Some are official for 2026, some are last year’s; check before you go. The guide’s table shows which is which: Christmas in Copenhagen
Frequently asked questions
Is 1 day enough for Copenhagen Christmas?
One day is enough for Tivoli and the city markets: the National Museum in the morning, Strøget’s markets at midday and Tivoli in the evening.
Which museums and landmarks can you visit inside on a 1-day Christmas trip to Copenhagen?
Relaxed: Tivoli Gardens. Balanced: The National Museum (Nationalmuseet), Tivoli Gardens.
How far ahead should I book tickets?
Tivoli Gardens at least 3 days ahead; The National Museum (Nationalmuseet) at least 1 day ahead. Queues are long in the holiday week.
I’m going on different dates; how does the route change?
Enter Copenhagen and your arrival and departure in the planner on the home page. If your trip includes 31 December or 1 January and is up to 4 full days, you get the New Year routes; on other dates, our year-round Copenhagen routes, built around that day’s opening hours.
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