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Copenhagen New Year: 1-Day Itinerary

31 December: Nyhavn and Amalienborg in the morning, then New Year’s Eve dinner and midnight on City Hall Square.

Plan with your own dates

Relaxed pace — Nyhavn, Tivoli and the New Year celebration

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.

Thursday 31 December11:00–00:53

New Year’s Eve: Nyhavn & Midnight on City Hall Square

One main stop: Nyhavn and the noon Changing of the Guard at Amalienborg. A long lunch and a rest; New Year’s Eve dinner and midnight on City Hall Square. If you’d rather skip the crowds, see in the New Year at your restaurant.

  1. 11:00

    Nyhavn 40 min

    The 17th-century canal harbour: colourful houses, wooden sailing ships and numbers 20, 67 and 18, where Hans Christian Andersen lived. Copenhagen’s postcard view.

  2. 11:40

    Walk · 10 min

    Along Toldbodgade to the palaces.

  3. 11:50

    Changing of the Guard (12 noon) 25 min

    The Royal Life Guards march from Rosenborg every day at 11:30 am; the changing takes place at noon on the Amalienborg square. The band plays when the King is in residence.

  4. 12:15

    Walk · 3 min

    Along Frederiksgade to the church.

  5. 12:18

    The Marble Church (Frederik’s Church) 15 min

    One of the largest domes in Scandinavia, straight across from Amalienborg. Free; visits are limited during services and ceremonies.

  6. 12:33

    Walk · 8 min

    To Store Kongensgade.

  7. 12:41

    Lunch: Store Kongensgade 75 min

    An unhurried smørrebrød; dinner will be long.

  8. 13:56

    Metro · 20 min

    From Kongens Nytorv back to your hotel.

  9. 14:16

    Rest at the Hotel 292 min

    Rest at the hotel; it’s a long night.

  10. 19:08

    Metro · 20 min

    From your hotel to the inner city; the metro runs on New Year’s Eve too.

  11. 19:28

    New Year’s Eve dinner: the inner city 180 min

    Danes watch the King’s New Year speech at 6 pm, then sit down to dinner: restaurants serve a set New Year menu (nytårsmenu) and fill up early. Pick one within walking distance of City Hall Square and book in October or November.

  12. 22:28

    Walk · 15 min

    Along Strøget to City Hall Square.

  13. 22:43

    Midnight: City Hall Square 100 min Our pick

    Copenhageners see in the New Year on City Hall Square as the City Hall clock strikes midnight; there is no official show, everyone sets off their own fireworks and it gets very loud. Wear the firework goggles (nytårsbriller) handed out free in shops and keep clear of anyone launching rockets. Private fireworks are only allowed from 31 December to 1 January.

    Other options

    Tivoli: the 11 pm fireworks: Last year Tivoli’s New Year fireworks were at 11 pm; the park closes at midnight and the square is two minutes away. Entry ticket needed. Find tickets

    The harbour: Inderhavnsbroen: Calmer: fireworks bursting over Nyhavn and Christianshavn from the footbridge.

    Midnight at your restaurant: If you’d rather skip the crowds and the street fireworks, linger over dinner and watch midnight from the window.

  14. 00:23

    Metro · 30 min

    Back to your hotel: the metro runs all night (on the holiday timetable). If Rådhuspladsen station is packed, walk to Kongens Nytorv.

Open the route on the map or open in Apple Maps

Balanced pace — Palaces, a canal tour and midnight on City Hall Square

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.

Thursday 31 December10:00–00:53

New Year’s Eve: Nyhavn, Amalienborg & Midnight on City Hall Square

Nyhavn, the Amalienborg Museum (open until 2 pm on 31 December), the noon Changing of the Guard and the Marble Church in the morning; a long rest in the afternoon, New Year’s Eve dinner and City Hall Square as the clock strikes midnight.

  1. 10:00

    Nyhavn 30 min

    The 17th-century canal harbour: colourful houses, wooden sailing ships and numbers 20, 67 and 18, where Hans Christian Andersen lived. Copenhagen’s postcard view.

  2. 10:30

    Walk · 10 min

    Along Toldbodgade to the palaces.

  3. 10:40

    The Amalienborg Museum & the square 55 min

    The royal rooms of the last 150 years in Christian VIII’s Palace: the kings’ studies and royal treasures. Then the octagonal square of the four palaces.

    Ticket needed: book at least 2 days ahead

    Amalienborg Museum keeps holiday hours on this date: from 10:00, last entry 13:15. Pick your ticket time accordingly.

  4. 11:35

    Walk · 3 min

    Along Frederiksgade to the church.

  5. 11:38

    The Marble Church (Frederik’s Church) 15 min

    One of the largest domes in Scandinavia, straight across from Amalienborg. Free; visits are limited during services and ceremonies.

  6. 11:53

    Walk · 3 min

    Back to the square.

  7. 11:56

    Changing of the Guard (12 noon) 20 min

    The Royal Life Guards march from Rosenborg every day at 11:30 am; the changing takes place at noon on the Amalienborg square. The band plays when the King is in residence.

  8. 12:16

    Walk · 8 min

    To Store Kongensgade.

  9. 12:24

    Lunch: Store Kongensgade 60 min

    A light smørrebrød; dinner will be long.

  10. 13:24

    Metro · 20 min

    From Kongens Nytorv back to your hotel.

  11. 13:44

    Rest at the Hotel 324 min

    Rest at the hotel; it’s a long night.

  12. 19:08

    Metro · 20 min

    From your hotel to the inner city; the metro runs on New Year’s Eve too.

  13. 19:28

    New Year’s Eve dinner: the inner city 180 min

    Danes watch the King’s New Year speech at 6 pm, then sit down to dinner: restaurants serve a set New Year menu (nytårsmenu) and fill up early. Pick one within walking distance of City Hall Square and book in October or November.

  14. 22:28

    Walk · 15 min

    Along Strøget to City Hall Square.

  15. 22:43

    Midnight: City Hall Square 100 min Our pick

    Copenhageners see in the New Year on City Hall Square as the City Hall clock strikes midnight; there is no official show, everyone sets off their own fireworks and it gets very loud. Wear the firework goggles (nytårsbriller) handed out free in shops and keep clear of anyone launching rockets. Private fireworks are only allowed from 31 December to 1 January.

    Other options

    Tivoli: the 11 pm fireworks: Last year Tivoli’s New Year fireworks were at 11 pm; the park closes at midnight and the square is two minutes away. Entry ticket needed. Find tickets

    The harbour: Inderhavnsbroen: Calmer: fireworks bursting over Nyhavn and Christianshavn from the footbridge.

    Midnight at your restaurant: If you’d rather skip the crowds and the street fireworks, linger over dinner and watch midnight from the window.

  16. 00:23

    Metro · 30 min

    Back to your hotel: the metro runs all night (on the holiday timetable). If Rådhuspladsen station is packed, walk to Kongens Nytorv.

Open the route on the map or open in Apple Maps

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.

Times are for Thursday 31 December. Some are official for 2026, some are last year’s; check before you go. The guide’s table shows which is which: New Year’s Eve in Copenhagen

Frequently asked questions

Is 1 day enough for Copenhagen New Year?

One day is enough for New Year’s Eve itself: Nyhavn and Amalienborg in the morning, then dinner and midnight on City Hall Square.

Which museums and landmarks can you visit inside on a 1-day New Year trip to Copenhagen?

Relaxed: no ticketed museums; markets, streets and churches. Balanced: Amalienborg Museum.

How far ahead should I book tickets?

Amalienborg Museum at least 2 days 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.