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Five money-saving tips for a cheap trip to Copenhagen

Becky Waterton
Becky Waterton - [email protected]
Five money-saving tips for a cheap trip to Copenhagen
The roof of Frederiks Kirke, better known by the name Marmorkirken, offers some of the best views of Copenhagen. Photo: Becky Waterton

Copenhagen is a famously expensive travel destination for many tourists, but it's possible to get by in the Danish capital without going broke, if you know how.

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Activities for around 100 kroner

If you're going to be in the city on a weekend, make sure to stop by the marble church Marmorkirken at 1pm on Saturday or Sunday and pay 40 kroner for a ticket to climb up to the top of the church for one of the best views in Copenhagen (do check in advance that they'll definitely be running, tours are sometimes cancelled if the church is being used for religious events).

If Marmorkirken is closed, you can climb the spiral tower of Vor Frelsers Kirke, as long as it's not too windy or rainy, for 69 kronor (entry to the rest of the church is free).

For those who would rather see the sights from the water, book a spot on a canal boat tour. Prices vary depending on the company. Netto-bådene's tours in English, German or Danish cost 50 kroner for adults, and Stromma's are pricier at 109 kroner.

Make the most of free activities

There's plenty of sights to see in Copenhagen that are completely free.

Take a walk from Kongens Nytorv along to Nyhavn, then up to the home of the Danish royals, Amalienborg for a view over the water to the Royal Opera. Walk north from here towards Kastellet and Denmark's most famous statue, The Little Mermaid, although you should be aware that it's probably smaller than you imagined.

Famous Dane Hans Christian Andersen once lived in a house in Nyhavn. Photo: Becky Waterton

Another thing to note is that many activities are only partly ticketed. You have to pay to go inside Amalienborg, Rosenborg or the Palm House at the Botanical Gardens, but wandering around the gardens is free.

If you're interested in Danish architecture, head to Ørestad in the south of the city and visit the award-winning Bjarke Ingels buildings Bjerget and VM-husene, as well as 8-tallet in Vestamager, or head out to Bisbebjerg to visit the iconic Grundtvigskirke, completed in 1940.

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Did you know that you can go on a free tour of the Danish parliament in English? You need to book in advance on its website, but this is the perfect activity for those interested in politics or Danish political drama Borgen.

The David Collection art gallery is always free, as is the small modern art gallery Møstings in Frederiksberg.

In summer (or in winter, if you're feeling brave), you can enjoy the clean waters of the Copenhagen harbour at one of the harbour baths. Islands Brygge is the most popular, but there are others at Fisketorvet and Sluseholmen.

If the beach is more your thing, head to Amager Strand for a swim and have a barbecue at one of their outdoor grill spots. There's a large Lidl supermarket by the Øresund metro station at the northernmost point of the beach which you can stop into to pick up supplies.

Copenhagen's Glyptoteket museum with its impressive glass roof is free on Wednesdays. Photo: Becky Waterton

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Look out for deals on certain days

If you're keen on visiting Copenhagen's many museums, try to book your trip for a Wednesday, when many of them offer free entry.

Glyptoteket near the central station is free on the last Wednesday of the month, and Københavns Museum, Thorvaldsens Museum and Nikolaj Kunsthal are also free on Wednesdays. Kunsthal Charlottenborg is free on Wednesdays after 5pm.

Another benefit of visiting Copenhagen on a Wednesday? You can treat yourself to an onsdagssnegl from Skt Peders Bageri - special cinnamon buns only available on Wednesdays. 

Be aware that many of Copenhagen's museums are closed on Mondays.

Kronborg castle in Helsingør is included in the Copenhagen Card. Photo: Becky Waterton

See if you can save with a joint ticket

If you already know in advance that you want to visit more expensive attractions like Copenhagen Zoo, Tivoli, the Experimentarium or Louisiana art gallery, consider a Copenhagen Card. These cards grant access to a wide range of attractions in the whole capital region for a limited time period, as well as public transport in zones 1-99, covering all of Copenhagen, as well as other areas in the capital region like Hillerød, Helsingør and Roskilde.

These are on the expensive side, starting at 459 kronor per adult for a 24 hour card (with up to two children included) - but it may work out cheaper if you use it for more expensive attractions further outside the city.

Most museums have an entry fee of around 120 kronor, and a 24 hour public transport card for the city centre costs around 80 kronor (160 kronor for the whole capital region), so this is only really worth it if you're sure you'll be visiting at least three museums, one of which is outside the city centre, in a 24 hour period.

It becomes a better deal if you're also planning to visit attractions such as Experimentarium (ordinary ticket price 215 kronor for adults and 135 kronor for children) Copenhagen Zoo (239 kronor for adults and 139 kronor for children) or Tivoli (155 kronor for everyone aged 8 or above).

If you'll be staying in the city centre, you may be better off buying one of Copenhagen's many joint tickets for specific museums, such as the Parkmuseerne ticket offering entry to six museums for just under 300 kronor, the 95 kronor ticket which allows access to Københavns Museum, Thorvaldsens Museum and Nikolaj Kunsthal, or the 200kr joint ticket to Rosenborg and Amalienborg castles.

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Make use of discounts

Finally, many sights in Copenhagen offer generous student discounts - often more than 50 percent off normal ticket price - as well as discounts for young adults (the cutoff varies, but is usually around 25-27) and over-65s, so make sure you look out for these when booking.

Kids often go free, with some museums like the National Gallery of Denmark offering discounts for adults visiting with a child.

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