5 free things to do in Copenhagen

January 23rd, 2018

We all know January can be tough economically. December is, needles to say, an expensive month given all the Christmas presents that have to be bought, the Christmas food, drinks and decorations; not to mention when we throw an even bigger party at New Years! It may feel hopeless to even think of doing anything over the winter break, but lucky for you, we put together a few tips of free things to do in Copenhagen!

Glyptoteket

The first tip should be a given! The New Carlsberg Glyptotek is a wonderful collection of art throughout time. The museum has over 10.000 works of art and archaeological objects with a life span of over 6.000 years! You will be swept off your feet as soon as you enter the museum as the first thing you see is a breathtaking winter garden filled with plants and flowers from all over the world. You can easily sit here and enjoy a book, join the art students and draw, or just enjoy the beautiful surroundings.

The first floor consists mainly of fantastic sculptures from ancient Rome and Greece, as well as archeological facts from ancient Egypt, including mummies, everyday objects and offerings. Continuing up in the museum, you will find paintings by world known painters like Degas, Miró, Cezanne, Picasso, Eckersberg and many, many more. Once you reach the top, there is a rooftop terrace with a nice view overlooking Copenhagen that is also enjoyable during the winter.

You can easily spend hours in this fantastic and inviting environment. If you get tired, there is a wonderful little café in the winter garden where you can sit down and have something to drink. We haven’t even gotten to the best part yet: usually it costs DKK 95 to enter, but if you visit on a Tuesday it is FREE! Enjoy the cultural side of Copenhagen.

copenhagenmediacenter.com | © Ana Cecilia Gozalez

Free Walking Tour

Offering free walking tours has become a popular tourist attraction in many big cities, including Copenhagen. The concept is that you meet your guide and everyone else who wants to take the tour at the decided meeting point, the tour is usually 1,5-3 hours and you get to see the highlights of the city. Everything is free of charge on the tour, you only tip what you think the guide deserves. If you were not happy, then don’t pay; if you were happy, then contribute a symbolic amount to show your gratitude.

In Copenhagen there are a few different tours that show you the different highlights of the city with different meeting points, choose between a big or small tour of Copenhagen city or, if you would like to see a different side of the city and its history: choose the Christianshavn tour which ends by the entrance to the Free Town of Christiania. Whichever tour you take, you will surely see a lot of our beautiful capital!

Superkilen | © Martin Heiberg

Nyhavn

We can not give tips of things to see and do in Copenhagen without mentioning Nyhavn. Literally meaning new harbour, it is hardly modern; on the contrary, it is over 300 years old! The picturesque harbour is surrounded by colorful, slim buildings that have become an icon of our capital and probably the most famous image of Copenhagen – it is almost impossible to take a bad picture. No matter the season, it is beautiful and perfect for taking a stroll along the cobblestone walkway with the fantastic colorful view, and walking is free! If the sun is out and you feel like sitting down, the Playhouse (or “Skuespilhuset” as it is called in Danish) is located at the very end of Nyhavn and has sun chairs out on the dock for anyone to enjoy. Get a cheap takeaway coffee and sit down to enjoy the view, and the sun if you are lucky. Of course, if you would like to sit inside, there are countless of restaurants and cafés all around Nyhavn.

copenhagenmediacenter.com | © Thomas Hoyrup Christensen

Nikolaj Kunsthall

This contemporary art gallery is very special, as it is located in a former church originated in the 1200s. It is Copenhagen’s third oldest church even though it stopped functioning as one in 1805 after a terrible fire. Ever since Knud Pedersen founded the art library in 1957 in Saint Nikolaj church, it has been a big part of Denmark’s contemporary art world. Since the 1990s, the art gallery has focused on “innovative and experimental contemporary art”. You will not be let down by the level of modern art in the amazing building, the church itself is worth a visit and largely contributes to the experience. For a free visit, come to Sankt Nikolaj Kunsthall on a Wednesday, it has free admission all day for everyone.

Street Food

More and more people are discovering Denmark’s gastronomical side, which is not to be missed! Denmark, and especially Copenhagen, is filled with delicious, well-made street food from all the corners of the world. Even if you don’t want to spend money and buy anything, you can still enjoy the upbeat atmosphere of food trucks and stalls, be tempted by the wonderful smells and enjoy the company of people around you. One of the biggest street food hubs in Copenhagen is “Reffen”, a 10 minute scenic bike ride from Nyhavn. They opened early 2018 when the very popular “Paper Island” closed down. It is the same owner as Paper Island but they were looking for a bigger venue to be able to expand their selection of food, as well as give space to upcoming artists. Reffen is located right by the waterfront and guarantees an amazing sunset, great music and delicious food.

In the city center we have Torvehallerne close to Nørreport station, which is a bit more fancy and never compromises on quality, it’s a good place to go if the weather is cold and rainy (as is often in Copenhagen). They also have a very nice outdoor fruit, vegetable and flower market just outside, which is wonderful to stroll around in. Lastly, Tivoli Food Hall is another recently opened food court just opposite the central station. They offer well known restaurant brands with a variation of food and coffee places. The food court does not give you access to Tivoli Gardens, but when you stay at Zleep Hotel Copenhagen City, we offer you a Tivoli package including your hotel stay, breakfast from Café Kaldi and entrance tickets to Tivoli.Do you want more tips on street food, but in all of Denmark, the read “A world of food” on our blog.

Remember to combine your trip to Copenhagen with our Weekend Getaway Offer. We hope you have enjoyed these suggestions and we look forward to welcoming you to Zleep Hotels.