Copenhagen on a budget

Who says Copenhagen has to break the bank? From free city views to cheap smørrebrød and cozy canal strolls, I've made a list of wallet-friendly tips to help you live your best Scandi life — on a budget! 🇩🇰✨

FREE ATTRACTIONS

– Explore the famous graves at Assistens Cemetery

Find all the famous graves (including H.C. Andersen and Søren Kierkegaard) here: https://www.gravsted.dk/index.php?side=find&felt=kg&kg_nr=1

– See the city from above from the Christiansborg Tower

Read more about opening hours and how to get there here: https://www.thedanishparliament.dk/en/the-tower/visit

– Enjoy the colourful houses at Nyhavn, Olufsvej, Palads Krusemyntegade, the Latin Quarter, and Christianshavn

– Feel the history by walking by Amalienborg Castle, Magstræde, Rosenborg Castle, Kastellet, Nyboder, and Christiansborg Castle

Amalienborg: https://www.kongehuset.dk/en/palaces-and-the-royal-yacht/amalienborg/#

Rosenborg Castle: https://denkongeligesamling.dk/en/rosenborg-castle/

Kastellet: https://www.visitcopenhagen.com/copenhagen/planning/citadel-gdk410745

Nyboder: https://www.visitcopenhagen.dk/koebenhavn/planlaeg-din-tur/nyboder-gdk410757

Christianborg Castle: https://denkongeligesamling.dk/en/christiansborg-palace/

– Head inside the beautiful Church of Our Saviour, the Marble Church, Grundtvig’s Church, and Church of Our Lady

Church of Our Saviour: https://www.vorfrelserskirke.dk/history-tourists/our-saviours-church-copenhagen

The Marble Church: https://www.marmorkirken.dk

Grundtvigs Church: https://www.grundtvigskirke.dk/kirken/about-the-church-

Church of Our Lady: https://www.domkirken.dk/english

– Explore the Royal Library, CopenHill, Botanical Garden, Torvehallerne, The Meatpacking District, King’s Garden, Strøget, the Freetown Christiania, and the City Hall

The Royal Library: https://www.kb.dk/en

CopenHill: https://www.copenhill.dk/en/

Botanical Garden: https://snm.dk/en/botanical-garden

Torvehallene: https://torvehallernekbh.dk

The Meatpacking District: https://www.visitcopenhagen.com/copenhagen/neighbourhoods/guide-meatpacking-district

King's Garden: https://www.parkmuseerne.dk/en/parker/kongens-have/

Strøget: https://www.visitcopenhagen.dk/koebenhavn/planlaeg-din-tur/stroeget-gdk414471

The Freetown Christiania: https://www.visitcopenhagen.com/copenhagen/planning/christiania-gdk957761

The City Hall: https://dac.dk/en/copenhagen-city-hall/

– Experience the changing of his Majesty's guard at Amalienborg Castle

Read more about the changing of the guards here: https://www.kongehuset.dk/en/palaces-and-the-royal-yacht/changing-of-the-guard/#

FREE MUSEUMS

ALWAYS FREE

The David Collection: https://www.davidmus.dk/plan-your-visit

The Cathedral Museum: https://www.domkirken.dk/domkirkens-museum-0/museum

Bank and Savings Museum: https://kbhmuseer.dk/museum/bank-og-sparekassemuseet/

DieselHouse: https://dieselhouse.dk/en/

Magasin du Nord Museum: https://magasinmuseum.dk/visit-magasin-du-nord-museum/

Møstingshus: https://frederiksbergmuseerne.dk/en/mostings/

FREE ON WEDNESDAYS

Charlottenborg Kunsthal (after 5 pm): https://kunsthalcharlottenborg.dk/en/

Thorvaldsens Museum: https://www.thorvaldsensmuseum.dk/en/visit-the-museet

Museum of Copenhagen: https://cphmuseum.kk.dk/en/visit-us

Nikolaj Kunsthal: https://nikolajkunsthal.kk.dk/en?language=en

FREE ON TUESDAYS FOR SENIORS

Nikolaj Kunsthal: https://nikolajkunsthal.kk.dk/en?language=en

Museum of Copenhagen: https://cphmuseum.kk.dk/en/visit-us

Thorvaldsens Museum: https://www.thorvaldsensmuseum.dk/en/visit-the-museet

FREE LAST WEDNESDAY OF THE MONTH

Glyptoteket: https://glyptoteket.com

ALWAYS FREE FOR PEOPLE UNDER 18

The National Gallery: https://www.smk.dk/en/

The National Museum: https://nationalmuseet.dk/en/information

Museum of Copenhagen: https://cphmuseum.kk.dk/en/visit-us

Open Air Museum: https://frilandsmuseet.dk/en

Thorvaldsens Museum: https://www.thorvaldsensmuseum.dk/en/visit-the-museet

Glyptoteket: https://glyptoteket.com

The War Museum: https://krigsmuseet.dk/en

Museum of Danish Resistance: https://en.natmus.dk/museums-and-palaces/the-museum-of-danish-resistance/

Design Museum Denmark: https://designmuseum.dk/en/

ALWAYS FREE FOR PEOPLE UNDER 17

Nikolaj Kunsthal Nikolaj Kunsthal: https://nikolajkunsthal.kk.dk/en?language=en

ALWAYS FREE FOR PEOPLE UNDER 15

Charlottenborg Kunsthal: https://kunsthalcharlottenborg.dk/en/

CHEAP ATTRACTIONS

– Take the ‘Netto boats’ for a canal tour

Read more about the canal tour here: https://havnerundfart.dk/canaltours/index.php?page=engsejlrute.php

– See the city from above from the Round Tower and the spire of the Church of Our Saviour

Round Tower: https://www.rundetaarn.dk/en/front-page/

Church of Our Saviour: https://www.vorfrelserskirke.dk/history-tourists/our-saviours-church-copenhagen

– Head inside the ‘Palm House’ in the Botanical Garden

Read more around the Palm House here: https://snm.dk/en/udstilling/palm-house

– Download the app ‘StoryHunt’ to get selfguided audio tours around the city

Read more about StoryHunt here: https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=story+hunt&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8

– Head just north of Copenhagen by S-Train and enjoy Dyrehavsbakken - the world's oldest operating amusement park. It’s free to enter the park, but you have to pay for the rides.

Get all the info about Dyrehavsbakken - also called Bakken, here: https://www.bakken.dk

TIP N' TRICKS

– Go on a free walking tour

Try out the one here: https://www.copenhagenfreewalkingtours.dk/index.html

– Swap the big brunch with a bakery run - you won’t regret it

Try Hart, BUKA, Rug Bakery, Lille Bakery, Albatross & Venner, and Juno.

– You can drink the water from the tap - don’t waste money on bottled water

– Head to a ‘bodega’ for beer or buy beer in a supermarket to enjoy in a parks instead of heading to hyped beer bars

– Look up ‘Folkehuset Absalon’ – they have loads of fun, cheaper events and a lovely community dinner every evening

Read more about Absalon here: https://absaloncph.dk/en/

– Head into the courtyard of Tivoli Food Hall to get a glimpse of the beautiful Nimb Hotel

Read more about Tivoli Food Hall here: https://www.tivoli.dk/en/food-and-drinks/tivoli-food-hall

– Check out the many events at HUSET-KBH

Read more about HUSET-KBH here: https://huset.kk.dk/en?language=en

– You can rent a ‘GreenKajak’ for free and paddle around the habour if you agree to pick up litter

Read more about GreenKajak here: https://www.greenkayak.org

– Head to Nørrebros many fleamarkets and cool vintage shops for cool, cheaper finds

– Get your veggies and fruit at the bazars on Nørrebro and Nordvest

My favourite is Lygten Bazar.

CHEAPER FOOD N’ DRINKS SPOTS

Fabro

Pico Pizza

Ugood

Boullion

Mother

DCKSD-eatery

Reffen

Rosetta

Madglad

Le Petit Rouge

La Grande Rouge

Grød

Hooked

Jojo

Café Dyrehaven

Grums

Studenterhuset

RizRaz

Slurp

Malthe P Café

Le Neta

Gao Dumplings

PLACES TO STAY

WakeUp: https://www.wakeupcopenhagen.com/#/

DanHostel: https://www.danhostel.dk/en

Scandic Hotels: https://www.scandichotels.com/en

Generator Hostel: https://staygenerator.com/

Meininger Hotels: https://www.meininger-hotels.com/en/hotels/copenhagen/hotel-copenhagen-urban-house/

Downtown Hostel: https://www.copenhagendowntown.com

Steel House: https://www.steelhousecopenhagen.com