3 days in Copenhagen Denmark on a budget

3 Days In Copenhagen Denmark

Copenhagen, Denmark’s capital is seen as an expensive city to visit however it is possible to visit here on a budget. There are many sites and activities you can see and do for free, even transportation won’t cost you an arm and a leg. Copenhagen is one of my favourite cities to visit for a short amount of time. I had a great time in Copenhagen and here are the best things to do for 3 days in Copenhagen on a budget.

Check out my Travel Guide to Copenhagen for all your budget travel needs in the capital of Denmark. These 3 days in Copenhagen the Danish capital is designed for budget travellers therefore the costs are low. 

Where to stay in Copenhagen

The best way to keep costs as low as possible is to stay in hostels. I stayed in a luxury hostel called the Next House Copenhagen. They offer 4 or 6-bed dorms or a private room if you are feeling a little bougie. There is a gym, sports arena, and rooftop bar on the premises, so you will have plenty to do while you are there.

Room rates are reasonable and they also have an eatery where you can enjoy breakfast and a pizza buffet for dinner. The Next House Copenhagen also offer a free walking tour so you can meet new friends and explore this great place with a friendly local.

For more information about booking accommodation in Copenhagen, check out Booking.com or Hostelworld below (check them all to find the best price)

If you are looking for something a little different there is Cityhub Copenhagen – another affordable option in Copenhagen. In Cityhub you will stay in a pod either on top or bottom (if you arrive early you do get a choice). There is a sauna and cold shower available for all guests however all the bathrooms are shared.

The great thing about Cityhub Copenhagen is that there are no lifts – all rooms (or should I say pods) are all on one floor. To get into your room you will receive a wristband upon checking in and you scan your door to enter. The check-in process is all electronic and you can also pay for your drinks (there is a bar at the entrance) with your wristband.

Here is my TikTok showing you what it’s like.

@hollylavender

Cityhub Copenhagen – customise your hub with lights and music all through your phone 😱 #cityhub #cityhubcopenhagen #podroom #pods #copenhagenhotel #copenhagen #visitcopenhagen #pod #hub

♬ Glimpse of Us – Joji

Copenhagen Transportation

To/from the airport: I would recommend taking public transportation either the Train or the Metro as these would be the quickest way to get to your accommodation. There is a train station at Copenhagen Airport. A single journey will cost you 36 DKK. The bus is also an alternative but this will take you longer. The journey from Copenhagen Airport to Copenhagen Central Station only takes 13 minutes in total.

Throughout your stay in Copenhagen, it is very easy to get around via train, metro or bus however my favourite way to get around is by bike. I used the app “Donkey Republic” (available on IOS and Android) to find a free bike and rent it for a specific time or journey. I ended up staying in Copenhagen for 6 days (although I did go to Sweden for one of them) and ended up paying under £5 per day.

Having unlimited journeys is great and also fresh air and exercise are a bonus. This is a great option if you don’t mind cycling and saving money. The bike lanes are really easy to navigate and because everyone cycles they are everywhere.

Note: I cycled everywhere on this itinerary. I only used public transport to and from the airport and for my day trip to Sweden.

There is an option to get the Copenhagen Card which is a one-off payment of either one, two or three days which includes all your activities and transport. I found it cheaper to go without it but I would recommend calculating which activities you’d like to do as it may work out cheaper for you.

Three Perfect Days in Copenhagen

Please note: all day 1 activities are completely FREE to see however some have a paid option. I cycled to all of these locations and didn’t pay any attraction fees. I only paid for food and bike hire on Day 1. This is a full day but worth it in my opinion.

For food, I thought it would be a good idea to head to Lidl and get breakfast and some lunch so I could continue exploring without any stops and save money by not eating out. I started my day the perfect way by eating fresh croissants from the Lidl bakery.

Christiansborg Palace

The Tower and the chapel (if open) are free entry. 

Otherwise, the entrance fees are:

• The Ruins: 60 DKK
• The Royal Reception Rooms: 95 DKK
• The Royal Stables: 60 DKK
• The Royal Kitchen: 60 DKK
• Combined ticket: 160 DKK

Top Tip: They also have student prices so make sure you bring your student card with you to save money. You do not have to be a Danish student you can use your UK university or college card and you will still receive the discount.

Children under 18 have free admission to all of the above. 

If you have the Copenhagen Card you do not need to book in advance and have entrance to the Royal Reception Rooms, the Royal Kitchen, the Ruins and the Royal Stables. 

Click here for opening times and other information about Christiansborg Palace.

Click here to book tickets to Christainsborg Palace.

The Danish Parliament also known as Folketinget is located at Christiansborg Palace. The Danish parliament is voted by everyone aged 18 and above and who has Danish Citizenship.

Nyhavn

Nyhavn was the top thing I saw in Copenhagen. With the canal and beautiful houses along with it, it was picture-perfect.

Nyhavn Canal Cruise

The canal tour around Nyhavn took around an hour and was very reasonably priced. This is a guided tour sightseeing cruise that took us to the most popular spots in Copenhagen you guessed it by sea. The cruise is a great way to see the city. Sights included the little mermaid statue and Christianhavn. The guide told us about the history of Copenhagen as well as stories about the neighbourhood. You can book your tour here.

Things to know about this canal cruise: You will go under many bridges on this canal tour some of which you will need to duck! The bridges around Copenhagen are incredibly low. Don’t worry you will be warned by the tour guide when these bridges appear. Our driver was brilliant and I still don’t know how he manages to get through some of the bridges as not only were they incredibly low but they barely fitted the boat!

If you really are on a budget I would recommend forking out the money for this canal cruise as it was one of my highlights and should be on your 3 days in Copenhagen itinerary.

Amalienborg Palace

You can watch the guard change at Amalienborg Palace at 12pm daily. I would advise getting there early so you can get a good spot. This is FREE to watch. They march from the barracks close to Rosenborg Castle through the streets of Copenhagen to Amalienborg.

Amalienborg Palace is the royal palace and home of the Danish royal family and consists of an octagonal court with four identical palace facades.

If you are into monarchies and the royal family I would recommend going to the Amalienborg Museum where you can learn about the Danish history of the royal family. You can also see the crown jewels featured here.

Entrance Fee for Amalienborg Museum:

Adult 125 DKK

Children under 17 Free

Student 80 DKK

Copenhagen Card Free

Frederik’s Church (also known as the Marble Church)

After the changing of the guard in Amalienborg Palace head to Frederik’s Church just a short walk away. It is so close to Amalienborg that you can see the church from there. You could walk here which would only take you 2 minutes. This church is completely free to enter and look around. I would recommend visiting the dome which only happens at 1 pm daily in the summer months and on weekends the rest of the year.

The Little Mermaid Statue

The most tourist thing to see whilst in Copenhagen has to be to see the little mermaid statue. Did you know this statue has been decapitated twice and had her arms sworn off? Yet she is still standing in all her glory. (just about)

Fun fact: Did you know that Hans Christian Anderson a Danish author wrote The Little Mermaid which is why is so famous in the city of Copenhagen?

Do note this place is incredibly busy and the statue is rather small (I was shocked.) Try to avoid the crowds by going early morning or have the patience to wait to take a photo without all the people in the background. There isn’t a lot to see around the little mermaid statue apart from taking a picture (or a selfie with her).

Kastellet

Kastellet is a well-preserved fortress in Copenhagen. It is very close to the little mermaid statue (convenient eh) this was a nice place to walk around and enjoy nature at its finest. Kastellet is still used by the Danish army today and is open from 10 am – 6 pm daily. There was also a windmill here which I thought was very cool (and of course had to take a picture with it.)

Assistans Cemetery

Admission Free

Assistans Cemetery is a well know Cemetery in Copenhagen and a resting place for Hans Christian Andersen (a Danish author of The Ugly Duckling, The Snow Queen and The Little Mermaid) and Søren Kierkegaard (a Danish theologian)

Assistans Cemetery is not your everyday Cemetery, this is actually a hangout spot for many people in Copenhagen. You will find people cycling, jogging or taking a stroll here. It is so popular as it is more of a city park rather than a churchyard. With whooping willows and a huge variety of flowers, it is no wonder this public park/cemetery is so well known.

If you want to visit Hans Christian Andersen’s grave, conveniently there were signposts everywhere pointing just to his grave. This cemetery, I would say is the most beautiful cemetery I have ever been to. The layout was easy to follow and beautiful to walk around.

quote “Assistens Cemetery isn’t just a burial area, it’s also a cultural site and public park”

After a very busy day of exploring (for free may I add), I ended up eating dinner some street food in one of the food stalls I found on my way back to my hostel. It was fair to say I slept very well that night. 

Itinerary for Copenhagen Day 2

For Day 2 I decided to hit the east of Copenhagen. All of these places I cycled to from the hostel.

Freetown Christiania

Free to enter.

One of the oddest places I have ever visited. You may or may not have heard that Freetown Christiana is “dodgy” and potentially not a safe place to visit. Although I wouldn’t personally visit here alone at night, I did feel relatively safe through most of Christiana.

Please be aware that the use of recreational drugs is illegal in Denmark however you can find stalls that sell the stuff in Freetown Christiana. Also, locals do not like getting their photos taken and there are places in Freetown Christiana where no photography is allowed. Please be aware of this as I have seen arguments around the area. It is clearly posted so you shouldn’t have a problem.

Having said this, it is a hippie joint with creative graffiti almost everywhere you look and if you are around I’d definitely visit. 

Church Of Our Saviour

Child under 15 20 DKK

Adult 65 DKK

Copenhagen Card Free

One of the most remarkable churches I have ever seen. At the cost of 65DKK, you can climb up to the exterior spiralling tower and learn about the history of the church (the history is a presentation narrated by a puffin and alternates from Danish to English.) This church is high, I would not advise you to go up if you are afraid of heights. You can climb all the way to the top but it does get rather steep. However, if you reach the top you can definitely get some fantastic views of Copenhagen so it was definitely worth visiting in my opinion. 

If heights are not your thing this church also has a beautiful exterior so I would recommend coming to see it even though you don’t go inside.

The Church of our saviour is open from 9 am to 8 pm daily. Be aware that because of the exterior spiral staircase you will need to climb, it is closed during winter from mid-December to the end of February.

Christianhavn

Free

This place is super close to the Church of our Saviour – it is almost like Nyhavn but less popular. If you have time I would stop to take a photo or perhaps have a break here and enjoy the view. Other than that there is not a huge amount happening in the area.

Reffen food market

After exploring Freetown Christiana and the Church of our Saviour, I was peckish and headed to Reffen Food Market. Here there are a variety of different foods to choose from. This is a quirky fun food court with many food stalls to choose from. I thought the food market was going to be cheap and I was wrong. Although Reffen is cheaper than restaurants in Copenhagen it did work out to be pretty pricey for food. Having said that I loved the layout of this food market and they had a lot of variety if you are a fussy eater.

If you are travelling in a group, food markets are great as you can all eat different types of food and still sit together. If you are travelling solo it is also good as you can meet new people and it doesn’t look awkward to sit by yourself. Reffen Food Market is all outside so I wouldn’t advise going if the weather is bad. It is also next to the sea and can get really windy (best not to eat food that can fly away.)

Tivoli Gardens

The most popular activity to do in Copenhagen is to visit the oldest amusement park, Tivoli Gardens. I thought there would be more “gardens” seeing as it is in the name but I was sadly mistaken. Tivoli Gardens is an amusement park with various rides and shows happening throughout the year.

Please Note: Tivoli Gardens is seasonal and is not open all year round. Be sure to check their website here for the latest events and opening times. 

There are different options for Tivoli Gardens depending on whether you would like to do the rides or not. I would say if you would like to do more than two rides I would get the unlimited pass as it works out cheaper. I booked my ticket through the link here. What I love about get your guide is that you can reserve your ticket without paying if you are unsure. During the winter months, it is closed unless there is a special event happening.

I would recommend a few hours in Tivoli Gardens especially if you want to go on the rides. Although you do have to queue for rides I found it to go down pretty quickly. The longest time I waited was 15 minutes to go on a rollercoaster. There are plenty of places to get food in Tivoli.

If you wish to leave Tivoli Gardens and come back later you can. You just need to get a stamp on your hand. You will also get a stamp to go into the food court as you don’t need a Tivoli ticket to enter, it’s for everyone and can be entered from the outside.

Best rides in Tivoli Gardens:

• “The Demon” rollercoaster (this was my favourite and the only ride I went on twice)
• “The Roller Coaster” was built in 1914 and is one of the oldest and most popular rides at Tivoli Gardens.
• “The Milky Way Express” is a rollercoaster which is fast, not too exciting but the best part is that you go round 3 times (I think)
• “Tik Tak” is not advised if you suffer from motion sickness as it goes round and round and up and down – still so fun though

Tivoli Gardens also has many family-friendly rides such as the carousel, bumper cars and the ferris wheel. (these are called different names in Tivoli Gardens)

Tivoli also has a light show that happens in the evening – times will vary depending on the time of year. Be sure to pick up a programme when you enter or check online beforehand.

3 Days in Copenhagen Budget – Day 3

For breakfast, I would recommend a buffet breakfast in the hostel in the next house Copenhagen. You don’t need to stay in the next house in Copenhagen to eat at their breakfast buffet. Simply pay and spend as long as you need to eat (and drink unlimited coffee) at the eatery.

National Museum of Denmark

In the National Museum of Denmark, you will find many exhibitions including the mineral exhibition and art at the museum.

National Museum of Denmark Opening Hours:

Monday in September to June: Closed

Monday in July and August: 10.00 – 17.00

Tuesday: 10.00 – 17.00

Wednesday: 10.00 – 21.00

Thursday – Sunday: 10.00 – 17.00

National Museum of Denmark Entrance Fee:

Adults: DKK 105

Children (3–17 years): DKK 50

Students: DKK 50 (with student ID)

Botanical Gardens

Opening Hours for the Botanical Gardens

October 1 – March 31: 8.30 – 16.00

April 1 – September 30: 8.30 – 18.00

The botanical gardens are part of the National Museum of Denmark and the University of Copenhagen. Denmark’s Botanical Gardens are free to enter and explore however the butterfly house and palm house are charged. It was so nice to have a chilled day looking at flowers and sitting in green spaces. These beautiful gardens are the perfect place to unwind. The butterfly and palm house are nice things to do if you are interested however I wouldn’t say they are completely necessary.

The purpose of the Botanical Garden is to add to our knowledge and understanding of the diversity of the vegetable and fungi kingdom and through that advance the knowledge of plants and fungi and their conservation. Another purpose of the garden is to strengthen the interest in national and global nature values. taken from the university of Copenhagen website

Taken from The University of Copenhagen

PALM HOUSE OPENING HOURS

• April 1 – September 30 
• Tuesday – Sunday: open at 10.00 – 17.00 (Entrance and ticket sales close at 16.45).
• Mondays are closed except in July and August when the Palm House is open from 10.00 – 17.00.
• October 1 – March 31 
• Tuesday – Sunday: open at 10.00 – 15.30 (Entrance and ticket sales close at 15.15).
• Mondays closed.

Entrance fee to the butterfly and palm house:

Adults: DKK 60

Children (3-17 years): DKK 40

Children (0-2 years): Free

Students (with student ID): DKK 40

You can also get a combo ticket if you would like to visit the National Museum of Denmark and the Palm house tickets cost 105 DKK for adults and 50 DKK for children. You can buy tickets at the entrance or online.

Torvallene Food Market

Another food market I would recommend trying is Torvallene Food Market. This had a bit more variety than Reffen as there were two buildings as well as a fruit market between them and various restaurants around. You will be spoilt for choice here. This food market isn’t the cheapest place but with lots of variety, I am sure you will find something reasonable. 

A downside to Torvallene Food Mark is the lack of seating. If you wanted a bite to eat during peak times it was impossible to get a table outside. During lunchtime, it got incredibly busy and I personally found this a challenge which is why I opted for some sushi so that I could sit down inside. I have been told that they do bring out more seats during the summer months. Some stalls in the food market had their own seating area.

Although Torvallene food market is mainly indoors they do have a fresh food market with fruit and vegetables outside. Also, the communal seating is outside. I wouldn’t recommend coming when the weather is bad for that reason.

Rosenborg Castle

Although to enter Rosenberg Castle is paid, the gardens are completely free to explore. This is another place to chill relax and catch up with friends in the garden.

Entrance prices to go inside Rosenborg Castle:

Adult 125 DKK

Child (0-17) Gratis

Copenhagen Card – Free

Park Museums – Free

Student – 80 DKK

Times will vary throughout the year make sure you check the website before going.

Museum to see if you have any spare time:

Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek – free to enter on Tuesdays

Louisiana Museum of modern art – this museum is a little bit far out and you will need to get the train here. However, the exhibitions look amazing.

Visit Stroget

Stroget is the main shopping street in Copenhagen. It is famous for its shopping with many favourite brands along it. If you prefer a more budget option continue walking and you will find some familiar high-street brands such as Zara and H&M. It may not be to everyone’s taste but it was great browsing (would you believe I didn’t actually buy anything.) If you are looking to bring some souvenirs home, Stroget has so many shops you will be spoiled for choice. It begins at City Hall Square and stretches 1.1km to Kongens Nytorv.

Along Stroget you will also find the church of our lady. This cathedral has held very important events such as Prince Frederik and Mary Donaldson being crowned and also the funeral of Søren Kierkegaard taking place here in 1855.

You can also find the Stork Fountain located on Amagertorva Square. This Stork Fountain is actually Demark’s most famous fountain.

Kongens Nytorv (also known as the kings new square)

Kongens Nytorv is on the other side of Stroget in central Copenhagen and very close to Nyhavn. Kongens Nytorv is within walking distance to Stroget and a popular starting place for walking tours in Copenhagen. There you will find Copenhagen’s central square with the Danish royal theatre.

The Round Tower

The Round Tower is in the same area as Stroget and you can walk there from Stroget. At the cost of 40 DKK you can walk up the round tower (this is a spiral and is wide.) This tower is so unique and there are some great views from the top. The only downside was that there is a fence covering the view which is such a shame.

The Round Tower has a hollow core where you can see 25 metres above the ground. Don’t worry there is no way for you to fall down as it now has a glass floor – something they did not have when it was built.

Fun Fact: Danish Author Hans Christian Anderson used the library here where he found inspiration for his work.

This 17th Century tower isn’t just an observatory but it has its own grand library hall which had all the entire book collection from the University of Copenhagen – definitely worth visiting if you have the time.

The Round Tower admission:

Copenhagen Card Free

Adult 40 DKK

Children (5-15) 10 DKK

Dinner Option – Pizza Buffet

You could eat a pizza buffet at the next house Copenhagen. Even if you are not staying here you can still enjoy the buffet at the cost of 99DKK.

3 days in Copenhagen Itinerary for Budget Travellers breakdown:

Where to stay: Cityhub or Next House Copenhagen

Transport: Bike hire: “Donkey Republic” app. Their bikes are all orange and each bike has a name so you can easily find it.

Supermarkets: Lidl and Remi 1000 – these were the cheapest supermarkets I found in Copenhagen

Eating out: Reffen Food Market and Torvallene Food Market – if you want to keep costs reasonably low. Check hostels for any dinner deals they may have.

Itinerary for Copenhagen Free things to see:

• Christianborg palace
• Nyhavn
• Amalienborg Palace (changing of the guard)
• Frederik’s Church
• The Little Mermaid Statue
• Kastellet
• Assistans Cemetery
• Kronborg castle
• City Hall

Day Trips

If you are considering a day trip I would recommend heading to Malmo, Sweden. It is a straight train ride from Copenhagen central station to Malmo and tickets were reasonable. Top tip: If you are travelling in a group it is cheaper to purchase tickets altogether rather than separately. Having a day trip to Sweden was great to tick another country off the bucket list. Be aware of the change of currency from the Danish Krone to the Swedish Krona and you may be checked on the train so make sure you bring your passport with you as you are entering another country.

Thank you for reading my 3 days in Copenhagen for budget travellers. Copenhagen is a beautiful city and I hope to explore it further in the future.