This itinerary is 3 full days and hits all the highlights that are doable and enjoyable with small kids. There’s a strong focus on being outdoors, visiting parks, castles, and lots of walking. Additionally, it does not include any of Copenhagen’s famous Michelin starred restaurants. Eating out with littles can be tough enough and I was all about being practical and realistic with this trip. If your little one can swing it though, it’s definitely something you should add in. Don’t forget to make the reservations!
The arrival day is your free day.. I usually like keeping this open in case anyone needs time to recover. If you land and have the energy though, you can either explore your neighborhood, start day 1, or just choose a sight or two to knock out and visit. We stayed in both the Nørrebro neighborhood and Old Town during our stay. Nørrebro is Copenhagen’s most culturally diverse district and considered to be the city’s “coolest” area. Considering this itinerary only covers 3 full days however, I recommend staying in Old Town. You’ll be closer to the must see sights and save time traveling between them.
Day 1- Kompa9, Nyhavn Harbor, canal Boat Tour, Amalienborg Palace, Kastellet, Little Mermaid Statue, Mormors, Kronprinsessegade and Nyboder, Rosenborg Slot, The Round Tower, Strøget, Sporvejen
First stop is breakfast at Kompa9. It’s adorable, the food is great, and it’s right in Old Town. You can see their menu on their Facebook page here. They have outdoor tables too, which was nice for us with our stroller. Next up is the famous Nyhavn Harbor. Different colored buildings and gorgeous anchored boats line the harbor and make for the best photo op. I definitely suggest starting off your first full day here and taking a canal boat tour. This is a great way to kick off your Copenhagen experience and also get a handle on where things are located throughout the city. You can book this ahead of time or buy tickets right at the harbor. Most tours are an hour long, but I believe there is an hour and a half option as well. If you have a stroller you may have to leave it at the harbor. I was reluctant to do so, but there’s an actual stroller area and it’s pretty typical in Scandinavia to leave strollers outside. The tour will give you a lot of great information and point out numerous sights that you won’t feel obligated to then go see. The Opera House for example is such a cool building, but seeing it from the boat tour is enough. From the harbor, head north to Amalienborg Palace and see where the current Queen resides. You can walk through the courtyard of the four seperate palaces and even see the guard change at noon if you hit it right.
From the palace, you’ll continue north to Kastellet and the Little Mermaid Statue. Kastellet is the star shaped 17th century fortress. Instead of stone walls however, incredibly steep grass walls surround it. The barracks are inside at the ground level, but you can walk along the walls and see the windmill. The Little Mermaid Statue is located outside the fortress along the water.. many would tell you it would not be a trip to Copenhagen without paying a visit to her. If you were paying attention during the canal boat tour, they give you some decent history of the statue. Unfortunately, you will only see the back of her from the boat. If this is enough for you, feel free to skip it. Before leaving the area, stop at Mormors for lunch. Mormor means Grandma and it certainly feels like your grandma’s house inside with the cozy atmosphere, knick knacks, and loads of baked goods. The sandwiches are delicious and will definitely hit the spot.
After lunch we’re heading to Rosenborg Slot. Take your time meandering your way over though and make sure to find Kronprinsessegade and Nyboder. These are really just streets where you can see distinctive rows of yellow houses from the 17th and 18th century. Once you arrive at Rosenborg Slot, make sure to explore the gardens. The grounds are free and feel mostly like a public park, but it’s definitely beautiful and worth spending time in. As for the castle, I highly recommend buying tickets for a tour beforehand. You can purchase them here. Next, we’ll be heading to Strøget, Copenhagen’s famous shopping street. If your little one is into legos, make sure to check out the Lego Store. They have little building stations and a cool Copenhagen city scape made completely out of legos. The Round Tower is right around the corner and our next stop. It’s a 17th century spiral ramp tower with city views at the top. Horses used to climb up and down the tower, hence the ramp instead of stairs. Children under 5 are free, otherwise tickets are 40 DKK- or $5.85. Our toddler loved it. Sporvejen is our dinner spot. It’s done up to feel like an old tram car with both design and decor. The menu is simple and super kid friendly with options like burgers and omelets. They even have an actual kid’s menu and coloring sheets for little ones.
DAY 2- Rug Bakery, Hillerød, Posen Playground, Frederiksborg Slot, Cafe Havehuset, Restaurant Karla
Day trip to Hillerød to visit Frederiksborg Slot! This was such a fun day and our 3 year old loved running around and exploring the gardens. Public Transit takes about 45 minutes from station to station. The easiest option is to take the “A” train from Copenhagen Central station. The train will take you straight to Hillerød without having to connect. Before getting on the train, grab some Danish baked goods for the ride. Rug Bakery is a great option near the station and they also have hot food and seating in case you want to stay for a proper breakfast. You can also just grab something on the way to the station.. you’ll pass plenty of bakeries. Once arriving in Hillerød it’s about a 20 minute walk to the castle. You can take the bus if you’d prefer, but I recommend walking. There’s a path that hugs the lake with views of the castle and it’s just too good to pass up. Posen Playground is a perfect stop for the kids along the way too! Once you arrive at Frederiksborg Slot, you can go straight to the entrance or hang a left from the front courtyard and head to the incredible gardens behind the castle. Tickets to the indoor tour are 90 DKK, which converts to about $13 and change and children 0-18 are free. The gardens do not require a paid ticket or entrance fee. One thing to note, a lot of places in Scandinavia will have you leave your stroller aside and use their rentals. The castle is one of them. You’ll only be allowed to use your own stroller outside. Take your time exploring the castle and gardens and when you’re ready for lunch, head to Cafe Havehuset. It’s located behind the gardens and pretty much incorporated into the grounds..so you can really just continue on the path right up until lunchtime. Feel free to wander the town if you’d like and get a coffee. There’s definitely some cute shops worth exploring. When you’ve had your fill, hop back on the train and venture back to Copenhagen. Take whatever is left in the day to recoup before heading out to dinner. When you’re ready, make sure to load up on traditional Scandinavian food at Restaurant Karla. They even have a kid’s menu with affordable prices.
Day 3 - Grød, Torvehallerne Food Hall, Assistens Cemetery, Nørrebroparken Playground, Mikkeller & Friends, Superkilen Park, Bæst, Tivoli Gardens, Tivoli Food Hall
Today is all about the kids! Cool playgrounds, parks, and an amusement park will have them in heaven and absolutely spent by the end of the day. Start off the morning at Grød for some porridge breakfast. Porridge is a pretty big deal in Scandinavia, and I’m telling you, Grød does it well. It’ll be delicious, decked out with awesome toppings including caramel sauce, and it’ll hold you over until lunch. There’s a few Grød locations in the city, but the one you’re heading to is inside Torvehallerne food hall. Food halls tend to be our favorite places to eat with kids. It’s a relaxed setting with loads of options and easy exits. Reffen is Copenhagen’s most popular food hall, but the location isn’t ideal for our schedule and it’s only open seasonally.
After breakfast, head to Assistens Cemetery. It’s a beautiful place to walk around and locals actually picnic here. Before leaving, make sure to see Hans Christian Andersen’s final resting place. Other famous Danes buried in the cemetery include Søren Kierkegaard and Niels Bohr. From here, head to Nørrebroparken Playground (only 5 minutes walk) to let the kids run off some energy. It’s a great space with cool climbing gyms, swings, sand, and our favorite part.. bikes, trikes, and little wagons. My toddler loved cruising around the painted track in the wagon with her little sister on the back. It was hysterical and they were so happy. Make sure they wear themselves out a bit and head across the street to Mikkeller & Friends for a couple of beers. They open at 12 on the weekend and 2 during the week. Our next stop is Superkilen Park. It’s a rather unique park that was initially designed to promote diversity and create a space of unity for immigrants and locals. The park is broken into three main areas, the black market being my favorite with the painted white lines against the blacktop. It’s such a great place to take photos. There is a small playground for the kids and the green area is a great spot to run around in the grass. For lunch, if it’s a Saturday or Sunday definitely head to Bæst for some delicious pizza. Everything they serve is made in-house and it’s all really well done and super tasty. If the days don’t line up and you can’t swing lunch, I highly recommend saving it in case you can squeeze it in for a different dinner. It’s important to note that this restaurant is the “nicest” one on our itinerary and on quite a few restaurant lists for Copenhagen. It’s not “kid friendly” per se, but we somehow managed with both of our kids so it’s doable.
The second half of the day and the grand finale of the 3 day itinerary takes you to Tivoli Gardens. My toddler absolutely loved her time here, and I was pleasantly surprised that my husband and I did as well. It’s definitely not just for kids. The grounds are beautiful, it’s clean, ride lines aren’t too long, and there’s alcohol. It’s great all around. After you had your fill of rides and fun, check out the Tivoli Food Hall next door for any last snacks/meals before turning in for the night. You’ll find literally anything you could possibly be craving. I recommend the sushi or smørrebrød stall.