Making the most of Copenhagen
Use these notes to shape a realistic day ashore, then confirm any time-sensitive information for the date of your call.
Arriving at the port
Copenhagen is served by four cruise terminals:
1. Oceankaj: c331 Terminal 1, c332 Terminal 2, c333/c334 Terminal 3 and Terminal 4.
Most turnaround cruises use this location. Its 4 terminal buildings make it Copenhagen's busiest pier.
From the Airport, walk 2 minutes to Metro Line M2 and travel 8 stops to Kongens Nytorv. Change to Metro Line M4 for Orientkaj, cross the car park and board the free cruise bus to Oceankaj. Ticket machines offer an English option and accept credit cards.
1 Oceankaj, in Ydre Nordhavn, can process more than 5,000 passengers on each call and lies 7 km from the city centre.
2. Langelinie, berths c190 to c199, is mainly used by smaller visiting vessels and sits 3 km from central Copenhagen.
3. Nordre Toldbod normally receives smaller vessels, luxury megayachts and ferries. Quay 177 is 2km from the city centre.
Take the Metro from Copenhagen Airport to Nørreport Station, then transfer to S-train line A, B, C or E for the 1 stop to Østerport Station. Langelinie and Nordre Toldbod are a 15-minute walk from there. From Langelinie Pier, shown on the map below, the city centre is a pleasant 30-minute walk away. The Little Mermaid statue and Amalienborg Palace are both a short stroll from the pier, whose promenade has numerous shops and informal cafés.
Ranking Denmark’s most popular ports: 1.Copenhagen, followed by 2.Skagen and 3.Aarhus.
Consult the cruise timetable for berth allocations, or download the complete year as an Excel file.
CitySightseeing hop-on, hop-off buses attend every cruise terminal and provide 3 routes through and around Copenhagen.
Bring a printable map with you.
Copenhagen combines attractive 17th- and 18th-century buildings with lovely parks, gardens, canal-side promenades and historic twisting streets ideal for walking and cycling. Summer adds warmer conditions and longer daylight hours.
Key sights include the Little Mermaid, which is smaller than many expect; Nyhavn, filled with cafés, bars and restaurants; Tivoli Garden, among the world's oldest amusement parks; Christiansborg Palace; and Amalienborg Palace.
Getting around
One of the many organised bus, bicycle or boat tours helps ensure Copenhagen's principal landmarks and sights are not missed. Be cautious with canal trips: most use open-air vessels and are unsuitable during poor or wet weather.
For a quick waterfront overview, use harbour water bus 901/902 between The Royal Library, known as the black diamond for its sun and water reflections, and Nordre Toldbod near the Little Mermaid, travelling either way for a standard bus fare. Departures every 20 minutes provide a 15-minute tour of the main waterfront sights.
Hop-on, hop-off CitySightseeing buses serve every cruise terminal and run 3 tours in and around Copenhagen.
A City Bike can be borrowed free of charge by depositing a 20 Kroner coin. Return it at any designated point after use to reclaim the money.
Copenhagen's public transport network is excellent.
Nearby places
North along the Øresund shore is a chain of affluent suburbs. Their attractions, including the Danish Aquarium, Experimentarium and Bakken amusement park, can be combined with relaxing on the nearby beaches.
Louisiana Museum of Modern Art occupies a large old park on the North Zealand coast, 35 km north of Copenhagen, with an attractive view across the sound towards Sweden.
For Malmo, Sweden, take the dramatic 35 minute rail journey over the Oresund Bridge.
Food and shopping
In the old centre, Strøget is a network of pedestrianised shopping streets spreading from the principal thoroughfare and filled with retailers, cafés and restaurants. They run between Kongens Nytorv square in the east and Radhuspladsen, or City Hall Square, in the west. Stroget does not appear on street signs or maps, but Copenhagen residents can usually direct you there.
Eating and drinking out is expensive, although choices range widely: fiery Thai curries, traditional 'frikadeller' or Danish meatballs, sushi and typical lunchtime smørrebrød. These open sandwiches come with savoury toppings such as boiled egg and dill, beetroot, mackerel, roasted onions, cold meats, and goose or pork dripping. Takeaway smørrebrød kiosks are found throughout the city centre.
Fields appeals to shopping-centre enthusiasts and has a dedicated Metro station. Take a Metro towards Vestamager, leave at Ørestad and the main Field's entrance is immediately beside the station.
At 25% on everything, Denmark has Europe's highest tax (VAT) rate.
Money
Denmark is outside the EURO monetary system, though large shops will often display prices in both Danish kroner and EURO (€). Most leading international credit cards are accepted, but a legal surcharge of 2 to 4 percent is commonly applied outside the USA.
Staying connected
Danish is spoken, while English is widely understood.
Call 112 in an emergency.
Opening Hours and
Usual hours are Mon-Fri: 10 am-7 pm and Sat: 10 am-4 pm. Shops generally close on Sundays, although some department stores and shopping centres trade during cruise season.
Retailers may open on the first Sunday each month and every Sunday in December before Christmas Eve. If that first Sunday coincides with a holiday or Constitution Day, they remain closed. Normal shops also shut on public holidays, including Constitution Day on 5 June and Christmas Eve on December 24. Kiosks, bakeries and station shops are usually open after 5 p.m. on Saturdays and on Sundays.