Day 1 — Indre By: Nyhavn, Tivoli & the Historic Centre
Start in Indre By, the compact historic centre. Walk Strøget, one of Europe's longest pedestrian shopping streets, from Rådhuspladsen (City Hall Square) towards Kongens Nytorv. It's touristy but useful for orientation, and it feeds directly into Nyhavn.
Nyhavn itself needs no introduction — the canal, the 17th-century townhouses in ochre and red, the wooden ships. Hans Christian Andersen lived at three different addresses along this stretch. Have lunch at one of the canal-side restaurants (pricier than elsewhere, but the setting earns it once) or grab a hotdog from a pølsevogn and eat it on the steps instead.
Afternoon: Tivoli Gardens. Buy the ride pass if you're inclined, but the gardens, the lake, and the pantomime theatre are worth the entry alone. In summer the gardens stay open late with concerts and illuminated rides; visit at dusk for the best atmosphere.
Evening: dinner in Indre By, then a walk along the harbour front past the Royal Danish Opera House.
Day 2 — Christianshavn, Christiania & the Waterfront
Cross to Christianshavn, Copenhagen's own "Little Amsterdam" — a 17th-century district built on canals, now full of houseboats and quiet cafés. Walk or cycle the canal paths in the morning while it's calm.
Spend an hour or two in Freetown Christiania, the self-governing commune established in 1971 on a former military base. Around 1,000 people live here under their own rules — hand-built homes, art studios, music venues, and organic eateries. It's contentious and fascinating; no photography on Pusher Street.
Lunch: Reffen, the outdoor street food market on Refshaleøen, a short walk or water bus ride from Christianshavn. Dozens of stalls covering everything from Danish classics to global street food, all eaten at picnic tables looking over the harbour.
Afternoon: walk back along the waterfront to see the Little Mermaid statue at Langelinie and the star-shaped Kastellet fortress next to it. Both are modest in scale but worth the walk for the harbour views.
Evening: dinner in Vesterbro, then drinks in the Meatpacking District (Kødbyen) — former slaughterhouse buildings now packed with bars and clubs.
Day 3 — Design, Rosenborg & Nørrebro
Morning: Designmuseum Danmark, housed in a beautiful 18th-century former hospital. It traces Danish design from the 18th century through to Arne Jacobsen's Egg Chair and beyond — one of the best design museums anywhere, and rarely crowded.
From there, walk to Rosenborg Castle and the King's Garden (Kongens Have). The castle's treasury holds the Danish crown jewels; the garden itself, the city's oldest public park, is where locals picnic on any warm afternoon.
Lunch: Torvehallerne food market near Nørreport station — two glass pavilions of fishmongers, cheese counters, and small kitchens.
Afternoon: cross into Nørrebro, Copenhagen's most multicultural and politically engaged neighbourhood. Walk through Assistens Cemetery, where Hans Christian Andersen and Søren Kierkegaard are buried in a park that doubles as a picnic spot for the living. Browse the vintage shops and natural wine bars along Jægersborggade.
Final evening: dinner in Nørrebro or back in Vesterbro — Copenhagen's restaurant scene, built on the New Nordic movement that produced Noma, rewards a proper final meal even outside the tasting-menu budget.