July 31, 2025, 4:25 am | Read time: 4 minutes
Relying on handy travel guides for city trips initially seems very tempting. But you quickly lose track and often end up at places where all the tourists go. The Danish capital Copenhagen has sites you shouldn’t miss during a visit—and the Little Mermaid isn’t necessarily one of them.
Denmark is considered the happiest country in the world. In Copenhagen, everyone bikes to work, and the sea is always nearby. Many people imagine Germany’s Nordic neighbor this way. As a visitor, you can still fall into a tourist trap if you only put the Little Mermaid and the Tivoli amusement park on your agenda. That’s why TRAVELBOOK has four insider tips to make your Copenhagen trip a special experience rather than just a guidebook tour.
Louisa Felicitas Niewerth offers more tips and inspiration about Copenhagen in the following podcast episode of “In 5 Minutes Around the World” (in German).
4 Copenhagen Insider Tips
1. Bike Tour to the Sea Instead of Sightseeing
Copenhagen is one of the most bike-friendly cities in the world. Residents seem to do all their errands by bike, and in winter, the bike paths are cleared before snow and ice are removed from the streets. You should take advantage of this even on a short trip and use one of the many bike rental stations.
But it’s also worth leaving the “hygge” comfort zone of Copenhagen’s city center and biking to places like Bellevue Beach, located about 14 kilometers and 40 minutes north of the city. There, you’ll find a lifeguard tower designed by architect Arne Jacobsen by the water. A bit further stands the Skovshoved Petrol Station, a gas station from the 1930s also designed by Jacobsen.
2. Futurism Instead of Tradition
Architecture fans will find plenty to enjoy in Copenhagen. While the city center is a successful blend of old and new, the southwestern district of Ørestad has been growing as a planned city for over two decades. Futuristic buildings by architectural firms such as BIG (Bjarke Ingels Group) line up here. Many buildings can be easily visited from the inside, unless they are residential buildings.
Some works are impressive mainly for their concept rather than a big architect’s name. Even behind the shopping center “Field’s,” you’ll find the Aarhus-based firm C. F. Møller Architects, which has already completed major projects in London and Scandinavia.
Also interesting: The Forest of Giants near Copenhagen
3. Thorvaldsen Instead of the Little Mermaid
A visit to the Little Mermaid in Copenhagen’s harbor can be surprisingly underwhelming. The bronze figure is smaller than often expected and is rather inconspicuously located in a less attractive part of the harbor. On the opposite shore, factories and warehouses are visible. Not exactly the romantic view one might initially imagine.
If you still have an interest in sculptures and art, you can visit the Thorvaldsen Museum near the Christiansborg Palace Church, which exclusively showcases the works of Danish artist Bertel Thorvaldsen (1770 – 1844). He drew inspiration from Greek and Roman mythology, spent several years in Rome, and gained fame across Europe. His works can also be seen in the Alte Nationalgalerie in Berlin or the Louvre in Paris. But his complete works can only be admired at the Thorvaldsen Museum.
4. Local Bakeries Instead of Cafés in the Center
The city center around the shopping street Strøget is full of small cafés designed in the Scandinavian style, with displays full of treats. But in Copenhagen, it’s worth seeking out the small, rather inconspicuous bakeries in residential areas like Frederiksberg or Amager. The bread and pastries are usually a bit cheaper than in the city center, but no less delicious.
The sellers usually speak English and are happy to recommend Danish specialties outside the tourist areas. In the small bakeries, you can also mingle with the locals and enjoy a coffee with a cinnamon roll made from an original Danish recipe.