Copenhagen at Christmas: Best Things to Do, Christmas Markets + Food
Copenhagen at Christmas is one of our favorite ways to experience Denmark's capital. Christmas markets open around the city, Tivoli Gardens fills with lights and holiday decorations, and restaurants, bakeries, and cafés serve traditional Danish Christmas food and drinks.
The Christmas season in Copenhagen generally starts to take shape in November and continues through December, with some holiday attractions remaining open into early January. It's a great time to visit if you want to experience Copenhagen Christmas markets, see the city decorated for the holidays, drink gløgg, eat æbleskiver, and spend an evening at Christmas in Tivoli Gardens.
If you're planning a winter trip to Denmark, here's what to know about visiting Copenhagen at Christmas, including the best things to do, Christmas markets, traditional Danish food, shopping, Christmas lights, and seasonal events.
About Copenhagen and How the City Is Laid Out
Copenhagen is the capital of Denmark, located along the eastern coast of the country. While it's a major European capital, central Copenhagen is relatively compact, and many of the city's top attractions are within walking distance of each other.
Copenhagen Central Station sits next to Tivoli Gardens on the western side of the city center. From here, you can walk east toward City Hall Square and Strøget, Copenhagen's main pedestrian shopping area. Continue through the center of the city and you'll reach Kongens Nytorv and Nyhavn, Copenhagen's famous waterfront lined with colorful buildings.
Nearby are several of the city's major royal and historic attractions, including Amalienborg Palace and the Marble Church. Across the harbor is Christianshavn, while Vesterbro sits just west of Central Station. Farther north you'll find neighborhoods including Nørrebro and Østerbro.
For a Christmas trip to Copenhagen, many of the places you'll want to visit are concentrated around Tivoli Gardens, City Hall Square, Strøget, Kongens Nytorv, and Nyhavn. This makes it easy to see several Copenhagen Christmas attractions in the same day without spending a lot of time traveling between them.
Why Visit Copenhagen at Christmas?
Christmas is a big part of the winter season in Copenhagen. Markets, seasonal food, lights, and Danish Christmas traditions appear throughout the city during November and December.
One of the best things about visiting Copenhagen at Christmas is how easily you can combine holiday activities with the city's regular attractions. You can visit a palace or museum during the day, shop along Strøget in the afternoon, and spend the evening at a Copenhagen Christmas market or Tivoli Gardens.
The days are short during winter, but that works well for a Christmas trip. Holiday lights come on as it gets dark, giving you plenty of time to see Copenhagen's Christmas decorations during the late afternoon and evening.
You'll also hear the Danish word hygge frequently when visiting Copenhagen. Hygge is generally associated with comfort, spending time together, and enjoying simple things. During winter, candles, warm cafés, shared meals, and hot drinks are all part of the experience.
Christmas in Tivoli Gardens
Christmas in Tivoli Gardens is one of the biggest Christmas attractions in Copenhagen and should be near the top of your list if you're visiting during the holiday season.
Tivoli Gardens first opened in 1843 and is located directly across from Copenhagen Central Station. During Christmas, the amusement park is filled with Christmas trees, lights, seasonal decorations, food, rides, and Christmas market stalls.
The Christmas season at Tivoli currently begins in mid-November and runs through the beginning of January, although exact dates can change each year.
Christmas Lights and Decorations at Tivoli
Tivoli Gardens is heavily decorated for Christmas, with lights throughout the park, decorated buildings, Christmas trees, and seasonal displays.
We recommend visiting later in the afternoon so you can see Tivoli during daylight and then stay as the Christmas lights come on. Copenhagen gets dark early during December, so you don't have to wait until late at night to see the park illuminated.
There are also seasonal light displays and entertainment throughout the gardens, with programming changing from year to year.
Tivoli Christmas Market
Tivoli hosts one of Copenhagen's best-known Christmas markets. Stalls are spread throughout the park selling seasonal food, drinks, gifts, and Christmas decorations.
This is a good place to shop for Danish Christmas ornaments and gifts while also trying some of Denmark's most popular Christmas foods. Look for gløgg, æbleskiver, sweets, and other seasonal treats as you walk through the gardens.
Unlike many traditional European Christmas markets, Tivoli combines its Christmas market with an operating amusement park. Many rides remain open during the Christmas season, so you can easily spend several hours here.
Keep in mind that Tivoli Gardens requires paid admission, even if you're only visiting for the Christmas market.
Christmas Shows and Entertainment at Tivoli
Tivoli also hosts concerts, performances, and seasonal entertainment throughout its Christmas season. The Glass Hall Theatre and Tivoli Concert Hall are two of the main venues inside the park.
The exact schedule changes each year, so check Tivoli's current calendar before your visit if you want to see a particular Christmas concert, ballet, or show.
Visit Copenhagen Christmas Markets
Christmas markets are another major reason to visit Copenhagen in November and December. You'll find markets in several parts of the city, giving you plenty of opportunities to shop for gifts, eat Christmas food, and grab a cup of hot gløgg.
Christmas market locations and operating dates can change from year to year, so check the current schedule before your trip.
Tivoli Gardens Christmas Market
The Christmas market at Tivoli is one of the largest and most popular Christmas experiences in Copenhagen. The advantage of Tivoli is that you get a Christmas market, amusement park, restaurants, holiday lights, and seasonal entertainment in one location.
Unlike many of Copenhagen's other Christmas markets, you need an admission ticket to enter Tivoli Gardens.
Christmas Markets Around Central Copenhagen
Additional Copenhagen Christmas markets are typically held around the city center during the holiday season. Because central Copenhagen is compact, it's easy to walk between several Christmas areas while also seeing the city's main sights.
A good route is to start around City Hall Square, walk along Strøget toward Kongens Nytorv, and continue to Nyhavn. Along the way, you'll pass decorated shopping streets, historic squares, stores, restaurants, and seasonal vendors.
Market locations can vary each Christmas season, so it's worth checking the current Copenhagen Christmas market schedule shortly before your trip.
See Nyhavn at Christmas
Nyhavn (pronounced nee-hown) is one of Copenhagen's most photographed areas throughout the year, and it's especially worth visiting during Christmas.
The historic waterfront is known for its colorful buildings, canal, boats, restaurants, and cafés. During the Christmas season, lights and decorations are added along the waterfront, and the early winter sunset makes it easy to see Nyhavn illuminated without staying out late.
Take some time to walk both sides of the canal and stop for photos. You'll also find plenty of restaurants and bars along Nyhavn if you want to warm up indoors.
Nyhavn is located just beyond Kongens Nytorv, making it easy to combine with Christmas shopping along Strøget and other attractions in central Copenhagen.
Christmas Shopping on Strøget
Strøget is Copenhagen's main pedestrian shopping area and one of the best places for Christmas shopping in Copenhagen. The long pedestrian route runs through the heart of the city between City Hall Square and Kongens Nytorv.
During Christmas, stores decorate their windows and the surrounding streets are lined with holiday lights. You'll find a combination of international brands, Danish stores, department stores, and smaller shops along the route.
Shop for Danish Christmas Gifts
Copenhagen is particularly well known for Danish design, ceramics, home goods, clothing, and Christmas decorations.
One of the best-known stores along Strøget is Royal Copenhagen, the historic Danish porcelain company. It's a good stop if you're looking for Danish Christmas decorations, tableware, or a gift that's specifically connected to Denmark.
Other popular gifts to look for include Danish Christmas ornaments, ceramics, Scandinavian home décor, candles, clothing, chocolate, candy, and traditional paper Christmas decorations.
Don't stick only to the main shopping street. The smaller streets branching off Strøget are also worth exploring for independent stores and Danish brands.
See Copenhagen's Christmas Lights and Decorations
One of the easiest free things to do in Copenhagen at Christmas is simply walk through the city after dark. Christmas lights appear throughout central Copenhagen, particularly around shopping streets, squares, hotels, restaurants, and Christmas markets.
Because sunset comes early during a Copenhagen winter, you can see the lights in the late afternoon and still have the entire evening ahead of you.
Kongens Nytorv
Kongens Nytorv is one of Copenhagen's major public squares and sits between Strøget and Nyhavn. Its central location makes it an easy stop while exploring Copenhagen at Christmas.
The square and surrounding buildings are decorated during the Christmas season, and you'll also be close to some of the city's best-known holiday displays.
Hotel d'Angleterre Christmas Decorations
Hotel d'Angleterre sits directly on Kongens Nytorv and is known for its large seasonal Christmas display. The hotel's exterior is decorated for the holidays and has become one of the most recognizable Christmas displays in central Copenhagen.
It's easy to stop here for a few minutes while walking from Strøget to Nyhavn.
City Hall Square
Rådhuspladsen, or City Hall Square, sits at the opposite end of Strøget near Tivoli Gardens. This makes the square another convenient stop when walking through Copenhagen's main Christmas areas.
Traditional Danish Christmas Food to Try
Food is a major part of Christmas in Denmark, and visiting Copenhagen during the holidays gives you the chance to try dishes and drinks that are closely connected to Danish Christmas traditions.
You'll find seasonal foods at Copenhagen Christmas markets, bakeries, cafés, and restaurants throughout the city.
Gløgg
Gløgg is one of the most popular drinks in Copenhagen at Christmas. Traditional Danish gløgg is a warm mulled wine flavored with Christmas spices and commonly served with raisins and almonds.
It's widely available at Copenhagen Christmas markets, restaurants, cafés, and bars throughout the holiday season. If you're visiting Copenhagen in December, you'll have no trouble finding it.
Æbleskiver
Æbleskiver (pronounced eh-bleh-skee-va) are one of Denmark's most recognizable Christmas foods. Despite the name, which translates to "apple slices," modern æbleskiver are small round pancake-like cakes cooked in a special pan.
They're typically served warm with powdered sugar and jam. Æbleskiver and gløgg are commonly enjoyed together during the Christmas season, and you'll find both at many Copenhagen Christmas markets.
Risengrød
Risengrød is a traditional Danish rice porridge made by slowly cooking rice with milk. It's generally served warm with cinnamon sugar and butter.
Rice porridge is closely connected to Danish Christmas traditions and is also the base for another popular Christmas dessert, risalamande.
Risalamande
Risalamande is a cold Danish rice pudding traditionally served for Christmas. It's made with rice pudding, whipped cream, vanilla, and chopped almonds and is typically served with warm cherry sauce.
Traditionally, one whole almond is hidden in the dessert. Whoever finds it receives a small prize.
Flæskesteg
Flæskesteg (pronounced fles-keh-sty) is roast pork with crispy crackling and is a traditional Danish meal served around Christmas. It's commonly served with potatoes, gravy, and red cabbage.
You'll see versions of flæskesteg on Christmas menus around Copenhagen during the holiday season.
Julefrokost
Julefrokost translates to Christmas lunch, but it's usually much more than a quick midday meal. A traditional julefrokost can involve several courses and a long meal shared with family, friends, or coworkers.
Traditional dishes can include pickled herring, rye bread, fish, cold cuts, liver pâté, pork, potatoes, and cheese.
If you want to experience a Danish Christmas meal while visiting Copenhagen, look for restaurants offering a seasonal julefrokost menu.
Experience Hygge During Christmas in Copenhagen
Winter is one of the easiest times to understand why Copenhagen is so closely associated with hygge. You don't need to visit a specific attraction to experience it.
Take a break from sightseeing at a café, order a hot drink, enjoy a long dinner, or spend an evening somewhere lit by candles. These breaks are also useful when you're spending most of the day walking around Copenhagen in cold weather.
What is Hygge? Hygge (hee-guh) is a nordic term that roughly translates to a sense of comfort, coziness, and safe well-being.
Visit a Copenhagen Café
Copenhagen has a large café and coffee culture, which is especially useful during the colder winter months. A café stop gives you a chance to warm up between Christmas markets and sightseeing.
Look for seasonal drinks such as gløgg and hot chocolate, or stop at a bakery for Danish pastries and Christmas treats.
Have a Danish Christmas Dinner
A long dinner is another good way to spend a winter evening in Copenhagen. Many restaurants offer seasonal menus during November and December, including traditional dishes such as flæskesteg and risalamande.
Christmas is a busy time for restaurants, particularly on weekends, so make reservations in advance if there's somewhere you specifically want to visit.
See the Saint Lucia Celebrations
Saint Lucia Day is celebrated on December 13 and is associated with light during the dark winter season. Copenhagen hosts several Saint Lucia events, including processions and performances.
One of the most recognizable Copenhagen Christmas traditions is the Saint Lucia kayak procession, when illuminated kayaks travel through the city's canals.
If your Copenhagen Christmas trip falls around December 13, check the current schedule for Saint Lucia events. Tivoli also typically holds its own Lucia procession as part of its December programming.
Visit Copenhagen's Historic Churches at Christmas
Copenhagen's historic churches are another place to experience the Christmas season. Churches around the city host Christmas services, concerts, and seasonal events during December.
Two notable churches in central Copenhagen are the Church of Our Saviour, or Vor Frelsers Kirke, and Holmens Kirke.
Christmas concerts and choir performances are held at churches and concert halls throughout the city, although schedules change each year. If attending a particular Christmas service or concert is important to you, check the venue's current calendar before your trip.
Christmas Concerts and Shows in Copenhagen
December brings Christmas concerts, choir performances, ballets, and other seasonal shows to Copenhagen.
Tivoli Gardens is one of the easiest places to find Christmas entertainment because its theaters and concert hall host performances throughout the season. Other churches, concert halls, and theaters around Copenhagen also schedule Christmas events.
Tickets for major performances can sell out, so check schedules before arriving if you want to include a Christmas concert or show in your Copenhagen itinerary.
Getting Around Copenhagen at Christmas
Copenhagen is easy to explore without a car. Walking is often the best option in the historic city center because many of the main Copenhagen Christmas attractions are relatively close together.
The city also has a large public transportation network that includes the metro, trains, and buses, which makes it easy to travel between neighborhoods when you don't want to walk.
Getting From Copenhagen Airport to the City Center
Copenhagen Airport, or CPH, is located close to the city and is connected directly to central Copenhagen by metro and train.
The trip from Copenhagen Airport to the city center takes around 15 minutes. The metro provides direct access to central stops including Kongens Nytorv, while regional trains connect the airport with Copenhagen Central Station.
This makes Copenhagen an easy destination for a short Christmas trip or a stop as part of a larger European Christmas market itinerary.
Walking Around Copenhagen
If you're staying near the city center, many Christmas attractions can be reached on foot.
One easy route is:
Tivoli Gardens → City Hall Square → Strøget → Kongens Nytorv → Nyhavn
This takes you through many of the main Christmas areas in central Copenhagen. Rather than walking the entire route at once, you can spend several hours stopping for shopping, food, drinks, and sightseeing along the way.
What Is the Weather Like in Copenhagen at Christmas?
Expect cold weather when visiting Copenhagen in December. Temperatures are typically only a few degrees above freezing during the day and can fall around or below freezing at night.
Snow is possible, but a white Christmas in Copenhagen isn't guaranteed. Rain, wind, and damp conditions are also common during the winter.
Pack layers, a warm coat, gloves, and comfortable waterproof shoes. You'll likely spend a significant amount of time walking outside between Copenhagen Christmas markets, attractions, shops, and restaurants.
When Does Christmas Start in Copenhagen?
Copenhagen's Christmas season generally begins during November as Christmas markets, decorations, and seasonal attractions start opening.
Christmas in Tivoli currently begins around mid-November and continues through the beginning of January. Other Copenhagen Christmas markets and seasonal events have their own schedules, with some ending before Christmas Eve.
If Christmas markets are one of the main reasons for your trip, late November through mid-December is a good time to visit. Most holiday activities are underway, and you'll be visiting before the Christmas holidays themselves.
Is Copenhagen Open on Christmas Day?
If you're planning to visit Copenhagen over Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, you'll want to plan ahead.
December 24 is the main Christmas celebration for many Danish families, and businesses, restaurants, attractions, and stores may close early or remain closed. Christmas Day on December 25 and December 26 are also public holidays in Denmark, so normal operating hours may be reduced.
Some tourist attractions and restaurants remain open during part of the Christmas holiday period, but check individual schedules rather than assuming normal hours.
Best Things to Do in Copenhagen at Christmas
There are plenty of things to do in Copenhagen during the Christmas season, and many can easily be combined into the same day.
Some of the best things to do in Copenhagen at Christmas include visiting Christmas in Tivoli Gardens, exploring Copenhagen Christmas markets, seeing Nyhavn decorated for Christmas, walking along Strøget, seeing the lights around Kongens Nytorv, drinking Danish gløgg, eating æbleskiver, trying a traditional Danish Christmas dinner, experiencing a julefrokost, attending a Christmas concert, shopping for Danish Christmas gifts, and spending some time in Copenhagen's cafés.
You don't need to fit everything into one day. Many of these experiences are located close together, so you'll naturally pass several of them while exploring central Copenhagen.
Frequently Asked Questions About Christmas in Copenhagen
Is Copenhagen Good at Christmas?
Yes. Copenhagen has Christmas markets, holiday decorations, seasonal food, shopping, concerts, and one of Scandinavia's best-known Christmas attractions at Tivoli Gardens.
The compact city center also makes it easy to visit several Copenhagen Christmas attractions on foot.
Does Copenhagen Have Christmas Markets?
Yes. Copenhagen has several Christmas markets during November and December. Tivoli Gardens hosts one of the largest Christmas experiences in the city, while additional seasonal markets operate around central Copenhagen.
Locations and dates can change each year, so check the current Copenhagen Christmas market schedule before visiting.
Is Tivoli Gardens Open at Christmas?
Yes. Tivoli Gardens has a dedicated Christmas season that currently runs from around mid-November through the beginning of January.
During Christmas in Tivoli, the park features holiday lights, seasonal decorations, market stalls, rides, food, and entertainment.
What Should I Eat in Copenhagen at Christmas?
Some of the best Danish Christmas foods and drinks to try include æbleskiver, gløgg, risengrød, risalamande, flæskesteg, and dishes served as part of a traditional julefrokost.
Christmas markets are an easy place to try gløgg and æbleskiver, while restaurants around Copenhagen offer larger traditional Christmas meals.
Where Are the Christmas Lights in Copenhagen?
You'll see Christmas decorations throughout central Copenhagen. Tivoli Gardens, Strøget, Kongens Nytorv, Hotel d'Angleterre, City Hall Square, and Nyhavn are all good places to include on a Copenhagen Christmas lights walk.
Does It Snow in Copenhagen at Christmas?
Snow is possible in Copenhagen during December, but it isn't guaranteed.
Winter weather can include a combination of cold temperatures, rain, wind, sleet, and snow, so don't plan a Copenhagen Christmas trip around expecting snow.
How Many Days Do You Need in Copenhagen at Christmas?
Two or three days is enough to see many of Copenhagen's major Christmas attractions while also visiting some of the city's regular sights.
With three or four days, you'll have more time for museums, palaces, additional neighborhoods, and day trips while still leaving plenty of time for Copenhagen Christmas markets and Tivoli Gardens.
What Is the Best Area to Stay in Copenhagen for Christmas?
For a first visit, staying around the city center or near Copenhagen Central Station is convenient. You'll be close to Tivoli Gardens, City Hall Square, Strøget, and public transportation.
Areas around Kongens Nytorv also put you within easy walking distance of Nyhavn, Strøget, and many central Copenhagen attractions. Vesterbro is another convenient option because it sits immediately west of Copenhagen Central Station and has a large selection of restaurants, bars, and hotels.
Final Thoughts on Visiting Copenhagen at Christmas
Copenhagen at Christmas is a great mix of Christmas markets, lights, traditional Danish food, shopping, and many of the attractions that make the city worth visiting at any time of year.
Start with Christmas in Tivoli Gardens, walk through the decorated streets of central Copenhagen, shop along Strøget, visit Nyhavn after dark, and make time to try gløgg and æbleskiver at a Copenhagen Christmas market.
Many of the best things to do in Copenhagen at Christmas are concentrated within a relatively small part of the city, making it easy to explore on foot. The metro and train system also make it simple to travel farther out when needed.
Whether you're planning a Copenhagen Christmas weekend, a longer Denmark itinerary, or a stop on a European Christmas market trip, the holiday season is a fun time to experience the city.
