Copenhagen, Denmark is an incredible destination for solo female travellers. If you are thinking about going, DO IT! It’s gorgeous, there’s so much to do, and so safe. Below is a 3 day Copenhagen itinerary for the best things to do as a solo female traveller.
Disclaimer: This website contains affiliate links, which only contains links to what I have personally used and experienced and would recommend. At no extra charge for you!
Where to Stay in Copenhagen
The first question you may ask is where to stay during your 3 day Copenhagen itinerary. I would highly recommend Next House Copenhagen. It is a hostel that is in a very safe neighbourhood and perfect for solo female travellers. The beds are very comfortable and private, they offer all-female dorms, there’s lots of activities and facilities offered, and an on-site restaurant to have breakfast and pizza buffets in the evening.
The bus stop to get to the airport is literally right outside of the hostel. The train station is also only a 8 minute walk away (or if you don’t feel like walking then take the bus and ride one stop to the train station). Nyhavn is about a 20 minute walk away and very safe and scenic.
If you don’t want to stay in a hostel, Wake Up Copenhagen is literally next door to Next House Copenhagen.
Another option would be to stay in the Indre By district since it is very central and walking distance to all of the main attractions and transportation links.
Suggested Reading: Should I stay in a hostel or hotel as a solo traveller?
Booking.comImportant to Know Before you Go
For your 3 day Copenhagen itinerary I would HIGHLY recommend the Copenhagen card. It provides free transportation on the bus, metro AND ferries in Copenhagen and surrounding areas (even to the airport!). It also provides free entrance into all of the attractions that are mentioned in this itinerary. In this itinerary, I used the 72 hour Copenhagen Card.
The Copenhagen Card saves so much money and is VERY easy to use! Just download the app on your phone, pay for your pass on the app, and activate it on your phone just before you need to use it. The website has a calculator you can use to determine if it will be worthwhile for you.
IMPORTANT TO KNOW! Most of the attractions in Denmark are closed on Monday. In this itinerary the majority of activities that were done on Monday were either outside, or included attractions that were open on Monday. If there is something that you want to do in Copenhagen, check the hours on the website to make sure they will be open!
Summary of the 3 Day Copenhagen Itinerary
Short on time? Here is a brief overview of what to do in Copenhagen.
- Day 1: Arrive in Copenhagen and take the bus from the airport. Visit the Marble Church, Amailienborg Palace, and go on a Canal Tour of Nyhavn.
- Day 2 (THIS DAY WAS ON A MONDAY): Visit the Little Mermaid, Langelinie park, Round tower, Stoget street, Church of our Saviour, Freetown Chistiana, and Tivoli.
- Day 3: Take the train to Frederiksborg Palace in the morning. Then go back to Copenhagen and see Rosenborg Castle, City Hall Tower, and Christianborg Palace
- Day 4 (BONUS DAY!) If you have an extra day, go outside of Copenhagen and go on a day trip! I did a day trip to Rosenborg Castle and Malmo and Lund in Sweden. But the options for day trips in Denmark are almost endless!
In the map below, the purple icon is Next House Copenhagen. The blue icons are the activities on day 1, red icons are day 2, and yellow icons are day 3.
Day 1 in Copenhagen
Day 1 of your 3 day Copenhagen itinerary includes your arrival. I arrived early in the morning (9:30am) and took the bus into Copenhagen. Just before I got on the bus, I activated my Copenhagen Card on the app so that my transportation could be free. Just show your pass to the driver and you are good to go!
After storing your luggage into your accommodation, begin your day by walking around and exploring Copenhagen! Places to visit on your first day in Copenhagen:
- Marble Church. Sundays at 1pm you can also access the dome for views of Copenhagen. Unfortunately there was a service happening so dome access was closed. Nevertheless, the church is beautiful to visit even if you can’t go up into the dome.
- Amailenborg Palace. Entrance to inside of the palace is FREE with the Copenhagen card.
- Canal Tour of Nyhyan. The tours run frequently, so after visiting the Marble Church and Palace, hop on a boat and see Copenhagen from the water.
- Torvehallerne KBH. This is a huge food market, so there are lots of options for meals! It’s also in a bustling section of Copenhagen, so it is interesting to see the large amounts of bikes parked here too and to walk around and window shop. This market is located next to lots of bus and train stops, so it’s easy to get to.
Day 2 in Copenhagen
Your second day of your 3 day Copenhagen itinerary is an action packed day. But it surprisingly can be done without being rushed. I would recommend waking up early and being out the door by 8am to beat the crowds. But, if you want to sleep in that’s ok too! There is lots of time to get everything done.
Day 2: Morning
See the Little Mermaid Statue. It is always busy here, but if you go early in the morning (between 8:30am and 9am), then it won’t be as busy. If you took the Canal Tour yesterday, you would have seen her from the boat. So now, you can see her again from land!
The Genetically Modified Mermaid. Only a 5 minute walk away is the Genetically Modified Mermaid. This statue isn’t as busy, but it is worthwhile to check out and see how it compares! There are other interesting statues in a little park around it too.
Langelinie Park. This park is right next to the Little Mermaid, so have a stroll around and eat an ice cream if you feel like it. At the end of April, this is one of the BEST places to visit to see the Cherry Blossoms!
Kastellet. This is the citadel in the same area as Langelinie Park. From above, it is in a shape of a star. There are old buildings within the fortress, and a church and a windmill. It is a very beautiful area to walk around.
Round Tower. Then, make your way to the Round Tower. There are so many colourful houses and beautiful streets as you walk towards Round Tower. Once you get to the tower, show your Copenhagen Card for free entry and make your way up the spiral hall to the top for spectacular views over Copenhagen! Inside of the tower there is also a museum and a church you can visit as well.
Lunch at Paludan Bog and Cafe. At this point, it will be about time for lunch, and why not make your lunch a really fun activity as well? The Paludan Bog and Cafe is a cafe within a bookstore and the atmosphere is so cozy. Eating lunch surrounded by shelves of old, beautiful books is such a great experience. Their portions are also HUGE, and their coffee is incredible. It can be busy, and students come here to study, but there are lots of tables to choose from.
Day 2: Afternoon
Stoget Street. After lunch, walk down Stoget Street. It is a pedestrian street and full of shops. Buy a souvenir, window shop, and take your time as you make your way down the street.
Church of our Saviour. This is also free with the Copenhagen Card. You can only enter after reserving a time slot, but this can be done on your phone literally the moment you arrive. I didn’t reserve my time in advance, and had no problems getting in immediately.
This was probably one of my favourite activities in Copenhagen, but it is not for those who are afraid of heights! You begin by climbing up a bunch of regular stairs inside. The steps then switch to narrow, wooden stairs that get much steeper. You go up these for a little bit until you reach the outside. Then you climb up the stairs that wrap around the outside of the spire.
The views are AMAZING! If it is a clear day, you can even see the bridge that connects Denmark to Sweden. I would recommend spending some time out here and really taking in the view. So many people take a picture and leave right away, but there’s so much to see – so take your time!
Freetown Christiania. Freetown Christiania is a community and micronation within Copenhagen that used to be an old military base. It is famous for “Pusher street” and selling of cannabis, which is illegal in Denmark. It’s extremely colourful with street art covering every inch of all of the buildings inside. It has market stalls and cafes and is very vibrant.
I originally wasn’t planning to visit Christiania, but it is located next to Church of our Saviour and I could see a birds-eye view of it from it. So I decided to check it out. As a solo female, I felt a bit more vulnerable here being alone. No one approached me, but there are signs EVERYWHERE saying no pictures allowed, and there were a a few people who seemed a bit sketchy.
I entered Freetown by walking close to a group of people to blend in a bit more, but didn’t venture TOO far inside. It is worth checking out if you are nearby like I was, since it is so unique and the street art is so beautiful. How far inside you decide to go is up to you and how comfortable you feel. Whatever you do though, do NOT take pictures of things you are not supposed to, or run since that can cause the locals to panic.
Opera House . A 15 minute walk down the road from Freetown Christiania will lead you to the Opera House. The architecture is modern, and views from within are beautiful. You can overlook the harbour and Marble Church from across the river. Depending on what time you go, you can go on a tour or see a performance. Or, you can sit down to eat and enjoy the view.
Take the Ferry to Nyhyan. The ferry stop is immediately outside of the Opera House, so it is very convenient to visit other areas of Copenhagen from here. The ferry is FREE with the Copenhagen Card. No one checks it, so just get on the ferry. If anyone asks then show your card. Once you arrive in Nyhyan, have a snack or a light meal and enjoy the views. Nyhyan is the postcard view of Copenhagen, so take your time here too!
Tivoli Gardens. This is the second oldest amusement part in the world. And it is also the inspiration for Disney World! It is free with your Copenhagen Card, so of course it is worthwhile to check out. Going on a ride will cost extra, but you can buy your ride tickets throughout the park.
I went as a solo female during my 3 day itinerary in Copenhagen and didn’t feel out of place at all. There are lots of lounge chairs in park-like areas to sit and relax, and so much to see. It’s so beautiful inside, that it’s a pleasure to walk around.
If you are hungry, Tivolii has a food court with lots of options. If you want to eat here you will need to leave the park. If you want to re-enter the park later, you will need to get a stamp from one of the gate attendants before you leave so that you will be allowed back in. The food court has an outdoor patio that overlooks the gardens of Tivolii, so it’s a nice way to end the evening.
Day 3 in Copenhagen
Your final day on your 3 day Copenhagen itinerary is full of castles, palaces, and royalty. They may begin to blur all together, but they are each unique and beautiful to visit.
Day 3 Morning
Frederiksborg Palace. Most attractions in Copenhagen open later in the morning (at 10am). So instead of waiting around for attractions to open, why not spend that time by taking the train to a gorgeous palace? Frederiksborg Palace is a 40 minute train ride outside of Copenhagen, and it is FREE with the Copenhagen card. The train is similar to an above-ground metro/subway train, so just hop on and go.
I highly recommend going in the morning when it is less busy. The train stop is about a 10 minute walk away from the castle through a charming village. I arrived at 9:30am, and spent the first 30 minutes walking around the castle grounds, which are huge and sprawling and have great views of the castle.
Frederiksborg Palace was my favourite of all of the palaces. It was huge, both inside and out. The church within the palace was the most elaborately decorated church I have ever seen. And since I had arrived when it first opened, I had almost the entire castle to myself. This felt a bit eerie in the best way possible since I was wandering throughout an endless amount of fancy castle-rooms alone.
It was raining when I left the castle at around 11:30am, so I didn’t feel like exploring the village too much. But if you do, then this would be a great place to stop for lunch. There’s lots of options and the restaurants aren’t as busy compared to Copenhagen.
Day 3 Afternoon
Rosenborg Castle. After taking the train back to Copenhagen, get off at the Norreport train stop and walk 5 minutes down the road to Rosenborg castle. This castle is so different compared to Frederiksborg Palace (and also free to enter with the Copenhagen card!). It is darker and more bold and outrageous in it’s decor. It was very busy as well. There are also crown jewels in the lower level that are very interesting to see. Take the time to walk around the gardens as well.
Christiansborg Palace. A 15 minute walk away from Rosenborg is the Christianborg Palace complex. You can access the Stables, Kitchen, Ruins, the Chapel, and Royal Reception rooms. Each of these 5 areas requires separate entrance tickets, but it is all free with the Copenhagen Card.
I would recommend visiting the Stables first since they close the earliest. The ruins are also fun to visit, especially if you are solo since it adds an element of spookiness having the place almost to yourself. It doesn’t feel unsafe so don’t worry about that!
The royal reception rooms are SO grand, and it has one of the most beautiful libraries. It reminded me of the Beauty and the Beast library! There is also a tower you can access via an elevator to see more views of Copenhagen as well.
Day 4 in Copenhagen
If you have an extra day in Copenhagen, then it is worthwhile to explore outside of it and see more of Denmark. On this day, I went on this tour to Helsingor to see yet another palace (I didn’t go inside since my Copenhagen Card had expired at this point, and the tour guide said it wasn’t worthwhile to go inside). The tour also took us on a ferry to Sweden where we visited Lund and Malmo and went over the Oresundbron Bridge on our return to Copenhagen.
There are lots of options for other day trips from Copenhagen though, either through an organized tour or by taking the train to a nearby town.
I hope you have enjoyed reading about this 3 day Copenhagen itinerary as a solo female traveller. Have you been to Copenhagen, Denmark? What was your favourite activity? If you are planning to go, what are you looking forward to doing the most? Let me know in the comments below!
Liked this post? Save it for later!
Looks amazing! Copenhagen has been on my travel bucket list for quite a while now!
I’ve been to Copenhagen years ago, I wish I had your guide then! I didn’t even know about the genetically modified Little Mermaid, so interesting!
Denmark seems to becoming a very “It Place,” to go. I hope to get to Copenhagen some day!
Great recs! I always laugh when I see the Little Mermaid statue on a post… it seems like an odd must see thing..but the city looks beautiful in all seasons!
Great post! I’m definitely adding Copenhagen to my list!