Travel Guide to Denmark 2026: Copenhagen, Castles, Aarhus, Billund & Skagen
Planning to visit Denmark? This travel guide to Denmark covers everything for a first trip: where Denmark is, the best time to go, Schengen entry rules, the 10 best places to visit, a 7-day itinerary, realistic costs, safety tips and the best hotels and universities. From the colourful harbour of Nyhavn and Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen to Hamlet's Kronborg Castle, the art and old town of Aarhus, the LEGO home of Billund and the meeting of two seas at Skagen, Denmark is compact, safe and full of hygge.
Last updated: October 2026 · Entry rules and taxes in this travel guide to Denmark were checked against official sources
📊 Quick Facts for Your Travel guide to Denmark
- Capital: Copenhagen💡 A world capital of design, food and cycling
- Currency: Danish krone (DKK)💡 Almost cashless; cards everywhere. Check today's rate
- Language: Danish💡 Almost everyone speaks excellent English
- Population: About 6 million💡 2026 estimate
- Area: 42,952 km²💡 Denmark proper, excluding Greenland and the Faroes
- Time zone: UTC+1 (UTC+2 in summer)💡 Central European Time. Convert times
- UNESCO sites: 12💡 Including Kronborg, Roskilde Cathedral, the Viking ring fortresses and Møns Klint (added 2026)
- Power: 230 V, plug types C, E, F and K💡 European plugs fit Danish sockets
ℹ️ Figures in this travel guide to Denmark are 2026 estimates from official and international sources.
📍 Where Is Denmark?
Denmark is the southernmost of the Nordic countries. It consists of the Jutland peninsula, which shares a land border with Germany, and hundreds of islands, the largest being Zealand (home to Copenhagen) and Funen. The Øresund Bridge links Copenhagen with Malmö in Sweden, and Norway lies across the Skagerrak to the north. The landscape is low and gentle, with 7,000 km of coastline and the highest point only 171 m above sea level.
Copenhagen is about 1 hour 45 minutes from London by air. Trains cross the country from Copenhagen to Aarhus in about 3 hours. Check the distance from your city with our distance calculator.
📅 Best Time to Visit Denmark
The best time to visit Denmark is May to September, with long light evenings, harbour swimming and café life (17–23 °C in summer). Midsummer Eve (23 June) is celebrated with bonfires on the beaches, and the Roskilde Festival runs in late June and early July. December is cosy, with Christmas at Tivoli and candlelit cafés. Winters are grey and dark, with only about 7 hours of daylight.
Tivoli reopens, beech forests turn green.
Harbour baths, beaches, festivals and long days.
Quieter castles and cosy cafés.
Christmas markets, Tivoli lights and hygge.
📅 Use the seasons in this travel guide to Denmark to match your trip to the weather, festivals and prices you want.
🛂 Denmark Visa & Entry Requirements (Schengen)
Schengen rules apply: Denmark is in the EU and the Schengen Area. Citizens of the USA, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and many other countries can visit visa-free for up to 90 days in any 180-day period across the whole Schengen Area. EU citizens only need an ID card. Other nationalities need a Schengen visa before travel.
- PassportValid at least 3 months after you leave the Schengen Area, and issued within the last 10 years.
- Entry/Exit System (EES)Fully running since April 2026: non-EU visitors have fingerprints and a photo taken at the border on their first visit.
- ETIASA new online travel authorisation (€20) for visa-free visitors, expected in late 2026. It is not required yet, so check before you fly and use only the official EU website.
- Main airportCopenhagen Kastrup (CPH), 15 minutes from the city by metro.
🔗 Official sources: New to Denmark (official) · EU: EES and ETIAS. Entry rules change, so always confirm before booking.
🛂 Entry rules in this travel guide to Denmark were last checked in October 2026.
🏰 10 Best Places to Visit in Denmark
These are the places we recommend most in this travel guide to Denmark, with the best months to see each one.
Nyhavn, Christiansborg, Rosenborg Castle and the Little Mermaid.
💡 Best time: All yearThe 1843 amusement park in central Copenhagen.
💡 Best time: Apr–Sep, Nov–DecHamlet's castle at Helsingør (UNESCO).
💡 Best time: May–SepA Renaissance palace on three islands in Hillerød.
💡 Best time: All yearThe rainbow walkway at ARoS and the Den Gamle By open-air museum.
💡 Best time: May–SepLEGO House and the original LEGOLAND.
💡 Best time: Apr–OctThe cathedral of Danish kings (UNESCO) and the Viking Ship Museum.
💡 Best time: All yearThe birthplace of Hans Christian Andersen and his museum.
💡 Best time: May–SepWhere the North Sea and Baltic meet at Grenen.
💡 Best time: Jun–AugWhite chalk cliffs on the island of Møn (UNESCO 2026).
💡 Best time: May–Sep🗺️ 7-Day Denmark Itinerary: Copenhagen, Castles & Jutland
A first trip combining Copenhagen, North Zealand's castles and Jutland. Trains connect everything; hire a car for Skagen.
Follow this route from our travel guide to Denmark day by day, or shorten it to fit your trip.
- Copenhagen: Nyhavn, a canal tour and Tivoli Gardens in the evening.
- Copenhagen: Rosenborg, Christiansborg, Christianshavn and a harbour swim.
- North Zealand: Kronborg Castle, Louisiana Museum and Frederiksborg Castle.
- Roskilde to Odense: the Viking Ship Museum, then Hans Christian Andersen's town.
- Billund: LEGO House or LEGOLAND.
- Aarhus: ARoS, Den Gamle By and the Latin Quarter.
- Back to Copenhagen: by train (3 hours) for your flight.
➕ With more time: add Skagen and the dunes of North Jutland, the Wadden Sea and Ribe (Denmark's oldest town), Møns Klint or the sunny island of Bornholm.
💵 How Much Does a Trip to Denmark Cost?
Denmark is one of Europe's more expensive countries, especially for eating out and alcohol. These are approximate daily costs per person in 2026, excluding flights. Use our currency converter to see them in your own currency.
| Travel style | Per day (approx.) | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Budget | DKK 700–1,000 | Hostels, street food and public transport |
| Mid-range | DKK 1,500–2,500 | Central hotels, restaurants and attractions |
| Luxury | DKK 4,500 + | Five-star hotels and New Nordic tasting menus |
💡 All prices in this travel guide to Denmark are per person, per day, and change with the season and exchange rates.
🎟️ The Copenhagen Card includes public transport and many museums. Service is included in restaurant bills, so tipping is optional. Buy lunch-time smørrebrød rather than dinner to save money.
💡 Safety & Travel Tips for Your Travel guide to Denmark
Denmark is one of the safest countries in the world. Watch for pickpockets at Copenhagen Central Station and Nyhavn in summer, and take care in the Christiania freetown, where photography is not allowed in parts. The biggest danger is stepping into a bike lane: always look for cyclists. Check your government's travel advice before you go.
Copenhagen is built for cycling.
Cards are accepted almost everywhere.
Open sandwiches on rye at lunchtime.
Clean harbour baths in summer.
Transport and museums in one.
"Hej" (hello) and "Tak" (thank you).
🏨 Best Hotels in Denmark: 8 Top Picks
Denmark is famous for design hotels. Stay near Nyhavn, Indre By or Vesterbro in Copenhagen.
Denmark's classic since 1755, on Kongens Nytorv.
Check prices on Booking.com →A Moorish-style palace inside Tivoli Gardens.
Check prices on Booking.com →The old central post office, with a rooftop pool.
Check prices on Booking.com →A cosy boutique hotel near Nyhavn.
Check prices on Booking.com →Arne Jacobsen's original design hotel.
Check prices on Booking.com →A classic hotel by the cathedral.
Check prices on Booking.com →Themed rooms right next to LEGOLAND.
Check prices on Booking.com →A white beach hotel in Gammel Skagen.
Check prices on Booking.com →🔎 How we chose for this travel guide to Denmark: hotels are picked for location, reputation and a spread of regions and styles. Prices and availability change daily, so the buttons open live Booking.com results for each property.
🤝 Affiliate disclosure: hotel buttons are affiliate links. If you book through them, AtlasWise may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. It never changes which hotels we list.
🎓 Top Universities in Denmark
Denmark has world-class universities and many English-taught master's programmes.
| University | City | Type |
|---|---|---|
| University of Copenhagen | Copenhagen | Public |
| Aarhus University | Aarhus | Public |
| Technical University of Denmark (DTU) | Kongens Lyngby | Public |
| Copenhagen Business School | Frederiksberg | Public |
| Aalborg University | Aalborg | Public |
Denmark's oldest university, founded in 1479.
Visit website →A top-ranked comprehensive university.
Visit website →Leading in engineering and green energy.
Visit website →One of Europe's largest business schools.
Visit website →Known for problem-based learning.
Visit website →🔎 How we chose for this travel guide to Denmark: the leading universities in Denmark by reputation and research. Last checked: October 2026.
🥪 Danish Culture & Food
Danish culture values equality, trust and hygge, the art of cosy togetherness. Denmark has given the world Hans Christian Andersen, LEGO, the philosopher Kierkegaard and designers such as Arne Jacobsen and Hans Wegner. Its Viking past lives on in rune stones at Jelling (UNESCO) and the ships at Roskilde.
Try smørrebrød (open sandwiches on rye bread), stegt flæsk (crispy pork with parsley sauce), pickled herring, a pølse (hot dog) from a street wagon, a cinnamon kanelsnegl or wienerbrød (Danish pastry), and New Nordic cooking in Copenhagen, one of the world's great food cities.
❓ Travel Guide to Denmark: FAQ
Do I need a visa for Denmark?
No for US, UK, Canadian and Australian citizens: Schengen rules allow 90 days in any 180 days.
Are Greenland and the Faroe Islands in Schengen?
No. They are part of the Kingdom of Denmark but outside the EU and Schengen.
What is the best time to visit Denmark?
May to September for long days, or December for Christmas.
Is Denmark expensive?
Yes, it is one of Europe's pricier countries, especially for dining out.
Do I need cash in Denmark?
Rarely; cards and phone payments are accepted almost everywhere.
Is Denmark safe for tourists?
Yes, it is one of the safest countries in the world.
How many days do you need in Denmark?
Seven days covers Copenhagen, the castles, Odense, Billund and Aarhus.
What currency does Denmark use?
The Danish krone (DKK), not the euro.
📚 Trusted Resources for Your Travel guide to Denmark
- VisitDenmarkOfficial tourism board
- VisitCopenhagenOfficial Copenhagen guide
- UNESCO: DenmarkWorld Heritage Sites in Denmark
Finished this travel guide to Denmark? 🌍 More Nordic guides: Sweden · Norway · Iceland · Finland · Germany
⚖️ Compare Denmark with other countries in Compare Countries.
🏛️ Planning a bucket list? See the 20 best World Heritage Sites to visit.
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