The Best Overlooked Spots and Hidden Gems in Copenhagen

15

Jul

There are so many famous sights you have to visit when you go to Copenhagen, but there are also a lot of overlooked sights you should see! (And many of them are right next to famous spots you’re likely going to anyway). So if you want to get off-the-beaten-path and see some hidden gems in Copenhagen, these are some of the best ones to visit on your next trip! 🙂

Top hidden gems in Copenhagen

The Best Overlooked Spots and Hidden Gems in Copenhagen, Denmark

Kastellet

Everyone wants to see the Little Mermaid when they visit Copenhagen, but most people go right by Kastellet! It’s the fortress right on the way to the Little Mermaid, so you should walk through it instead of going around it on your way to the Little Mermaid.

Kastellet, or the Citadel, is one of the best preserved star fortresses, and it’s so colorful and pretty. There are large crowds outside of it taking photos of the beautiful fountain and St. Alban’s Church, but once you go inside the fortress, it’s one of the quietest spots in the city! There were just a handful of people jogging or walking around the last time I was there.

Red buildings in Kastellet in Copenhagen

Kastellet in Copenhagen

Red buildings in Kastellet in Copenhagen

Gates in Kastellet in Copenhagen

Windmill in Kastellet in Copenhagen

Swans swimming in Kastellet in Copenhagen

Kastellet in Copenhagen

Frederiksholms Kanal and the Stable Boy’s House

If you’re going to see the Black Diamond (the Royal Danish Library), you should take a stroll down Frederiksholms Kanal! I happened to stumble across the colorful houses around the Stable Boy’s House on the Frederiksholms Kanal when the yellow buildings caught my eye. Many of the canals in Copenhagen are busy with tourists and tour boats, but Frederiksholms Kanal was so quiet and peaceful.

Brick gates in Copenhagen

Frederiksholms Kanal

The Stable Boy's House in Copenhagen

The Stable Boy's House in Copenhagen

The Stable Boy's House in Copenhagen

Yellow mansion in Copenhagen

Bikes lined up in Copenhagen

Alleyway with orange houses in Copenhagen

Orange half-timbered house in Copenhagen

Brick house with vines in Copenhagen

Copenhagen Harbor

Everyone visits Nyhavn when the go to Copenhagen (and for good reason!), and I recommend going a little past Nyhavn to walk along the harbor! Or if you’re visiting the Black Diamond, you can walk along the water on your way to Nyhavn and have a quiet stroll away from the crowds. And you can get beautiful views on the land and across the harbor!

Victorian building in Copenhagen

The Church of Our Saviour in Copenhagen

Harbor in Copenhagen

Copenhagen Harbor

Copenhagen Harbor

Copenhagen Harbor

The Lakes

Near Nørreport Station are three consecutive lakes named Sankt Jørgens Sø, Peblinge Sø and Sortedamssøen Sø, but they’re usually just referred to as the Lakes and it’s one of my favorite parks in Copenhagen! The buildings along the lake are beautiful and so colorful, so it’s a really pretty spot to relax. There are some benches along the lakes, or you can get a grassy spot under the trees. It’s right in the center of town, but most people there are locals going for a run or having a picnic on a nice day.

The Lakes in Copenhagen

Swan in Copenhagen

The Lakes in Copenhagen

The Lakes in Copenhagen

Botanical Gardens

Another gorgeous park in Copenhagen is the Botanical Gardens! It’s right near Nørreport Station and Rosenborg, and its like a quiet oasis in the center of town. It’s a large park with ponds, trees, and little flower gardens, and you can visit the greenhouses. The Botanical Gardens have always been quiet and peaceful every time I’ve been, and it’s easy to find a secluded spot off of one of the many paths.

Botanical Gardens in Copenhagen

Botanical Gardens in Copenhagen

Botanical Gardens in Copenhagen

Botanical Gardens in Copenhagen

Grundtvig’s Church

Copenhagen has many beautiful churches, and Grundtvig’s Church is one of the most unique ones (and it’s such a hidden gem that Matt’s Danish host family hadn’t visited there yet!). It was built in the 1920s to honor Danish philosopher and hymn composer Grundtvig. The architecture is supposed to be a combination of Gothic and Brick Expressionism, and it used 5 million yellow bricks. The interior is very minimalistic, but it’s grand and has gorgeous lighting!

Grundtvig's Church in Copenhagen

Grundtvig's Church in Copenhagen

Grundtvig's Church in Copenhagen

Grundtvig's Church in Copenhagen

Grundtvig's Church in Copenhagen

Grundtvig's Church in Copenhagen

Grundtvig's Church in Copenhagen

Vesterbro

I always love walking through neighborhoods when I travel, and Copenhagen has some beautiful ones! Vesterbro has some famous sights like the Carlsberg Brewery and the zoo and Frederiksberg Palace are also right outside the border of Vesterbro, but most tourists don’t take the time to actually walk through the neighborhood. But there are some beautiful, colorful houses you should see! And Istedgade has lots of awesome shops and restaurants.

Vesterbro in Copenhagen

Houses in Vesterbro in Copenhagen

Frederiksberg Palace

Vesterbro in Copenhagen

Vesterbro in Copenhagen

Vesterbro in Copenhagen

Østerbro

Østerbro is another amazing neighborhood in Copenhagen! It has a unique mix of modern and historic architecture, and it has Fælledparken, the largest park in Copenhagen. A lot of the architecture has a Victorian influence, which I loved. And it has many awesome restaurants and shops, of course.

Olufsvej in Copenhagen

Olufsvej in Copenhagen

Olufsvej in Copenhagen

Østerbro in Copenhagen

Østerbro in Copenhagen

Østerbro harbor in Copenhagen

These hidden gems in Copenhagen are some of the best spots in the city, and I recommend visiting them all if you have the time! 🙂

Save to Pinterest!

Blog, Denmark, Europe, Photography, Travel

  1. Kat says:

    Should probably put the street names in the neighborhood you took pictures in because I came and didn’t find them.

  2. Oana Velican says:

    Hi! Love this post! Thank you for all the info. Could you please tell me what camera do you use for these amazing photos? Thank you! Oana

  3. Thank you very much for a perfect post about Copenhagen. We are off to explore this gorgeous city in less than 3 weeks and your post has helped us to find some off-the-beaten-path places (Grundtvig’s Church & Botanical Gardens) . Where would you recommend us to stay? What was your favourite area? Thank you very much for your respond, Martina x x.

    • Julia says:

      I’m so glad it was helpful! Osterbro and Vesterbro are nice areas to stay in that are still pretty conveniently located to a lot of the sights.

  4. Pernille says:

    I like your post, especially the pictures. Thank you for making my city look so beautiful.
    I don’t want to seem obnoxious but will just kindly inform you about a couple of things.
    First of all the zoo and Frederiksberg Palace are not in Vesterbro. They are in Frederiksberg which is formally an independent municipality, Frederiksberg Municipality, separate from Copenhagen Municipality, but both are a part of the City of Copenhagen. I can understand the confusion since part of Frederiksberg is going like a wedge down between Vesterbro and Nørrebro. We who live here are often not sure where we are. ????

    Secondly The Lakes are as you said called just The Lakes in everyday language but they do have names: Sankt Jørgens Sø, Peblinge Sø and Sortedamssøen Sø.

    I hope I don’t come across as a knowitall.

  5. tonya says:

    Grundtvig’s Church looks amazing! I love seeing the organs in churches like this, they are visual art and sound amazing.

  6. Nicole says:

    Grundtvig looks so beautiful! Copenhagen has been on our bucket list for awhile, this reminds me that we need to go soon. All of the golds & yellows are so pretty & the botanical garden looks amazing!

  7. Josy A says:

    Copenhagen looks like the perfect place to explore and walk all day. I love the variety of interesting architecture aaaaand all those pretty green spaces. I especially love the look of the colourful houses.

    I noticed in your photos there are quite a lot of bikes. Is it a good city for cyclists with non-terrifying cycle lanes? 😀

    • Julia says:

      Copenhagen is a great city for bikes! More people bike than drive, so they have pretty clear bike lanes and traffic lights specifically for bikes.

  8. Francesca says:

    This is such an informative post! I wish I had known about The Lakes when I visited Copenhagen. The architecture of Grundtvig’s Church is amazing! Østerbro looks like such a cool neighborhood.

  9. Brianna says:

    Copenhagen looks like such a peaceful city to walk around. Osterbro is so colourful! It seems like one of those places that in a more touristy city would become super insta-famous for posing infront of! Grundtvig’s Church has such interesting architecture, it’s so heavy and Gothic. Copenhagen looks like such a fun place to visit for a city break, I love your photos of it!

  10. Nikki says:

    Wow! These photos are absolutely gorgeous! I’ve fallen in love with this town already! Love all your recommendations, especially the harbor and church. Definitely pinning for a future trip!

  11. Ahh everytime we read your posts about copenhagen, we just want to pick up and go visit! It is definitely on our bucket list!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

embed your form here

 Pellentesque rutrum maximus leo vitae blandit. Vestibulum vel est eu sem laoreet dapibus. Pellentesque cursus semper purus, a gravida tortor. Ut ac urna magna. 

Grab Your Guide