Tips for the perfect summer in Copenhagen

Take a refreshing dip into the water

The beaches in and around Copenhagen are not the only opportunity to take a dip into the water to cool off. Did you know that the water in Copenhagen’s centre is actually so clean you can swim in it? Join the Copenhageners at the Havnebadet Islands Brygge in the heart of the city.

The venue consists of four different outdoor swimming pools, allowing you to take a refreshing break in the cool water while enjoying a scenic view of the city at the same time. The outdoor pools are accessible for free and make a unique experience to add to your Copenhagen itinerary.  

Explore the harbour by kayak

Hop-on hop-off buses and cycling are both great ways to explore the city but why not change it up and discover Copenhagen from a different perspective? Take a fun kayak tour through the capital’s harbour! The area consists of many different providers to rent a kayak from.

GreenKayak offers kayaks for rent while doing good at the same time. You can jump into one of the bright green kayaks for free in exchange for collecting trash around the harbour and sharing the companies mission on social media. This way the company has already been able to collect more than 100,000 kg of ocean waste!  

Copenhagen's best festivals

Copenhagen’s calendar is filled with many fun festivals and cultural events during the summer months. Distortion starts of the summer with a week full of orchestrated street chaos. From 29 May till 2 June in both Nørrebro and Vesterbro thousands of locals celebrate one of Europe's largest street parties.

The Copenhagen Summer Festival delights with classical chamber music from new, young talents and high-profile artists. The festival is an important stage for young, musical talents, the stars of tomorrow. In 2024 the festival takes place from 4 to 15 August in Kunsthalle Charlottenburg along the water at Nyhavn.

Ever since the 1950s Copenhagen has continuously built its reputation as a jazz city. The Danish capital’s distinctive connection with jazz resulted into the annual 10-day long Copenhagen Jazz Festival, one of Europe’s largest jazz festivals. It features more than 600 concerts taking place at 150 venues. You can enjoy this lavish musical celebration on the streets of Copenhagen and all over its clubs, cafes and concert halls.

Lush parks

In Copenhagen you can find several luscious green gardens and parks around the city. They are the ideal spots for a picnic in the grass, taking a stroll or relaxing on a sunny day. Especially if you don't want to leave the city to visit either Dyrehaven or Kronborg Castle.

One of the most popular parks is King’s Garden. It lies directly next to Rosenborg Castle and was constructed under Christian IV in the 17th century. The Renaissance style garden is the oldest royal garden of the country and is especially beautiful in summer due to large beds full of colourful flowers.

Other parks to visit in the city are Østre Anlæg, behind SMK (Statens Museum for Kunst), and Langelinieparken right by the Little Mermaid statue. The Botanical Garden also offers a great escape from the city noise, and holds the largest collection of living plants in all of Denmark. And, of course, Tivoli is a not-to-miss amusement park with lots of greenery and flowers.

And then there is the Copenhagen ZOO in Frederiksberg, which is one of the oldest zoos in Europe. It is the home of more than 4000 animals from all over the world, and it is one of Denmark’s most visited attractions. The ZOO is surrounded by Frederiksberg Gardens, Søndermarken park and Frederilsberg Palace.