11 Best Sights in Copenhagen, Denmark

The Dutch Renaissance Rosenborg Castle contains ballrooms, halls, and reception chambers, but for all of its grandeur, it has an intimacy that makes you think the king might return at any minute. Thousands of objects are displayed, including beer glasses, gilded clocks, golden swords, family portraits, a pearl-studded saddle, and gem-encrusted tables. The underground treasury contains the crown jewels. The castle's setting is equally welcoming. It's in the middle of King's Garden, amid lawns, park benches, and shady walking paths.

King Christian IV built Rosenborg Castle as a summer residence but loved it so much that he ended up living here until his death. In 1849, when the absolute monarchy was abolished, all the royal castles became state property except for Rosenborg, which is still passed down from monarch to monarch.

This peaceful, leafy cemetery in the heart of Nørrebro is the final resting place of numerous great Danes, including Søren Kierkegaard (whose last name actually means "cemetery"), Hans Christian Andersen, and physicist Niels Bohr. In summer the cemetery takes on a cheerful, city-park air as picnicking families, young couples, and sunbathers relax on the sloping lawns amid the dearly departed.

En route from Christianshavn to Refshaleøen is Copenhagen's legendary freetown Christiania, which was founded in 1971 when students occupied army barracks. It's now a peaceful community of nonconformists, consisting of 630 adults and 130 kids, where wall cartoons preach drugs and peace. There are a number of businesses here, including a bike shop, a smithy, a rock-music club, and several good organic eateries. When exploring Christiania, make sure to leave the central, busy part of the community to walk around on the idyllic, pedestrian paths that run through the forest, past the riding school, along the lake, and between the imaginative self-built houses. English-language tours are offered year-round on weekends at 3 pm (daily from July to September).  Many inhabitants are not fond of cameras, and picture taking is forbidden on Pusher Street.

A former water reservoir has been transformed into one of Copenhagen’s most popular venues for contemporary art. The exhibitions change and it can be difficult to find the entrance to the underground reservoir; check the website for information before you head out.

Islands Brygge's main claim to fame is its harbor bath, which draws visitors from all over the city on summer days. The bath consists of five pools that are filled with water from the harbor and several jumping boards. In the winter there’s a club for ice swimmers, complete with a sauna.

Copenhagen’s former meatpacking district has transformed into a hipster neighborhood with galleries, coworking spaces, fashion boutiques, restaurants, bars, coffee shops, and nightclubs. The area is small and easy to explore on foot. Galleri Bo Bjerggaard, V1 Gallery, and Fotografisk Center are some of the best galleries, and the pizzeria Mother, the gourmet restaurant Gorilla, the brewpub Warpigs, and the bustling, bistro-like wine bar Paté Paté are some of the best places to eat. After dark, Mesteren & Lærlingen draws a casual crowd with its strong drinks and happy DJs.

Officially the Frederiks Kirke, this ponderous Baroque sanctuary of precious Norwegian marble was begun in 1749 and remained untouched from 1770 to 1874 due to budget constraints. It was finally completed and consecrated in 1894. Around the exterior are 16 statues of various religious leaders from Moses to Luther, and below them stand sculptures of outstanding Danish ministers and bishops. You can can scale 273 steps to the outdoor balcony on the top of the church for great views of the queen's palace and the Opera, across the canal. Afterward, continue along Bredgade to the exotic gilded onion domes of the Russisk Ortodoks Kirke (Russian Orthodox Church).

This pretty harborfront neighborhood, whose name means "new harbor," is perhaps the most photographed location in Copenhagen. It was built 300 years ago to attract traffic and commerce to the city center. Until 1970, the area was a favorite haunt of sailors. Though restaurants, boutiques, and antiques stores now outnumber tattoo parlors, many old buildings have been well preserved and retain the harbor's authentic 18th-century maritime character. You can even see a fleet of old-time sailing ships from the quay. Hans Christian Andersen lived at various times in Nyhavn houses at numbers 18, 20, and 67.

This cultural and culinary hub used to be an artificial island home to a historical shipyard, but the island has been annexed with the rest of Amager, and the shipping industry is long gone. Instead, Refshaleøen’s former factories are being turned into art galleries, not-so-micro-breweries, busy beach bars, music venues, and gourmet restaurants. It's the perfect place to while away an afternoon and evening.

The site of Denmark's main cathedral, the Church of Our Lady, has drawn worshippers since the 13th century, when Bishop Absalon built a chapel here. The previous church, consecrated in 1738, was burned to the ground in 1807 during the Napoleonic Wars. Despite the country's poverty after the defeat, the city built a new place of worship, in the then-modern neoclassical style. Inside you can see sculptor Bertel Thorvaldsen's marble sculptures depicting Christ and the 12 apostles, and Moses and David cast in bronze. The funerals of both Søren Kierkegaard and Hans Christian Andersen were held here.

It might be one of Copenhagen’s shortest streets, but Værnedamsvej is also one of the most charming. The mix of cafés (Granola is a beloved institution), cheese and flower shops, bookshops, wine bars, bistros, and designer boutiques gives the street a Parisian feel, and it’s lovely from early morning to late night.