country
DenmarkDanmark
First trip: Copenhagen 4 nights by bike, metro and train, with Roskilde, Helsingør or Malmö as day-trips; add Aarhus or Odense by train for 2–3 nights only if you have a week.
Denmark is flat and small: Copenhagen sits on Zealand, bridges link it to Funen and Jutland, and the Øresund Bridge links it to Malmö in Sweden. Trains and bikes cover almost everything a first-timer needs; a car only helps for the west coast, Skagen or Bornholm. The traps are short winter days, the July holiday when some restaurants close, and the cost, which makes one well-placed base better than several.
All regions, cities and parks in Denmark (Atlas) →
Regions
Copenhagen base; Roskilde, Helsingør (Kronborg) and Louisiana museum by train
3–5 nights
Odense and island villages between Copenhagen and Jutland
1–2 nights
Aarhus, Billund (Legoland), Ribe and the Skagen tip
2–4 nights
Baltic island by ferry or flight; beaches and round churches
2–3 nights
Arrive
CPH
Copenhagen Kastrup
Metro or train to the centre in about 15 minutes
BLL
Billund
Jutland; Legoland and the west coast
AAR
Aarhus
Small airport; bus to Aarhus
Time math
- 3 days
- Copenhagen 3 (one day-trip to Helsingør or Roskilde)
- 5 days
- Copenhagen 4 + Malmö across the bridge as a day-trip
- 7 days
- Copenhagen 4 + Aarhus 3 by train, with Odense on the way
Country rules
- Denmark is in the EU and the Schengen area. Check the entry rules for your passport on official sources; Greenland and the Faroe Islands have separate entry arrangements.
- Bike lanes are busy fast lanes: do not walk or stand in them, and signal before you stop if you cycle.
- Denmark is close to cashless: cards and phone payments work almost everywhere, even for small amounts.
Etiquette
- Be on time; Danes are punctual.
- Queue with a ticket number at pharmacies, bakeries and service counters.
- Keep to the right on escalators and in cycle lanes.
- Easter (Maundy Thursday to Easter Monday)
- Five days of public holidays; many shops close.
- July
- Main holiday month: some restaurants close, while beaches and summer towns fill.
- Dec 24–26
- Christmas: most restaurants and shops close; plan meals ahead.
- November–February
- Short days and cold, wet weather; some summer attractions close.
Money & passes
Cash necessity: 1/5
- Currency is the Danish krone (DKK, kr); the euro is not used, though some tourist shops accept it at a poor rate.
- Cards and phone payments are accepted almost everywhere; some shops no longer take cash.
- Service is included in restaurant bills; tipping is not expected.
Before you fly: eSIM before you fly · Visas and entry
Safety
- Denmark is very safe; the main risk is bike traffic when you step into a cycle lane.
- Pickpockets work Copenhagen Central Station, Strøget and Nyhavn in summer.
- Winter days are short and dark; plan outdoor sights for the middle of the day.
- Emergency: 112 (the EU number) works everywhere.
Denmark is the gateway to Scandinavia (planned): trains to Malmö and Stockholm, ferries to Norway, and flights to the Faroe Islands and Iceland.
Sources
- UK travel advice — Denmark (official)
- VisitDenmark (official tourism site) (official)
- Wikivoyage — Denmark (secondary)