The best way to really get to grips with a city is to take a walking tour with a knowledgeable guide who can show you all the local hot spots and sights.
Whether you’re a first-time-visitor who wants to see the big attractions, or are on the look out for some unknown gems, there’s no shortage of walking tours in Copenhagen. And the best news is that some of them are free!
There’s a whole raft of walking tours in Copenhagen run by in-the-know locals, and many of them have no upfront fee – you simply give the guide a tip at the end if you’ve enjoyed the tour. So check out some of our favourite free walking tours.
See the city sights tour
First time in Copenhagen and want to see the top sights in an easy half-day walk? This free walking tour takes in the colourful Nyhavn harbour, the impressive Amelienburg Palace, where the Danish royal family spend the winter, and the domed marble church.
This tour gives you the insider knowledge on Hans Christian Anderson, the Danish Resistence during World War II and shows you some of Copenhagen’s top examples of Danish architetcure.
The tour can be booked in either English or Spanish.
Take a history and culture tour
Fancy something a bit more cultural? This free guided walking tour explores Copenhagen’s Renaissance masterpieces, from the city’s neoclassical cathedral to the seventeenth-century Rosenburg Castle.
Your professional English-speaking guide will give you the inside info on sights such as the Rundetaarn, a former observatory with a spiral ramp wide enough to drive a horse and carriage up to the top, and the city’s founder Archbishop Absalon.
Is the Copenhagen Card worth buying?
Read this guide to see how much you could save during your trip!
Visit alternative Christiania
Want to see the more alternative side of the city? Check out this free walking tour of Freetown Christiania, Copenhagen’s semi-autonomous state. Around a thousand people live in this alternative community, with a laid-back atmosphere, which was set up in the 1960s and has its own rules and regulations.
With its yoga rooms, meditation huts and tolerant attitude to drugs, Christiania has a hippy vibe about it and recycling has been the norm here for years.
This community of free-thinkers is home to some quirky and imaginative buildings, such as a house made entirely of windows, and you can wander round its cobbled streets, admiring the colourful graffiti and innovative junk art on display.
How much should I tip?
Almost all of Copenhagen’s free walking tours are ‘free’ in that you won’t have to pay any money upfront. At the end of the tour, you will be asked (and perhaps expected) to give your guide a tip.
If you’re happy with the tour then we’d definitely suggest tipping – for many guides it’s a vital source of income. Around 100 DKK per person is a fair amount to leave. If you’d rather avoid the sometimes awkward feeling that comes with tipping, go for one of the paid-for tours listed below.
Paid-for walking tours
Copenhagen’s free walking tours are good, but if you fancy something a little more detailed or intimate, or don’t like the idea of paying on a tips-only basis there are plenty of paid-for walking tours on offer that cater to all interests. Here are some of our favourites.
Foodie Copenhagen
Copenhagen is a gastronomic hot spot, and this culinary walking tour takes in some of the city’s best foodie destinations. Home of Noma, the Michelin-starred restaurant that kick-started the New Nordic cuisine trend, Copenhagen is rightly proud of its local ingredients, food halls, markets and innovative restaurants.
This tour takes in five foodie hot spots, and gives you a whole feast of info on buying and preparing ingredients, and new cooking techniques.
Best of all, the tour includes beer-tastings and samples of local specialities such as Danish hot dogs and fish balls and smørrebrød (open sandwiches).
Pub crawl and party
Home to one of the world’s best-selling beers (Carlsberg), Copenhagen is known for its bars, breweries and nightlife. The Danes do a love a drink, so why not join them on this pub crawl led by a party-loving guide, who will take you some of the city’s most popular drinking venues?
Visit four of the city’s best bars, with two free shots and two mixed drinks included. Then, end up at one of Copenhagen’s liveliest nightclubs where you can dance the night away.
Hygge and happiness with a local
Denmark is known for the concept of hygge, and this walking tour takes in places in the city that can give you a sense of well-being and happiness. You’ll explore a hidden library garden and the Kongens Have, one of world’s first public parks.
The tour also takes in the narrow streets of Nyboder, with its yellow-painted houses, part of the world’s first social housing project. The knowledgeable guide will also give you the lowdown on Danish design, and Denmark’s impressive green innovations and social policies.
Best of all, the tour includes a trip to a calming café for a Danish pastry and coffee and a chocolate treat. What’s not to like?
Photography and walking tour
Improve your Insta profile with this three-hour private photography walking tour that takes you to the most cinematic corners of the city.
Your guide is a professional photographer who can not only show you some great hidden gems to shoot, but will also help you get the best compositions and give some top tips on technique, exposure and editing.
