My husband and I will travel to Copenhagen in June. From there we will be going to the Rhine Valley in Germany, possibly to Belgium, and definitely to Amsterdam. We are thinking 3 or 4 days in Copenhagen. With 4 full days it would leave us with 11-12 days for the remainder of our trip. I would appreciate input. Thanks.
Posted by
Seattle, WA, USA
1068 posts
You are likely to be told by others that 3 or 4 days is too long in Copenhagen. I don't think it is. With that much time, you can spend a morning in Tivoli and have lunch there (or not - but I LOVE Tivoli while others on this board are more, "Meh"), explore Freetown Christiania, stroll along Stroget, go to Nyhavn and have beers and sandwiches while enjoying some prime people watching, check out Rosenborg Castle, and still have time to take a day trip to Roskilde for the glorious (and slightly creepy/Goth) cathedral and most excellent Viking ship museum.
There is a LOT more in Copenhagen than most people think: http://www.visitcopenhagen.com/copenhagen/sightseeing/top-30-attractions
So I think 3 or even 4 days would be perfect. But then, I am very very partial to Denmark. :-)
Posted by
2081 posts
welcome donna,
when planning trips, think about what YOU want to do and see. I can tell you how many days i spent there, but what floats your boat doenst necessarily float my boat. Rick steves and others have a books on Copenhagen (CPH), or you can google it. Also, stating what youall like to do/see can help decide how long you may want to stay.
The same will go for the rest of your trip.
I am currently planning on my trip for this sept and initially just decided to give each city 3 full days - on a whim. It appears that i maybe short on some cities now that ive got a "to do" list for each.
dont forget transit times and settling in times in your travels.. Since it appears youre traveling in a circular pattern, your travel times should be minimal.
I did the "dinner with the danes" thing and really enjoyed the meal and the couple that hosted it. I would do it again when i go back.
Happy trails.
Posted by
Danville, VT
12040 posts
I found that two full days in Copenhagen was at least adequate, if not ideal. 4 days would probably allow for a good daytrip.
If you want a good preview of Copenhagen's scenery, shown in both a flattering and sinister light, find these excellent Danish TV shows: Forbrydselen (that was crappily remade for the US as "The Killing"), and Borgen. These are two of the best female-centered dramas I've ever seen.
PS: I think "11-12 days" is sufficient for the other destinations you listed.
Posted by
Issaquah,WA
77 posts
Four days would be a nice amount of time. In addition to seeing Copenhagen proper, we loved traveling by train one day this fall to the Louisiana modern art museum on the coast and a second day to Roskilde to see the cathedral and the Viking Ship Museum. Both trips were memorable and easy to do by train to and from Copenhagen. Take a canal cruise in Copenhagen and go to the Viking museum in town; check out the Rosenborg Castle in town, wander along Nyhavn and sit in a cafe with a beer and enjoy the scene. Lots of things to do (we found Christiana briefly interesting but not for long). We really enjoyed Copenhagen!
Posted by
Florida, USA
12172 posts
We spent five days and I felt like I could have spent more time productively. IMO Copenhagen has the most to see and do in Scandinavia (including day trips to Roskilde, Fredericksborg palace, and Helsingor).
That said, my advice on how long to stay in any one place remains the same. Study guidebooks, choose your must-sees, then divide by two (two major sights per day) to get the number of days you should stay.