Here is a comprehensive list of things to do during winter in Denmark and in the Copenhagen snow.
Denmark may seem like a no man’s land during the winter because of harsh weather conditions and the freezing temperature.
But winter in Denmark is actually an opportunity for both locals and tourists to engage in various events and activities. Winter starts in December and concludes in February.
During this period, Denmark’s temperature drops to freezing degrees, and the icy winds make it even colder. Since the sun rises at around 9 AM and sets by 4 PM, daylight hours during winter are shorter.
However, visiting Denmark in winter will give you a feel of the festive and unique mood of Scandinavian Christmas. If you’ve been hearing about Santa Claus riding his sleigh on ice, then you might have that cozy feeling staying in Denmark during this period.
Don’t miss trying the following activities.
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Top 10 Things to Do in Copenhagen in Winter
Explore Copenhagen’s Christmas Markets
One of the best places to spend Christmas in Europe is at the Christmas Market in central Copenhagen. Known for its pedestrian shopping, the market features the iconic Copenhagen snow. Expect to see beautiful wooden stalls with decorations and lights that will surely attract anybody’s attention.
Among the products to buy here are handmade gifts and artisanal crafts that make up for a unique Denmark souvenir. A visit here would not be complete without feasting on native specialties such as aebleskiver, which are small pancakes topped with powdered sugar and fresh fruit jam.
Warm your body with a bottle of glogg, a locally-produced wine unique to the country, and garnished with raisins and almonds.
Check out the Nightlife in Nyhavn
For tourists who wish to see the vibrant and brightly-colored buildings in Denmark, one of the best spots is the Nyhavn waterfront. It is one of Copenhagen’s most scenic locations, and both tourists and locals come here to interact. It’s an ideal spot for relishing the rustic views while feasting on snacks or drinking wines.
When visitors happen to come here at night, they can view the city’s varied lights and the canal’s water reflecting these lights.
Warm Christmas lighting and decorations add to the scenic views, especially during the winter in Christmas. Such a stunning view makes up for a lovely stroll.
Try Winter Bathing at Sluseholmen
When there is snowfall in Denmark, the Danes are enticed to participate in winter bathing, which has become a popular tradition. The Danes believe diving or swimming into frozen water comes with a set of health benefits and improves the quality of life as a whole.
Among the best spots for winter, bathing is Sluseholmen, Islands Brygge, and Fisketorvet. These spots offer amenities or options for both newbies and seasoned winter bathers.
Are you planning your travels? Here’re my top travel resources!
I’m a serial planner both in life and in travel – I have bucket lists, things to do, see, and everything. So, I always love when my life is sorted easily using tools and resources that would make my general planning a little smoother and easier. Therefore, in my many years of traveling the world, I’ve seen myself returning to these travel resources repeatedly. And here I am, sharing my tips to make your life easy and breezy so you can stress less, travel heaps, and focus on the fun part of travel!
- Booking.com – I book all my hotels through this website and don’t honestly use anything else. They always have the best prices, in my opinion.
- Airbnb – If I’m traveling long-term to one destination, I book my flats through Airbnb.
- Skyscanner – The best place to find cheap flights on flexible dates. I use this a lot to score cheap flights within Europe!
- SafetyWing – Always travel insured! Never leave your home country without one. It is worth the extra money, I promise you!
- GetYourGuide – Hands-down, the best place to find cool and unique tours if you don’t feel like winging it, and go straight to a local expert. I use this a lot in new destinations to get acquainted with the area!
- My Pretty Wild World Travel Diary (coming soon) – A book you can write down your travel plans, create itineraries, track down your budget, and dot down memories along the way! A handy book you can keep and read later to revisit memory lane.
- Pretty Wild World Travel Planning Printables (coming soon) – Are you a nut like me when it comes to planning? Yes? Good. My travel planning resource in one zip file is an easy-to-use printable planner that comes with tips that helps you plan your travels during the planning stage, a pre-flight checklist, an itinerary planner, and so on.
Go Ice Skating at Frederiksberg
Ice skating is certainly the most common activity in temperate countries like Denmark during the winter months.
The best spot in the country is Copenhagen’s Frederiksberg Gardens. Here, visitors will find both youngsters and adults enjoying the sport or learning how to.
For those who don’t know how to skate, don’t worry, there are groups offering training. Or you can just observe them in their best ice skating moves and just feel the amazement. If you’re hyped for yet another thrilling adventure, grab some skating gear and try a round or two.
Play Board Games at Bastard Café
Because winter means pretty chilly weather in Denmark during winter, it’s good to engage in
some indoor activities. One of the best spots for doing that is at the Bastard Café in Copenhagen, which hosts board games.
Invite your friends and try some of the more than 2000 different board games. There are card games for youngsters and dice games for adults.
Visitors will not run out of options. They can also entertain themselves with an assortment of vintage games. Don’t forget to order some drinks or grab some snacks while playing board games. It’s a café, after all.
Enjoy a Sumptuous Dinner at Absalon
Nestled in the famous Vesterbro neighborhood is the Absalon is a restaurant and a bar at the same time. It used to be an old church but then turned into a welcoming and colorful restaurant.
It is one of the very few places serving a community kitchen dinner called “folkekokken.” It is a buffet-style of dinner, and each has to pay around 50 Kroner.
The restaurant also offers movie-themed nights, including bingo and Ping-Pong tournaments. Enjoy a sumptuous and fun-filled dinner with loved ones when visiting Absalon.
Hold up! Have you thought about the importance of travel insurance?
Remember this: anything can happen. Travel is fun, but your health is more important; thus, I always, always, always recommend getting insured during the duration of your trip. I have benefitted from having one multiple times, and it has been covered for thousands of euros!
The latest one is not necessarily “health” related – it was during the peak of the unspeakable terrible C that consumed the world. I was living in Vietnam when I received an email from SafetyWing (my travel insurance) that if I want they’ll fly be back home to Finland as the world goes through a global emergency alert. I flew back fully covered, and dealing with SafetyWing was a breeze despite the roar of people in contact with them trying to get back home.
I can’t highly recommend them enough. Otherwise, I rarely get sick; hence I don’t always need to head to a hospital, but knowing that I have travel insurance makes me feel safe at the very least.
Read my post about why you should get travel insurance for more information. Otherwise, you can get a free quote from SafetyWing – they’re the best, in my opinion.
Relax in Sauna at La Banchina
The chilly weather during the long winter in Denmark calls for relaxing moments such as having a sauna at La Banchina. The sauna can accommodate up to eight people in one duration and opens at 10 AM every day and closes by 9 PM.
The entry fee per person is around 50 Kroner. Aside from the sauna, visitors here can enjoy natural wine and coffee that complements Italian servings. Have a toasty sauna bath at La Banchina.
Enjoy Skiing at Amager Bakke
Also known as Copenhill, Amage Bakke is Denmark’s first artificial recreational hiking space and ski slope, which began operating in December 2018. Among the various activities here are running, hiking, tobogganing, and skiing.
These make the place an ideal getaway for those chasing thrills and adventures. The summit also hosts a café and a restaurant aside from the ski shop.
See Premium Art at the Louisiana Museum of Modern Arts
Art lovers will surely enjoy visiting the Louisiana Museum of Modern Arts, which takes 40 minutes to reach via train from central Copenhagen.
The museum hosts more than 3500 artworks by both Danish and international artists. It also has a vantage point that provides breathtaking views of Sweden’s coasts.
Even during the winter months, the museums hold special art exhibitions. Take a detailed tour around the museum, and visitors will themselves in constant amazement.
Trace History of Denmark’s Oldest Town
Ribe, considered the oldest town in Denmark, is one of the most pleasant places to visit in Denmark during winter. It offers some of the fun-filled and most exciting destinations in the country since there is no dearth of places to explore.
Expect to see medieval structured buildings that will give visitors an understanding of the rich Viking heritage. What a way to trace back history and have a feel of how the Vikings must have lived in the past.
These are some of the best things to do during the winter in Denmark and the Copenhagen snow. See? Not even the chilly weather can take out the fun and adventure that the country offers.
Indeed, it is a paradise worth a visit throughout the year. Now, book a flight and set to the aforesaid destinations for a lifelong journey.
What are my favorite travel must-haves?
As a frequent traveler, I’ve learned a lot throughout my years of travel, and there are five items that I always carry with me regardless of where I go and how long the trip is. Here are my five travel must-haves!
- Warm packable jacket – I always carry a light jacket, even when heading to warm countries. There hasn’t been a time I never used it, especially in airports and planes.
- Transparent toiletry bag – I often bring a carry-on if I’m only traveling within Europe for a few days. Life is so much easier to go through security checks with a transparent toiletry bag.
- Kindle Paperwhite – I love a good read and always take my Kindle everywhere. It keeps me entertained during long flights and waiting times.
- Powerbank – I don’t know how I could travel without one! Having a power bank saved me a ton since I carry a lot of electronic devices with me.
- Travel Adapter – I never leave my luggage without a travel adapter! I carry one with me all the time. It is just one of that travel-must haves that doesn’t hurt to have in your bag at all times.
