💳 24 Hour Copenhagen Card Itinerary
Follow Derek's 24 Hour CPH Card Path
Every place in our CPH Card YouTube video is listed and mapped out for you. Follow this guide and you'll save $75 dollars - enough to cover your meals and drinks at the restaurants and bars mentioned throughout.
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💥 2:15 PM - CPH Card Activation
I began my 24 hours at Central Station, before entering the metro and traveling to the Gammel Strand metro stop. This is a very central location in Copenhagen's inner city and a logical starting point. As you saw, I activated my CPH card around 2:15 PM giving me plenty of time to tour in the afternoon and evening with a nice remainder the following calendar day.
🏰 2:30 PM - 4:00 Tour Christiansborg Palace and Ruins
You can reserve a time slot online, but it's not required to enter Christiansborg. There is a guided tour of the Royal Reception Hall at 3:00 PM but even though I could have made it, I chose the audio guide instead. It was more my style to tour on my own and with the filming I did, I knew I would have been annoying to the group (picture me taking selfie videos and panning around ever room - it would have been obnoxious). I've heard it's a great tour though and it's always nice to have a live guide if you can time things to be at the palace at 3:00 PM.
There's a place to store your bags and outerwear for free near the gift shop - this was very convenient. Overall I spent 90 minutes inside, including beneath the palace in the ruins area. You could easily spend a little longer, so I would suggest 90 minutes to 3 hours if you decide to visit the stables. You can also go up the tower at Christiansborg Palace for free (and using the elevator for most of the ascent). This could be a nice activity to do BEFORE activating your card, so that you can get a little bit of the tour started early and preserve your precious CPH Card time.
🆓 Tip: Free Museum for Tuesday
Next door to the palace, you'll find this bright yellow building with a curious reflecting pool. It makes for a wonderful photo backdrop AND it's free on Tuesdays. Try to visit this museum and view the sculpture works inside on a free day and preserve your time with an active CPH Card for paid attractions and tours.
🏺 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM Visit the National Museum
Walking from Christiansborg Palace to the National Museum is rather quick, but linger and enjoy the canal views. I did, and entered the museum for a nice two-hour visit. I love the national museum and all of the history inside, specifically the modern Danish exhibit. It's very interesting to learn about the political and cultural aspects of modern Denmark through the exhibit on its most recent period of history. I also stopped for a bottle of water and a snack in the museum's lounge. It was nice to rest for a moment before moving on and I recommend doing the same.
🛥️ 6:30 PM - 7:30 PM Enjoy a Classic Canal Boat Tour
The Classic Stromma Canal Tour is incredible, there was a scheduled boat every 30 minutes when I visited. Their daily schedule is available online and may help you plan your day. There's also a drink and snack stand on the dock, so you can wait with a drink or rest there if you have to kill a little time before your boat arrives. It's a VERY scenic spot to wait, and you can take a quick glance at Agnethe and the Mermen - underwater statues that are in the canal between the ticket stand and Højbro (the bridge over the canal).
🍽️ Tip: Food and Drink Recommendation
If you're hungry after the canal boat tour or just get a little FOMO as you pass Kayak Bar, make a quick stop there after your tour or head back for a nightcap once your touring day is finished.
⬆️ 7:45 PM Climb the Spire at Church of Our Saviour
🍽️ Tip: Food and Drink Recommendation
Tivoli Food Hall was a prefect dinner after touring all afternoon, I enjoyed a bowl of ramen, but you can also try smørrebrød at Hallernes if you want something more Danish.
🍽️ Tip: Breakfast Recommendation
Check out MidWestern Diner for a fantastic breakfast in a beautiful square. It's also very close to Nørreport Station and many attraction in the inner city, so you can definitely use it a launching point for your day of touring Copenhagen.
⬆️ 10:00 AM - 10:45 AM Climb the Round Tower
I found the Round Tower to be a perfect start to the day, getting to watch the morning bustle of the city below was really cool. I suggest doing it just as they open so you can avoid any crowds and warm up your legs with a walk up the ramp. Just ease into the day and scope out your next stops from the observation deck.
🏰 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM Tour Rosenborg Castle
Rosenborg is a bit smaller than Christiansborg, it's over a century older, so it's wise (but not always required) to reserve an entry time slot. Once there are a certain quota of visitors, staff will restrict admission and time slots do "sell out" in peak travel periods. It's free to reserve your spot with the CPH Card using the link below:
🧺 Tip: Picnic Like a Local
When you have a day with some downtime, head back to the King's Garden and have a picnic like a local.
🍽️ Tip: Food and Drink Recommendation
You'll have a lovely dining experience at Garden for dinner or lunch. The best thing they offer though, is take away picnic lunches packed with or without a bottle of wine. You can buy one and enjoy it across the street in the King's Garden.
👗 12:40 PM - 1:40 PM Explore the Designmuseum Denmark
You could linger for a longer at the Designmuseum, but the important thing is to get to Tivoli by 2:15 PM - so make sure to leave before 2:00 PM because it will take 15 minutes to reach Tivoli Gardens (with no room for error). I recommend to give yourself a little breathing room and keep your visit around an hour.
⚕️ Cut for Time - Medical Museum
I didn't make it during my 24 hours, but if you cut time elsewhere or shuffle activities - it's possible to fit this one in around the time you're also visiting the Design Museum because they are so close together.
🎢 2:14 PM - 10:00 PM Tivoli Gardens
As long as you reach Tivoli Gardens before 2:15 PM and the expiration of your 24 hour CPH Card, you can enjoy Tivoli for the remainder of the day until it closes at 10:00 PM. Keep in mind that the ride tickets or unlimited ride pass will be an additional fee for you (I love rides, so we always go with the unlimited pass).
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