Things to do in Copenhagen in winter – feel the Danish Hygge

There’s been a lot of talk about Hygge recently, the Danish word for those feel-good moments when you are snuggled up in front of the fire with a glass of mulled wine, or meeting friends in a café with candles flickering. If you’re looking for things to do in Copenhagen in winter, you’ll find the warmth of good food and friendship in Denmark’s capital.

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Copenhagen in winter – that cosy hygge feeling

When it’s cold and dark outside, you can curl up and read the bestselling book by Meik Wiking, The Little Book of Hygge, which is published by Penguin Books. It celebrates the small pleasures of life, from savouring a cinnamon bun fresh from the oven to having a relaxing meal with friends. In case you wonder Hygge is pronounced Huuu – ger with the hard g of gold.

Copenhagen winter break ideas

I’ve been to Copenhagen a few times in both summer and winter and there are plenty of fun things to do on a winter break to get that cosy Hygge feeling. Here are just a few of my recommendations for your weekend in Copenhagen;

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Stop for a bite to eat at Torvehallerne

The two Torvehallerne market halls are a buzzing place to stop and buy fresh food and lunchtime dishes. Most of the food vendors inside have some seating space and you can try everything from smorrebrod, the Danish open sandwich, to Sushi, to Paleo dishes as well as cakes and coffee from the legendary Coffee Collective. There’s also plenty of fresh and deli produce if the weather is warm enough for a picnic, with outdoor seating around the glass sided halls. I always love to stock up on the moreish chocolate Lakrids or licorice balls.

Top top: If you plan to do a lot of sightseeing, we recommend the Copenhagen Card, which gives you free public transport and free or discounted entrance to around 80 museums and attractions.

See the crown jewels at Rosenborg Slot

Visit Rosenborg Castle, set in the Kongens Have or Kings Garden, a popular spot for locals to go for a walk with a romantic formal garden and moat. The castle was built in the 17th century as the summer palace of King Christian IV and later became the home of the Royal collections. The rooms are a delightful walk through Danish history and the treasury in the vaults below the castle house the impressive Crown Jewels, including crowns and gorgeous jewellery that are still worn by the Danish royal family on state occasions today.

If you enjoy visiting historic castles you may also enjoy this day tour from Copenhagen to the royal castles of Frederiksborg and Kronborg. 

The Winter garden at Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek

The art museum of Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek is a favourite place to visit at any time of year. Built to house the art collection of brewing magnate, Carl Jacobsen, you can wander through the spacious halls full of white marble statues from Danish neo-classical sculptors. I love the impressionist galleries with works from Renoir, Van Gogh and Monet including the Degas “Little Ballerina” sculpture. At the centre of the building is a winter garden with glass roof and greenery with a cafe at one side that is a lovely place for lunch. The museum is free on Tuesdays or with a Copenhagen Card.

See more of Copenhagen easily with this sightseeing hop on hop off bus tour that includes a a 1 hour boat tour.

Where to stay in Copenhagen

For a cosy place to stay for your winter break in Copenhagen, the Hotel Kong Arthur fits the bill perfectly. The hotel is set at the end of a cobbled courtyard, close to the Copenhagen lakes, in a historic building that was once an apprentice’s residence.

As you step inside you’ll find a fire burning in winter, comfy sofas, cushions to sit in the window seat with a stack of books on the shelves. The 155 rooms are all different, but all have a sense of luxury combined with modern style. Here, the atmosphere is welcoming but informal and there’s even a Cosy Hour between 5 and 6pm when guests are served a little something in the lobby.

About Best Served Scandinavia

Best Served Scandinavia is an independent, tailor-made tour operator specialising in holidays to Scandinavia. Their travel consultants have walked the cobbled streets of Copenhagen and personally stayed in the hotels they recommend, enjoyed wintry excursions and plotted their own paths on self-drive and independent tours.

To give you an idea of the holidays you could book in Denmark and Copenhagen, visit the Best Served Scandinavia site. You could find yourself on a tailor made break to Copenhagen, visiting the castles and charming towns of Jutland while staying in luxury boutique hotels, or following Denmark’s Viking trail on a self-drive holiday.

For more information

You’ll find plenty of ideas on things to do in Copenhagen in winter on the Wonderful Copenhagen website

For more things to do in Denmark check out the Visit Denmark Website

Read more articles about Copenhagen

How to have a perfect weekend break in Copenhagen
A romantic weekend in Copenhagen
10 summertime cool things to do in Copenhagen

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Photos by Best Served Scandinavia except where noted by Heatheronhertravels.com

This article was sponsored* by Best Served Scandinavia

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This article is originally published at Heatheronhertravels.com

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