8 amazing day trips from Copenhagen: Tips from a local

Although there’s no shortage of exciting experiences in Copenhagen, the capital of Denmark, there are also plenty of cool places to see beyond the city limits. Having lived in Copenhagen for almost 10 years, I’ve done a good amount of exploring in this part of the country and got inspired to put together a list of the best day trips from Copenhagen, which I’ll share with you in this post. 

These trips offer a lovely break from the busy city and its tourist hordes and take you to charming villages, beautiful coastal areas, castles and cliffs. Whether you’re a local or a visitor, whether you’re interested in architecture, nature, history or art, there’s something in this list for everybody. 

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7 best day trips from Copenhagen:

1) Møns Klint

Roughly 1.5-hour drive from Copenhagen, you’ll find Møns Klint – the highest cliffs in Denmark and some of the most impressive landscapes in the whole country. 

Rising steeply from the Baltic Sea, the 120 m (400 ft) tall white chalk cliffs of Møn create a beautiful contrast with the turquoise water below. It’s the kind of scenery I didn’t expect to find in Denmark. Remember, the country is as flat as a pancake so cliffs as tall as these are a pretty extraordinary sight.

Møns Klint and its surrounding areas are protected as a nature reserve and form the habitat to various species of flora and fauna. On the top of the white cliffs, there’s an ancient forest with hiking trails, cycling routes and wonderful views over the Baltic Sea. You’ll also find two wooden staircases descending to the beach down at the foot of the cliffs. Bear in mind though that when the tide comes in and the water level rises, you might not be able to access the beach.

If you’re curious to learn about the history of this place, its fossils and geological processes, visit the GeoCenter Møns Klint at the top of the cliffs.

Møns Klint is a bit difficult to reach by public transport so your best options to visit it are either to rent a car or take a tour from Copenhagen, such as this guided 8-hour tour that also includes a visit to the Forest Tower (more details on this spot later).

2) Frederiksborg Castle

Frederiksborg Castle, often referred to as the “Versailles of Denmark”, is just a 40-minute train ride from Copenhagen. It is the largest Renaissance complex in Scandinavia and one of the most fascinating cultural treasures of Denmark. The castle’s exquisite architecture and historical significance make it one of the best Copenhagen day trips for those interested in culture and history.

Located on three small islands in the Castle Lake in Hillerød, this 17th-century castle used to be the residence of the Danish royalty, but now houses the Museum of National History. 

Although Frederiksborg Castle looks impressive on the outside, the best part of it is its interior. There are massive extravagantly decorated halls and a large collection of art, furniture and royal portraits, encompassing 500 years of Denmark’s history. The museum is open every day from 10am to 5pm and the entrance fee for adults is 125 DKK (17 euros).

Don’t forget to stroll around in the castle’s Baroque garden as well. Decorated with fountains, geometrically trimmed hedges and water cascades, it’s the perfect place to relax after hours of exploring. Visiting the garden is free of charge.

You can visit Frederiksborg Castle on this full-day tour from Copenhagen that also includes Kronborg Castle and the town of Roskilde. It’s a convenient option if you don’t want to deal with public transport, plus you’ll get to visit several major attractions in one go.

Related post: Hidden gems of Copenhagen

3) Dragør

Located on the southern coast of the island of Amager, Dragør is a sleepy fishing village just 12 km (7.5 mi) from Copenhagen. 

You can easily get there by bus number 250S from Copenhagen and the journey takes around 40 minutes. Or if you’re up for a bit of exercise and the weather allows it, rent bikes and cycle to Dragør instead. The coastal biking route has some great views over the Øresund Strait and takes you through meadows and the charming Danish countryside. I’ve done it a few times and I think it’s a really pleasant bike ride.

Dragør is a great place to escape the bustling city and spend a couple of hours simply walking around its pretty streets and enjoying the unique atmosphere. The narrow cobblestone alleys, tiny yellow cottages and their quaint gardens offer lots of cool photo spots and make you feel like you’ve stepped back in time.

There’s a small marina, little boutiques, bakeries, ice cream shops and a handful of waterfront restaurants. One place I always visit when I’m in Dragør is Dragør Røgeri, a small smokehouse, where you can get some delicious smoked fish for a very reasonable price.

Dragør really comes to life in the summer months with outdoor markets and various festivals of art, music and food.

4) The Forest Tower

About an hour’s drive south of Copenhagen, there’s a 45 m (147 ft) tall futuristic tower rising above the forest. This impressive structure is known as The Forest Tower and is located in Camp Adventure park. It’s the tallest observation tower in all of Scandinavia. Because of its unique design, it has received high praise from the architecture community and won several international awards.  

The entrance fee to the tower is 185-200 DKK, depending on the month you visit, and tickets can be purchased here.

Getting to the top of the tower is an experience in itself. A 650-meter ramp spirals from the ground all the way up and offers visitors the opportunity to see the surrounding forest from a whole new angle. 

Once you reach the top, you’ll be rewarded with panoramic views over the landscapes of South Zealand. If you’re lucky and happen to visit The Forest Tower on a really clear day, you might even see Copenhagen, the Øresund Bridge and parts of Malmö skyline from there.

Besides visiting the tower, you can also explore Camp Adventure’s climbing park (with a separate ticket), which has 35 zip lines and 12 different courses of varying levels of difficulty.

5) Lupine fields

If you like flowers, then you need to visit this giant lupine field. Every year from mid-May to July, this patch of land in the Danish countryside turns into a massive sea of pink and purple. It’s a stunning sight and a fantastic spot to take photos. I had never seen a place like this before, and I’m quite surprised it’s not more famous.

It also smells amazing, with the sweet aroma of the flowers filling the air. The peak bloom is in June, so if you want to see the field at its fullest, time your visit accordingly. Right next to the lupins, there’s also a gorgeous field of pink chives.

This is private land, so please remember to show respect and only admire the flowers from the edge of the field. Do not pick the flowers or trample them.

The lupine field is located on the island of Lolland, a 2-hour drive from Copenhagen. It’s quite a remote spot in a rural area, so your only option to get here is to rent a car. To find the exact location, search for ‘lupinmark’ in Google Maps.

Tip: If you have a car, you can combine your visit to the lupine fields with Møns Klint.

6) Helsingør and Kronborg Castle

Helsingør, also known as Elsinore, is a picturesque coastal town, just 45 minutes from Copenhagen by train. The historic center of Helsingør is full of narrow cobblestone streets and well-preserved colorful houses which give the area a charming medieval character. 

The main reason most people visit Helsingør though is the UNESCO-listed Kronborg Castle, which was the setting of Shakespeare’s Hamlet. This Renaissance castle houses a collection of exquisite tapestries, a 63-meter-long banquet hall and eerie crypts hidden deep under the castle.

To see the interior of the castle, you need to purchase a ticket. If you buy the ticket online, the price is 135 DKK (18 euros) whereas on the spot the price is 150 DKK (20 euros).

If you’re not keen on paying the entrance fee, you can still walk around outside the castle, explore its bastions and moats, and enjoy the views of the Øresund Strait.

Kronborg Castle also hosts the Hamlet Highlights experience every summer, where you can see live performances of scenes form Hamlet. In 2026, the experience takes place from June 27 to August 31.

As I mentioned earlier in this post, this full-day guided tour from Copenhagen, is a convenient option for those that want to visit both Kronborg Castle and Frederiksborg Castle, as well as the town of Roskilde.

7) The island of Hven

One of my favorite day trips from Copenhagen is sailing to the idyllic Swedish island of Hven, which is located in the Øresund Strait between Sweden and Denmark.

In order to get there, you need to catch a ferry from Copenhagen, which will take you to the island in about 1.5 hours. Unfortunately, the ferry that used to offer almost daily trips to the island now only does a few trips per month during the summer season. You can see the tour dates at VisitHven.

As Hven is only 7.6 km² (3 sq mi) in size, the most common way to get around is to rent bikes once you arrive, or bring your own bike to the ferry. This gives you the flexibility to cycle along the island’s beautiful coastal trails and gravel roads, and simply enjoy the laid-back atmosphere of the picturesque countryside.

Hven will charm you with its secluded beaches, cute cottages, rustic cafes and artisan shops. You might even come across some alpacas grazing on the slopes of the eastern coast of the island. If you visit Hven in May, you’ll see a beautiful yellow carpet of canola flowers covering the fields of the island. 

Besides admiring Hven’s nature, you can visit the island’s very own whiskey distillery Spirit of Hven or the Tycho Brahe Museum named after a Danish astronomer that made significant discoveries in science while working on the island.

As you can see, Hven has a lot to offer if you’re looking to spend a relaxed day in the countryside, away from the hustle and bustle of Copenhagen.

8) Louisiana Museum of Modern Art

A short train ride north of Copenhagen, you’ll find the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art. It’s a contemporary art museum showcasing works by both emerging artists and internationally recognized names, including Andy Warhol and Pablo Picasso. In addition to its permanent collection, the museum features various major exhibitions each year.

Besides the works inside the museum, Louisiana also has a beautifully landscaped Sculpture Park with panoramic views over the Øresund Strait all the way to the coast of Sweden. It’s a lovely place to wander around and it features about 50 sculptures, some of them almost hidden by the surrounding nature. 

Louisiana Museum is open every day, except for Monday and the ticket price for adults is 145 DKK (20 euros). If you’re into art, this is a day trip you shouldn’t miss!

Tip: You can combine your trip to the Louisiana Museum with Helsingør (and the Kronborg Castle), since the two are just a 10-minute train ride apart.

Copenhagen day trips: Final thoughts

I hope that you enjoyed reading this article and that these day trip destinations gave you some inspiration on how to plan your trip to Copenhagen.

If you have questions or any other day trip recommendations, let me know in the comments.

If you’re looking for a full Copenhagen experience including all the main attractions and must-see sights, read my Copenhagen bucket list, and if you’d like to visit some lesser-known spots, read my post on 8 hidden gems of Copenhagen. For some of the coolest places to eat, have a look at my post on the best street food in Copenhagen.

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