The Ultimate Guide to Summer in Copenhagen

Don’t let the heat and humidity get you down this summer—head instead to Copenhagen, Denmark’s cosmopolitan capital where you can zip around on a bicycle, hit the canals in a kayak, or take advantage of the ample public swimming spots.Top it off with an alfresco dinner and you’ll start to see why Copenhagen is one of the best destinations to experience the magic of the season. Looking for more ways to experience Scandinavia? Consider heading to Stockholm’s archipelago.

The Main Attractions

Sunbathers hang out around the restaurant La Banchina, located in a formerly industrial area of Copenhagen’s harbor.

A major city may not be the first place you picture for a relaxing summer getaway. But with its many parks and gardens, cycling-centric culture and penchant for public swimming, the Danish capital is a no-brainer.

Go for a Swim

Copenhagen is a city built for summer. Public swimming spots, canals you can boat and kayak down, parks to laze in, bridges to bike across, outdoor patios perfect for sipping wine—and then there are the 9:30 p.m. midsummer sunsets, and more daylight in which to do it all.

The only real question is: Where should you begin? As the locals would: with a swim.

I’ve been visiting for years, and there’s nothing I find more refreshing than diving into one of the city’s bracing harbor baths. Marked as designated swimming zones, some of the most popular ones are at Islands Brygge, whose open-air pools sit in Gamle Bryggen, a quieter residential area. People like to sunbathe, snack and socialize on the lawns beside them. Follow their lead and stop in at a nearby café. The Danes are famous for rye bread and pastries, and there a few spots that do them especially well, including Juno the Bakery, Lille and Hart Bageri, where specialties like brunsviger (coffee cake) and spandauer (a flaky pastry filled with jam, custard or marzipan) line the counters. Bring a friend, so you can order a few to share over coffee.

Bike Around Town

I always appreciate the refueling stop, because the best way to see Copenhagen is on two wheels. The city is home to some 239 miles of bike lanes; rent a bicycle from either your hotel or through a bike-share app like KINTO Share Bike. Most of the major attractions are in the Indre By area, near the harbor, and are easily accessed on foot or two wheels, but there are also cool neighborhoods on the edge of the city center, and reachable by bike or subway. One of them, Nordhavn, is a newish area in what used to be an industrial part of the city; these days, it has a harbor bath and cool cafés like Andersen & Maillard.

If the idea of navigating such a sprawling network feels overwhelming, I understand. Consider a guided tour to help ease you into it. It’ll expose you to different pockets of the city, from cobblestoned alleyways in Christianshavn to a Bjarke Ingels–designed power plant that doubles as a recreation center (with a ski slope)—and have you hand-signaling like a Copenhagener in no time.

Tour the Canals

A canal tour is another good way to sightsee. Plenty depart near Islands Brygge, but look for a boutique company with a fleet of smaller boats; usually, you can sip wine or lemonade while you marvel at architectural sites like the stately opera house. If you hang around the waterfront afterward, you’ll find people swimming and sipping beers late into the evening. If the weather obliges, they sometimes don’t disperse until well after midnight.

Take a Day Trip

Lured by its mild temperatures and proximity to the mainland (about a 40-minute flight or 80-minute ferry from Copenhagen), many Danes flock to the island of Bornholm, out in the Baltic Sea, once the weather starts to warm. There, they’ll check in to one of its badehotels—simple, unfussy inns with easy beach access—like Melsted Badehotel, on the northeastern coast, which offers light-filled rooms and cottages with striped or floral wallpaper, dotted around a grassy meadow.

Farther up the coastline, The Falcon Hotel is filled with vintage pieces and curios, and rooms decorated with heavy curtains and rattan chairs. Nearby, Stammershalle Badehotel & Restaurant sits in a yellow summerhouse from 1911. Visits here blend oceanside charm with fine local seafood, served in an airy dining room featuring a mahogany Steinway grand.

Where to Stay

Copenhagen has a slew of options ranging from lavish five-star properties to design-focused boutiques. Chase Sapphire Reserve cardmembers earn 3 points per dollar and receive premium benefits when booking through members of The Edit by Chase Travel, a hand-picked collection of luxury hotels.

Nimb Hotel
Member of The Edit by Chase Travel

A stay at this boutique hotel grants you full access to the grounds of Tivoli Gardens, the city’s historic, locally beloved amusement park—including its roller coasters and upmarket food kiosks, which sell everything from burgers to smørrebrød.

Hotel d’Angleterre

Located on a central cobblestoned square minutes from the water, this grande dame’s soaring white building has stately rooms and suites as well as a fine-dining restaurant, Marchal.

Grand Joanne

If you’re looking for something a little more low-key, this design-forward property offers a range of rooms, from small and cozy to penthouse, all in shades of dusty pink and sage gree.

Where to Eat and Drink

There’s only one way to eat in Copenhagen in the summertime: alfresco—preferably on a buzzy square or near water. Grab a table outside and soak up the long nights.

La Banchina

Set in a former industrial harbor area, La Banchina draws people for crispy fish sandwiches and glasses of natural wine. Join them for an afternoon sipping and swimming off the dock.

BÆST

In Nørrebro, Italian-born chef Christian Puglisi dominates the neighborhood with three spots side by side, including this Italian restaurant serving house-made burrata and pizzas.

POPL

Ask a Copenhagener where to get a great burger, and they’ll probably suggest this former warehouse turned sandwich spot in Christianshavn. Try the battered kombu with gooseberry dressing, best enjoyed on the outdoor terrace.