16 Copenhagen Tourist Mistakes to Avoid Making

As someone who moved to Copenhagen over five years ago and visited seven times before doing so, I’m in a unique position. I’ve been a tourist in the city on multiple occasions, and now, I’m a local. As a result, I’ve made—and observed—many of the biggest tourist mistakes you can make when visiting. 

Going to any new place will be a culture shock, but with some prior research, you can avoid ruining your trip or unknowingly causing annoyance to locals. Based on my experiences, I’ll help you avoid the most common tourist mistakes in this guide. 

1. Crossing the Street When the Pedestrian Light Is Red

It’s mid-October 2016, and I’m on my first-ever visit to Copenhagen. The weather’s quite chilly, and on my second morning there, five people are looking at me with pure disgust.

Have I just urinated in the street? Maybe I stuck my middle finger up at them? Or perhaps I just littered and walked away? The answer to all of these questions is “no”—instead, I’ve crossed the street when the walking signal was red.

The Danes take rules very seriously, and not walking until the light is green—even if there are no cars coming—is one of those. Jaywalk almost anywhere, and you’re going to see at least a few angry stares come your way. Oh, and you also risk getting hit by a bike. 

You also risk a fine if you jaywalk, but to be honest, I’ve never seen someone receive one of these. Still, I recommend waiting for the pedestrian light to turn green before you cross. 

2. Forgetting to Buy Your Public Transport Ticket

I grew up in London and have spent a lot of time in New York City (my mom’s side of the family is from there), and until I visited Copenhagen, I was used to ticket barriers everywhere. However, you won’t see these when using the train or Metro in the Danish capital. 

Most things in Copenhagen operate on trust, but this doesn’t mean that public transport is free. You’ll find quite a lot of inspectors on the Metro, and if you’re caught without a ticket, you will receive a fine of 750 DKK (c. €100 / $117). The inspectors will not buy the excuse of not knowing the rules, either. 

Fortunately, buying tickets for public transport is easy. You can use the ticket machines at train and Metro stations, along with the Rejseplanen or DSB apps. If you purchase a single-use or day ticket, you don’t need to check in or out; this is only necessary for DSB (you do this in the app) or if you have a Rejsekort (which is mainly used by locals). 

3. Getting on a Bike Without Learning the Basic Rules

It’s no secret Copenhagen is one of the world’s most bike-friendly cities (and in my opinion, it is the *most* bike-friendly capital on the planet). Cycling everywhere is by far what I enjoy the most about living in Copenhagen, and I strongly recommend renting bikes when you visit. It’s the best way to explore. 

But before renting bikes, you *must* learn the rules. I see tourists putting themselves at risk on a near-weekly basis, and it’s almost always avoidable. 

I’ve written a full guide to cycling in Copenhagen, but some of the most important rules to follow are:

• Always signal when you’re turning. 
• When stopping to get off your bike, hold your left hand up (it looks a bit like a high-five). 
• At a junction, stop at the traffic lights on the other side of the street and go across once the lights have turned green in the other direction. It looks like an L shape, sort of.

While cycling in Copenhagen, always use your bell when needed. And where possible, cycle in the bike lanes. You should also cycle close to the sidewalk so that others can overtake when necessary.

4. Swimming Outside the Designated Bathing Zones

The harbor water in Copenhagen is so clean that you can swim in it. However, it’s not possible to swim everywhere. You will find designated bathing zones throughout the city, and you are only allowed to swim in these areas. 

Swimming outside of these bathing zones is dangerous as there’ll often be passing boat traffic, especially in the summer. Moreover, the water quality can differ. 

This page highlights all the places you can swim in Copenhagen. The page is in Danish, but you can get more information on each of the swimming zones by clicking on their respective page links.

5. Spending All of Your Time in Indre By

Indre By is where most of Copenhagen’s top attractions are, such as Nyhavn and Christiansborg Palace. As a result, you will probably spend a lot of time here when you visit the city. However, I do encourage you to explore other parts of Copenhagen. 

The Danish capital has plenty of cool neighborhoods, such as Vesterbro. Each district has a unique feel and lots of interesting things to do. Copenhagen is pretty compact, in general, and it’s therefore easy to visit multiple places in a single weekend trip—whether you’re spending three days or four days in the city. 

The easiest way to explore more of Copenhagen is by bike, but the Metro will also get you everywhere you need to be. If you want more inspiration, I have a full guide where I outline all my favorite things to do in Copenhagen.

6. Not Checking Public Holidays in Denmark Before You Visit

Denmark has some public holidays that you might not be used to, especially if you visit in the spring. While we have the usual days off, such as Christmas and Easter, there are also others that are worth noting.

For example, the Thursday before Easter is also a public holiday in Copenhagen. Moreover, Ascension Day and Pentecost are designated days off. Many tourist attractions will be open on these days, but grocery stores and the like will close. 

You can find a full list of public holidays in Denmark on this page. 

7. Walking in the Bike Lanes Is a Big No-No

Copenhagen’s cycling infrastructure includes lots of bike lanes, many of which are the same size as streets and easy to mistake for the sidewalk. It’s easy to accidentally walk on these without realizing, as I can attest to. 

However, you should refrain from walking in the bike lanes. Besides the risk of being hit by a bike, walking in a cycling lane in Copenhagen is the best way to see an angry Dane. If you must overtake a group of people walking, look to make sure that no bikes are coming. 

The bike lanes in Copenhagen are mostly between the sidewalk and the street. You’ll see these marked with bicycle icons, and they’re slightly lower than the sidewalk. If you see a bike zip past you on the same path, it’s a pretty good indication that you’re not walking in the right place. 

8. Staying Too Far Out of the City Center

Copenhagen is a pretty expensive city, and naturally, it’s normal to look for cheaper accommodation if you’re visiting on a budget. However, I advise against staying too far out of the center; the commute will eat into your exploring time, and in my opinion, it’s not worth it. 

Any of the “bro” districts (i.e., Vesterbro and Østerbro) are good locations, and you’re also within reasonable distances of the city center in the likes of Nordhavn and Sydhavn. Ørestad is also easy to reach via train and Metro, though there’s not a whole lot to do there. 

Generally speaking, I recommend staying within the Ring 2 road. If you need some more help planning your accommodation, I’ve written a comprehensive guide about where to stay in Copenhagen—with the pros and cons for each area. 

9. Buying Bottled Water

I don’t recommend buying bottled water anywhere in the Nordics because the tap water is safe to drink everywhere. Copenhagen is no exception, even though it admittedly is quite chalky. 

I purchased bottled water on my first visit to Copenhagen and quickly realized that was a big mistake. From that moment onward, I just drank the tap water instead. I still do that now, though I use a filter in my bottle as I prefer the taste. 

Any reusable water bottle will be fine for drinking water in Copenhagen. The city also has some refillable fountains in case you run out of water while you’re exploring, though these aren’t as widespread as I personally would like them to be. 

10. Bringing Physical Cash

I cannot remember the last time I used physical cash in Copenhagen, and you almost certainly will not need any when you visit. Card payments are accepted pretty much everywhere, though some smaller establishments only accept MobilePay. 

Visa or MasterCard will be fine when paying for things in Copenhagen. I recommend using a mobile-only bank, though, since you may get charged significant foreign exchange fees with your bank from home. The likes of Monzo and Revolut will work just fine. 

11. Speaking Too Loudly in Public

Although it’s a capital city, Copenhagen is pretty quiet, for the most part. While Danes can certainly be loud (I think that the stereotype of them being introverted is massively overblown, to be honest), they more often than not don’t shout in public. 

Speaking too loudly in public (especially on public transport and in restaurants) will almost certainly divert attention in your direction. A general rule of thumb is to think about what is quiet to you and then lower the decibels a little further. 

Unless you’re Swedish, Norwegian, or Finnish, anyway; in that case, ordinary Copenhagen conversations may sound like shouting to you. 

12. Underestimating the Wind Chill

While Copenhagen does sometimes get very cold, it’s actually not that common. Often, temperatures stay above freezing—even during the winter. What’s not escapable, though, is how windy it gets here. 

The wind can make everything feel colder, and you should not underestimate this. Wearing a good pair of gloves is essential, especially if you plan to cycle around. Even during the spring, evenings can get quite cold. 

Besides bringing a windproof jacket, I also suggest taking a sweater with you. Summer evenings are often still quite chilly, and having warm clothing is ideal if you plan to be out late. 

13. Making Too Many Plans Each Day

With so many things to see and do, and lots of attractions close to each other, it’s easy to overplan your stay in Copenhagen. But having done this in the past, I can confirm that running around trying to tick off boxes is not fun. 

You should definitely allocate some time to the experiences you 100% know that you want to do. However, I’d also leave some time for being spontaneous. Chances are, you’ll find bakeries and shops that you’ll want to stop at—along with a couple of nice museums. 

The time of year that you visit will also determine how much you do. In the winter, for example, you may want to prioritize outdoor experiences during the limited daylight hours.  

14. Overdressing When You Go Out

Copenhagen is one of Europe’s best cities for fashion, and you will definitely notice that the locals are well-dressed when you visit. But at the same time, the overall atmosphere is very casual. Even CEOs at major companies will bike around with a pair of sneakers on. 

Unless you’re going somewhere truly fancy, you do not need to overdress when going to bars and restaurants. A nice outfit that’s not over-the-top will be just fine, and many bars will allow you to enter with sneakers on. 

Dress in whatever makes you comfortable, and you’ll almost always be fine. The only exception is for some high-end restaurants, but to be honest, I’ve never been turned away from a bar, club, or place to eat for not wearing dress shoes and the like. 

15. Visiting Nyhavn in the Middle of the Day

I know that Nyhavn is basically the most touristy spot in Copenhagen, but I do recommend visiting. The canal is very beautiful, and photographing Nyhavn is one of my favorite things to do on an early weekend morning. 

However, Nyhavn is also *the* Copenhagen postcard spot. As a result, it’s where most tourists first go (I did this, too). Because of this, Nyhavn can get very crowded in the middle of the day—especially if you visit Copenhagen during the summer. 

I recommend visiting Nyhavn early in the morning, and ideally, before 10:00. It’s much calmer at this time, and you can wander around at a leisurely pace. Moreover, you don’t need to walk in and out of crowds. Plus, the canal looks even nicer when the sun is lower in the sky. 

16. Not Locking Your Bike When Leaving It

Copenhagen is one of the safest cities you’ll visit, but bike theft is common. This is particularly true around crowded spots in the city center, such as Nyhavn, Nørreport Station, and Strøget (plus the other shopping streets around it). 

When going inside anywhere, make sure you lock your bike. Rental services like Donkey Republic let you do this in the app, and you will get a lock when renting bikes from a hotel or bicycle store. 

Even if you’re only going somewhere for a few minutes, you should still lock your bike for the time you’ll be away from it.

If you want more tips for planning your Copenhagen trip, consider checking out my eBooks and Google Maps legend. 🇩🇰