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The ultimate way to reach that cozy winter feeling may be a plane ticket to Copenhagen in December. After all, this is the land of hygge, and you will feel it everywhere during your trip. It’s in the foggy windows of a neighborhood bakery, a mug of steamy gløgg at a Christmas Market, or a simple greeting from a stranger as you walk through the doors of a busy coffee shop.
We had been itching for a festive wintery escape filled with short, cold days and long candlelit meals since we moved to Spain six years ago, so when a trip to Copenhagen in December loomed on the horizon, we were more than excited to jump on. We packed our bags with fluffy sweaters, hopped on a plane, and never looked back (or so I wish).
The Danish capital has everything you’d want in a European Christmas getaway: storybook cobblestone streets draped in twinkling lights, cozy eateries serving inexplicably good food, charming holiday markets filled with fresh-cut evergreens, the largest number of Christmas beers in the world, and an eye for design that you won’t find anywhere else. Turns out, that impromptu flight placed us in the right place at the right time.
From dreamy winter scenes and cool Christmas art to finding hygge in snug cafés, these are the best things to do in Copenhagen in December.
Browse some Christmas Markets
Copenhagen is very much into the Christmas spirit, and nowhere is that spirit more alive than at one of the many Christmas markets scattered throughout the city. Here, nostalgic wooden stalls sell tasteful Scandinavian gifts and delicious treats amidst rows of pine trees draped in lights. As you wander around, be sure to pick up a steaming mug of gløgg, a sweet mulled Danish wine with raisins and almonds.
While probably the most popular holiday market in Copenhagen is the Julemarked Kongens Nytorv (King’s Square Christmas Market) right across the elaborately decorated Magasin du Nord in the city center, you might also want to browse the storybook booths at the Hans Christian Andersen Christmas Market, inspired by the Danish author’s fairytales.
Alternatively, the unconventional Christiania Julemarked in Freetown Christiania is brimming with hippy, happy vibes alongside arts, crafts, and locally made food, while the Højbro Plads Christmas market near the Strøget shopping street has a strong German influence, with cute log cabins brought from Tyrol serving everything from glühwein and barbequed frankfurters to pretty glass ornaments and cozy knitwear.
The Nyhavn Christmas Market, situated by the iconic harbor, is particularly lively and picturesque, with its row of white wooden huts wedged between colorful 17th-century townhouses and moored boats trimmed in strings of lights.
Good to know: The main Christmas markets in Copenhagen start popping up at the end of November and stay open throughout December. However, there are lots of other interesting, more intimate boutique fairs – some of them themed – held across the city during this time of year; you just have to know where to find them. A good starting point would be the Copenhagen Visitor Service.
Step into a Snow Globe at Tivoli Gardens
When it comes to great seasonal attractions in Copenhagen in December, few can compete with the charming Tivoli Gardens. The nostalgic funfair is dressed up for the occasion with more than 70,000 Christmas baubles and over 1,000 twinkling Christmas trees, creating some of the city’s most idyllic winter scenes.
Walking paths lined with dazzling lights wind their way among snow-dusted pine trees and colorful wooden chalets; cozy stalls entice with seasonal delicacies, handcrafted gifts, and hot drinks to warm you up, while exhilarating rides keep both kids and adults entertained. Many restaurants around the amusement park serve up mouth-watering Christmas menus, and cheery festive tunes fill the air.
Good to know: You’ll find the Tivoli Gardens right next to the central rail station. Various ticket options are available, with prices starting at approximately 20 euros per adult for basic entry without access to rides.
Find Hygge in Coffee Shops and Bakeries
It’s hard to distinguish between a bakery and a coffee shop in Copenhagen, as many local bakeries serve exceptional specialty coffee, and coffee shops, in turn, offer delightful, freshly baked pastries to complement your brew.
And given how cold Copenhagen is in December, you can bet there’s nowhere better to warm up your feet and hands between sightseeing than in the cozy, sweet-smelling confines of a coffee-shop-cum-bakery. Scattered around the city are some of the very best café-bakeries in the world, so the only reasonable recommendation here is for you to try as many as you can.
Some of our favorites included Hart Bageri in Frederiksberg (run by a former Noma baker), Andersen & Maillard – a combined café, roastery, and bakery in Nørrebro (run by another former Noma pastry chef), as well as Coffee Collective and Original Coffee, both of which have several locations throughout the city.
Also in Nørrebro, Mirabelle Spiserìa (former Mirabelle Bakery), helmed by Christian F. Puglisi, the restaurateur and chef behind Copenhagen’s Michelin-starred Relæ, serves everything from pastries to pasta – with a Sicilian twist.
At Cadence, a cool, busy bakery and café in Vesterbro, we had the most outrageously delightful babka and cinnamon roll, but they also do next-level brunch fare and topnotch coffee with beans from Coffee Collective.
Book a Festive Stay at Hotel d’Angleterre
No hotel in Copenhagen does Christmas like d’Angleterre. A stay here is magical throughout the year, but even more so in December, when everything, from the beautifully illuminated Art Nouveau facade to the festive menus, is thoughtfully choreographed to immerse you in holiday magic.
The hotel’s elegant lobby is adorned with twinkling lights, festive decorations, and a towering Christmas tree, while the onsite Michelin-starred restaurant Marchal offers special menus featuring seasonal specialties. Freshly baked Christmas cookies, cakes, and pastries await visitors young and old at the chic Maison d’Angleterre, and bubbles keep the party going at the ultra-stylish Balthazar Champagne Bar.
For the ultimate Christmas experience, guests can book the hotel’s “Tivoli Christmas Stay” package, which includes a luxurious stay in one of their elegant rooms or suites, breakfast for two at the Marchal, and two tickets at the enchanting Tivoli Gardens.
But you don’t necessarily have to be a guest to enjoy the hotel’s holiday atmosphere. Anyone can shop for exquisite gifts at the onsite Creations Studio and pop in for a fancy afternoon gløgg and homemade sweets in the wine room or outside on the heated terrace.
Inspired by the hotel’s 1999 Christmas facade, depicting Hans Christian Andersen’s icy sorceress, d’Angleterre’s signature “Snow Queen’s White Glogg” has become a holiday classic enjoyed by both locals and travelers during winter. As a novelty this year, the famous gløgg comes packaged in beautiful bottles so you can take it home with you.
See the Christmas Table Exhibition at Royal Copenhagen
Taking place every December in one of the oldest buildings in the city, the beloved Royal Copenhagen’s Christmas Tables is one of the most popular Christmas events in Copenhagen. It was also one of my favorites.
Every year since 1963, the tables have been set by different Danish artists, craftsmen, designers, and celebrities and put on display on the first and second floors of the Royal Copenhagen flagship store at Amagertorv 6. Six setups, each with its wonderful story, provide a creative and inspirational view of Christmas in Denmark. The decorators are at liberty to choose from any of Royal Copenhagen’s collections of porcelain, sophisticated figurines, and historical collectibles in order to create unique settings that narrate stories of Danish Christmas traditions while showcasing the timeless craftsmanship of Royal Copenhagen.
Good to know: The exhibition is free to visit and offers a unique glimpse into Danish culture, taste, and creativity.
Spend a Sweet Afternoon at Conditori La Glace
Conditori La Glace, Denmark’s oldest confectionery, is an essential stop on any Copenhagen itinerary, but its charm doubles in December, when seasonal treats like brunkager (Danish Christmas cookies), klejner (fried pastries), and marzipan pigs start to make an appearance on their shelves and the spirit of the holidays fills the air.
With its original wooden paneling, elegant old-world counters, and elaborate festive decor, walking inside feels like stepping into a charming storybook land at Christmas.
They are particularly famous for their Christmas ice cream cake, which has graced the tables of many local families on Christmas Eve over the years, but you can’t go wrong with any of their confections, each meticulously crafted using time-honored recipes passed down through generations of La Glace confectioners.
On a cold December day, don’t miss their decadent hot chocolate accompanied by fresh whipped cream.
Sip on Christmas Beer
Denmark is the undisputed champion of Christmas beer. On the first Friday of November, locally known as J-dag, festively decorated horse-drawn Tuborg wagons featuring people dressed in blue Santa outfits parade through the city streets, delivering crates of Julebryg (Christmas beer) to pubs and bars. Eager crowds gather to raise their first glasses of the season at 8.59 pm sharp, marking the official start of Christmas festivities.
While you probably won’t be here to witness the celebration, the tradition of drinking Christmas brews continues throughout December, with most of the bars, pubs, restaurants, and microbreweries around Copenhagen offering delicious variations of the malty, dark lager.
Carlsberg’s flagship brewery in the Vestebro neighborhood is a must for every beer lover during this time of year. For the full experience, opt for a guided historical tour of the brewery site and cellars, which also includes a visit to the stables and entrance at the new Home of Carlsberg with its state-of-the-art exhibition, and make sure to add the beer tasting to your booking at checkout.
Craft beer enthusiasts should definitely consider a visit to Nørrebro Bryghus. Not only do they make their own Christmas brew, but they also serve lovely food made with seasonal and organic ingredients to enhance the experience of their beers.
A Copenhagen beer tour is another excellent option, combining sightseeing with tasting stops. Copenhagen By Mie & Friends is the city’s leading walking tour company, and they currently offer a wonderful, authentic experience called Vesterbro Cultural Tour with Beer Tasting. As the name suggests, it’s a walking tour of the city’s hipster neighborhood with a focus on beer and culture. The itinerary includes visits to three local pubs, complete with complimentary beer tastings, vibrant graffiti art, and lots of great stories along the way.
Eat Your Way Around Copenhagen in December
Noma, the best restaurant in the world for four years, has changed Copenhagen’s culinary scene forever. Now, the city is littered with world-famous bakeries, charming food markets, and modern restaurants led by creative chefs. Almost everywhere you go, the menu revolves around local, seasonal ingredients, dishes are artfully presented, and the bread is to die for. But despite the allure of the new Nordic cuisine, no December trip to Copenhagen would be complete without sampling the nation’s scrumptious holiday food.
Start your culinary journey with the iconic Æbleskiver, spherical little pancakes often enjoyed with powdered sugar and jam at Christmas markets throughout Copenhagen. Warm up with a cup of gløgg, a spiced mulled wine, as you stroll through the beautifully decorated streets. Don’t miss out on risengrød, a traditional rice pudding served with cinnamon and sugar, often accompanied by a hidden almond for good luck. Or better yet, try ris á la mande, a cold, creamy rice porridge with chopped almonds and a cherry sauce. I tried the best ris á la mande at Baest in Nørrebro, which also happened to have some of the best pizzas in Europe.
However, if I had to recommend only one seasonal street snack, it would be the flæskesteg sandwich, a heavenly delicious roast pork sandwich with braised red cabbage, mayonnaise, and pickled cucumbers that you can find in abundance on the streets and at Christmas markets during this time of year. My favorite was at Helligåndskirken (Church of the Holy Spirit) on Strøget, where there was a small but lovely Christmas market with dreamy white stalls draped in fairy lights set up in the courtyard.
And then, of course, there are the city’s absolutely delightful bakeries and pastry shops, all of which will have special Christmas versions of their insanely delicious baked goods along with classics like gingerbread, kringle, and panettone.
For serious foodies visiting the city during the holidays, CPH Cooking Class offers some of the best cooking classes in Copenhagen in their sleek kitchen downtown. Whether you want to master the art of baking Danish pastries, learn to make smorrebrod, or dig deeper into the New Nordic fare, they have a course for everything. Classes start at $135 per person and include a sit-down meal featuring the creations you’ve just prepared.
Wander Along Nyhavn
Copenhagen’s 17th-century waterfront district transforms into a winter wonderland come December. A vibrant Christmas market offering handmade crafts, traditional Danish treats, and festive trinkets pops up along the icy canal, and boats dressed in twinkling lights sparkle against the iconic narrow, colorful houses, providing a picturesque backdrop for seasonal photos.
The area is home to numerous cozy cafés and restaurants with inviting interiors and heated terraces that provide a perfect refuge from the winter chill. Warm up with a cup of hot cocoa or spiced gløgg while admiring the picturesque canal views. Festive wreaths, Christmas trees, and impromptu carolers add to the magical atmosphere.
If you have time and feel up to it, you can even book a Christmas cruise and take in the city’s postcard-perfect waterfront and iconic landmarks bathed in festive glow from the water. This one by Spar Shipping also includes festive decor and a Christmas treasure hunt for the little ones.
Good to know: On 13 December every year, kayaks sail through the canal of Nyhavn dressed in lights and Christmas decorations as part of the floating Santa Lucia parade.
Embark on a Christmas Tour
If you haven’t already, a Christmas tour of Copenhagen is the perfect way to get into the holiday spirit!
Copenhagen Christmas Charm: Taste and Experience the Magic promises to immerse participants in the city’s magical ambiance with a 2-hour stroll through festively decorated streets and cozy markets. Learn about Danish holiday traditions through captivating stories, craft your own “Hans Christian Andersen hearts”, and savor the flavors of the season with classics like æbleskiver and gløgg.
Copenhagen By Mie offers a similar tour (Copenhagen: Christmas Walking Tour with Treats and Drinks) but with a few differences. In addition to holiday market visits and tasty seasonal treats, there’s dancing around a tree, a traditional Danish Christmas game, and some Yuletide traditions dating back to Viking times.
Alternatively, Copenhagen’s Christmas Spirit Private Walking Tour also includes free admission to Tivoli Gardens.