7 ways to enjoy winter in Copenhagen

When snow falls in Copenhagen, the city's cobbled streets, turreted castles and colorful houses feel like something out of a fairy tale, and the cold season is the perfect time to get acquainted with the Danish capital's cozy character. It's time. Get inspired by the locals, enjoy a cold bath in the harbor, queue up for a traditional festive cake at the city's excellent bakery, and discover a world built on top of a power plant. Why not try your hand at racing at a ski resort for the first time? It's also the perfect time to discover Danish culture in the city's impressive museums and galleries, perfect for those looking to beat the heat. Here are seven experiences you shouldn't miss on your winter visit to Copenhagen.

1.Enjoy the “Great Danish Cake-Off”

Fasteraven, Denmark's version of Mardi Gras, usually takes place in February, but in 2025 it will be held on March 2nd. To celebrate this annual event, bakers create a special cream-filled bread called fastelavnbohle. These decadent loaves will be on sale from January, but in recent years the occasion has turned into a wild bread festival, with gourmet bakers competing against each other with their most extravagant creations. Go bakery hopping to the best spots in the city. Juno, Heart and Kobenhounds Bagheri are three places worth trying. See if you can decide which snack is the tastiest.

2. Try winter swimming

Why not try your hand at swimming with the Danes in Copenhagen's frigid harbor? It may take Viking-like courage to jump in, but winter swimming is hugely popular in the city, and fans of this activity can help fight stress, reduce high blood pressure, and build resilience. That's what I'm saying. Located in the up-and-coming Lefshaleoen, Copenhot has a sauna and hot tub to warm you up on cold days, as well as a cold plunge pool to cool off. Alternatively, you can visit Gressier, the city's newest and trendiest water spa. , a Tuesday night guided sauna experience with music and scented oils for sauna lovers.

3. Explore the city under the stars

Take advantage of Copenhagen's long winter nights to go stargazing. The Round Tower hosts special winter stargazing nights in its historic observatory in the heart of the city. Copenhagen also hosts its own Festival of Lights every February, when neon-lit installations brighten up the pitch-black sky. Experience this colorful event with a guided tour, canal cruise, or join the Light Run, a scenic 7km race through Copenhagen's illuminated streets.

4. Meet locals for dinner

Copenhagen has a strong communal dining culture, and many venues have long communal tables where you can sit and chat with new friends while enjoying a family-style dinner. Absalon, a popular cultural house and community center, serves dinner every night at 6 p.m. If you want to stay after that, the center has a bar and also hosts silent discos, creature painting classes and pottery workshops. The city's newest culture house, Nordhus, serves communal, vegetable-filled family-style dinners from Tuesday to Sunday. Or, to the south, in Christianshavn, which is steeped in history, Kanalhuset is another typical public eatery.

5. Try urban skiing and ice skating

Copenhagen is one of the only places in the world where you don't have to leave the city center to enjoy the slopes. Designed by local architects Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG), Copenhill is a recreational facility, hiking trail, and ski slope located on top of a waste-to-energy plant. It is a slope that everyone from beginners to experts can enjoy, and there is also a freestyle park and slalom course. If skating is more your thing than skiing, ice skating at one of the city's traditional outdoor rinks is a great way to stay active. Rent skates at Kongens Nytorf or Broens Ice Skating Rink and spend an hour skating on the illuminated ice.

6. Discover Danish culture

Hygge, a Danish concept that embodies coziness and taking time to enjoy life's simple pleasures, is front and center at the Danish Design Museum this winter, with a new exhibit focusing on ceramic mugs. It will be done. This exhibition examines the design process behind ceramics and features mugs from a number of inspiring artists. Afterward, head to the museum's beautiful Format Café and enjoy a mug of hot chocolate. Alternatively, visit the city's Museum of Art and Sculpture, Glyptoteket. Surrounded by beautiful marble busts, French Impressionist paintings, and Egyptian mummies, the palm-filled winter garden feels like a small oasis.

7. Take a literary tour

Copenhagen was the home of legendary children's story writer Hans Christian Andersen and 19th century theologian and philosopher Søren Kierkegaard. So, naturally, this city has a lot of stories to tell. At the Black Diamond Library and Cultural Center, visit exhibitions and view historical manuscripts by famous authors. The Karen Blixen Museum is located in the famous Danish author's childhood home in Rungstedland, just north of the city, and you can see where she wrote some of her most famous works . Meanwhile, the University of Copenhagen Library, which dates back to 1479, opens its doors to visitors this winter, surprising travelers with the library's magnificent library hall. The city also has a number of more modern bookstores, including Tiemar's Magazine, Books and Company, and Politiken's Bogar, which sell English books.