FACT FILE

From the UK, British Airways and SAS fly to Copenhagen from Heathrow several times daily, whilst Norwegian and easyJet fly daily from Gatwick. SAS also flies from Birmingham and Manchester (daily); easyJet also flies from Bristol, Edinburgh and Manchester (daily); and Norwegian also flies from Edinburgh. Ryanair fly at least daily from Luton, Southend and Stansted and less frequently from Edinburgh and Liverpool. From Belfast, you’ll need to fly to Copenhagen via one of the cities mentioned above.

From Ireland, SAS and Ryanair fly daily from Dublin to Copenhagen, whilst Norwegian also flies from Dublin.

From the US, SAS flies direct to Copenhagen daily from Boston, Chicago, New York (Newark), San Francisco and Washington, though it can sometimes work out cheaper to fly with Icelandair, Norwegian (who also flies direct from JFK) or TAP and make a short stop in either Gatwick or their home-country hubs.

From Canada, Air Canada, Lufthansa and SAS fly direct from Toronto to Copenhagen, but you’ll usually find it cheaper if you fly via Iceland with Icelandair. From other Canadian cities, you’ll need to fly via another European city; flying via Gatwick will generally get you the best fares.

You can search for the most convenient routes and the best fares at skyscanner. Flight time is just 1 hour 50 minutes from London, 7 hours 35 minutes from New York, 10 hours 40 minutes from Los Angeles. International flights arrive at Copenhagen Airport (CPH), 11km southeast of the city; the quickest (and cheapest) way of travelling into central Copenhagen is either by train (for Copenhagen Central Station and Nørreport Station; every 10 minutes) or metro (for Kongens Nytorv and Nørreport stations; frequent departures); both leave from Terminal 3, cost 36kr for a single (three-zone) ticket and take under 15 minutes. If you’re going to buy a Copenhagen Card, remember that it includes public transport from (and to) the airport.

VISAS AND PASSPORTS

For stays of up to 90 days, UK, Irish, US and Canadian passport holders do not require a visa to visit Denmark. If you’re a citizen of one of these countries, your passport needs to be valid for at least three months beyond the date you expect to leave Denmark. Entry requirements do change, however, so check the latest on the Danish Immigration Service’s website.

HEALTH AND SAFETY IN COPENHAGEN

Copenhagen is a very safe city – so much so, that it’s not uncommon to see young children travelling alone on public transport – and whilst Denmark has an excellent healthcare system, you should still make sure you take out sufficient travel insurance for your trip; if you’re from the UK or Ireland, make sure you all carry a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), too, which will entitle you to reduced, or even free, medical treatment. Remember to check with your GP at least six weeks before you travel, although aside from than the inoculations that are part of the routine childhood immunisation programme in the UK (ie diphtheria, tetanus, polio), no immunisations are required.

Cyclists (and cycle lanes) are everywhere in Copenhagen, so remember to check before you step off the pavement – and note that pedestrians should always give way to cyclists.

Although Copenhagen has a low level of crime, you should still be wary of pickpockets in the busy tourist areas of Nyhavn and Kongens Torv. Christiana, the alternative, self-declared Free City in Christianshavn, is far less of a drug’s den than it used to be (the main thoroughfare is called Pusher Street), but you should still take care here, particularly at night. That said, whilst visiting the area is a thought-provoking experience for adults, there’s nothing of real interest for kids, so it’s unlikely you’ll find yourself wandering around here anyway.

The majority of Copenhagen’s sights are condensed into the central districts of Indre By, Rosenborg, Frederikstad and the area around the Rådhuspladsen, making the city a very walkable one – Strøget, Copenhagen’s main shopping thoroughfare, is the longest pedestrianised street in the world, and it takes just half an hour on foot to cross the city centre. You can pick up a copy of the (free) Official City Map of Copenhagen at the airport or at the Copenhagen Visitor Service at Vesterbrogade 4A, near Tivoli Gardens.

There are more bikes than cars in central Copenhagen, and with cycle lanes running alongside virtually every single street, this is a great city for cycling. You can rent bikes for around 75kr for the day, although it’s less of a commitment to hop on a Copenhagen City Bike, which can be picked up (and dropped off) at dozens of stands dotted across the centre. The eBikes come with built-in GPS and cost 30kr for 30 minutes; you’ll need to create an account to use them, which can be done on their Apple or Android apps, which you can also use to check stand locations and bike availability.

For slightly longer journeys (ie to get from Amalienborg Palace down to Tivoli), your best bet is to either use Copenhagen’s efficient metro system, catch a bus (the city’s public transport can all be accessed on the same ticket) or hop in a taxi. Remember that the Copenhagen Card includes free unlimited travel on public transport throughout the greater Copenhagen area.