Every now and then, you have a day that stands out in your mind as being perfect from start to finish. December 31, 2019 was one of those days for Kayla. She and her husband were in Copenhagen to see the city’s world famous firework display for New Years Eve, but the day was full of memorable moments from start to finish. Read on to find out the perfect way to spend New Year’s Eve in Copenhagen!
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Where to Stay for New Year’s Eve in Copenhagen
Copenhagen is known for putting on a spectacular display of fireworks on New Year’s eve, so our top tip is to stay in a place where you can see the fireworks from your room! The fireworks literally go off all night long. We have never experienced anything like it before. While you will definitely be able to see them from practically anywhere in the city if you go outside and look up, it is so nice to escape the cold December weather and watch the fireworks in your warm and cozy hotel room.
Kayla absolutely LOVED staying at 1 Hotel Copenhagen (previously Skt. Petri). This luxury hotel is conveniently located in the city centre within walking distance to some of Copenhagen’s top attractions. It’s also only 15 minutes from the airport. The hotel is elegantly designed from top to bottom without feeling stuffy.
Seeing the fireworks from the room was a top priority, so Kayla was sure to book a skyline view room and splurged on a balcony as well. IT DELIVERED. They had an absolutely fantastic panoramic view of fireworks exploding over the skyline all night long. The window was perfectly situated next to the bed too, so you don’t even have to go out on the balcony to see the fireworks spectacular! It was such a memorable experience ringing in the New Year with fireworks filling up the entire sky. Kayla will 100% stay here again the next time she’s in Copenhagen on New Year’s Eve!
What to Pack for New Year’s Eve in Copenhagen
There are a few things Kayla highly recommends bringing for your trip. Some of these items are general things you should have for any trip to Europe in December, and others are specific to spending New Year’s Eve in Copenhagen:
Fleece Lined Pants – It’s going to be COLD. Fleece lined leggings are an excellent choice to wear as a layer underneath your regular pants. You can also get lined pants if leggings aren’t your thing.
Warm Socks – We recommend these Merino Wool Socks, because they are cushioned and they’ll keep your feet warm!
Hat, Scarf, and Gloves – All 3 are necessary for withstanding the cold! We like this set, because who doesn’t love a matching set AND you can wear the gloves and still use your phone.
Hot Hands – This variety pack has hand, toe, and body warmers! They take 15-30 minutes to warm up, but then they will stay hot for hours! Plus, they are super lightweight so won’t add any weight to your luggage. These are seriously such a game changer for any cold weather destination.
Heated Jacket – Amanda has had this one for 4 years and loves it! It has 5 heating zones, and it’s waterproof!
Earplugs – Trust us when we say that the fireworks will go on all night long on New Year’s Eve in Copenhagen. It’s magical to watch, but at some point you’re probably going to want to sleep. Bring some earplugs so you aren’t grumpy the next day from lack of sleep!
Safety Glasses – You will see safety glasses widely recommended online for New Year’s Eve in Copenhagen. And yes, the amount of fireworks being shot off is really that insane. Kayla didn’t choose to wear them during her trip, but she also headed back to the hotel to safely watch the fireworks from her room before it got too late. If you plan on being out and about later into the night, you should bring some just in case! These safety glasses are actually super cute and come in a variety of colors!
Things to Do on New Year’s Eve in Copenhagen
The Round Tower
The Round Tower is exactly that – a round tower stretching up to the sky with panoramic views of the Copenhagen skyline at the top. This 17th century tower was built as an astronomical observatory. It has become an iconic landmark in the city with tourists visiting every day to climb its famed spiral ramp that circles the tower 7.5 times before depositing you at a viewing platform at the top.
As you wind your way up though, there are a few stop-off points with interesting exhibits. The Library Hall is located halfway up the tower and once housed the University of Copenhagen’s book collection. Today, there is an ongoing rotation of art displays, cultural events, concerts, and more that take place in this room. Other points of interest as you make your way up are the bell loft, the planetarium (where you can view the current planetary positions), and Europes oldest observatory. Guests are always welcome at the observatory, but on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings in the winter, the observatory is manned and you can look through its powerful telescope to see the night sky. You can find the stargazing schedule for the observatory HERE.
Trinitatis Church
While you’re visiting The Round Tower, you might as well pop on over to Trinitatis Church. It’s connected to The Round Tower, so you won’t have to walk far to get to it! In 1637, King Christian IV commissioned the church for the University’s student body to use. In the 1700s, the church was damaged by a fire that swept through the city and was closed for 3 years for repairs. The church has periodically been restored over the years. Today, it boasts beautiful baroque furnishings from the 1730s, ornate ceilings, and a beautiful organ. Check out the Trinitatis calendar before your trip to catch a musical performance or event.
Grab a Hotdog for Lunch
You may be surprised to see hotdogs of all things listed in this guide, but Danes are known for making delicious hotdogs. There are stands and storefronts peppered all over the city, and Kayla is embarrassed to admit how many hotdogs she ate between her visit to Copenhagen and Germany. Copenhagen is known for their rødpølser – a red hotdog traditionally topped with remoulade (a mayo-based condiment), pickles, and french fried onions. Kayla isn’t a fan of mayo and pickles, so she opted for a more traditional hotdog but added the french fried onions – the fried onions were a total game changer and absolutely delish!
Check out Visit Copenhagen’s post on The Legendary Tale of Hotdogs in Denmark to learn some fascinating hotdog history. If you want to experience more Danish classics during your trip, this tour will let you try 6 foods + 2 drinks (including a Danish hotdog of course!) – we LOVE a good food tour! It’s a great way to try local cuisine and see the city with a guide!
Church of the Holy Spirit Book Sale
One of Kayla’s absolute favorite travel memories is stumbling upon the book sale at the Church of the Holy Spirit on New Year’s Eve. A small sign sat on the sidewalk outside the church pointing toward an unassuming door. When they walked inside, they were surrounded by tables of books, old map prints, and other loose papers from various backgrounds that had fascinating images and artwork on them. As they circled the tables inside, a musician outside the church began playing “Once Upon A December” on his accordion, and Kayla promptly began crying tears of happiness. Being surrounded by beautiful old books in a beautiful place with beautiful music playing was too much for her sappy heart to handle!
The Church of The Holy Spirit regularly hosts book and record sales, so keep an eye out during your trip, and hopefully your visit is just as magical as Kayla’s was!
Fellow bookworms may enjoy our list of 23 Books to Scratch Your Travel Itch between trips.
Tivoli Gardens
The sun will begin setting around 4pm on New Year’s Eve, which is a great time to visit Tivoli Gardens Amusement Park! Tivoli is the world’s second oldest amusement park and is the park that served as inspiration for Disneyland. This is not a rinky-dink theme park. This place is *magical* and full of whimsy that will have people of all ages smiling from ear to ear.
Tivoli has 25 rides, a haunted house, a fun house, and an aquarium. Rides vary from thrilling rollercoasters, to high quality carnival-type rides for all ages, to rides that take you up and spin you in the air. Wait times were minimal during Kayla’s visit. She and her husband rode several of the rides, including the Star Flyer which is considered one of the highest carousels in Northern Europe – It was both terrifying and thrilling! There are also all kinds of hangout spots including an alley modeled after an old Danish market town, several beautiful gardens, and a Chinese bamboo forest! During the holiday season, there are beautiful light displays and decorations throughout the park, adding to the charm.
Good to know: Basic tickets to enter Tivoli Gardens are around $22 USD (155 Danish Krone) and ride tickets are purchased separately. There are multiple kiosks throughout the park to purchase ride tickets from. For around $64 USD (439 Danish Krone), you can purchase a pass that includes entry and all rides. See all ticket options HERE.
City Hall Square
On New Year’s Eve in Georgia, USA (where we are from), everyone turns on their TV to watch an enormous peach sculpture drop down a huge tower to ring in the New Year. In Copenhagen, Denmark, thousands of people head to City Hall Square to watch the clock strike midnight.
Kayla had heard that the Copenhagen New Year’s Eve celebrations can be quite… lively. To the point that it is encouraged to wear safety glasses because so many fireworks are being shot off by locals. Kayla and the hubs weren’t exactly wanting that much excitement. However, they passed through City Hall Square on their way back to the hotel at around 8:30pm and the festivities had begun! They hung out and watched fireworks before things got too crazy (and ate their 3rd and 4th hotdogs of the day – don’t judge!) before meandering back to Skt. Petri hotel.
All this to say – your New Year’s Eve fireworks experience can be as wild or as low-key as you’d like. If you choose the former route though, just take precaution and be aware of your surroundings. Kayla witnessed a couple of rogue fireworks ricochet around the square (which is around the time they decided to call it quits for the night).
Fall Asleep to the Sound of Booming Fireworks
Hopefully you’ve booked accommodations where you can watch the fireworks extravaganza from your room! If so, it’s a lovely way to end the night! If you are a light sleeper though, you should 100% bring earplugs with you. We are not exaggerating when we say Copenhagen’s fireworks go on all night long on New Year’s Eve. It sounds like a war zone, but it’s so beautiful to see!!
If you follow this guide on how to spend your New Year’s Eve in Copenhagen, you’ll be able to confidently say that you ended the year with a bang!
We’d love to hear about your experience celebrating New Year’s Eve in Copenhagen or other parts of the world! Tell us about it in the comments below!
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1 comment
MicheleinPlaya
Oh, Copenhagen looks absolutely magical during the holidays!! What a treat to spend New Year’s Eve there surrounded by all the lights. I had no idea there was so much to do and see!!