3 Days in Copenhagen Plus Day Trips

Three days runs the three strongest trips out of Copenhagen Central: Sweden, the Vikings, and Hamlet’s castle, in that order. Base yourself near Copenhagen Central Station for all three nights, since every leg below starts and ends at that one platform. Short on time? Drop Day 3 and use the 2 day version . Got a full week? The 6 day plan adds the other three trips this guide covers. For the city itself, see our Copenhagen guide separately.

Book these before you go

Day 1: Malmo, Sweden

Take an Öresundståg train from Copenhagen Central; they run every 15 to 20 minutes and reach Malmo Central in 35 to 41 minutes. One-way fares start around 150 SEK, cheaper booked a week out on Öresundståg’s site than at the platform machine on the day.

Get two facts straight before you board. Malmo is in Sweden, so the currency flips from Danish kroner (DKK) to Swedish kronor (SEK) the second the train crosses the bridge, despite both using the same “kr” symbol. A few Malmo shops will still take DKK, at a bad rate, so carry SEK or pay by card. Both countries are in Schengen, but random ID checks still happen at the border platform, so keep your passport on you regardless.

Malmo’s centre is walkable from the station: Lilla Torg’s cafe square, the moated Malmohus Castle, and the Turning Torso tower all sit within about 20 minutes on foot. Treat this as a half day, not a full one. The round trip alone takes under an hour and a half combined, and the sights themselves don’t need six hours. Head back to Copenhagen by early evening.

Is Malmo worth a day trip from Copenhagen?

Yes, as a half day rather than a full one. The train each way runs under 45 minutes, the main sights cluster within a 20-minute walk of Malmo Central, and there’s no reason to burn a whole day on a city this compact when two more trips are waiting.

Day 2: Roskilde, Viking ships and a cathedral

Regional trains leave Copenhagen Central roughly every 10 minutes, more than 100 departures a day, reaching Roskilde in 25 to 27 minutes for a one-way fare from around 84 DKK. This is the single best day trip from Copenhagen, full stop.

Start at the Viking Ship Museum , 160 DKK adult entry, under 18 free, home to five Viking ships excavated from the Roskilde fjord. From May through September the museum runs 50-minute sailing trips on ship reconstructions for an extra 120 DKK, weather permitting; this is one of the few things on this itinerary that genuinely sells out, so book it online ahead rather than hoping for a same-day slot.

Walk the 1.5 kilometres, about 20 minutes, or catch bus 203 to Roskilde Cathedral , Denmark’s UNESCO-listed royal burial church holding over 800 years of Danish monarchs. Entry is 80 DKK adult as of 1 July 2026, up from 70 before that date, so ignore any older post still quoting the lower figure. Give the two sights three to four hours combined, then take the same regional line back to Copenhagen Central.

Day 3: Kronborg Castle, Helsingor

The Kystbanen coastal train runs from Copenhagen Central roughly every 20 minutes, reaching Helsingor in about 46 minutes, one-way fares from around 78 DKK. Kronborg Castle is a further 10-minute walk along the harbour, entry 135 DKK adult.

Get the legend straight before you go. Shakespeare set Hamlet at “Elsinore,” the English rendering of Helsingor, but there’s no record he ever visited Denmark. The nickname is a literary association, not a historical fact. What’s real is the castle itself: a UNESCO-listed 16th-century Renaissance fortress that earns the visit on its architecture alone, Hamlet aside. Summer 2026 brings courtyard “Hamlet Highlights” performances, worth checking on the castle’s own site before you build a day around them. Budget two to three hours inside, then take the same coastal line back to Copenhagen Central in time for a last dinner in the city.

Do you need to book Kronborg or Roskilde tickets in advance?

No, both are walk-up with no timed entry required. The only advance booking that matters on this itinerary is the Viking Ship Museum’s summer sailing add-on in Roskilde, which runs weather-dependent, limited-capacity trips and can sell out on a busy weekend.