Festive guide to Copenhagen Christmas Markets (2026)

There’s nothing more magical and awe-inspiring than Christmas in Copenhagen. After all, it was the Danes who invented the concept of hygge; creating a cozy, comforting environment wherever you are.

I’ve been to Copenhagen twice: in November 2022, as a solo traveler, and early December 2025 with my husband, Cecilio, to watch one of his favorite bands live at the Royal Arena. While we would both love to revisit in the summer, I can’t deny that wintertime is a lovely time to visit.

With twinkling lights illuminating each building and street, and the smell and steam from gløgg in the air, you’ll feel hygge everywhere in Copenhagen in your bones. It’s also super romantic for couples!

In this guide, I will share the six must-visit Copenhagen Christmas markets, along with some guided tours you can take (if you want), and my hotel recommendations.

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Resources

What to pack for the Copenhagen Christmas Markets

• Raincoat with fleece-lined hood, and is thin enough to be packable but thick enough to keep you warm
• A thick beanie to keep your head warm
• Thermal long sleeves that have double-sided fleece to block the cold air (I get these in a pack of 4 for multiple days)
• Merino wool socks that are thick enough to protect your feet from the cold, but thin enough to wear with boots without constricting them
• Heat packets to put in your pockets, socks, and gloves for extra toastiness for your extremities
• Scarf that keeps you cozy and warm while also looking super stylish in photos

Map

Below, I created a map of the Copenhagen Christmas markets (which are indicated with the green pin) and the nearest metro stations (red pin). Click the icon on the top left to see the list.

Feel free to share with anyone you know going to Copenhagen during the holidays (or you can even e-mail it to yourself!) by clicking on the top right icon.

The best of Copenhagen Christmas Markets

Tivoli Gardens

As one of the oldest theme parks in the world (and the one that inspired Walt Disney to create Disneyland), Tivoli Gardens is all decked out in trees, colorful lights, and elaborate garlands.

You could say that all of Tivoli Gardens turns into a Christmas market in itself when the lights, decor, and stalls are on every corner, and there is no one specific spot that has a designated market.

There is no shortage of stalls selling gløgg (Scandinavian mulled wine), hot chocolate, roasted chestnuts, and æbleskiver (Danish donut holes). You can have a nice sit-down lunch or dinner at Tivoli Food Hall.

Tivoli Gardens is the perfect place to hang out for families with young children. As we were walking and looking at the rides, Cecilio pointed out how much our 3-year-old niece would love it there!

If you have children, they will never be bored, as there is so much entertainment. Whether you’re going on exhilarating rides, ice skating, meeting Santa, or watching the Tivoli Youth Guard band.

Tivoli is still decked out for Christmas even into the New Year. On New Year’s Eve, they produce an epic fireworks show!

Unlike the rest of the Christmas markets, you have to pay to get inside Tivoli Gardens. The Christmas season ticket is 197 DKK ($31 USD for adults) and 108 DKK ($17 USD for children). If you purchase the Copenhagen Card, admission to Tivoli is included.

Højbro Plads

Of all the Copenhagen Christmas markets, Julemarked Højbro Plads is my favorite. It’s bigger than Nytorv and Hans Christian Andersen markets, with more stalls with different food choices. But it’s not completely spread out like Tivoli Gardens.

Both Højbro Plads and Nytorv are inspired by the traditional German Christmas markets with wooden stalls lined on each side.

I got to try a pulled pork wrap with raclette cheese for the first time! There are also other varieties of dishes like hot dogs, gyro wraps, and currywurst.

There are also a lot more light installations, and a Santa sleigh where you can go inside and take photos.

Like Nytorv, Højbro Plads is right on Strøget (the longest pedestrian shopping street in the world), but it’s near all the expensive designer shops.

You can catch aerial views of Højbro Plads from ILLUM around the corner, a luxury department store with a rooftop bar. ILLUM’s exteriors are adorned with hanging lights. And it has garlands attached to the buildings across the street, with a heart and stars in the center.

Nytorv Christmas Market

Nytorv is half the size of Højbro Plads, but still has a decent amount of stalls for spaces to eat and drink. It’s right in the heart of Strøget, and if you’re staying near Råduspladsen (Copenhagen’s city hall), it’s a 5-minute walk.

It used to be in Kongens Nytorv from 2015–2023, before moving to Thorvaldsens Plads in 2024, and finally in Nytorv in 2025, right next to the Hans Christian Anderson Christmas Market.

There is also a small ice rink in the middle of the market for those who want to skate.

You also have fun photo ops with cute installations like a Christmas tree, a larger-than-life gold-wired teddy bear with lights, and a tree log you can walk through.

Despite its smaller size, the Nytorv Christmas has a variety of food and drink options in its stalls, like hot dogs, currywurst (my favorite!), churros, æbleskiver, gløgg, hot chocolate, and juleøl (Christmas beer).

The Nytorv Christmas Market is not to be confused with the new Kongens Nytorv Christmas Market, which is located across from Hotel d’Angleterre and around the corner from Nyhavn.

Hans Christian Andersen Julemarked

Right next to the Nytorv Christmas Market lies the tiny, intimate market named after the late, renowned Danish children’s author, Hans Christian Andersen.

Each stall is named after his famous books, such as The Little Mermaid, The Snow Queen, and Thumbelina. You’ll even find characters walking around from those stories.

Not surprisingly, you’ll also find Santa walking around Hans Christian Andersen market, waiting for passersby to greet him and take photos with him. I was able to take this heartwarming photo of a woman taking a selfie with him!

Nyhavn

While there is no official Christmas market in Nyhavn, when mid-November rolls around, there are a row of stalls selling churros, gløgg, hot chocolate, æbleskiver, crafts, and other holiday trinkets.

Many have said that the Nyhavn “Christmas market” is underwhelming. For me, it’s not about the Christmas market experience as it is about being in Nyhavn; after all, it is Copenhagen’s most popular and photographed spot, steeped in history as an important port area for sailors and traders in the 17th century, connecting the city to the sea. Also, Hans Christian Andersen lived in Nyhavn at one point!

Nyhavn is already picturesque enough all year round, but when fall rolls around, the Christmas decor and the stalls pop up, making it more magical and hyggelig. The lights are strewn all around, and the garlands are attached to the buildings on one side and to the boats on the other. Right in the center of the gardens, you’ll see the julehjert, the Danish woven hearts you’ll see in markets and gift shops.

There’s nothing better than ordering a cup of gløgg and sipping it while sitting on a beach and people watching. It also forces you to slow down and enjoy the holiday magic, even with a jam-packed itinerary.

Also, Nyhavn is buzzing with activity. You can go on a canal cruise while sipping that gløgg, and the boats are heated during the winter.

While the restaurants along Nyhavn are touristy and expensive (although I did eat lunch at Heering, the green building right next to Nyhavn 17, both times in 2022 and 2025), their outdoor patios have overhead space heaters and heated seat paddings. Nyhavn businesses are taking hygge to the next level during the holidays!

Freetown Christiana

Freetown Christiana is an autonomous community in Christianshavn that once had a seedy past. It was well-known for illegal cannabis trade on Pusher Street, which shut down in 2024. This has made Freetown Christiana easier to visit, because back when Pusher Street was active, there were a lot of police nearby guarding the area.

However, even before Pusher Street shut down, Freetown Christiana was still a popular spot among tourists. The area is known for its controversial public art, vintage shops, and galleries.

There is a small Christmas market in Freetown Christiana with over 100 vendors at Den Grå Hal selling treats and other handcrafted items.

Even before the Christmas market Den Grå Hal opens, Freetown Christiana already gets into the spirit with lights all around, stalls scattered around selling gløgg, and a smaller ice rink for visitors to skate.

Guided tours for Christmas in Copenhagen

While it is easy to do your own self-guided tour of the Copenhagen Christmas markets, I understand that some people are more comfortable with going on group or private tours, especially with a local who knows the city and the Christmas traditions inside and out.

A lot of these tour guides recommend spots and hidden gems you wouldn’t have tried otherwise, and they also provide different traditional food and drinks the locals consume during the holidays.

Here is a roundup of holiday tours in Copenhagen:

• Experience and Taste the Copenhagen Christmas: This is a fun walking tour where you try Danish Christmas treats like gløgg, æbleskiver, gingerbread hearts, and Christmas beer (all of which are included). There’s also a fun game involved that requires you to a bring a gift valued up to 20 DKK ($3.16 USD).
• Christmas Bike Tour with a local Guide: Despite Copenhagen’s frigid winters, you can up a sweat and stay warm by going on a bike tour, stopping at iconic attractions such as Christiansborg Palace, Royal Library of Denmark, and Amalienborg Palace. You’ll also stop by the Kongens Nytorv and Højbro Plads Christmas markets!
• Private Christmas Boat Tour: While you may have to spend a pretty penny, you get the boat completely to yourself and your party of up to 6 people. This is perfect for couples, and you can’t get any more romantic than this! Snacks and drinks such as charcuterie, chocolate, coffee, gløgg, and teo bottles of Moet champagne are included in this tour.

Where to Stay

Motel One Copenhagen

I stayed at Motel One Copenhagen during my first visit in 2022. Don’t be fooled by the word “motel” in it; the hotel was colorful and squeaky clean with spacious rooms and plush beds. I slept in one of the most comfortable beds ever; it felt like I was sleeping on clouds

There is a breakfast buffet that offers eggs, bread, pastries, meats, cheeses, and fruit. It’s also across the street from the Råduspladsen Station, making it easy to get around and use the Metro train.

Strøget is also around the corner from the hotel, and you can easily walk to Kongens Nytorv. If you’re up to it, you can even trek a 25 minute walk to Nyhavn!

Read my review of Motel One Copenhagen.

WIDE Hotel Copenhagen

This is where Cecilio and I stayed in 2025 during the Radiohead concert. WIDE Hotel exudes elegance and luxury without being gaudy. The interiors are beautiful, clean, and thoughtfully designed with couches in front of the front desk and on the side near the hotel, making it a cozy spot to hang out and have drinks.

The customer service is fantastic, and the staff are friendly. I asked them if there was a fridge in our room, since I needed one to refrigerate my injections, and they said that there was and I could always give it to them if we didn’t have one (luckily, we did have a fridge!).

They also have a storage unit on the lower level floor where you can store your luggage before you check in.

There’s breakfast available, but we didn’t eat there because it wasn’t included in our reservation. Instead, we ate at Ø12, a fantastic brunch spot a few buildings down from the hotel.

WIDE Hotel is also a few minutes away from Råduspladsen Station (and the S train on the other side). And while not as close as Motel One Copenhagen, you can easily walk to Strøget and Kongens Nytorv Christmas market.

Frequently Asked Questions

Wrapping up your guide to the Copenhagen Christmas

Copenhagen is one of the best places to spend winter, with lights and decorations on every corner, easy access to the Christmas markets, and the whiff of gløgg in the air. Aside from the one in Freetown Christiana, the rest of the markets are within walking distance from each other.

Looking for an elaborate Christmas market with endless entertainment and family fun? You’re going to love Tivoli Gardens and spend all day there. Or if you want the traditional German Christmas market experience, visit the Kongens Nytorv and Højbro Plads markets.

Now go and explore the best of the Copenhagen Christmas markets, and have a cup of gløgg for me!

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Hannah Padilla

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Hannah is a travel writer, graphic designer, and the founder/editor of Hannah on Horizon. She is based in Sacramento, California, living with her husband and two adorable dogs. She shares tips on how to experience luxury travel on any budget, and how to maximize time at each trip or destination, no matter what your budget or amount of vacation time at work. She enjoys making you feel like you have visited each destination with her through her storytelling and informative writing style.