Romantic Copenhagen: Valentine's Day tips

Copenhagen might not be known as the city of love, the way Paris is but it offers its own unique romantic opportunities. From strolling through pleasure gardens to dining high above the city and stargazing, romance is not hard to find in the Danish capital. These are some of our favourite ways to spend Valentine's Day in Copenhagen.

Some Valentine's Day activities might require you to splurge but not this first option. The King’s Garden by Rosenborg Castle is the country's oldest royal garden, established in the early 1600s by King Christian IV. The former royal pleasure gardens are a great place for a romantic stroll in Copenhagen.

The pleasure garden has herbaceous borders, a rose garden, huge flowerbeds, grass lawns, fountains and several sculptures. Here you can wander along tree-lined paths, under rose-bound arches and take a seat on one of the garden benches to enjoy the garden and each other’s company. The King's Garden is a public park, open to everyone.

Just ten kilometres north of Copenhagen lies the vast Dyerhaven, a 11 km² park known for its huge ancient oak trees and large populations of red and fallow deer. During the ride you can snuggle up together under a blanket and enjoy the sights and sounds of Dyrehaven, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

A romantic horse drawn carriage ride through the park is a fantastic way to experience its flora, fauna and cultural history on Valentine’s Day or any other day of the year. The carriages have a stop at Klampenborg Station, which you can easily reach within 20 minutes by public transport from Copenhagen city centre.

A great way to learn more about the city and see some of its best sights is with a cruise through the many canals in the city centre. A canal cruise is definitely one of the most relaxing ways to take in the popular sights of the city – attractions along the routes commonly include the Copenhagen Opera House, Christiansborg and Amalienborg Palaces, and the Little Mermaid statue, perhaps the city’s most iconic landmark.

There are plenty of different options available to make your way along the canals. If you prefer to sit back and relax with a guided tour, recommend the canal tours from Netto-Boats. The more adventurous couples can choose to hire their own kayaks to make their way around the canals at their own pace.

Winter swimming is a truly Danish experience and making the memory together makes it all the more special. Copenhagen offers several different locations for a refreshing dip in the winter months. You can head to Helgoland Badeanstalt on Amagerstrand or, if you want to stay in the city centre, to Islands Brygge Havnebad in the city harbour, where afterwards you can warm back up in one of Bryggen's many cozy cafes and restaurants.

Or go across the water from the Little Mermaid statue to La Banchina. Here you can combine swimming with dining and a sauna. It is the ultimate place to experience harbour front hygge. The small restaurant offers plenty of vegetables and everything the sea can provide to go along with natural wines and cold beers.

A great place for a delicious dinner with a wonderful view across the city of Copenhagen is Meyers in the Tower. The tower (Tårnet) is part of Christiansborg Palace and has only been open to the public since 2014, which means that now everyone can look out over the city from the 44 metre high viewing platform. The restaurant Meyers i Tårnet offers a special menu on Valentine’s Day, which starts with snacks and bubbles, followed by 3 dishes and wine menu, as well as coffee and sweets.

Meyers is on the more expensive end of the spectrum, luckily Valentine’s Day falls during Dining Week. Dining Week takes place twice a year in Denmark and brings together a wide range of the best restaurants around the country, all of which have put together a festival menu and dedicated the week to ensuring that Dining Week guests get a unique restaurant experience at a great price. This means that there are plenty of opportunities for romantic dinners in the city.

A great way to finish your romantic day in Copenhagen is with stargazing. Luckily Copenhagen is home to the oldest still-functioning observatory in Europe and you can find it in the heart of the city at the Round Tower. You can take the wide spiral path to the top, which sits at 36 metres above the street.

The Rundetaarn is open 362 days a year, closing only for Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year's Day. You can visit during the day to enjoy panoramic views of Copenhagen or at sunset for a more romantic experience. In winter, the tower is open on a couple a night a week for stargazing, which is perfect for Valentine's Day visitors.

And there are plenty of other romantic things to do in Copenhagen both on Valentine's Day and throughout the year. Go looking for portrayals of love in the many art museums of the city such as the SMK (Statens Museum for Kunst) or the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek.

If it is too cold for you outside and you still want to wander together amongst nature, head to the Botanical Gardens, where in the summer months you can also visit the Butterfly House. And of course when Tivoli is open, the fairy tale surroundings of the park are not to be missed.

There are also plenty of gift buying opportunities in Copenhagen. You can buy tickets to attractions, or find a fun souvenir. You are sure to be able to find something for anyone you know, from loved ones to colleagues and bosses.