COPENHAGEN PHOTO TOUR: THE BEST ATTRACTIONS WITH AMAZING PHOTO SPOTS!

Are you preparing your trip and you don’t know Copenhagen best photo spots? What are the main attractions and the best view to capture?

Explore our photo map and 4 detailed itineraries, with photo tips and the best locations to take amazing pics!

Follow our tips and brig the MAP with you during your trip!

Before starting: how to get the aim of Copenhagen in your shots

Copenhagen is one of the most liveable city in the world. It has the European oldest amusement park and astronomical observatory and the largest aquarium. It is the oldest monarchy, but it is also one of the most advanced and sustainable city in the world. 

It is an amazing place that exceeds expectations, as small city, as well equipped and smart as a big metropolis.

But the most amazing thing is the atmosphere of the city, that makes you feel at home with its strong but unobtrusive character. Copenhagen does not impose itself, but welcomes, fascinates, involves, and offers the scenography to express yourself.

And in every photo it stimulates you to show as much character, to arouse as much surprise.

When you walk taking photos to represent the aim of the city, you should think that Copenhagen is the city of well-matched contrasts, where every aspect represents the perfect union between present and past, in which each part increases the value of the whole and the subjects in the background enhance those in the foreground.

A composition of many different slides: the canals with coloured houses, the paved streets of the city center, the royal castles, the shacks decorated with murals, the sea, which also seems only a canal, the white fumes of the new sustainable industries and the red bricks of the old requalified factories.

But above all, what is exciting is the change between the narrow and thick spaces of traditional buildings and the vastness of the squares reflected in the glass facades of the new architectures. 

Walking or cycling in the city, among crowds of cyclists, you will be amazed by the continuous but balanced changes of the urban scenarios, by intimate views and wide perspectives, and by the lights reflected in the canals.

Consider all this characteristics in taking your photos, play with the water, the reflections, the dimensions of the public spaces and the lines and materials of the new architectures, the contrasts of colours and shapes.

Discover our four photographic daily itineraries !

1. City streets and canals

City streets in Copenhagen are extremely amazing.

Nyhavn is the most famous attraction. A beautiful canal with amazing coloured houses facing the water and full of shops, restaurants and cafes. The little boats tied up in the canal complete the fascinating scene. It will be maybe your favourite place in the city, to have a walk or eat or relax with friends, but also to take beautiful pictures!

Photo tips! Go there at sunrise, when you can admire this place not crowded people and watch the sun that enlighten the coloured buildings. Take symmetrical pictures with the water reflections in the canal or creates series based on the building’s facades (read more about these photography techniques here).
With the camera, tripod could be useful when the light is not too much. A good polarizing filter and a  neutral density filter can help you to work with water and reflections.

Then, dedicate a day to the very heart of Copenhagen: Strøget, the characteristic pedestrian shopping street in the centre of the old city.
It’s restaurants, shops and cafes make it one of the liveliest spots in Copenhagen. Admire the old and elegant buildings on the way, and the beautiful pavement of Amagertorv square, then proceed through Gammeltorv square and Radhuspladsen, the City Hall Square.

Other streets you can’t miss are Frederiksborggade, through Nørreport square and Kultorvet square, and Købmagergade.

Photo tips! In the city center, pay attention to the vertical lines, try to don’t tilt up your camera or phone, or the buildings will seem to fall. Use the grid to help you or look for more about it in this article. If you are searching for a raised point, enjoy the view from Illum Rooftop in Amagertorv.

Another unique spot that can’t be missed is Christianshavn canal and the Freetown Christiania. There you can find the typical poor houses and barracks and colourful murals, the famous Pusher Street and overall a unique atmosphere.
The visit to Christiania can last 1 or 2 hours. Photos are not very appreciated the inhabitants, but but some murals are worth capturing, and they will express the very aim of this district!

2. Castles and churches

The Rosenborg Castle, the renaissance Royal Castle is open to the public to visit the royal rooms and houses the Royal Danish Collections, so we suggest you to dedicate 1.30 hours to visit it inside.

Then, continue till Amalienborg Palace, home to the Danish Royal family and the heart of Frederiksstaden. Here you can visit the Amalienborg Museum.

In Christiansborg Palace, home to the Danish Parliament, the Danish Prime Minister’s Office and the Supreme Court of Denmark, you can visit the royal rooms.

Photo tips! Inside the Castle, focus on decoration details with zoom or try some symmetric shots placing yourself in the exact center of the room. Try also to use frames (like doors or windows) to emphasize the subject. Read more about these tips here.

About the churches, you can’t miss the Frederiks Kirke, also called Marmorkirken, thanks to its beautiful marbles. It is the most imposing church of the city, with it’s massive dome.

Another beautiful church is Saint Alban, in Langelinie park. The beautiful atmosphere surrounding the church and the water that reflects the high bell tower makes it simply magical.

The last church you can’t miss is the Church of Our Saviours, in Christianshavn, famous for it helix spire that you can climb!

Photo tips! Try to capture some details of the dome or the tower bells. If you want to capture all the building, try to go far and keep the camera straight vertical, or go exactly in front of the facade and tilt up your camera, to make stand out the high. For more details read the article about framing with lines.

3. New architectures and water reflections

Along the inner Harbour you can admire some of the new contemporary beautiful buildings of the city.

The Skuespilhuset, that is the Royal Playhouse, the Opera House, that is the national opera house and the Black Diamond, the waterfront extension to the Royal Danish Library, are some of the most famous city landmarks. With their glazed facades and clear geometric design and shapes, they represent the symbols of geometric design and new architecture solutions.

Don’t miss the surroundings of the Opera House: there are beautiful old architectures restored that creates a beautiful atmosphere.

Photo tips! We are facing one of the main theme of the city: new contemporary geometrical architectures with glass facades facing the water and reflecting lights. This could be the main subject of your photos here!
You could arrive at the blue hour in Amaliehaven Garden, a little elegant waterfront park where you can take beautiful photos to the Opera House enlightened and reflected in the water.
Here enjoy the bridges on the harbour, that offer beautiful panoramas: Inderhavnsbroen, Knippelsbro and Lille Langebro are the best ones.
With your photos, use the grid to stress lines and geometrical shapes!
With the camera, use a tripod and long exposures to create silk effect on the water and emphasize reflections!

Reach also the Cirkelbroen, a beautiful bridge made by many circles, facing wonderful restored industrial buildings.

In the Harbour enjoy Krøyers Plads, a perfect example of danish contemporary redesign of ancient architectural shapes and solutions. This beautiful square can’t be missed in your visit!

Also the Tycho Brahe Planetarium is a beautiful place to shoot, because its geometrical and particular shapes face the water and you can get amazing pics.

4. Monuments and royal changing of the Guard

The most famous monument in Copenhagen is the Mermaid statue, the bronze statue on the water representing the protagonist of the famous fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen.

Then, enter Kastellet, a pentagonal fortress surrounded by a moat at the end of Langeline promenade. You will enjoy beautiful views over the park and the surrounding canals. In one of the pentagons you will find the iconic windmill, built in 1847, that is the only one left out of approximately 16 windmills built on the bastions.

In Amagertorv square, focus on the beautiful Stork fountain, while in Amalienborg square enjoy the Rytterstatuen, the equestrian statue of Frederik V.
In Langelinie park, focus on Gefion Fountain and the Ivar Huitfeldt Column.

Photo tips! Focus on the subject you want to capture and try to isolate it from the other elements: the Mermaid statue, the fountains, the Windmill or one of the buildings of Kastellet. Use the green grass or the blue water to create contrasts between colours and to frame the main subject. Try to go near the subject to avoid too much people in your scene, as these could be very busy places. If you want to include people in your shots, try to focus only on one or a small group and use the rule of thirds. The grid will help you.

Every day at 12 am, in Amalienborg square you can attend the Changing of the Royal Guard. At 11.30 am, the guard marches from Rosenborg Castle to Amalienborg, with its traditional uniform and typical cap.

Photo tips! Try to use small depth of field with you camera or portrait mode on your phone to make the subjects stand outs, like the royal guards.

5. Parks

There are a lot of parks in Copenhagen which are worth a visit.

The gardens of Rosenborg Castle are a beautiful place to spend some moments. Near, the Botanisk Have holds the largest collections of living plants in Denmark. 
Ørsted park will offer you wonderful spots and a romantic atmosphere.
Walking in Langelinie park, that leads to the Mermaid statue and the Kastellet, is an amazing experience. There are a lot of different views and sceneries to admire.
Vestre cemetery, with its 54 hectares, offers beautiful tree-line avenues and landscapes.

Then, you can’t miss Tivoli Gardens, that is one of the oldest operating amusement parks in the world and one of the main attractions in Copenhagen. It includes a great variety of attractions, it is famous for its gardens and blinding lights, that offer a magic and amazing atmosphere. If you go in the afternoon and stay there in the evening, you will be enchanted by the beautiful lights and decorations of the park!

Photo tips! Tivoli is beautiful in every season and moment of the day. Use zoom to catch details and wide angle to frame the whole scene, search for raised points to avoid the crowd in your photos.

6. Panoramas

The Rundetaarn is a 17th-century tower, built as an astronomical observatory, famous for its helical corridor leading to the top, where you can admire a beautiful view of the city center.

The most high view of the city is offered from the Christiansborg Palace‘s tower, 106 meters high.

But we recommend you to reach the top of the Church of Our Saviour in Christianshavn. The characteristic helix spire, with his winding staircase, offers one of the best panoramic views of the town. The lantern of the spire, from 1933, holds the biggest carillon in Europe.

Photo tips! The panoramic view of the city are a beautiful way to enjoy a different perspective. The best moment to go is at sunset, when you can capture the beautiful colours of the sky and the warm light of the sun on the roofs. If not not possible, go in the middle of the day, when the sun is high, so you can see a clear 360° panorama avoiding the blacklight.

7. New or renovated urban districts

Copenhagen offers beautiful examples of sustainable, fascinating urban districts, new or renovated, extremely amazing with their futuristic design. They are perfect to take incredible photos!

Superkilen is an urban regeneration and landscape project by Topotek 1 Architects. The aim of the project was to revitalize a degraded area of the Nørrebro neighbourhood. The coloured paved grounds are one of the main features of the park.

Photo tips! This is the perfect place to play with colors, shapes and lines, also searching for abstract pics or funny one.

Some other beautiful examples of contemporary danish architecture are the Søndre Campus at Ørestad North, or the complex 8 Tallet, in Ørestad South, Havneholmen or Kaktus tower in Versterbro and Nordhavnen district.

Impressive architectures, mixed-use, ecological solutions, urban and landscape experimentations are the basis of these astonishing projects.

What are you waiting for?

Explore or photo map and all the itineraries and discover Copenhagen through a photographic eye!

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