Is Copenhagen Safe To Visit In 2024?

Wondering whether Copenhagen is safe to visit?

You’ve come to the right article as I’ve written a complete guide on safety in Copenhagen.

Before visiting a city for the first time, I always check to see if the city is safe. And it’s an important question to ask, no one wants to visit somewhere that’s dangerous.

To get to this article, you’ve likely searched for “Is Copenhagen safe?

This was a question I had a while back before taking a solo trip to Denmark.

After spending 3 days in Copenhagen, I feel confident to answer the question of whether Copenhagen is safe or not.

Is Copenhagen Safe?

Yes! Copenhagen is an incredibly safe city. In fact, it is the safest place you will ever visit. I have never visited somewhere that felt as safe as Copenhagen did- the atmosphere in the city is so safe.

Don’t just take my word for it, Copenhagen was revealed as the safest city in the world, in The Economist’s 2021 Safe Cities Index.

Being top of the safest cities in the world is no mean feat, there are over 10,000 cities worldwide. And Copenhagen is number one!

Naturally, this makes a trip to Copenhagen an extremely safe trip. When I was in Copenhagen, I could really feel the safety. The vibe of the Danish locals is so relaxed and chilled. And when everyone has this attitude, it makes the country super safe.

A picture of bikes in Copenhagen left without a lock on them. Is Copenhagen safe? Yes, completely. The example of the bikes show how trusting the locals are.

To summarise how safe Copenhagen is, the locals don’t even put locks on their bikes. They simply leave the bikes in the street and there is trust that they won’t be stolen.

And guess what? They aren’t stolen. The mutual respect everyone has is unmatched, and this is why Copenhagen is so safe. That’s one thing I really felt in Copenhagen, which is mutual respect. Everyone was so welcoming and treated everyone with a smile on their face.

There are some differences between the Danish Capital from what I found elsewhere in other European capitals. To cross the road, you simply wait at the crossing and the green man will appear. You don’t need to press a button at most crossings.

It’s also expected that you wait to cross the road, I found Copenhageners waiting for the green man to appear, even when there was no traffic. Again, this shows the mutual respect in Copenhagen.

Top Tip: In Copenhagen and Denmark, they drive on the right-hand side of the road!

So yes, Copenhagen is very safe. As a solo traveller, I was particularly conscious about my safety, but I soon let down my guard.

There is no sense of danger, threat or anything. There are also no beggars and I didn’t see any homeless people during my trip. It seems that Copenhagen has its safety nailed to a tee. It’s the number one safest city in the world for a reason.

Is Copenhagen Safe At Night?

Some cities are safe during the day but unsafe at night. Copenhagen isn’t one of these cities. Copenhagen is safe day and night, regardless of what time of day it is.

I visited Copenhagen in January and it got dark before 5 pm, so I spent a lot of time walking around in the dark.

I didn’t feel any less safe at night than I did during the day.

As I said, the sense of safety you get in Copenhagen allows you to relax and forget any safety concerns you may have.

A picture of me outside Christiansborg palace.

There are a lot fewer people around at night than during the day, unsurprisingly. This didn’t make me feel any less safe and I enjoyed a few peaceful walks late at night.

It’s a beautiful city day and night, so I would definitely recommend seeing Copenhagen at night.

So, is Copenhagen safe at night? Yes, definitely.

Is Copenhagen Safe For Solo Travel?

I wondered about this exact question before my solo trip to Copenhagen. Is Copenhagen safe for solo travel?

The answer is yes! It’s very safe. As Copenhagen is such a safe city, you will feel as safe alone as you will in a group.

Not to mention how kind and welcoming the locals are. I found Danish people to be some of the nicest I have ever met. I had some great conversations with shopkeepers, servers and security guards.

A picture of Rosenborg Castle in Copenhagen.
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Copenhagen is actually a great place to travel solo too, there are lots of great hostels to choose from. I stayed in Next House Copenhagen which is the best hostel I have ever stayed in. It’s definitely the fanciest! The beds have their own “pods”, there’s a mini-football pitch and 5 bars, just to name a few selling points.

You can also walk pretty much everywhere. I walked to everything in Copenhagen and the furthest I ever walked at one time was 30 minutes. Of course, this means you save a lot of money.

As a solo traveller, you are most likely visiting Copenhagen on a budget, so you’ll want to save every penny possible.

To summarise: not only is Copenhagen safe for solo travel, but it is also a great city for solo travel too.

How To Stay Safe In Copenhagen

Although Copenhagen is a very safe city, both from my personal experience and factually speaking, you should always take personal safety seriously and look after yourself at all times. Even in Copenhagen, the safest city in the world.

As Copenhagen is so safe, there are no real specific tips for staying safe in Copenhagen, you should just use common sense and follow basic personal safety rules. These include, but are not limited to:

  • Don’t flash your valuables or expensive items
  • Keep your bag close to you when walking or sitting in a restaurant etc.
  • Don’t get drunk on your own
  • Be aware of pickpockets and petty crime – although these aren’t too bad in Copenhagen
  • Be aware of scams – again, these are very uncommon in Copenhagen
  • Learn the emergency services number: 112

You may also wish to purchase travel insurance. From my experience, SafetyWing is the best option. It covers both medical and travel expenses, so you can have a wonderful trip with complete peace of mind. Travel insurance is one of those things that is better to have and not need than to need and not have.

A picture of the canal in Copenhagen at night with a few canal boats on it with lights. Copenhagen is safe at any time of the day, including night.

Josh’s Things To Know Before Travelling To Copenhagen

Before travelling anywhere, you want to know the best tips and tricks, right?! Luckily, I have visited Copenhagen and have 7 of the best tips for you! I’m heading back to Copenhagen in December so that will be my second time in the city just this year. I love it there and I hope with my tips you will love it too!

  1. The Copenhagen Card is your friend – Usually, I am conscious about tourist cards/packages and whether they are worth my money. The Copenhagen Card definitely is! I got well more than I paid for in value. You can buy your Copenhagen Card by clicking here.
  2. You can drink tap water – The tap water in Copenhagen is perfectly safe to drink, and in fact, it’s extremely tasty. It’s fresh and tastes pure. Denmark actually has some of the cleanest tap water in the world.
  3. Denmark is expensive Copenhagen and Denmark are very expensive to visit. It is possible to visit “on a budget”, but the budget will be generally larger than other budget trips. Make sure you have enough money to spend. But there are some great things to do for free too.
  4. Tipping is not tradition – In Copenhagen, tipping is not expected. Of course, it is a nice gesture for exceptional service. But tipping is not traditionally a part of Danish culture.
A picture of some Danish Krona coins. The coins in Denmark have holes in the middle
The coins in Denmark have holes in the middle
  1. Make sure to wrap up warm – Depending on when you visit Copenhagen, it may get very cold. As a Scandinavian country, the weathers are pretty chilly, to say the least. I actually wore a hat for the first time in Copenhagen, yes, the first time.
  2. Get the train from the airport – The best and quickest way to get from Copenhagen Airport to Copenhagen Centre is by train. It’s included in the Copenhagen Card and takes about 15 minutes to get to Copenhagen Central Station.
  3. Most things close on a Monday – In Copenhagen, most things are closed on a Monday including the main tourist attractions like Christiansborg and Rosenborg.

Is Copenhagen Safe: FAQ

Below are some related questions to “Is Copenhagen safe?” along with my answers.

Is Copenhagen safe for solo female travellers?

Yes, Copenhagen is safe for anyone to visit. Copenhagen was named the safest city in the world in The Economist’s 2021 report. Anyone can visit Copenhagen and feel a sense of security within the city.

What makes Copenhagen so safe?

In my opinion, Copenhagen is so safe because there is mutual trust between everyone that lives there. Bikes are left without locks on them because there is trust that they won’t be stolen. This shows how safe Copenhagen is. The crime rate is extraordinarily low.

Is Copenhagen dangerous?

Not at all! In fact, Copenhagen is the safest city in the world. There are low crime rates in Copenhagen so it is not dangerous whatsoever. It’s the safest city on Earth!

Is Copenhagen safe to walk at night?

Yes, Copenhagen is safe at any time of the day. You can walk at night and feel completely safe. There is a sense of security throughout Copenhagen that allows you to relax and forget about any safety concerns you may have.

Is Copenhagen Safe: Conclusion

And there you have it, a complete guide to “Is Copenhagen safe?

To conclude, Copenhagen is safe. It’s very safe. Copenhagen is the safest city in the world.

You can feel the safety and security in the city, and you can be at ease during your trip. No matter what time of day, or what areas of Copenhagen, you can relax and feel completely safe.

I’ve never visited a city where I’ve felt as safe as I did in Copenhagen. Now that you know it is a safe place to go to, next up on your Copenhagen research is to decide how many days to spend in Copenhagen.