Monday In Copenhagen: What Is Closed? & Things To Do (2025)

Wondering how to spend a Monday in Copenhagen?

You’ve come to the right place as I’m a Copenhagen expert and I know all too well what it’s like to spend a Monday in the city.

One of the most frustrating parts about visiting Copenhagen, and most other places in Scandinavia, is that things are closed on Mondays.

From attractions to shops, the city basically shuts down for a day. But why? What is there that you can actually do?

Well, luckily, I have the answers to make sure that a full day of your trip doesn’t go to waste.

Monday In Copenhagen

If you aren’t aware, some things in Copenhagen are closed on Mondays.

It’s mainly tourist attractions but it also applies to some shops too.

In the summer months, some things which are normally closed on Mondays do open since it’s the most popular time to visit. But if you visit Copenhagen in January, for example, then some things might be closed.

It’s one of the most annoying things about visiting Copenhagen, and maybe only one of the negatives I can think of for visiting the city. But don’t worry, I can turn the negatives into a positive. I’ll tell you how to spend a Monday in the city later in the post.

Why Are Some Things Closed On A Monday In Copenhagen?

The reason that things close in Copenhagen is most things are open on Sundays.

Around the world, if tourist attractions close for one day a week, it’s usually on Sunday.

But in Copenhagen and throughout Scandinavia, this usually isn’t the case. Instead, most things (except shops) are open on Sundays, and things close on Mondays.

To be honest, I’m not sure if anyone really knows the reason why other than “it’s just always been like this” which is the answer I got both from asking around in the city and from researching online.

If I had to make a guess, I would say it could be to do with the incredible work-life balance they have in Scandinavian countries, which is also why some things close really early during the day.

This work-life balance leads to them being the happiest countries in the world. Copenhagen has actually been ranked the 5th happiest city in the world.

Don’t worry though, if you plan your trip wisely, you can still make a Monday a productive day when visiting Copenhagen. For example, the very first time I visited Copenhagen, I only had 2 full days: a Monday and a Tuesday. But I planned carefully and managed to see and do everything I wanted to.

It’s still worth visiting Copenhagen on Monday even though things are closed, and I’ll show you how to make it worth your while later in the post.

A smiling young man wearing a black jacket stands in front of colorful historic buildings and boats at Nyhavn Harbor, Copenhagen.

What Is Closed On Mondays In Copenhagen?

There are lots of must-dos in Copenhagen, and unfortunately, some of them are closed on Mondays.

But as I said, if you plan your trip carefully, you can still see everything in Copenhagen even when some things are closed on Mondays.

Here is a list of the most popular attractions closed in Copenhagen on Mondays:

  • Rosenborg Castle
  • Christiansborg Palace
  • National Museum
  • Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek
  • Amalienborg Palace
  • Palmehuset
  • Natural History Museum of Denmark
  • Danish War Museum
  • Medical Museion
Cheerful young man in a black outdoor jacket posing before the majestic Rosenborg Castle surrounded by manicured gardens in Copenhagen. Unfortunately the castle is one of the things closed on a Monday in Copenhagen.
Unfortunately, Rosenborg Castle is one of the attractions which are closed.

What Is Open On Mondays In Copenhagen?

It’s quite the list of things to do that are closed on Mondays, but don’t worry, the list of things which are open on Mondays in Copenhagen is actually longer.

Here is a list of the most popular things open on Mondays:

  • Nyhavn
  • Tivoli Gardens (at certain times of the year)
  • The Round Tower
  • Copenhagen Zoo
  • Church of Our Saviour
  • Botanical Gardens
  • The Little Mermaid
  • Frederik’s Church
  • Freetown Christiania
  • Copenhagen Canal Tour
  • Guinness World Records & The Mystic Exploratorium
  • Ripley’s Believe It or Not! & Hans Christian Andersen Experience
  • Museum of Copenhagen

To repeat myself just one more time, even though some things are closed on Mondays, there are a lot of things that are still open and it’s still possible to have a great day.

A young man in a winter coat standing next to the iconic bronze statue of The Little Mermaid on a rock by the waterside in Copenhagen
The Little Mermaid is open 24/7 since it’s a statue.

How To Spend A Monday In Copenhagen

If you’re reading this before your trip to Copenhagen, then congratulations, you are prepared and know what to expect for your trip. You can plan carefully to make the most of your Monday in the city.

If you’re reading this while you’re in Copenhagen, tough luck, but don’t worry, I was the same once too. Before my first visit, I hadn’t read anywhere about things closing on Mondays.

If you are planning a trip to Copenhagen:

Put together a list of everything you want to do in Copenhagen. Then use my list of things which close on Mondays, and put them on different days of the week. And then put things which are open on Mondays onto your Monday itinerary.

It’s a simple solution and means you aren’t wasting a day of your trip.

Top Tip: Most things to do in Copenhagen are included in the Copenhagen Card which helped save me over $90 on my latest trip to Copenhagen!

If you’re already in Copenhagen:

Check out my list of things which are open on Mondays, but if you’ve already been in the city for a day or two, you’ve probably already checked out Nyhavn and some of the other sights.

I’d recommend going for one of the more “obscure” choices which you might not have chosen to go to otherwise. My choice was the Guinness World Record Museum which I didn’t have high expectations for, but I actually really enjoyed.

Wax figure of Robert Wadlow, the tallest man recorded, sitting on a chair in the Guinness World Records Museum, Copenhagen.

Or if you really don’t like the look of what Copenhagen has to offer on Mondays, you could take a day trip somewhere else.

In the months when the park is open, you could make your way from Copenhagen to Legoland Billund, the home of Lego and the first Lego theme park in the world.

Another option is taking a day trip from Denmark to Sweden, from Copenhagen to Malmö, which is only 30-40 minutes by train. Unfortunately though, things close in Malmö on Mondays too. But it’s still a very nice city to walk around with quaint streets and coloured buildings.

Things To Do In Copenhagen On Mondays

Even though there are a good amount of things which are closed, there are still a lot of things which are open on Mondays in Copenhagen. Here are my 5 favourite things:

1) Visit Nyhavn: Nyhavn is the famous canal in Copenhagen with the famous coloured houses, and since it’s simply a sight, it doesn’t have opening hours. It’s my favourite spot in the city. It’s so peaceful and I could spend all day sitting there watching the world go by. Plus, it’s free which is a good benefit since Copenhagen is expensive to visit.

2) Have fun at Tivoli Gardens: Tivoli Gardens is one of the oldest theme parks in the world, and it does not disappoint. I visited at Christmas time and it was a complete Winter Wonderland. It’s a really magical place to visit, and the charm of the park is much stronger than the likes of Disney in my opinion. Note however that Tivoli is only open for certain months of the year.

A young man in a black jacket smiling in front of the Tivoli Gardens amusement park at night, with colorful lights reflecting on the water and an illuminated pagoda-style tower in the background.

3) See the animals at Copenhagen Zoo: Copenhagen Zoo is one of the best zoos in the world, and it’s my favourite zoo I’ve ever visited. The animals are so active compared to other zoos and the enclosures are massive. They have pandas, polar bears, jaguars, tigers, rhinos and a bunch of other animals which most zoos don’t have.

4) Look over Copenhagen from the Round Tower: The nickname for Copenhagen is the “City of Spires” and when you see the view from the top of the Round Tower, you’ll see exactly why. It’s the best view you can get over Copenhagen and it’s absolutely breathtaking. Even on days when the weather is bad, you still get a beautiful panorama.

5) Take a canal tour: A canal tour is a must-do when visiting Copenhagen. You get to see the city from a unique perspective and if you ask me, a better perspective. Nyhavn in particular is stunning from the water. It makes sense to take one on a Monday since other things are closed even though you can take a canal tour any day.

Vibrant view of Nyhavn with traditional ships moored along the canal, flanked by brightly painted townhouses under a cloudy sky. Taken during a canal tour, one of the things you can do on a Monday in Copenhagen

Copenhagen Mondays: FAQ

Below are some common questions related to Mondays in Copenhagen along with my answer to each question.

Are all museums in Copenhagen closed on Mondays?

Most museums in Copenhagen are closed on Mondays including the National Museum, National History Museum of Denmark, Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek and the Danish War Museum.

Is everything closed in Copenhagen on Sunday?

Most attractions are open on a Sunday in Copenhagen, including Tivoli Gardens, Rosenborg Castle and Christiansborg Palace. Attractions close on Mondays in Copenhagen rather than Sundays. Some small shops will be closed but most souvenir stores and supermarkets will remain open.

Wrap Up

And there you have it, a complete guide to visiting Copenhagen on a Monday.

Yes, things are closed, and yes, it’s annoying. But you can’t let it ruin your day – there are still so many amazing things you can do.

Now that you know how to spend Mondays in Copenhagen, you might be interested in learning how to spend 2 days in Copenhagen which you can merge with the itinerary for a Monday.

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