Best Places to Find Fall Color in Copenhagen

A Self-Guided Bicycle/Walking Tour of Autumn Foliage and Danish Café Hygge

Fall is fantastisk in Copenhagen. Deciduous trees that dominate the landscape start changing colors to blend perfectly with the classic Scandinavian architecture. The Danish capital is suddenly coordinated in rusty reds, earthy ochres, and burnt oranges. This town is built for autumn. The long Nordic summer days slowly get shorter as they slip into my favorite season, even as the light lingers less and the air turns cool. Pull on a sweater. Or a jumper, if you’re British. Definitely bring layers and something to stave off the very real potential for rain. Fall can be crisp like a tart Danish apple, famous from the island of Fejø, ripe and ready to pluck.

But it’s not always rainy. Here, autumn can come sometimes sunny and bright. In Danish, there is a name for that hybrid season as summer turns to fall – known as sensommer. And it can be sublime. Come soak it up. And if the weather wanes, as it is wont to do in Denmark, you can enjoy the season change from inside one of Copenhagen’s many cozy cafés and delicious craft coffeehouses.

Originally posted September 2019, updated September 2022

Yesterday we went on a little color-collecting expedition around the city. By bike – naturally. As you do in Copenhagen. And collect we did. When the fallback of daylight savings happens, I become a bit like a squirrel hoarding away little snippets of color preparing for the dark Danish days of winter ahead.

NOTE: Danish Daylight Savings ends Sunday 30 October 2022 at 03:00

See Copenhagen’s fall color on a self-guided bike tour

So – while it lasts – here are my favorite places to see autumn colors in Copenhagen. Do a day out in the city – I’ve organized a fall color collecting tour by bicycle. The route is about 8.5 km. It starts and ends at Østerport Station, but you could jump in at any point or pick and choose where you want to get your Autumn on. 

Visiting the city? Rent a bike and explore like a local. Make sure to use signals when stopping or turning, stay to the right, ride single file, and go with the flow.

Luckily for you there is a great bicycle shop with rentals right at Østerport Station and they have lots of options from city bikes to cargo bikes to get you out cruising. Helmets and helpful in-person instructions about best biking practices are available here as well.

Pedalatleten Østerport
Oslo Plads 9, 2100 København Ø (Track 13 at Østerport Trainstation)

Donkey Republic
Or if you are more of an app person, try Donkey Republic which offers 24/7 self-service bike rental for short periods or for the full day. Download their app, enter your payment, and reserve your bike online. With pick-up and drop-off locations all over the city, it affords you the ultimate flexibility.

FALL FOLIAGE BICYCLE OR WALKING TOUR OF COPENHAGEN

⇒ The Lakes

Sortedams Sø, Peblinge Sø, Copenhagen

Ride or stroll along the lakes and you are sure to be treated to a fabulous leafy fall color show. Soon the paths will be littered with horse chestnuts or “conkers.” Similar to buckeyes in the States, the seeds of the horse chestnut trees are inedible, but fun for kids to collect. Stop and sit on one of the iconic Copenhagen benches that line the lakes and watch as swans swim by. When sunny, it is serene. And can be quite the scene with locals out for a run or cycle or just a walk with their peeps.

If the weather is waning, stop in at any of the cafes along the way for a warm-up to enjoy the view from inside. We love Original Coffee mid-lakes near the Dronning Louises Bridge. Enjoy your cappuccino, cortado or varme chokolade (with marshmallows) and a morgen komplet breakfast – two pieces of rugbrød, two steamed eggs, cheese, preserves, and a little pot of skyr, rhubarb plus muesli – a perfect plate to share. My daughter loves the hindbær snitter here – an excellent raspberry pop tart of sorts. She thinks it is the best one in the city. She’s tried a lot.

Try one of these cafés along the lakes for some cozy Autumn hygge:

Den Franske Café
Sortedam Dossering 101, 2100 København
Lakeside tables and a cozy inside with candles are cute even if coffee isn’t the best in the city.

Søernes Ølbar
Sortedam Dossering 83, kl, 2100 København, Denmark
One of the city’s best craft beer purveyors with lakeside tables and candlelit pub indoors.

Café Livingstone
Sortedam Dossering 81, 2100 København
Excellent brunch offering with seating outside and Scandi cozy inside.

Lagkagehuset 
Sortedam Dosseringen 9 st, th., 2200 København N
Delicious Danish bakery chain offering amazing bread and pastries.

Original Coffee Nørrebro
Sortedam Dossering 9, 2200 København
Delicious coffee, pastries, morning brunch plates, sandwiches.

Social Coffee
Peblinge Dossering 4, 2200 København N
Independent Coffee shop serving gluten-free breakfast and lunch options.

Kaffesalonen
Peblinge Dossering 7, 2200 København
1930’s café near Dronning Louises Bro with a lakeside dock.

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⇒ Assistens Kirkegård

Kapelvej 4, 2200 København N

From the lakes, turn right and head north along Nørrebrogade. You will find a long stretch of gold walls, turn in and discover this beautiful and historic cemetery in the Nørrebro neighborhood. Assistens offers brilliant fall foliage and a serene place to take a stroll. If you’re interested in tracking down the final resting places of Danish legends like Hans Christian Andersen or Søren Kierkegaard – you can do that too.

Didn’t get your coffee fix earlier along the lakes? Stroll the length of the tree-lined center path and exit the cemetery. Cross the street and wander along Jægersborggade, Nørrebro’s favorite street for food finds and fab Danish design.

Recommendations in nearby Nørrebro:

Coffee Collective Jægersborggade
Jægersborggade 57, 2200 København, Denmark
Delicious craft coffee across from a park.

Anderson & Maillard
Nørrebrogade 62, 2200 København
Well-regarded coffee café with house-made pastries. Don’t miss the almond croissants. They’re divine from here.

Café Kaf
Birkegade 21, 2200 København
Vegan café with coffee, brunch, and the best cheesecake.

Brus
Guldbergsgade 29, 2200 København
Time for a beer? Brus has a ton of local craft beers on tap, and good food too.

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RELATED: COPENHAGEN’S BEST PLACES TO GET DRINKS OUTSIDE

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⇒ Torvehallerne

Frederiksborggade 21, 1360 København K

Turn around and head back down Nørrebrogade towards the lakes again, but this time cross over the famous Dronning Louises Bro. You’re headed for Torvehallerne. The glass market. I love this place. A true foodie foray from amazing fresh fish to French cheese and craft beer. Taste the tapas or go Danish and try the topless sandwiches called smørrebrød. You can find brilliant fall flowers and decor and bushels of Dansk græskar – pumpkins.

Plenty to taste at Torvehallerne in Hall 1:

Hallernes Smørrebrød
Rømersgade 18, 1360 København
Cases full of classic Danish open-faced sandwiches. Wash down with some house snaps.

Hav 2 Go
Rømersgade 18, 1360 København
Take away fresh seafood salads and grains for fish lovers.

Ma Poule
Rømersgade 18, 1360 København
Try the duck confit sandwich, voted the city’s best. Fulfills all of your French market needs.

Mikkeller & Friends Bottle Shop
Frederiksborggade 21, 1360 København
A unique selection of craft bottled beer from local gypsy brewer Mikkeller and more.

Omegn & Venner
Rømersgade 18, 1360 København
We love the charcuterie board here complete with local pickled vegetables.

Or try these in Torvehallerne’s Hall 2:

The Coffee Collective
Vendersgade 6D, 1360 København
The market outpost of one of Copenhagen’s most loved coffee makers.

Grød
Linnésgade 17 (Stand A8) 1360 København
Copenhagen’s porridge kings – best oatmeal you’ll ever eat.

RELATED: WHERE TO GET DANISH CHRISTMAS PORRIDGE | GRØD

Hija de Sanchez Taqueria
Frederiksborggade 21, 1360 København
An outdoor kiosk serving up tasty tacos from ex-Noma sous chef.

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⇒ Botanical Gardens or Botanisk Have

Gothersgade 128, 1123 Copenhagen

Part of the University of Copenhagen’s Natural History Museum, the gated Botanical Garden is gorgeous year-round. With upgrades and construction of the nearby museum complex, entry is only at the corner of Gothersgade near Nørreport. Do a loop towards the iconic white iron and glass Tropical House and exit out before heading towards the Kings Garden, the next stop on the tour.

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⇒ Kongens Have, Rosenborg Slot

Øster Voldgade 4A, 1350 København

Full of delicious food, it’s time to get back on the fall foliage tour. We’re headed to the King’s Garden, or Kongens Have in Danish. Only a few blocks from Torvehallerne – walk towards Nørreport and take a left on Nørre Voldgade. Take a right on Gothersgade and enter across from Landemærket for a beautiful stroll down the tree promenade fancy in fall’s wardrobe.

The stately Rosenborg Slot (or Palace) holds court in autumn colors mid-garden. You will soon see there are so many places for photo ops in here. Walk your bike through the garden – it’s not allowed to ride – and then exit opposite the Statens Museum for Kunst (SMK). You’ll find it when facing the Palace, take the path to the upper right corner of the park.

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⇒ Øster Anlæg Park

2100 Copenhagen

Behind the large art museum SMK, you will find a lovely network of trails that wind along little ponds. Look for herons along the edges. Enjoy the colors here as you make your way back to Østerport at the opposite end of your self-guided tour.

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More places to find fall color in and around the city

Still need more autumn color or want somewhere closer to you? Add these spots on to your bicycle tour, or tick them off on different days. All offer lovely spots and photo ops for your fall color collecting. 

⇒ Kastellet near Østerport

2100 Copenhagen

Historic fortification offers walking paths and plenty of fall foliage this season. Enter at the corner across from Østerport, or near the Anglican Church at Toldboden.

⇒ Det Kongelige Bibliotekshave | Royal Library Garden

Proviantpassagen 1, 1218 Copenhagen

Sneak into the little but lovely Royal Library Gardens just off the Christiansborg Palace. Gorgeous any season, autumn brings brilliant red ivy-covered walls.

⇒ Christian IV’s Brewhouse on Frederiksholm Canal

Frederiksholms Kanal 29, 1220 Copenhagen

The Lapidarium of Kings now houses the royal collection of sculptures and casts. It was once the brewhouse for King Christian the IV and it glows with colorful vines come autumn. See it from the Frederiksholm Canal opposite the Blox building.

⇒ Frederiksberg Gardens

Frederiksberg Runddel 3D, 2000 Frederiksberg

Plan an afternoon or pack a picnic to enjoy the scenery from the sprawling Frederiksberg Gardens on a sunny day this fall.

⇒ Vestre Kirkegård

Vestre Kirkegårds Allé 15, 2450 Copenhagen

Vintage tombstones and long pathways with brilliant yellow-leaved trees bring Halloween vibes on the west side of town.

⇒ Valby Parken

Hammelstrupvej 100, 2450 Copenhagen

⇒ Sydhavnstippen

Fragtvej 9, 2450 Copenhagen

A little tricky to find, the Sydhavnstippen is only a twenty-minute bicycle from town. This space is a scenic nature area where you can look for havtorn (seabuckthorn) to harvest and say hello to the local sheep and alpacas. It would be an easy add-on to this bicycle tour from Sluseholmen. Read more here:

RELATED: BIKE ON COPENHAGEN’S HARBOR RING TO SLUSEHOLMEN

⇒ Amager Fælled

Artillerivej 73B, 2300 Copenhagen

Large green space for exploring south of the city in Amager.

⇒ Jægersborg Dyrehave Klampenborg

Dyrehaven, 2930 Klampenborg

Take the train to Klampenborg stations and step into one of Denmark’s UNESCO World Heritage sites – the Jægersborg Dyrehave was a historic par force hunting ground and it glows in Autumn.  Don’t miss the historic (but now symbolic) Hubertusjagt or hunt each November. Read more here:

RELATED: THE HISTORIC HUBERTUSJAGT HUNT IN KLAMPENBORG

Did I miss one of your favorite spots to find fall color in the Danish capital? Drop me a comment, I’m always looking for new places to squirrel away autumn hues. Cheers from here. Come to Copenhagen, she said.

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