When it comes to things to do in Copenhagen, it’s hard to go past a canal cruise from Nyhavn. Here you will see a whole host of historical sights around the canals and harbor without ever leaving your comfortable cruise boat seat!
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Where to Purchase Tickets
We purchased our tickets on the spot at Nyhavn Canal. In fact there is a handy ticketing booth situated at the end of Nyhavn Canal, where you can purchase tickets on several different cruise lines. For example, we purchased tickets for Copenhagen Canal Tours boats at the ticketing booth, and couldn’t have been happier.
The cost is around DKK 85 per person, which equates to only about $14 for a one-hour cruise. Now that’s a great value!
Naturally, it’s really easy to purchase tickets online at a wide range of websites and platforms. With this in mind, we always go to Getyourguide.com tour booking platform, the most reliable and trustworthy booking platform we have found.
Another option is to use a Copenhagen Card, which has a Canal Cruise from Copenhagen included in the price, as well as loads of other interesting things to do in Copenhagen.
Main Attractions
There is a lot to take in during a 1-hour canal cruise. Here’s a list of the main attractions you will see:
- Van Straden
- Nyhavn Canal
- Christianborg Palace
- The Old Stock Exchange
- Royal Danish Playhouse
- The Opera House
- The Sixtus Battery
- The Little Mermaid
- The Citadel / Kastellet
- Alienborg Palace
- Our Saviour’s Church / Christianshavn
- The Black Diamond / Royal Library
- DAC / BLOX
- National Museum of Denmark
Hot Tips for the Canal Tour
Tip 1
You will see a lot of boats getting around with clear roofs on them. These are great for keeping the cold Scandinavian rain out, but not so great if you want to take great videos or photos. So it’s wise to choose a nice day, and a seat with no roof obstructing the view. That is if you want to take loads of great photos.
Tip 2
You should study the map before going on the cruise, familiarising yourself with the main attractions. Especially as they pass by so fast on the cruise, and if you are not ready you may miss some attractions.
It pays to have a map handy so you can see the attractions coming up. The guide was talking in different languages on our tour and it was not always clear when the main attractions were coming up.
Tip 3
Nyhavn is a spectacularly historic area. Be sure to allow a couple of hours to chill out in this area, either before or after the cruise. And here are 13 amazing facts about Nyhavn to get you started.
Tip 4
Take the canal tour at the start of your Copenhagen vacation. That way when you see some interesting attraction you would like to see up close, you still have time to do so.
Tip 5
Consider combining with a 2 or 3 day hop-on hop-off bus tour. With this in mind there are loads of options available, and this is a great way to cover the entire inner city of Copenhagen.
Tip 6
We were very lucky to get a nice day with the sun peeping through, and I’m sure this is very lucky in Copenhagen. If you are lucky enough to see a nice sunny day during your visit then I suggest you use it wisely for your canal tour.
Our Review of the Canal Cruise from Nyhavn
There is so much history to pack into a small space of time that it’s hard to fully appreciate it all. And this is mixed with so many modern wonders in this eclectic city. We have been on quite a few 1-hour cruises throughout Europe and this is one of the best, up there with Amsterdam. It is certainly one of the best things to do in Copenhagen!
The best thing about this tour is the price, it is extremely cheap. Not to mention this is such an expensive city where a lot of things are 2 or 3 times what we are used to paying. That makes the canal tour from Nyhavn a must-see attraction when in Copenhagen. Overall we rate this attraction 10 out of 10, don’t miss it.
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