VisitNyhavn
EN
The short version
- Light: on 21 December the sun rises at 08:37 and sets at 15:38: seven hours of daylight. By 1 February it sets at 16:43.
- Weather: a normal Danish winter averages 1.5–5.5 °C, with little snow and under 70 hours of sunshine a month.
- Still running: canal tours from Nyhavn in covered, heated boats, Broens Ice Rink until 21 February and Kunsthal Charlottenborg at the end of the quay.
- Closed for a while: Tivoli shuts after 3 January and reopens on 19 March 2027.
How dark and how cold?
| Date | Sunrise | Sunset | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 December 2026 | 08:14 | 15:42 | 7 h 28 min |
| 21 December 2026 | 08:37 | 15:38 | 7 h 01 min |
| 1 January 2027 | 08:39 | 15:48 | 7 h 09 min |
| 1 February 2027 | 08:04 | 16:43 | 8 h 40 min |
| Month (normal 1991–2020, all of Denmark) | Average temperature | Sunshine hours | Days with snow cover |
|---|---|---|---|
| November | 5.5 °C | 53.8 | 1.1 |
| December | 2.8 °C | 42.9 | 4.2 |
| January | 1.6 °C | 52.0 | 6.9 |
| February | 1.5 °C | 69.1 | 7.4 |
The weather figures are the Danish Meteorological Institute's national normals. They cover all of Denmark, not Copenhagen alone, and DMI still calls them provisional. What they tell you: expect grey, damp and around freezing at night, not a snowy postcard. Bring a hat, gloves and shoes that can take wet cobbles.
Month by month
November. The Christmas season starts. Broens Ice Rink, across the bridge from Nyhavn, opened on 30 October. The Christmas market on Nytorv and Gammeltorv opened on 6 November, the one on Højbro Plads follows on 14 November, and Tivoli opens its Christmas season on 13 November. See the Christmas markets within walking distance of Nyhavn.
December. The darkest and busiest month. Christmas markets, gløgg and æbleskiver on the quay, the Lucia kayak parade on 13 December, and then a country where most shops close on Christmas Eve: see what's open over Christmas. The year ends with New Year's Eve in Nyhavn and New Year's Eve dinner on the quay. Everything else about the season is on Christmas in Nyhavn.
January. The quietest weeks of the year on the quay. Tivoli is closed after 3 January, the Christmas markets are gone, and the ice rink is still in full swing. A good month for the indoor side of the city and for having a window table to yourself.
February. The light comes back: by 1 February you have more than an hour and a half more daylight than at midwinter. Copenhagen Light Festival runs from 29 January to 21 February 2027, with light art around the harbour, and the ice rink and Charlottenborg's winter exhibitions both close on 21 February.
What still runs in winter
- Canal tours from Nyhavn. Stromma sails from Nyhavn 3 all winter in covered, heated boats. The Classic Canal Tour costs from 179 DKK, and some afternoon departures sail out into the twilight. Netto-Bådene from Heibergsgade sails all year as long as the harbour is free of ice. From October to March two or three boats sail each day, covered and heated, and a ticket costs 80 DKK for adults and 40 DKK for children aged 3–14. See canal tours from Nyhavn.
- Broens Ice Rink, five minutes across Inderhavnsbroen, until 21 February 2027. It is closed on 24 December and 1 January and open until 15:00 on 31 December. See the ice rink.
- Sauna and a dip in the harbour: the nearest bathing zone is two minutes from Nyhavn, and the new KAI bathhouse on Paper Island opens on 5 December. See sauna and winter swimming near Nyhavn.
- Kunsthal Charlottenborg (Nyhavn 2): three exhibitions until 21 February 2027 (Jochen Lempert, Amalie Smith and Som Supaparinya). Entry 95 DKK, students 55 DKK, under-16s free, and free on Wednesdays after 17:00. Closed on Tuesdays, 24–25 December and 31 December–1 January.
What closes
- Tivoli is open for Christmas from 13 November 2026 to 3 January 2027 (closed on 24 December) and reopens for Easter from 19 to 29 March 2027.
- Outdoor seating on the quay thins out, and several restaurants shorten their winter hours: Restaurant Hummer is open Wednesday–Sunday 17:00–24:00 from November to February, and Bistro Summér Wednesday–Sunday 17:00–24:00 from October to March. See the restaurants in Nyhavn for each place's hours.
A winter day in Nyhavn
Start with a kanelsnegl from a bakery near the quay while it's still getting light, take a canal tour around midday when the sun is at its highest, skate at Broens before it gets dark, and be back on the quay at four, when the windows light up. On a wet day, there are more ideas in Nyhavn in the rain.
Weighing up the seasons? See Nyhavn in summer for the light half of the year, and the best time to visit Nyhavn for a month-by-month comparison.
How we checked
Sun times come from sunrise-sunset.org, weather from DMI's climate normals 1991–2020, and dates, opening hours and prices from each place's own website, all checked on 7 November 2026. Nobody pays to be listed.
Is Copenhagen worth visiting in winter?
If you want quiet streets, candlelit windows, Christmas markets in December and fewer crowds in January, yes. Expect short days, grey skies and temperatures around 0–5 °C.
What time does it get dark in Copenhagen in December?
Around 15:40. On 21 December the sun sets at 15:38.
Does it snow in Copenhagen in winter?
Not much. In DMI's normals for all of Denmark there are 4.2 days with snow cover in December, 6.9 in January and 7.4 in February. Grey and damp is more likely than white.
Do the canal boats run in winter?
Yes. Stromma sails from Nyhavn all winter in covered, heated boats, and Netto-Bådene sails all year from Heibergsgade as long as the harbour is free of ice.
Can you go ice skating near Nyhavn?
Yes. Broens Ice Rink is five minutes from Nyhavn across Inderhavnsbroen and is open until 21 February 2027.
Is Tivoli open in January?
No. Tivoli closes after 3 January and reopens for Easter on 19 March 2027.