Denmark is a country that experiences all four seasons. Therefore, the weather can be anything from sunny to snowy. The cultural attractions are always there, so it’s never a bad idea to come. But if you are a perfectionist and want the absolute ideal trip, you might be wondering – when is the best time to visit Denmark?
We will try to answer that here and give you some information about each season in Denmark.
The summer is definitely the most comfortable time of the year to be visiting Denmark. By summer we refer to the months of June, July and August.
Although it can sometimes be rainy, it is mostly sunny during the summer. Temperatures are typically around 20-25 degrees Celsius, although it can sometimes get a bit colder, and sometimes a bit hotter (every year there might be a few days around 30C).
So overall, the summer is very comfortable. It is not too hot, and it is not too cold. You can expect it to be enjoyable. It is also during the summer that most tourists come to visit Denmark. The coastal towns and islands are full of Norwegians and Germans during this time of the year. They often stay in beach houses and come to enjoy the mild and comfortable weather.
Another benefit of coming to Denmark in summer is that all the amusement parks are open – often until very late in the evening. That includes Tivoli in Copenhagen, as well as other parks around the country.
Museums, restaurants, shops, and other typical tourist attractions are also open in the summer. While many Danes go on vacation themselves, the country never gets empty. Danes usually just travel for a week or two and then return home. Some Danes don’t even go abroad but prefer going to a beach house or to a camping facility somewhere in Denmark.
Photographers should definitely come in the summer since this is the season where you can get the best photos.
Downsides? There aren’t really any. A small downside is that the summer doesn’t have any major holidays or festival days – with the exception of Constitution Day and Skt. Hans, both in June. So aside from those, there won’t be any specific cultural celebrations, but if you just want to see the country while the weather is good, that doesn’t really matter much.
The autumn can be very rainy. So be prepared to bring a jacket that is suited for wind and rain! Temperatures aren’t that bad. September is usually comfortable enough with temperatures usually staying between 15C and 20C in the daytime. There can be some really good days with plenty of sun, and some mediocre days with rain. October is a lot more rainy and grey but even in October, there can be a few sunny days where you can go out without a jacket if you’re lucky. November is very dark and grey.
If you’re coming to Denmark for cultural reasons, autumn is an ideal time to visit. There won’t be too many other tourists, so you won’t have to wait in lines, and hotel prices will be at their lowest.
Since university starts again in September, most young people will be home in Denmark during the autumn. So if you’re young and want to meet other young people, it’s an ideal time to come and socialize.
The upsides of visiting Denmark in autumn are that you can fully immerse yourself into the culture and come at a time when most tourists stay away. The downsides are the weather and the lack of special celebration days (just like in the summer, there aren’t that many holidays in the autumn).
The winter is cold, but it could be worse. Temperatures are usually just around zero degrees Celsius, although some days will go into minus degrees. January and February are the coldest months and snow is most likely to fall in these two months. If you’re coming from a tropical country and want to see snow, we would recommend going in February.
It will mostly be dark in the winter. Especially in December where the days are very short. The sun rises late and goes down early. Even though January and February are colder, they are a bit brighter. It is not unusual to have a cold but bright and clear day in these months.
Christmas is a big tradition in Denmark and almost everybody will celebrate it. You will see decorations in every city, town, and village. Many places put up massive Christmas trees and have special lights all over the streets. Supermarkets will sell seasonal snacks, and restaurants will have many traditional Danish dishes on the menu – more so than usual. There are outdoor Christmas markets in the bigger cities.
New Year is also a great event. The best place to be is in Copenhagen – the celebration there gets televised and there will be lots of fireworks. Danes usually spend Christmas with family, but New Year with friends. And New Year is a night of drinking and having fun. December is an ultra-relaxed and cozy month. In the other winter months, it is back to work and school, so culturally it feels very normal again. There is a week in February where almost everyone in Denmark gets a one-week vacation – many decide to travel abroad to get some sun.
If you want to experience hygge – the Danish word that can’t really be accurately translated, but generally referred to as coziness – come in winter. As long as you can stand the cold weather, you will have a great time, and a city trip in the winter months can be magical.
The spring is the season with the most holidays. It has Easter which is big in Denmark, and it has many smaller holidays spread out mostly in May but sometimes also in the last half of April. May has Aalborg Carnival, one of the most entertaining events of the year.
So if you want to come during a somewhat relaxed time where the Danes are finally getting ready for holidays, spring is absolutely ideal. Prices are also very fair since the majority of tourists don’t arrive until summer actually starts. So by getting there earlier, you might be able to find better prices for your flight and hotel.
The weather can change a lot in spring. You never know what it will be like. Sometimes, there can an entire month where it rains every day, which is awful for the locals. But there can also be several weeks in a row with sun and decent temperatures. Generally, you can expect it to be around 5-10C in the daytime in March, while 10-15C is a typical temperature for April and May. Some days in May can be really great. But again, the spring weather in Denmark is almost impossible to predict, and even on the same day, the weather can change a lot.
During the nice days in spring, it is very normal for students and groups of friends to spend time outside, often hanging out in parks for picnics and recreational sports. This is particularly common in the bigger cities.
In general, spring is an awesome time to visit. You get to experience some of the national holidays, you can visit all the attractions around the country, and there won’t be too many other tourists at that time. If you’re lucky, the weather will be good, but that’s impossible to tell in advance. There are not really any downsides, so if you can come in spring, do it!
If you want the best possible weather, come to Denmark in the summer. If you want the lowest prices, go in autumn. The winter is the most charming time of the year, particularly December when all places are full of Christmas decorations. Going in the spring is nice because there are many local holidays, and you might get lucky with the weather.
Denmark is great at any given season of the year, so it’s all about your personal preference. Most people do come in the summer though, often because of the weather, and because that is when they have the possibility of traveling. You’ll never go wrong if you come in the summer, but if you get the chance to come outside of the main tourist season, don’t be afraid to book that ticket!
This article was written by Jacob Jensen. He primarily covers European and South American destinations for Scope Trip while also working as the main editor for the site.
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