Denmark is known as an expensive country, but that doesn’t mean you have to spend a fortune if you visit. There are several good options if you want to experience the Danish culture at a budget, so let’s have a look at some of the more affordable locations.
Odense
Odense is the third-largest city in Denmark, and it is one of the most historic destinations in Scandinavia. Odense has a beautiful old town where you can see several great attractions. The city is famous for being the birthplace of H.C. Andersen, the famous fairytale writer, and there are museums dedicated to him and his works.
One of the major benefits of visiting Odense is that it is much more affordable than Copenhagen and Aarhus, the two main cities of the country. In Odense, you can find cheaper accommodation, and you can eat out at restaurants and get more for your money.
Most people end up loving Odense. It’s a good place to stay, and if you want to have a day in Copenhagen or Aarhus, you can take a direct train to any of them, which won’t take very long!
Aalborg
Aalborg is the largest city in the north of Denmark, and it ranks as number four in the whole country. Located somewhat near Aarhus, it has much better prices when it comes to accommodation and rent, and there are even free attractions in Aalborg.
Another great reason to visit Aalborg is that the city has a very nice airport, so you can fly in and reach your hotel room or holiday apartment in no time. Aalborg has several nice restaurants and shopping options, where the prices are somewhat reasonable. Consider making day trips to the nearby coastal cities, since the northwestern coast is incredible to visit during the summer!
Bornholm
The island Bornholm is one of the highlights of the Baltic Sea. It is a Danish territory, and it is immensely popular among Danish tourists since Bornholm is famous for having the best weather of any place in the country.
As a foreigner, you should also consider a visit to Bornholm. It is not particularly expensive compared to the rest of the country, it has a good travel infrastructure, so if you visit out of the regular travel season, it will be easy to find affordable accommodation. There are no huge cities in Bornholm island, but it has a nice vibe with some classic attractions, and the beaches are great.
Thanks to the small size of the island, you won’t have to spend a lot on transportation either. In fact, we simply advise you to rent a bike!
Alternatives to Copenhagen
Obviously, Copenhagen is the most popular travel destination in Denmark, but it is very expensive for visitors. So you might want some cheap alternatives so you can visit Denmark affordably, while still having a day or two in the capital.
One option is to stay in Malmö in Sweden which is much cheaper. Malmö also has an airport that you can use. A bridge connects the two cities, and you can take the train between them.
Otherwise, consider staying in Roskilde, another traditional Danish city with sights of its own – and it’s only a bit over 30 minutes away from Copenhagen by train or car! Roskilde is on the expensive end as well, when comparing to all Danish cities and towns, but it is still cheaper than Copenhagen, so it can be considered.
You can consider staying in some of Copenhagen’s suburbs, but you will find the hotel options a bit limited, and even in the suburbs, it can be very expensive.
But overall, it is probably best to simply save up a bit more money and look for a good deal in advance. Copenhagen is an awesome city to visit, and if you do want a discount option, we urge you to use Couchsurfing or stay in a hostel!
