This post covers the best boat tours, cruises, and canal tours available in Copenhagen.
You’ll find details about when they are available, how long they run, and how to save money on the activity.
How much does a Copenhagen Canal Tour cost?
A Copenhagen Canal Tour costs around €10-€15 per person. The cost might decrease if you buy tickets in a group or use some discount cards discussed later in this post.
How long is a Copenhagen Canal Tour?
A Copenhagen Canal Tour lasts approximately an hour where you will see some of the main sights in Copenhagen, including opera house and a few historical landmarks.
How fast do canal boats go in Copenhagen?
The canal boats in Copenhagen don't go more than 6 knots, so the speed is safe for all the riders.
Copenhagen Canal Cruises
There are currently a few different canal cruises available in Copenhagen, and they are each very reasonably priced at around €10-€15 per person.
Most of them provide free cancellation and full refund services.
These outings are a great way to get a look at the most notable sites of Copenhagen from the water, offering a unique perspective on the many landmarks surrounding the canals.
You can typically expect to see at least a few of the following attractions on these boat tours:
- Amalienborg Palace
- Christiansborg Palace
- Little Mermaid Statue
- Nyhavn Waterfront
- And more!
If you’re interested in seeing these landmarks, consider one of the following cruises on Copenhagen's canals.
Stromma
This is one of the most well-known tour companies in Denmark, and they currently offer one of the best canal cruises in Copenhagen.
Running for approximately 1 hour, this cruise departs from Nyhavn and takes you along the main harbor to see some of the most beautiful houses, ancient castles, and historic and beautiful churches in the city.
This is a round-trip cruise, so you will return to the same dock at Nyhavn once it is complete. They even provide ponchos in the event of rain!
- €14.66/Adults | € 7.33/Youth (6-15)
- Hours: 9 am - 6 pm
- Duration: 1 hour
- Availability: Returning in February.
- Purchase tickets or learn more.
With an overall rating of 4.6 out of 5, it’s safe to say that most tourists enjoyed this canal cruise (read reviews here).
Many travelers report that their tour guide or live guide is very helpful and informative, and they actually provide the tour in English.
Several reviewers felt this was a great way to experience Copenhagen sightseeing, some even going so far as to say this was the best part of their trip.
Hey Captain
If you’re looking for a canal cruise adventure that lasts a bit longer, this 2-hour outing is an excellent option.
In addition to all the major sites, this boat tour also goes off the beaten track to see other notable locations in Copenhagen.
While on this tour, you can expect to learn about some of the best places to grab a cup of coffee or a glass of beer. You’ll also see sites in the north or south harbor.
- €53.79 per person
- Duration: 2 hours
- Availability: (Almost) Daily at 1 pm
- Purchase tickets or learn more.
Although this canal cruise comes with a higher ticket price than its competition, they have still received an overall rating of 4.8 out of 5 stars (read reviews here).
Most guests felt that the tour guides were beneficial and informative, some even indicating they were given blankets on a cold day so they could keep warm.
Even those who took the boat tour on a rainy day were impressed with their experience and appreciated the opportunity to see sights of interest that were off the beaten path.
Lake Cruises
There are a lot of lakes near Copenhagen, and if you’re interested in making a trip out to these beautiful areas of Denmark, you can usually enjoy a cruise or boat trip on these bodies of water as well.
This section covers some of the best lake cruises in and around Copenhagen.
Stromma/Baadfarten
In addition to their Copenhagen canal cruises, this company also offers boat trips to a variety of lakes just outside of the city.
They’re currently working with a company known as Baadfarten to provide this service.
If you plan to visit these areas of Denmark, you might want to consider one of the following services.
Each of these services is hop-on hop-off, which means your ticket for the boat will be active for an entire day, and you can hop on or off at your own discretion to explore multiple stops.
If you choose to stay on the boat, the entire trip takes between 1-2 hours.
Boat Trip on Furesøen Lake
- €11.97/Adults | €5.98/Youth (6-15)
- Duration: 1 day
- Hours: 9 am - 6 pm
- Availability: Sunday
- Purchase tickets or learn more.
Boat Ride on Bagsværd Lake
- €11.97/Adults | €5.98/Youth (6-15)
- Duration: 1 day
- Hours: 9 am - 6 pm
- Availability: Tuesday - Sunday
- Purchase tickets or learn more.
Boat Trip on Lyngby Lake and Millstream
- €11.97/Adults | €5.98/Youth (6-15)
- Duration: 1 day
- Hours: 9 am - 6 pm
- Availability: Tuesday - Sunday
- Purchase tickets or learn more.
All of these services are pretty well reviewed, receiving a rating of 4.7 out of 5 or better (read reviews here).
Most guests really enjoy these lake cruises, some noting that the opportunity to see beautiful natural Denish sights is an excellent idea.
Reviewers indicate that their tour guides are nice and helpful and the boat trips offer excellent value for the money.
Hop-on Hop-off Boat Tours
In addition to all the other boat tours and canal cruises in Copenhagen, there are also hop-on hop-off boat services.
Unfortunately, these boat tours are not being offered in 2023.
That said, when they do start to offer these outings again, you’ll find that most of them are likely to be included at no extra cost with a hop-on hop-off bus tour.
Stromma
In addition to their standard 1-hour canal cruise, this company also offers a hop-on hop-off boat tour around Copenhagen with multiple stops throughout the city.
Much like a hop-on hop-off bus tour, your ticket will last for 2 days, and you’ll have the opportunity to get on the boat at any designated stop and jump off wherever you want.
The overall tour takes approximately 90 minutes to complete, and you can expect to see a variety of sites such as Christiansborg Palace, the Little Mermaid, the Opera, the National Bank of Denmark, and more.
- €14.65 per person
- Duration: 90 minutes
- Winter Hours: 9:30 am - 3 pm
- Summer Hours: 9:45 am - 5:15 pm
- Availability: Daily (when the tour is running)
- Purchase tickets or learn more.
NOTE: This tour is currently not available as of September 2022, and it will not be returning to service until 2023.
TIP: This service is often included at no additional cost with Stromma’s hop-on hop-off bus tour.
As with their other canal cruises, Stromma typically receives great reviews for their hop-on hop-off boat tours, and they currently enjoy an overall rating of 4 out of 5 stars (read reviews here).
Some guests described the outing as convenient and relaxing, but others felt it was merely an average experience.
Whether it’s the best Copenhagen boat tour or not, this is an excellent way to get around the city and see some of the most notable and historic landmarks from the water.
An exciting way to see the main sights and learn more about the history of Copenhagen!
Discounts
There are a variety of different ways to save money on Copenhagen boat tours and canal cruises.
This section will cover the best deals and discounts on this activity, including tourist passes and combo deals.
Copenhagen Tourist Passes
There are multiple tourist passes available in Copenhagen that include canal boat tours at no additional cost.
If you’re planning to enjoy a number of activities and Copenhagen's best sights while you’re here, these services could help you save 50% or more on tickets.
Here are the boat tours and cruises currently offered with Copenhagen tourist passes:
- Stromma Canal Tours
- Also on the Copenhagen City Pass
- Baadfarten Boat Tours
- Furesøen Lake
- Bagsværd Lake
- Lyngby Lake and Millstream
- Also on the Copenhagen City Pass
- Stromma Hop-on Hop-off Boat Tour
These tourist passes also include access to a lot of other popular activities including the following:
- Hop-on Hop-off Bus Tour
- Christiansborg Palace
- Amalienborg Palace
- Copenhagen Zoo
- CopenHill Ski Slope
- Experimentarium
- Kronborg Castle
- National Museum
- Tivoli Gardens
- And more!
If you’re interested in any of the following tours or attractions, make sure to read more about these services in our post covering Copenhagen tourist passes.
Combo Packages
One of the most popular combo deals in Copenhagen includes both a hop-on hop-off bus and boat tour for one low price.
While this package usually includes a hop-on hop-off boat tour, at the moment they are only offering a 1-hour canal cruise.
This service is only available during the spring and summer.
When hop-on hop-off boat tours return in 2023, chances are they will once again begin offering this option instead.
- 48 Hour Hop on Hop Off Bus Tour
- 1 Hour Copenhagen Canal Cruise
- €35/Adults | €5/Kids
- Purchase tickets or learn more.
