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Copenhagen Boat and Canal Tours

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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.

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.

These outings are a great way to get a look at the most notable sites in the city 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 Copenhagen canal cruises.

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 churches in the city.

This is a round-trip cruise, so once it is complete, you will return to the same dock at Nyhavn. They even provide ponchos in the event of rain!

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 is very helpful and informative, and they actually provide the tour in English.

Several reviewers felt this was a great way to experience Copenhagen, 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 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.

Although this canal cruise comes with a higher ticket price than their 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 very helpful 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 sites 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’re planning 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

Boat Ride on Bagsværd Lake

Boat Trip on Lyngby Lake and Millstream

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 sites in Denmark 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.

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 includes canal boat tours at no additional cost.

If you’re planning to enjoy a number of activities and notable attractions 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:

Copenhagen Card

  • 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

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.

About The Author

Stephen Pickhardt

Stephen is the CEO of Free Tours by Foot and has overseen the transformation of a local walking tour company into a global tour community and traveler’s advice platform. He has personally led thousands of group tours in the US and Europe, and is an expert in trip planning and sightseeing, with a focus on budget travelers. Stephen has been published and featured in dozens of publications including The Wall Street Journal, BBC, Yahoo, Washington.org, and more.
Updated: January 20th, 2023
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