What's Happening in Copenhagen this April
Chocolate Easter Eggs, Easter Beer, and warmer spring weather makes April one of our favourite times of year here in Copenhagen. Sunshine and good vibes reappear! With cherry blossom in the parks and Tivoli gardens reopening for the season, the city is coming back to life from the winter. The spring art exhibitions also open, food markets reappear, and our favourite flea markets come back to the streets. And British rapper Central Cee arrives in Copenhagen for his world tour “Can’t Rush Greatness”! Step outside to enjoy what’s going on in the city or grab a bike and explore. It’s time to enjoy what’s on in April in Copenhagen!
Spring is in the air!
With the Cherry Blossom Festival - "Sakura Festival" taking place for the 18th year in a row 26th-27th April in Langeline Park, spring is truly here in April. The festival follows the Japanese tradition of celebrating the blossom at its most beautiful, and the Japanese Embassy each year organises a Japanese themed Sakura Festival in Langeline to enjoy the spring!
The festival is a celebration of Japanese culture both ancient and modern, with a stage that has everything from martial arts performances and karate to Cosplay, J-pop and kimono styling. With music and activities it’s a fun event to enjoy Japanese culture in the park.
Another place that is charming in spring is the Botanical Gardens and surrounding park. The Botanical Gardens is a breath of spring air in the centre of town - providing 10 hectares of green space with over 13,000 species of plant, right next to SMK - the State Art Museum, and it’s free to visit. Enjoy the lakes and bridges, quiet picnic spaces, landscaped gardens, and the 100 year old palm house (now paid entry). Open until 6pm in summer and 4pm in winter.
Why not take a trip to the stunning Rosenborg Castle and King's Garden in the centre of the city? This charming Renaissance royal palace was built in the early 17th century and is still in use today. Visitors can take a peek at Danish royal history and even see the Danish crown jewels here. The castle is known for its architecture and royal regalia, its beautiful gardens, and spectacular interiors. Highlights include the King’s Ballroom, the knight's hall, and the crown jewels displayed in the treasury. The King's Garden is particularly nice in spring when the garden come back to life. Perfect for a visit in April!
Easter is Coming!
Påske, or Easter arrives in April this year. This means a lot of chocolate but also a few days of holidays to spend with friends and family. If you are going to enjoy Easter like a Dane, you will need to eat and drink like a Dane! The specially brewed Easter Beer is a popular tradition you should try, and it's strong so beware!
Easter Sunday is 20th April and this is when Danes have their traditional feast - Påskefrokost is the Easter lunch where it’s all about the food, traditionally eating a meat and fish lunch with family and friends. Another drink that is popular at Easter is of course aquavit or a local schnapps.“Skål!” As we say in Denmark!
Påskebryg is a strong Easter beer, like the Christmas version, that arrives with much anticipation and excitement, ready to be washed down with Easter lunch (and all through the holiday!). This tradition goes back over 100 years with the Tuborg brewery - known for their famous Easter beer. It’s high in alcohol so enjoy it with caution!
There is plenty of chocolate with Easter Egg hunts for children and påskemarzipan sweets and påskelam. Check out the markets at Højbro Plads and Frederiksberg Easter Market for some local sweets and handicrafts.
Tivoli Gardens: Reopening in April and Easter Events
Opens 4th April
Tivoli Gardens reopens its doors after closing for winter with a huge Easter display, events, its famous rollercoaster, and over 130,000 flowers in bloom! This centrally located amusement park has a landscaped garden and lake to enjoy as well as all the funfair rides, market stalls, and of course the Easter market and decorations. Definitely a place to get into the spring vibes!
Sitting out on terraces - Gothersgade
Spring is the time for getting outside, and nothing is better than a cafe or bar with a little bit of outside space in the sun to enjoy a drink and watch the world go by. It also is a hotspot for a bit of nightlife, now that we are cancelling our Netflix and getting back out there! We love the vibes along Gothersgade street, where there are plenty of places to grab a drink and it's lively at night. From Kongens Nytorv square past Rosenborg Castle to Nørreport you can find Gothersgade, a lively street with plenty of bars and cafe. This is a budge friendly place to drinks with plenty of students and it’s also home to the Danish Film Institute (Cinemateket). There’s a buzzy atmosphere and some great places to grab a drink.
Flea Markets
April sees the Flea Markets, or Loppemarked season return, where you can check out preloved, vintage, and second hand goodies in the markets around the city streets. Our favourites are Loppemarked på Bryggen, the market at the harbour on Brygge Island, where there are over 150 stalls to explore in a picturesque location.
Enjoy the waterfront views from the bridges at Nørre Søgade - see the centre from the neighbouring areas (and the sunset) and take a stroll along the waterfront with vistas of the city.
Step out into our Parks
Frederiksberg Gardens
A great place to enjoy the spring weather and also the biggest park space Frederiksberg Gardens is worth exploring if you’re visiting Copenhagen Zoo at the top of the park. The gardens were created in 1799 to honour King Frederik VI and the landscaped areas include little lakes and streams with bridges, the Frederiksberg Palace and the Chinese Pavillion. In summer this is a great picnic spot and popular with locals.
Explore Langelinie Park
Langelinie is famous for the waterfront promenade that has views of Copenhagen’s most famous resident, the Little Mermaid. The statue is here in the bay, but it is also a lovely park to wonder past the trees and flowers along the waterfront, dotted with historical monuments. Don't forget that the Sakura Festival takes place at the end of April so expect to see plenty of cherry blossom!
Operaparken is a little oasis of green park behind the Opera House on Paper Island. Free to visit and open all year round, this is a secret spot on the harbour front with a greenhouse cafe in the Mediterranean Garden (one of six garden types in the park) and if you are looking for cherry blossom then head to the Oriental Garden for a display of pink and white flowers this April.
Dyrehaven Park
This deer park feels a world away from the city although it’s just a short trip from the centre. Here you can enjoy nature and see the wild deer that live here. Perfect for spring!
Bispebjerg Cemetery (which is also a park) is well known for its cherry blossom also, and opposite Grundtvig’s Church which is worth visiting for the Gothic architecture. Built in the 1920s the church is monumental in size with a 49m tower. Find out about opening times to visit here.Langelinie Park
Another park to chill out and enjoy the array of trees, flowers and the pier, is Langelinie Park. Best known for the promenade that leads to the Little Mermaid statue, it’s a beautiful place to see some historical monuments but also enjoy the waterfront views and the green outdoor space.
Image courtesty of Distortion Press Archive and photographer Alvaro GM
Coming up in May
48 Time Festival (May 16-18, 2025)
This festival is a 48 hour celebration of the neighbourhood of Nørrebro, a hip suburb of Copenhagen that has plenty of urban cultures, cafes, shops, parks, skaters, and is home to multicultural families, students, and creatives. The festival has a programme of arts, culture, music, and events to celebrate this diverse area.
Mikkeller Beer Celebration Copenhagen (May 22–23, 2025)
Hosted by the famous Mikkeller brewery, this beer festival brings together over 100 breweries from around the world. You can sample the craft beers and find out all about the breweries! Perfect for beer enthusiasts.
Distortion Festival (May 28–June 1, 2025)
Distortion is Copenhagen's largest street party and electronic music festival. Taking place in the streets and neighbourhoods, it's a crazy and dynamic event where different zones are taken over for music, live DJs, dance and performances.
Easter with us at Copenhagen Downtown Hostel
Join us for our Easter parties and plenty of chocolate this April. Our hostel has the best backpacker vibes and offers great bar service, an international crowd, fun bar events and parties, live music and DJs, and much more! Make friends, eat pizza, enjoy Happy Hour and our awesome vibes. We have rooms to share with friends or for solo travel, female only dorms, and private and family rooms, equipped with en suite bathroom facilities. Book direct and get the best deal!
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