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Copenhagen or Edinburgh? An honest comparison
The short answer
Pick Edinburgh for history and drama: a castle on volcanic rock, the Royal Mile, whisky and Arthur's Seat, and on our numbers it is cheaper, about €247 a day mid-range against €281 in Copenhagen. Pick Copenhagen for design, cycling, harbour swimming and New Nordic food in a calm, flat city, best in June or September.
Copenhagen: suits couples, friends and first-timers who want design, food, cycling and a relaxed harbour city.
Edinburgh: suits couples, solo travellers and photographers who want castles, old-town atmosphere, whisky and hill walks within the city.
Side by side
| Copenhagen | Edinburgh | |
|---|---|---|
| Mid-range day* | €281 DKK2,100 local | €248 £211 local |
| Budget day* | €138 | €128 |
| Value for money | ●●●●●About €281 a day mid-range; among Europe's priciest cities. | ●●●●●About €247 a day; free national museums help. |
| Crowds (5 = calm) | ●●●●●Nyhavn and Tivoli busy; most neighbourhoods feel spacious and calm. | ●●●●●Royal Mile packed in summer; August festival crowds are extreme. |
| Food | ●●●●●New Nordic restaurants, Torvehallerne, open sandwiches and Reffen street food. | ●●●●●Seafood, game and Leith restaurants; pubs serve hearty Scottish dishes. |
| Nightlife | ●●●●●Kødbyen, Nørrebro and harbour bars; drinks are expensive. | ●●●●●Pubs, live music and whisky bars; festival nights in August. |
| Family-friendly | ●●●●●Tivoli, playgrounds, harbour swimming and safe cycling streets. | ●●●●●Castle, museums and Arthur's Seat; hills and steps tire children. |
| Getting around | ●●●●●Bikes, metro and a compact centre; airport metro about 15 minutes. | ●●●●●Walkable centre with steep hills; trams and buses cover the rest. |
| Best months | Jun, Sep | year-round, see below |
| Warmest / coolest | Jul 21°C / Dec 4°C | Jul 19°C / Jan 6°C |
| Known for | Nyhavn, Tivoli Gardens, The Little Mermaid, Amalienborg Palace | Castle on volcanic rock, Royal Mile, whisky tastings, and Arthur's Seat views. |
* Per person per day with two sharing a room: bed, food, sights and local transport, from our Copenhagen and Edinburgh day-cost tables (approximate 2026 prices; other currencies converted at recent rates). Ratings are our editorial judgement.
Which one should you pick?
Pick Copenhagen if…
- you want design, architecture and a relaxed pace
- Cycling and harbour swimming sound appealing
- New Nordic food is a priority
- you are travelling with children
Pick Edinburgh if…
- Castles, history and old-town atmosphere draw you
- you want whisky tastings and pubs with live music
- you enjoy walks like Arthur's Seat
- you want to experience the August festivals
Weather month by month
| Month | Copenhagen high / rainy days | Edinburgh high / rainy days |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 5°C · 14 | 6°C · 13 |
| Feb | 5°C · 10 | 8°C · 13 |
| Mar | 7°C · 9 | 9°C · 15 |
| Apr | 10°C · 7 | 10°C · 12 |
| May | 14°C · 12 | 14°C · 16 |
| Jun | 20°C · 7 | 18°C · 10 |
| Jul | 21°C · 13 | 19°C · 17 |
| Aug | 20°C · 13 | 18°C · 13 |
| Sep | 18°C · 9 | 17°C · 13 |
| Oct | 13°C · 13 | 13°C · 19 |
| Nov | 8°C · 13 | 10°C · 14 |
| Dec | 4°C · 14 | 7°C · 16 |
Average daily high and number of rainy days. Copernicus ERA5, 2021–2023.
What you will eat
Copenhagen
Open sandwich · Danish hot dog · Cinnamon swirl and Danish pastries · Danish meatballs · Fried pork with parsley sauce · Pickled herring
Where: Torvehallerne (Nørreport), Reffen (Refshaleøen), Kødbyen (Vesterbro), Nørrebro
Edinburgh
Haggis, neeps and tatties · Cullen skink · Fish supper · Full Scottish breakfast · Mussels · Scotch pie
Where: Edinburgh Farmers' Market (Castle Terrace), Stockbridge Market, Leith (The Shore and Leith Walk), Grassmarket and Victoria Street
Doing both in one trip
6 days: 3 in Copenhagen + 3 in Edinburgh
Either order works, so choose by flight prices. In August, book Edinburgh accommodation very early or avoid festival weeks.
Getting between them: Direct flight about 2 hours plus airport time — check current schedules. Distance about 983 km as the crow flies. Check current timetables.
- Day 1: Copenhagen — Nyhavn, a harbour boat tour, Torvehallerne
- Day 2: Rosenborg and Amalienborg, Tivoli Gardens in the evening
- Day 3: Bike to Christianshavn and Refshaleøen, evening flight to Edinburgh
- Day 4: Edinburgh Castle, the Royal Mile, Grassmarket and Victoria Street
- Day 5: Arthur's Seat, Holyrood, National Museum of Scotland
- Day 6: Stockbridge and Dean Village, Leith, fly home
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Common questions
Is Copenhagen or Edinburgh cheaper?
Edinburgh, on our mid-range figures: about €247 per person per day against about €281 in Copenhagen. Copenhagen's restaurants and drinks are among Europe's most expensive, though Reffen and Torvehallerne offer cheaper meals. In Edinburgh the National Museum of Scotland and National Galleries are free, but hotel prices soar in August during the festivals, when the gap can close.
When is the best time to visit?
Copenhagen's best months on our data are June and September, with July averaging about 21°C. Edinburgh peaks at about 19°C in July and is cool and changeable all year, so pack layers and a waterproof. August is Edinburgh's festival month: unforgettable, but crowded and expensive. Winter is dark and cold in both, brightened by December Christmas markets.
Which is better for a long weekend?
Both suit three days. Edinburgh's centre is compact: the castle, Royal Mile, Arthur's Seat and the museums fit into a weekend on foot. Copenhagen is just as manageable by bike or metro, and its airport is about 15 minutes from the centre, which makes short trips efficient. Choose by interest: history and whisky, or design, food and harbour life.
What day trips can I take?
From Edinburgh, popular trips include Stirling Castle, the Highlands around Loch Lomond or Glencoe on a coach tour, and the East Lothian coast; Glencoe makes a very long day. From Copenhagen, the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Kronborg Castle in Helsingør and a train across the Øresund Bridge to Malmö in Sweden are all easy.