Copenhagen in November 2026: weather, events and what to do

November 2026 at a glance

Date (2026)	What	Good to know
Sun 1 Nov	Last day of Tivoli Halloween	Tivoli then closes until 13 November.
Fri 6 Nov	J-Day + Nytorv & Gammeltorv Christmas market opened	Tuborg Julebryg was released at 20:59 in bars across the city. The market is open now and runs to 21 December.
Tue 10 Nov	Mortensaften (St Martin's Eve) (past)	The Danish tradition is roast duck for dinner. It fell on Tuesday 10 November this year and is always 10 November, so the next one is 10 November 2027.
Fri 13 Nov	Christmas in Tivoli opens (11:00) + Kongens Nytorv ice rink opens (reported)	Tivoli runs to 3 January 2027 (closed 24 December). The rink is reported to run to 30 December; its organiser had not published 2026 details on 25 October.
Sat 14 Nov	New Højbro Plads Christmas market opens	Runs to 20 December, by the canal between Strøget and Christiansborg.
20–22 Nov	Swedish Christmas bazaar, Gustafskyrkan	By Kastellet. Fri 15:00–19:00, Sat 10:00–18:00, Sun 10:00–17:00.
Sat 28 Nov	RAW Christmas market, Nørrebrohallen	A one-day craft and design market with makers selling their own work.
Sun 29 Nov	First Sunday of Advent	Traditionally the day the big Christmas tree on Rådhuspladsen is lit after a parade from Nyhavn. The 2026 time hadn't been announced when we checked.

Not in November: CPH:DOX (March), the Copenhagen Light Festival (February, see Copenhagen in winter) and the Rådhuspladsen Christmas market, which is listed for 11–20 December. For the full December picture see Copenhagen in December 2026 and Copenhagen Christmas markets 2026.

November weather and daylight

Copenhagen in November is cool, grey and damp rather than properly cold. DMI's 1981–2010 climate normals for the city give an average high of 7.6°C, an average low of 3.3°C and a monthly mean of 5.5°C. Precipitation averages about 56 mm over the month, which climate-data.org spreads across roughly nine rainy days, and the whole month gets only about 55 hours of sunshine, so expect plenty of overcast days between the wet ones. Humidity and wind off the water make 6°C feel colder than it sounds.

The bigger factor is light. The sun sets by 16:30 all month, and each day is three to four minutes shorter than the one before.

Date (2026)	Sunrise	Sunset	Daylight
1 November	07:15	16:30	9 h 15 min
15 November	07:44	16:03	8 h 19 min
30 November	08:12	15:43	7 h 31 min

In practice: do outdoor sightseeing, the Changing of the Guard at Amalienborg (12:00) and anything you want to photograph between about 10:00 and 15:00. Save museums, markets, Tivoli and dinner for after dark, which is when the lights make them worth seeing anyway.

The long, dark evenings have one more upside: on a clear night during a geomagnetic storm, the northern lights can reach Denmark. It is rare and never guaranteed; our northern lights in Denmark guide explains how to read the forecast and where to go. For everything else that is open after dark, from Tivoli and late museums to jazz and ice skating, see our guide to things to do in Copenhagen at night.

What to pack

• A waterproof jacket with a hood. On windy days by the harbour a hood is more practical than an umbrella.
• A warm mid-layer (wool or fleece) you can take off in heated museums and cafés.
• Hat, gloves and a scarf. Markets and ice rinks mean standing still outdoors after dark.
• Waterproof walking shoes with some grip for wet cobbles; you'll walk more than you expect.
• Swimwear and a woolly hat if you're booking a harbour sauna or hot tub (see below).
• Gloves that work with a phone, since you'll pay for nearly everything by card or phone.

What's open, what's closed, and what changes in November

Place	November 2026	The catch
Tivoli Gardens	Open now (since 13 Nov)	Halloween ends 1 November; Christmas runs 13 November – 3 January.
Rosenborg Castle	Winter hours from 2 Nov: Tue–Sun 10:00–16:00	Closed on Mondays until 23 December.
Glyptotek, Designmuseum, David Collection, Christiansborg Tower	Open Tuesday to Sunday	All four are closed on Mondays. Plan Monday around markets, canal tours, Rosenborg's King's Garden or a sauna that opens that day.
Canal tours (Stromma)	Running, multiple daily departures	Covered, heated boats in the colder months. From 1 October to 3 January the Nyhavn departures are live-guided only.
Christmas markets	Opening in stages from 6 Nov	Nyhavn and the Kongens Nytorv Winter Wonderland market hadn't announced 2026 dates on 16 October.
Harbour saunas	Open, book ahead	CopenHot is closed Mondays and Tuesdays; La Banchina's sauna is by advance booking except Sunday drop-in.

Hours checked 16 October 2026 on Rosenborg, Glyptotek, Designmuseum Danmark and Stromma. Opening days change around holidays, so check on the day.

The Christmas season kicks off: J-Day, Tivoli and the markets

J-Day: Friday 6 November (past)

J-Day (J-dag) is the evening Tuborg releases its Christmas beer, Julebryg, and it's always the first Friday of November. In 2026 it was Friday 6 November: at exactly 20:59 "the snow fell" in participating pubs and bars across the country. Tuborg started the tradition in 1990, and for many Danes it's the unofficial start of the festive season. Julebryg is sold in many bars through the Christmas season, so you can still order one; the next J-Day is Friday 5 November 2027.

Christmas in Tivoli: from Friday 13 November

Tivoli reopened for Christmas on 13 November 2026 at 11:00 (checked on tivoli.dk, 13 November 2026), with Tivoli's youth guard band playing at the main entrance and Father Christmas greeting the first guests, and stays open until 3 January 2027 (closed on 24 December; see what is open over Christmas, 24–26 December). Entry is from DKK 200 (about US$30) for everyone aged 8 and over, and costs more on the busiest days; children aged 3–7 pay from DKK 100 (about US$15) and under-3s are free. Rides cost extra, from DKK 199 (about US$30) (see our Tivoli tickets and Ride Pass guide). Go in the late afternoon so you see the gardens in daylight and then with the lights on. The Copenhagen Card covers Tivoli entry but not rides, so run your days through our Copenhagen Card calculator before buying both.

Tivoli Gardens entry tickets on GetYourGuide →

You can also compare Tivoli entry on Tiqets (affiliate link) and pick the date that suits your plans.

Affiliate link: if you book through Tiqets, NordGuide may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. See our affiliate disclosure.

Christmas markets open in November

Market	2026 dates	Status
Nytorv & Gammeltorv	6 Nov – 21 Dec · Mon–Wed 11–19, Thu 11–20, Fri–Sat 11–21, Sun 12–19	Confirmed by the organiser. Free, with a free ice rink.
Tivoli	13 Nov – 3 Jan 2027 (closed 24 Dec)	Confirmed by Tivoli. Paid entry.
Højbro Plads (new market)	14 Nov – 20 Dec · Mon–Wed 11–19, Thu 11–20, Fri–Sat 11–21, Sun 12–19	Confirmed by the organiser. Free.
Nyhavn	Not announced (2025: 31 Oct – 28 Dec)	Typically open by early to mid-November.
Kongens Nytorv (Winter Wonderland market)	Market not announced (2025: 14 Nov – 4 Jan) · ice rink 13 Nov – 30 Dec	Rink dates reported; the organiser had not published 2026 details on 25 October. Market dates pending.

Market dates checked 16 October 2026 against julemarked.dk, kbhjulemarked.dk, Tivoli's opening-day page and Visit Nyhavn's market overview. Our Christmas markets guide compares them in detail.

Ice skating

Two central rinks open early. Broens Skøjtebane on Strandgade in Christianshavn, across the bridge from Nyhavn, opened on 30 October 2026 and is open every day of its season. The rink that winds around the equestrian statue on Kongens Nytorv is reported to run 13 November – 30 December 2026, daily 10:00–21:00 (its organiser had not published 2026 details when we checked on 25 October, so confirm before you go); DKK 75 (≈ US$11) is reported to get you 55 minutes on the ice including skate rental, in booked time slots, and the ice is resurfaced 13:00–13:30 and 16:30–17:00. The rink at the Nytorv & Gammeltorv market is free, skates included. Out at Klampenborg, Bakken opens for Christmas on weekends in the run-up to Christmas; Copenhagen Visitor Service gives 21 November – 20 December 2026, so check Bakken's own site before you go.

Indoor ideas for grey and wet days

Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek. Roman portraits, Egyptian rooms and French sculpture next to Tivoli, plus a palm-filled Winter Garden under a glass dome that's the warmest-feeling room in the city in November. Tuesday–Sunday 10:00–17:00, Thursday until 21:00, closed Mondays. Adults pay DKK 150 (≈ US$23; DKK 135 online, ≈ US$20), under-18s are free, and on the last Wednesday of the month it's free for everyone: in 2026 that's Wednesday 25 November, so expect crowds.

Designmuseum Danmark. Danish chairs, lamps and fashion in an 18th-century former hospital on Bredgade, a short walk from Nyhavn and Amalienborg. Tuesday–Sunday 10:00–18:00, Thursday until 20:00, closed Mondays. Adults DKK 140 (≈ US$21), under-27s and students DKK 90 (≈ US$14), under-18s free, and it's included in the Copenhagen Card. The museum says weekday mornings and Thursday afternoons are quietest.

Rosenborg Castle. The crown jewels in Christian IV's Renaissance castle. From 2 November it's on winter hours, Tuesday–Sunday 10:00–16:00, so go in the morning and walk the King's Garden while it's light.

Free and covered. The David Collection is always free (closed Mondays), and so is the Christiansborg Tower viewpoint (closed Mondays; it can close in bad weather). Our free things to do in Copenhagen list has the rest, and Copenhagen on a rainy day has a full wet-weather route.

Saunas and hot tubs on the harbour

Sitting in a sauna on the water as it gets dark at 16:30 is one of the best ways to spend a November afternoon. Both of these are on Refshaleøen, the old shipyard island across the harbour, and both need booking:

• CopenHot (Refshalevej 195): hot tubs heated to 40°C, saunas, cold tubs and sailing hot tubs. Open Wednesday to Sunday, closed Monday and Tuesday; winter hours are shorter, so check the booking page. Private bookings are a fixed price for the group, or join a shared HotDay session per person. Swimwear on: nudity isn't allowed. Over-6s only on land, over-18s for the sailing tubs.
• La Banchina (Refshalevej 141): a small café and a dry sauna by the water, booked as a private 1 h 45 min session for up to eight people (DKK 800 (≈ US$120) Monday–Thursday, DKK 950 (≈ US$143) Friday–Sunday). On Sundays from 18 October to the end of March there's drop-in Soup & Sauna: one hour in the shared sauna for DKK 120 (≈ US$18), tickets at the bar on the day, first come first served. There's an outdoor shower and hose to cool off.

Checked 16 October 2026 on CopenHot's FAQ and La Banchina's sauna page.

Hygge: where to warm up

November is peak hygge season: candles on café tables by mid-afternoon, and nobody rushing you out. Some easy wins:

• Torvehallerne by Nørreport: two glass food halls for a long, warm lunch when it's pouring.
• The Glyptotek's Winter Garden café: cake under palm trees, combined with the museum.
• A traditional lunch restaurant for smørrebrød, or roast duck, the Mortensaften dish (always 10 November). Det Lille Apotek in the Latin Quarter dates back to 1720.
• Gløgg and æbleskiver at the markets from 6 November: mulled wine and round pancake puffs with jam and icing sugar.

If you'd rather the hotel do the hygge for you, see our hygge hotels guide.

A 3-day November itinerary

Built for a Friday-to-Sunday trip on or after 13 November, when everything is open. Visiting before the 13th? Swap the Tivoli evening for the Nytorv market or a sauna evening, and the Kongens Nytorv rink for Broens.

Day 1: harbour, canals and the first market

Morning: walk Nyhavn while it's quiet, then cross the Inderhavnsbroen bridge to Christianshavn and back. Late morning: a one-hour heated canal tour from Nyhavn or Ved Stranden (compare operators in our canal tours guide). 12:00: Changing of the Guard at Amalienborg. Afternoon: Designmuseum Danmark on Bredgade. From 16:00: skate at Kongens Nytorv as the lights come on, then walk to Højbro Plads and the Nytorv & Gammeltorv market for gløgg before dinner.

Day 2: castle, food hall and Tivoli at dusk

10:00: Rosenborg Castle and the crown jewels (winter hours end at 16:00). Lunch: Torvehallerne. Early afternoon: the Round Tower or the Glyptotek, depending on the weather. From about 15:00: into Tivoli to see the gardens in the last daylight, then stay for the lights and dinner inside the park.

Day 3: Refshaleøen and a slow finish

Morning: the free David Collection or the Christiansborg Tower view. Midday: harbour bus or bike to Refshaleøen. Afternoon: a booked sauna or hot tub session at CopenHot or La Banchina (Sunday drop-in Soup & Sauna at La Banchina). Evening: back via Christiania and Christianshavn's canals for an early dinner before your flight or train.

On a Monday, swap Designmuseum, the Glyptotek, the David Collection and the tower (all closed) for a canal tour, the markets and the ice rinks. Want it shorter? Our free 48-hour Copenhagen route works year-round.

Budget tips for November

• Come in the first half of the month if Tivoli isn't the point. Before 13 November there's usually less competition for hotel rooms and restaurant tables.
• Plan a free Wednesday. The Glyptotek is free for everyone on Wednesday 25 November.
• Lean on the free markets and rinks. Nytorv & Gammeltorv, Højbro Plads and (once open) Nyhavn are free to wander; the rink at the Nytorv & Gammeltorv market is free, skates included (the Kongens Nytorv rink is reported at DKK 75 (≈ US$11)).
• Pick a weekday for Tivoli. Entry is from DKK 200 (about US$30) and costs more on the busiest days.
• Under-18s go free at the Glyptotek, Designmuseum and most Copenhagen museums.
• Check the Copenhagen Card against your actual days. It covers Tivoli entry and Designmuseum, but short museum hours in November mean fewer attractions per day. Run the numbers first.

More savings in Copenhagen on a budget.

Where to stay in November

Stay central. With sunset before 16:30, you will want to drop shopping bags or change layers at the hotel between daytime sightseeing and the evening, and walking back from a market in the cold is much nicer when it takes ten minutes. Our where-to-stay guide covers every area, and our guide to the best hotels in Copenhagen names specific hotels with the catch for each; for November, these three work best:

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Quick answers

US$ prices on this page use the ECB reference rate of 21 October 2026 (US$1 ≈ DKK 6.65).

Is November a good time to visit Copenhagen?

Yes, if you plan for short days and cool, damp weather. The first half of the month is the quietest stretch of the autumn, and from 6 November the Christmas season arrives in stages: the Nytorv & Gammeltorv market opened on 6 November, Tivoli opens on 13 November (the Kongens Nytorv ice rink is reported to open the same day) and the new Højbro Plads market on 14 November. Museums, cafés, saunas and canal tours all keep running.

What is the weather like in Copenhagen in November?

Cool, grey and often damp. DMI's 1981–2010 normals for Copenhagen give an average high of 7.6°C, an average low of 3.3°C and about 56 mm of precipitation for the month, with only around 55 hours of sunshine in total. Daylight shrinks from about 9 hours 15 minutes on 1 November (sunset 16:30) to about 7 hours 30 minutes on 30 November (sunset 15:43).

When does Tivoli open for Christmas in 2026?

Christmas in Tivoli is open now: it opened on Friday 13 November 2026 at 11:00 and runs until 3 January 2027; it is closed on 24 December. The gardens were shut from 2 to 12 November, between the Halloween and Christmas seasons. Entry is from DKK 200 (about US$30) for everyone aged 8 and over, and rides cost extra.

When do the Christmas markets open in Copenhagen in 2026?

The Nytorv & Gammeltorv market opens first, on 6 November, and runs to 21 December. Tivoli's Christmas season opens on 13 November and the new market on Højbro Plads on 14 November (to 20 December). The Nyhavn market and the Winter Wonderland market on Kongens Nytorv had not announced their 2026 dates when we checked on 16 October 2026; in 2025 Nyhavn's stalls opened on 31 October and Kongens Nytorv's on 14 November.

What is J-Day and when was it in 2026?

J-Day (J-dag) is the evening Tuborg releases its Christmas beer, Julebryg, in bars across Denmark. It is always the first Friday of November, so in 2026 it fell on Friday 6 November, with the beer released at 20:59. Missed it? Julebryg is sold in many Copenhagen bars through the Christmas season, and the next J-Day is Friday 5 November 2027.

Is Tivoli open in early November?

Only from 13 November. Tivoli's Halloween season ended on 1 November and the gardens were shut from 2 to 12 November 2026; Christmas in Tivoli has been open since 13 November and runs to 3 January 2027.

What should I pack for Copenhagen in November?

A waterproof jacket with a hood, a warm mid-layer such as wool or fleece, a hat, gloves and a scarf for standing at outdoor markets and rinks after dark, and comfortable waterproof shoes. Pack swimwear if you plan to use a harbour sauna. On windy days by the harbour a hood is more practical than an umbrella.

Plan your November trip

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