New Year's Eve in Copenhagen 2026: fireworks, Tivoli and Danish traditions

31 December 2026 hour by hour

Time (Thu 31 Dec)	What happens	Good to know
Morning to early afternoon	Last sightseeing of the year	The Round Tower is open only 10:00–12:00, Rosenborg and Amalienborg 10:00–14:00, the Glyptotek 10:00–15:00. Canal tours run.
11:00	Tivoli opens	Open until 24:00 on New Year's Eve.
About 15:46	Sunset	About 7 hours of daylight; the evening is long and dark.
18:00	The King's New Year speech	Live on TV and radio from Amalienborg. Many Danes start the evening with it and a glass of bubbles.
Evening	New Year's dinner	At home with family and friends, or a set menu in a restaurant. Book weeks ahead.
23:00	Tivoli's New Year's Eve fireworks	Free with Tivoli entry. Can be cancelled in poor visibility or extreme weather.
24:00	City Hall bells, countdown and fireworks everywhere	Crowds on Rådhuspladsen; DR broadcasts the City Hall bells on TV. Danes jump off chairs, eat kransekage and head outside.
Fri 1 Jan 2027	New Year's Day, a public holiday	A slow, quiet day. Most shops and many restaurants are closed; see the opening table below.

Opening hours from Copenhagen Visitor Service, fireworks from Tivoli, checked 21 October 2026. Sunset calculated for central Copenhagen; allow a minute either way. The whole of December is in our Copenhagen in December 2026 guide, and what is open over Christmas, 24 to 26 December, is in Christmas in Copenhagen 2026.

How Danes celebrate New Year's Eve

Most Danes spend the evening at a long dinner with family or friends, dressed up, and only head out into the streets around midnight. A few fixed points hold the night together:

• The King's speech at 18:00. Every year on 31 December at six, the monarch addresses the country live on TV and radio from Amalienborg. Since 2024 that has been King Frederik X, after Queen Margrethe II stepped down in January 2024. The speech ends with "Gud bevare Danmark" (God save Denmark), and many households raise a first glass of champagne straight after.
• Hats, horns and noise. Paper hats, party horns and poppers are on every table; supermarkets stock them in late December. VisitCopenhagen traces the love of noise back to farmers who believed it scared away evil spirits.
• The City Hall bells. At midnight the whole country hears the bells of Copenhagen City Hall. They have been broadcast on the radio since New Year 1924/25 and DR has shown them on TV since 1958; straight after the bells the DR Girls' Choir sings the New Year hymn "Vær velkommen Herrens år".
• Jumping into the new year. As the clock strikes twelve, people climb onto a chair or the sofa and jump down "into" the new year, for luck. It looks silly; join in anyway.
• Kransekage and bubbles. Just after midnight comes kransekage, a tower of almond-marzipan rings, with champagne or sparkling wine, before everyone goes outside to watch the fireworks.
• Fireworks from everyone. The fireworks aren't left to the city: families set off their own rockets and batteries in streets, squares and parks, which is why the sky over Copenhagen lights up in every direction at once.

What about smashing plates? You may read that Danes throw old plates at their friends' front doors. It was a real custom in the 1800s, but a Danish museum curator told Politiken it died out "a couple of generations ago", so please leave the crockery at home.

Sources, checked 21 October 2026: the Royal House, VisitCopenhagen, VisitDenmark, DR (100 years of the City Hall bells) and TV 2 (on plate-smashing).

Where to watch the fireworks

There's no single official midnight display in the city centre: the show is thousands of private fireworks going up at once, plus Tivoli's own at 23:00. That means any open space with a wide view of the sky works, and narrow streets are the places to avoid.

Rådhuspladsen (City Hall Square) · free

The classic. Thousands gather on the square with their eyes on the City Hall tower clock and count down to midnight, and the sky fills with fireworks the moment the hands meet. It's the most crowded and the most atmospheric spot, right by Tivoli, Central Station and the Rådhuspladsen metro station.

Dronning Louises Bro and the Lakes · free

The bridge between the centre and Nørrebro is where many Copenhageners go instead, and VisitDenmark calls it a perfect spot to see the fireworks reflected in the Lakes. The paths along the Lakes give you more room than the bridge itself.

Tivoli · entrance ticket

A calmer, contained option, with its own fireworks at 23:00, best seen from the lawn by the Open Air Stage (Plænen), in front of the Glass Hall Theatre or by Nimb. Rådhuspladsen is right next door, so if you want to be on the square for the countdown, leave the Gardens a little before twelve.

Our picks by the harbour: Islands Brygge and Nyhavn

The open harbourfront along Islands Brygge gives a wide view across the water to the city, with room to keep your distance from people setting off rockets. Nyhavn is beautiful but narrow and busy, with boats and old houses close to the fireworks, so it suits a walk earlier in the evening better than a midnight spot with children. These are our suggestions, not organised events.

Rooftops and high points

Copenhagen is flat and its public viewpoints close early on the 31st: the Round Tower shuts at 12:00. If a hotel bar or restaurant offers a rooftop New Year's evening, book it directly and check what's included. Otherwise bridges and the open harbourfront give you the biggest sky.

Spot descriptions from VisitCopenhagen, VisitDenmark and Tivoli, checked 21 October 2026.

New Year's Eve in Tivoli

Tivoli's Christmas season runs into the new year, and on 31 December 2026 the Gardens are open 11:00–24:00. What Tivoli publishes for the night:

• New Year's Eve fireworks at 23:00, free with your entrance ticket or Tivoli Pass. Fireworks have been part of Tivoli since its first season in 1843. They can be cancelled in poor visibility or extreme weather.
• New Year's menus in many of the Gardens' restaurants, among them Grøften, Paafuglen, Fru Nimb, Restaurant Glassalen, Nimb Brasserie and A Hereford Beefstouw. Tivoli asks you to book well ahead on each restaurant's own page.
• A New Year's Eve concert of New Year classics and operetta. Tivoli had not published the 2026 time and ticket details when we checked, so see Tivoli's New Year page.
• 1 January 2027: open 11:00–23:00. The Christmas season ends on 3 January, then Tivoli closes until spring.

Tickets: entrance is priced by date. Tivoli's ticket page listed entrance from DKK 200 (about US$30) when we checked, Christmas season included, and it costs more on the busiest days, so check the price for 31 December when you book. Rides cost extra. The Tivoli Gardens guide has the full ticket breakdown.

Checked 21 October 2026 on Tivoli's fireworks page, Tivoli's New Year page, Tivoli's ticket page and Tivoli's seasons page.

New Year's dinner: book it now

Most Danes eat at home on the 31st, but restaurants still fill up: most run special New Year's set menus, often with paired drinks, and VisitDenmark advises booking well in advance. Some clubs sell New Year's packages with entry, an open bar, a glass of champagne and kransekage at midnight.

• Book a table that ends before midnight, or one close to where you want to be at twelve. Walking from Vesterbro or Indre By to Rådhuspladsen takes minutes; crossing town at 23:45 doesn't.
• Check the price and the end time when you book. New Year's menus are usually fixed, and some include a midnight toast.
• Plan 1 January too. It's a public holiday and VisitDenmark notes most cafés and restaurants stay shut, so book a brunch or keep breakfast in your room.

Our Copenhagen restaurant reservations guide explains how booking works here, and Copenhagen nightlife covers where to carry on after midnight.

The fireworks rules in Denmark

• Setting off: private individuals may only use consumer fireworks on 31 December and 1 January. Until 2023 the window started on 27 December; it was cut to these two days in 2024, partly out of consideration for veterans, refugees and animals.
• Buying: shops may sell New Year's fireworks from 15 to 31 December. You must be 18 to buy them (15 for the small F1 category, such as sparklers and table bombs).
• Legal fireworks are CE-marked and come with Danish instructions and safety distances. Professional fireworks may not be sold to private people.
• Local bans are possible, for example in a drought or near risky businesses, so follow any signs.

Visiting? You don't need to buy any to enjoy the night; there will be more than enough in the sky.

From the Danish Safety Technology Authority, its note on the shorter period, borger.dk and the Fireworks Act, checked 21 October 2026.

Staying safe at midnight

It is a wonderful night, and it gets wild. Over New Year 2024/25, Rigshospitalet's eye clinic counted 22 fireworks eye injuries across Denmark, 7 of them in children under 18.

• Wear safety glasses (sikkerhedsbriller) from about 23:30 until things calm down. Most supermarkets sell them before New Year.
• Ear protection for children. Denmark's hearing association, Høreforeningen, recommends earplugs or ear defenders for children around fireworks, as loud bangs can cause lasting hearing damage.
• Keep your distance from anyone lighting fireworks, never pick up or go back to a dud, and stay out of the narrowest streets around midnight.
• Agree a meeting point in case you get split up in the crowd on Rådhuspladsen, and keep small children close.
• Leave the bike at home. Streets are full of people, glass and spent fireworks after midnight.

From Greater Copenhagen Fire Department (fireworks advice), Høreforeningen, VisitCopenhagen and TV 2 (injury figures, 1 January 2025), checked 21 October 2026.

Getting around on New Year's Eve

• Metro: runs 24 hours a day, every day of the year, New Year's Eve included. Between 01:00 and 07:00 trains run less often (on a normal Thursday night about every 20 minutes); Metroselskabet had not published anything special for this New Year's Eve when we checked. Rådhuspladsen, Kongens Nytorv and København H are all metro stations.
• S-trains and buses: DSB has run S-trains through New Year's night in recent years, and buses switch to holiday timetables. The 2026 timetables usually appear in December, so check Rejseplanen for your exact trip home.
• Tickets: a 2-zone single ticket costs DKK 24 (about US$4) in 2026 and covers the city centre. Buy it in an app before you set off rather than queueing at a machine at 00:30.
• Walking is often fastest: from Rådhuspladsen it's about 20 minutes on foot to Nyhavn or Dronning Louises Bro.
• Taxis: don't count on a quick one straight after midnight; staying within walking distance is the easy fix.

From Metroselskabet and DOT (ticket prices), checked 21 October 2026. Fares can change in January.

What's open on 31 December and 1 January

Many shops and sights close early on the 31st, and most of the city stays shut on the 1st. These are the sights Copenhagen Visitor Service lists for New Year 2026/2027:

Place	Thu 31 Dec 2026	Fri 1 Jan 2027
Tivoli Gardens	11–24	11–23
Rosenborg Castle	10–14	11–16
Amalienborg	10–14	11–19
Rundetaarn (Round Tower)	10–12	Not listed
Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek	10–15	Not listed
National Museum of Denmark	Not listed	10–17
Den Blå Planet (aquarium)	10–14	10–17
ZOO Copenhagen	10–14	10–16
Home of Carlsberg	10–17	Closed
Experimentarium	9.30–14	9.30–17
Our Saviour's Church	9–19.30	Not listed
Museum of Copenhagen	10–15	Not listed
Canal tours (Stromma, Nettobådene)	Open	Open
Viking Ship Museum, Roskilde	10–16	10–16

From Copenhagen Visitor Service, Opening hours New Year's 2026/2027, checked 21 October 2026. "Not listed" means it wasn't on that list, not that it's closed; hours can change, so check each website before you go. The Home of Carlsberg cell follows the venue's own opening hours page, checked 28 October 2026, which lists 1 January as closed; the Visitor Service list shows 10–18.

On 1 January, a canal tour, Tivoli or the National Museum make a good slow start to the year. More rainy-day and indoor ideas in Copenhagen on a rainy day, and for the weeks after, see Copenhagen in winter.

Make it a long weekend: 31 December to 3 January 2027

The calendar does the planning for you this year. New Year's Eve falls on a Thursday and New Year's Day on a Friday, and Christmas in Tivoli runs until Sunday 3 January 2027. Three nights, Thursday to Sunday, give you the midnight crowd, a slow holiday, and two ordinary days to see the city before Tivoli closes for the winter.

• Thu 31 Dec: Morning sightseeing while things are open (Round Tower 10–12, Rosenborg and Amalienborg 10–14). Afternoon in Tivoli (open 11–24). The King's speech at 18:00, dinner, then Tivoli's fireworks at 23:00 or the countdown on Rådhuspladsen at midnight.
• Fri 1 Jan: A slow public holiday. Rosenborg (11–16), the National Museum (10–17), Den Blå Planet (10–17) or a canal tour; Tivoli is open 11–23. Most shops and many cafés are shut, so book brunch or have breakfast at the hotel. Several 1 January openings are Copenhagen Card attractions; the calculator shows whether a card day pays.
• Sat 2 Jan: Shops and cafés reopen. A good day for the sights that were closed on the 1st (check each site's January hours), or one of the day trips from Copenhagen by train.
• Sun 3 Jan: The last day of Christmas in Tivoli. Go in the late afternoon for the lights, then catch the train to the airport, or stay one more night.

Opening hours from Copenhagen Visitor Service's New Year 2026/2027 list and Tivoli, as in the opening-hours table above; check each website before you go.

Book the three nights together. New Year's Eve is one of the busiest nights of the winter in central Copenhagen. Searching 31 December to 3 January in one go shows you what is left for the whole stay, not just the big night.

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See central hotels for 31 Dec – 3 Jan →

Want the days already planned? Copenhagen in 5 Days (PDF) — €9.97 (≈ US$11.20) →

Prices in € with US$ at the ECB reference rate of 21 October 2026 (€1 ≈ US$1.1234).

What New Year's Eve costs

Item	Price	Note
Countdown on Rådhuspladsen, the Lakes, the harbour	Free	The best show in town costs nothing.
Tivoli entrance	from DKK 200 (about US$30)	Priced by date; check 31 December. Fireworks included, rides extra.
Metro, 2-zone single ticket	DKK 24 (about US$4)	2026 fare; the metro runs all night.
Safety glasses, hats, horns	Small change	Sold in supermarkets in late December.
New Year's set dinner	Varies	Fixed menus, often with drinks; check the price when you book.

US$ figures at about DKK 100 = US$15, rounded. Money-saving ideas in Copenhagen on a budget and free things to do in Copenhagen.

Where to stay for New Year's Eve

Stay within walking distance of where you'll be at midnight. New Year's Eve is one of the busiest nights of the winter, and getting back across town after midnight is the hardest part of the night. Our where-to-stay guide covers every area; for New Year these work best:

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More named hotels, by style and budget: Best hotels in Copenhagen.

Quick answers

Where is the best place to celebrate New Year's Eve in Copenhagen?

The free public gathering is on Rådhuspladsen, City Hall Square, where thousands count down under the City Hall clock and the sky fills with fireworks at midnight. Dronning Louises Bro and the Lakes are the other classic free spots, with fireworks reflected in the water. Tivoli is the ticketed option, open until midnight with its own fireworks at 23:00.

Is Tivoli open on New Year's Eve 2026?

Yes. Tivoli is open 11:00–24:00 on Thursday 31 December 2026, and its New Year's Eve fireworks start at 23:00, free with an entrance ticket. Tivoli says fireworks can be cancelled in poor visibility or extreme weather. On 1 January 2027 it is open 11:00–23:00.

When can you set off fireworks in Denmark?

Private individuals may only set off consumer fireworks on 31 December and 1 January. Shops may sell them from 15 to 31 December, you must be 18 to buy New Year's fireworks, and they must be CE-marked with Danish instructions. The window was cut from 27 December–1 January to these two days in 2024.

What time is the King's New Year speech?

King Frederik X gives his New Year speech at 18:00 on 31 December, broadcast live on TV and radio from Amalienborg. Many Danes plan the start of the evening around it, so restaurants and homes go quiet for a few minutes at six.

Does the metro run on New Year's Eve in Copenhagen?

Yes. The Copenhagen Metro runs 24 hours a day, every day of the year, including New Year's Eve, though trains run less often between 01:00 and 07:00 than in the daytime. A 2-zone single ticket costs DKK 24 (about US$4) in 2026. Check Rejseplanen for S-train and bus times that night.

What is open in Copenhagen on 1 January?

1 January is a public holiday and most shops, cafés and restaurants are closed. Copenhagen Visitor Service lists Tivoli (11:00–23:00), Rosenborg Castle (11:00–16:00), the National Museum (10:00–17:00), Amalienborg (11:00–19:00), the Blue Planet aquarium (10:00–17:00) and ZOO (10:00–16:00) as open on 1 January 2027. Check each website before you go.

How many nights should I stay for New Year's Eve in Copenhagen?

Three nights, 31 December to 3 January, work well in 2026/27. New Year's Day is a Friday and a public holiday when much of the city is closed, and Christmas in Tivoli runs until Sunday 3 January, so the weekend gives you two ordinary days to see Copenhagen after the big night.

Plan your New Year in Copenhagen

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