Located on the coast of Zealand, the largest island on Denmark’s archipelago, Copenhagen is notorious for having short day light hours most days of the year. Forget about temperature and rainfall – plan your trip round Copenhagen’s longest days. During the coldest days of December and January, daylight hours diminish to just 1 hour, but by summer Copenhagen receives 8 hours of daylight. The North Atlantic warms the region, preventing intense weather in winter and summer. Temperatures are mild year round.

Summer

In the summer, Copenhagen’s peak season, weather is warm and occasionally rainy, with average temperatures of 72 degrees F and monthly rainfall of 2.5 inches.  In the fall, Copenhagen turns crisp and warm, with September boasting an average of 5 daylight hours that decrease to 3 in October. The average temperature is 55 degrees F and monthly rainfall is 2 inches. The city's brightly colored flowers burst forth in the spring, and bicycles, locals and tourists take over the landscape when weather turns nice. Museums and restaurants stay open later, and bars tend to be open all night. This is a great time to visit, but beware of higher prices and longer lines.

Winter

Although snow is rare in Copenhagen, winters are short and cold, with only an hour or 2 of sunlight and perpetually grey skies.  The average temperature is 35 degrees F and monthly rainfall is 1.7 inches. A steaming hot mug of spice wine helps one bear the winter flurries. However, if you can stand the cold and rain, winter is an ideal time to visit Copenhagen for lower hotel prices and museum tickets.

Spring

Copenhagen warms up at the start of spring, and daylight hours increase in March and April (5 and 8 hours of sun, respectively). The average temperature is 52 degrees F and the monthly rainfall is 1.8 inches. Spring and fall are, as you'd expect, the Danish “shoulder seasons.” Tourists slam the city in September and May, but October and April are ideal for exploring the city by bike or taking a local hike. Hotel rooms feature regular rates on weekends, but are cheaper during the week. Frequent music festivals and outdoor celebrations occur daily in fall and spring, so your schedule will never be empty!

Be sure and visit Copenhagen’s best tourist site for more information on seasonal activities.