Car hire in Copenhagen
A charming gateway to Denmark and beyond
This delightful and historical capital city is the home of fairy tales. Situated on the eastern coast of the island of Sealand, it is perfectly situated for exploring the surrounding countryside. You could even hop across the border to Sweden.
Flexible car hire to get you started
You’ve come to this city for an adventure, not to spend hours queuing for your car rental – with Avis Preferred you’ll benefit from extra-speedy service and will be on your way in no time. Our branches are situated in convenient locations and we can offer useful accessories such as satellite navigation, child seats and roof racks.
Popular rental locations in Copenhagen
Things to see and do in Copenhagen
Tivoli is undoubtedly one of the city’s main attractions. This amusement park is over one hundred years old and is an enchanted world of gardens, open-air stages, restaurants, and fairground attractions. It even has an 80m carousel tower. If this has whetted your appetite for fun, there’s an older and less touristy amusement park called Bakken. It’s set in a beautiful beech forest near Klampenborg, just a 20-minute drive from the city centre.Almost as old, but certainly not as big, is the famous statue the Little Mermaid. This delightful bronze nude sits gracefully on a rock at Langelinie Pier welcoming travellers to the harbour. She was inspired by the ballet based on the fairy tale of the same name written by Hans Christian Andersen. The city throws a party in honour of her birthday on August 23rd every year with balloons, music and a rendition of "Happy Birthday".
There are plenty of historical and cultural sights too – hardly surprising for a city that dates back to 1043. Don’t miss the Amalienborg Palace with its fine Danish Rococco architecture. It’s the Queen’s main residence but the public are allowed to visit two of the four buildings. The Danish Royal Guard patrols the grounds. You can watch the changing of the guard – Danish style – at noon every day. There’s also the Rosenborg Castle, the Round Tower observatory and the Marble Church.
Copenhagen is a great place for art too. The obvious starting point is the National Gallery, which exhibits major works by Rembrandt, Picasso and Matisse alongside some Danish artists. There’s also the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek for more classical tastes but since you’ve got a car, you should also drive the 22 miles up the coast to the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art. It offers splendid views of the Øresund bridge plus a landscaped sculpture garden, and is home to some fantastic international collections.
Exploring beyond Copenhagen
There are some great beaches within a short driving distance of the city. Many of them are some of the cleanest in Europe. The closest is the Amager Beach Park which offers over three miles of sand, as well as lovely views of the Øresund bridge and the coast of Sweden. The shallow lagoon is perfect for kids. Six miles to the north, near to the Bakken Amusement Park, is the Bellevue Beach Park. It can get very crowded in the high season but the white sands and clear blue waters should make it worth your while.Denmark’s fairy-tale travel destination is the island of Funen. It can be accessed via a toll bridge in less than two hours. This idyllic and romantic part of the country is the birthplace of writer Hans Christian Andersen. You can visit his home in Odense, which is now a museum. Best of all are the rolling hills, charming orchids, and half-timbered farmhouses which you can explore from the comfort of your car rental – it’s not called the Garden Island for nothing. Make sure your route takes in the castles too. Nyborg Slot is the oldest castle in Denmark. Egeskov Castle, to the south, is Europe's best-preserved Renaissance water castle.
Fancy travelling further afield? Pop over the border to Sweden ... the two countries are linked by Europe’s longest combined road and rail bridge, the Øresund bridge. You’ll arrive in the city of Malmö 35 minutes later. Malmö is known as the City of Parks and is also famous for its food offerings. From there you are set for exploring the Skåne region and its fields, wide horizons and magnificent castles. Head south to the small coastal town of Ystad with its extensive sandy beaches and beautifully preserved medieval half-timbered houses.