Best Rooftop Bars in Copenhagen: A 2026 Guide

Copenhagen is a beautiful city and you get the best perspective from a rooftop bar with a fancy cocktail, in my opinion. Most of Copenhagen’s best rooftop bars are warm-season only but a few stay open year-round with indoor space. This guide covers the best rooftop bars in Copenhagen and what to drink at each. I saved my favorite for last, with an easy year-round view of a stunning square.


Most Central Rooftop in Copenhagen: Illum Rooftop

Illum Rooftop is the most popular, on top of the Illum department store right on Amagertorv in the middle of the shopping district. It’s free to walk up, and the top floor holds several bars, cafés, and eateries with both indoor and outdoor seating, so it works in mixed weather. The terrace wraps around the building, with views over Christiansborg Palace and the Round Tower.

What to Order: A glass of bubbly at the Skagen Fiskerestaurant terrace, or a coffee at Original Coffee around the corner for a quieter experience and view over Amagertorv.

Best If: You want a free, central rooftop break during a day of shopping or sightseeing without needing to book anything.

Skip If: You want a dedicated cocktail bar. This is a shopping-center rooftop with many operators.

Best Rooftop Views in Copenhagen: The Rooftop Bar at Hotel Danmark

The Rooftop Bar at Hotel Danmark gives you a 360-degree view over the old center, near the National Museum and Tivoli. The drinks list covers signature cocktails, sparkling wine, and beer, and live DJs play on Friday nights. It’s a warm-season spot, best on a clear evening for the wide view over the center.

What to Order: A signature cocktail at sunset.

Best If: You want the widest panorama in the Copenhagen city center and a lively weekend atmosphere with music.

Skip If: You’re visiting in winter or want a quiet drink. The outdoor terrace closes in the cold months and Fridays get busy.

Best Waterfront Rooftop in Copenhagen: ROOF at NH Collection

ROOF at NH Collection is the rooftop to pick for sunset near the water, on top of the NH Collection hotel with a view over the harbour and city. The menu keeps it simple with cocktails plus small plates and local sandwiches, so you can settle in for the evening rather than move on for dinner. It welcomes both hotel guests and outside visitors, and it’s open April to October. The only reason this isn’t my number one is that it’s weather dependent. The inside area really isn’t much. But on a perfect summer night, it’s absolutely the top priority on this list.

What to Order: A cocktail at sundown with a few small plates to make it a full evening rather than a pre-dinner drink spot.

Best If: You want a sunset drink near the harbour with something to eat alongside it.

Skip If: You’re here off-season. This is an April-to-October rooftop that closes for winter.

Highest Rooftop Bar in Copenhagen: Sticks’n’Sushi Sky Bar

The Sticks’n’Sushi sky bar is located on the 12th floor of the Harbour Tower at Tivoli Hotel, near Central Station. It’s the highest of the rooftop bars on this list. There’s a glass floor section for anyone who wants to look straight down, plus swing seats at the bar and excellent harbour views. Drink offerings including cold draft beer, wine, and cocktails, and the kitchen serves fantastic sushi if you want to eat.

What to Order: A cocktail at the swing seats, with a few pieces of nigiri from the sushi menu.

Best If: You want the highest view in the city and don’t mind heights, or you’re curious about the glass floor.

Skip If: Heights aren’t for you. The draw here is the altitude and the glass floor.

Best Italian Rooftop in Copenhagen: Tramonto

Tramonto is the rooftop to choose for Italian cuisine, on top of Hotel Ottilia in the Carlsberg district a little out from the center. The space splits between an indoor lounge and restaurant and a large outdoor terrace, so it’s still a great option when the weather turns. The drinks list is Italian-leaning and built for aperitivo with food to match.

What to Order: An Aperol Spritz or a negroni on the terrace, with Italian small plates as the sun goes down.

Best If: You want an aperitivo-style evening with a terrace and don’t mind heading to the Carlsberg district.

Skip If: You want to stay in the historic center or you’re after Nordic rather than Italian flavours.


My Favorite Rooftop Bar in Copenhagen: CitizenM Rådhuspladsen

The rooftop lounge at CitizenM Copenhagen Rådhuspladsen is the one I rate above the rest, located on the lobby floor of the citizenM hotel on City Hall Square. The lounge is called cloudM, and it’s a top-floor bar and lounge with floor-to-ceiling windows, funky mid-century furniture, and an indoor-outdoor layout that makes it available regardless of weather. The windows look straight over City Hall Square, which is a great photo op day or night.

🏆 My Personal Pick

The cloudM bar at CitizenM Copenhagen Rådhuspladsen is my pick for best rooftop bar in Copenhagen. I love the signature cocktail, Citizen Jasmine, with Grey Goose infused with jasmine, lemon juice, simple syrup, raspberries, and Prosecco. My wife and I also had the espresso martinis, which were balanced and not too sweet.

What to Order: The Citizen Jasmine signature cocktail first or an espresso martini.

Best If: You want a design-led rooftop lounge with a great City Hall Square view that’s open in any season.

Skip If: You want a large open-air terrace. This is an indoor-outdoor lounge with a narrow outdoor space.

Rooftop Bars in Copenhagen: What to Know Before You Go

A few things make rooftop experiences here work:

  • Plan the open-air rooftops for May through September, since most close their outdoor sections from November to March.
  • Choose CitizenM or Illum Rooftop in cold or wet weather, since both keep indoor space open year-round.
  • Visit the hotel rooftops early on summer Fridays and Saturdays, since they fill by early evening.
  • Time your arrival for sunset, which in Copenhagen summer is quite late, well after 9pm in June and July.
  • Dress in layers even in summer, since the wind picks up several floors up once the sun drops.

Where to Stay in Copenhagen: My Top Picks

Budget

  • CityHub Copenhagen is a capsule-style hotel in Vesterbro where the hubs have proper double beds, shared saunas, and a self-service bar, and it delivers real value in a city where that’s hard to find.
  • Hotel Bethel is right on the Nyhavn waterfront with some of the best views in the city, and while the rooms are basic and it costs more than most budget options, you’re paying for a location almost nothing else can match at this price.

Mid-Range

  • citizenM Copenhagen Rådhuspladsen is where I like to stay with my wife. It’s very close to Tivoli and Central Station, and the 7th-floor cloudM lounge is my favorite rooftop bar in the city.
  • Hotel Sanders is an elegant boutique property at Nyhavn, and its rooftop conservatory garden makes it a good pick for a special trip without the five-star price.

Luxury

  • Nimb Hotel is located inside Tivoli Gardens in a Moorish palace building, which puts you steps from the food hall and the park itself.
  • Villa Copenhagen is a five-star spot in a converted 1912 Central Post Building next to Central Station with a heated rooftop pool.

Hotel Bethel is right on Nyhavn


🍪 Final Bite

Copenhagen’s rooftops give you amazing views of the city from above, and the right one depends on the season and what you want from the evening. Here’s the short version:

  • Walk up to Illum Rooftop for a free, central break with a view, no booking needed.
  • Book the Rooftop Bar at Hotel Danmark for the widest 360-degree panorama and a Friday night DJ.
  • Head to ROOF at NH Collection for a harbour sunset with small plates.
  • Take the lift to the Sticks’n’Sushi sky bar for the highest view and the glass floor.
  • Go to Tramonto for an Italian aperitivo on a terrace in the Carlsberg district.
  • Start with a Citizen Jasmine at cloudM on top of CitizenM for a fantastic view of the square in any month.

Been to Copenhagen and found a rooftop I missed? Tell me in the comments.

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