The 5 best local beaches and swimming spots in Copenhagen

North of the city centre and just a few steps from Klampenborg train station is fashionable Bellevue Beach. Featuring 700 metres of sand, Arne Jacobsen watch towers, and a reputation for attracting nude sunbathers, Bellevue epitomises the classic ‘Danish Riviera’ beach experience.

Located in the very heart of Copenhagen, Islands Brygge is an essential swimming spot for locals. With views of the city, a grassy lawn for lounging and barbecues, and the best diving platform in town, Harbour Bath is the best of summer in the city. The baths are open in June, July, and August.

In winter, the Kastrup Sea Bath is an architectural curiosity: an uninhabited, curling wooden seashell hovering out over the water between Denmark and Sweden. But in summer, the Sea Bath is a gathering place for local sunbathers, swimmers, and daredevils who come to take the plunge off the bath’s 3- and 5-metre jumping platforms.

Unlike anything else in Copenhagen, the Amager Beach Park area is a diverse and semi-wild getaway from the city that features wide beaches, grassy lawns, sports facilities, sand dunes and access to numerous waterfront activities. The Beach Park is easily accessed from Copenhagen via Metro line M2.

On the east side of Charlottenlund Fort is a narrow strip of park and sandy beach almost completely hidden from the noise and traffic of the adjacent and busy main coastal road. And this quiet isolation is what makes Charlottenlund Beach such a beloved hidden gem for locals. Come to explore the fort, to admire the sailboats from nearby Skovshoved harbour, or just for a swim.