Cruising the Copenhagen Canals

Posted on by Stephen Edwards

Copenhagen, Denmark

Copenhagen is a city by the sea, and its port still serves many passengers and regional shipping. For hundreds of years, Copenhagen has been tied to its water, and it is only natural that the Danes have found ways to integrate it into their daily lives. Like many industrial ports, Copenhagen struggled with pollution and chemicals. Still, after 30+ years of effort, it has made its harbor a playground for the city, attracting people as a destination and a place to live and play.

Taken from the Ved Stranden 26 location, this is where we caught our classic tour of the canals and the harbor.

The best way to visit this part of Copenhagen is on a boat. Stromma runs frequent, hour-long harbor tours. We took a tour because it was included with the Official Copenhagen Card. Be sure to use the Official Copenhagen Card and take the Classic Tour from Ved Stranden 26. If you depart from somewhere else, such as Nyhavn, there will be a surcharge. Since you will be seeing the same sites, I would recommend heading to a less touristy area to catch your cruise. There are some street vendors close by, and I would encourage you to grab some snacks or a bite to eat before you get on board, as you can take snacks with you. Also be sure to use the restroom, as you will be on the water for an hour with no facilities.

A cruise around Copenhagen Harbor is a great way to see the Little Mermaid statue without walking or dealing with crowds. The statue by itself is considered one of the most overrated tourist sites in the world, but when you are cruising the harbor, it is just a bonus. As to why Copenhagen has the statue, Hans Christian Anderson wrote the short story while he was living in Nyhavn. The statue’s history is fascinating: it was erected in 1913 in Copenhagen Harbor by sculptor Edvard Eriksen. The release of the Disney movie in 1989, along with Copenhagen’s efforts to clean its harbor in the 1990s, and Copenhagen’s status as one of the world’s largest Cruise Ship terminals have only grown the fame of this life-size mermaid.

The harbor tour takes you past many of Copenhagen’s famous locations: Nyhavn, the Little Mermaid Statue, the Opera House, and the Church of Our Savior, to name a few. For me, the best place to cruise was one of the side canals, home to many houseboats where Copenhageners live.

Copenhageners love living and participating in life around the canals. The transformation of the canals has helped make Copenhagen one of the happiest cities in the world.

We had a gorgeous May day to interact with the city, but these tours continue to operate rain or shine. Rick Steves shared that there is a second, cheaper company, Netto-Bådene, that offers the same tour for less. In 2026, it is 80 DKK for Netto-Bådene compared to 130-199 DKK for Stromma for the same cruise. Because we had already cruised with Stromma in Malmö, and we had the Official Copenhagen Card, we went with Stromma.

Adrienne, I, and a stranger who photobombed us from my right shoulder were enjoying the cruise.

Some of my favorite travel interactions have been by water, and I truly enjoy experiencing many parts of the world on water. The Copenhagen Canal tour gave us a chance to see many famous sites without leaving our seats. It was relaxing and gave us a chance to make the most of our day as tourists by having a quick lunch on board. Finally, it gives me hope when local, state, and national governments work together to reverse pollution that benefits all people.

Copenhagen has become one of my favorite cities, and I look forward to returning as soon as I get the chance. Very few places for me rate on the “I’m ready for an immediate return list,” but the charm of Copenhagen and Denmark wants me to experience Hygge.