The best time to visit Denmark is in the spring and summer, between May and August. The days are long, the weather is warm, and Danes are out in nature, enjoying hiking, cycling, and beach and park life.
Denmark has a temperate climate, experiencing cold winters and mild, fine summers. Extremes are rare here; intense heat waves and spells of bitter cold are unusual. Snow often falls in winter, but it doesn’t settle for as long as it does in neighboring Scandinavian countries further north. In any case, on gloomy days, the Danish concept of hygge, a sense of coziness and comfort kicks in, with hot chocolate, candlelight, and warm throw blankets the order of the day.
Visiting Denmark By Season
Summer
Skagen
June, July, and August bring blissfully long, light days. Copenhagen, the capital, lies at just over 55° north in latitude, so while it doesn’t receive the full midnight sun, you can enjoy daylight until close to 10 pm in June. In Skagen, at the very top of the Jutland Peninsula, days are even longer.
July is generally the warmest month of the year, with average temperatures of 64.4°F (18°C) in Copenhagen and 62.5°F (17°C) in Skagen. The sea is warming up, too. In Skagen, it’s reached a still-bracing 64°F (17.5°C), and you’ll see plenty of people splashing around in the waves on a warm day. This is the best time to go to Denmark to enjoy outdoor life.
Rain can fall throughout the year in any month, but it does vary from one region of this compact country to the next. In Copenhagen, August is prone to showers, receiving 3.1 inches (80mm) of rain on average, so travel prepared. Further north, there’s lower rainfall in summer, with Skagen receiving just 2.4 inches (60mm) in August.
Fall
River cruise in Copenhagen
September is still pleasant in Denmark, with average temperatures of 57.8°F (14.4°C) in the capital and a degree or so less in the north. But by the end of November, the day length is just 7.5 hours, with sunset soon after 3.30 pm.
Fall still has plenty of appeal, though. Trees in parks and across the countryside begin to assume colors of scarlet and orange. Pumpkins appear around Halloween and delicious pastries featuring seasonal apples, plums, and pears beckon in bakeries.
Winter
Winters in Denmark are cold and dark, with average temperatures in January and February, the coldest months, just 34.4°F (1.4°C) in Copenhagen and 34.9°F (1.6°C) in Skagen.
Daily lows of below freezing are common around this time, and the ground is often covered with snow, particularly in rural areas, which adds an icy charm to the low-lying landscape. Days are short; in Skagen, there are just one and a half hours of sunshine per day in December, on average.
Spring
King’s New Square, Copenhagen
Denmark emerges from its long, dark winter in spring, with tulips and cherry trees in blossom, the snow melted, and the days getting longer.
In Copenhagen and on the north Jutland Peninsula, April, statistically the least rainy month of the year, brings 1.4 inches (35mm) of precipitation. By May, temperatures have crept up to an average of 53.5°F (12°C). Copenhagen receives an average of 8.5 hours of sunshine and Skagen, further north, an impressive nine hours.
When Is Rainy Season?
Denmark doesn’t have a marked rainy season in the context of countries in the tropics; rainfall is fairly evenly spread year-round. In Copenhagen, August is statistically the wettest month, although long periods of gray skies are rare in summer. On the Jutland Peninsula, September to January is the wettest time, with September and October receiving higher rainfall than other months.
In winter, from November to February, precipitation may fall as snow, although this can turn fairly quickly to slush.
When Is High Season?
Denmark’s high season for tourism is the summer months, from June to August. Days are long; the period from mid-May to mid-July is known as White Nights, when the sky never gets fully dark, even after sunset. Summer is a time for enjoying the outdoors, al-fresco dining, events such as Pride and the Copenhagen Jazz Festival, and in Skagen, enjoying mile upon mile of glorious sandy beaches backed by grassy dunes.
There’s a second peak in December as towns and cities are lit by Christmas markets. Candles flicker in every window, seasonal ice rinks pop up, and in Copenhagen, the historic Tivoli Gardens is transformed into a setting from a fairytale.
When Is Shoulder Season?
Copenhagen
Shoulder season in Denmark is spring and fall, before and after the summer influx of visitors. April and May can be a great time to visit, as can September, although fall brings slightly more rain and wind to the Jutland Peninsula.
Danes are accustomed to mixed weather like this, and wherever you travel, there will always be museums, galleries, palaces, and tempting shops to retreat to on cooler days.
When Is Low Season?
Low season in the Danish capital is the colder, darker months, including November, January, and February, once the Christmas and New Year festivities are over. Many Danes who are not tied by work head south to the sunshine of the Mediterranean in winter to escape the cold and dark.
Nyhavn, Copenhagen
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