A trip to Denmark can be much smoother with the use of a few clever smartphone apps. Wifi is super easy to find in Copenhagen, and even in Denmark’s more rural areas there are still cafes, information centres, museums, libraries and convenience stores providing free wifi for tourists. And here’s a pro-tip if you’re in a pinch: McDonalds and Espresso House pretty much always have free wifi hotspots.
While we’re not saying that you need a smartphone in Denmark, we do think that having one can definitely make your trip a bit more organised. Planning ahead with map, translation and currency apps on your smartphone can save you a lot of time and money while you’re on the road. We’ve come up with a list of apps for iPhone/Android that are great for a trip to Denmark, whether you’re visiting Copenhagen or foraging for free food in the countryside.
Getting around
CPH Airport
CPH Airport is the official app for Copenhagen Airport (Kastrup). It’s really convenient if you’re arriving or departing from here, as it allows you to monitor all incoming and outgoing flights.
Add your flights to the ‘My Flights’ list to get push notifications on your phone with updates about your trip such as boarding times or delays. The app also offers a comprehensive guide to the shopping areas and services offered at the airport. Use this free app to start your Danish adventure smoothly.
Bike & Stay
Made by the Danish tourist board, this app highlights some of the best long-distance cycle routes across Denmark, including coastal routes in the east and west of the country.
Along the way, it’ll point out historical sites and points of interest – it even recommends bike-friendly campsites for you to pitch up at.
The app is free and works offline, so there’s no need to worry about roaming charges.
Copenhagen City Walks
Free to try; full version $4.99
Android and iPhone
Copenhagen City Walks is an amazing app for people who are doing Copenhagen on a budget. It provides a bunch of self-guided walks through the city, with tons of information about the sights you can see on each walk. This is perfect for people who want to walk around the city and learn about history, art and architecture without having to spend money on guided tours or public transportation.
The app works offline, so you don’t need internet to run it, and won’t pay roaming charges while you’re using it. The full version of the app costs $4.69, but it includes step-by-step navigational instructions of all the walking tours including all the attractions, as well as the fun ability to check off the sights and places that you’ve visited on your trip.
Google Maps
We’ve tried and tested a few different apps for getting around in Denmark and Google Maps is the clear winner – it provides directions that can be tailored to your preferred method of transport: driving, walking, biking or public transport. Google Maps’ navigational feature is definitely one of the best if you have service/data during your trip.
If you don’t, our recommendation is to download the ‘offline area’ map for the areas of Denmark you know you will be travelling in on a given day. Keep tabs on your own current location through your phone’s GPS receiver (independent from the internet connection) so you can avoid heading the complete wrong direction while trying to find that special smørrebrød spot you’ve been recommended.
Rejseplanen
When visiting Copenhagen, the Rejseplanen, or ‘travel planner’ app, is a totally free way to find the most efficient way of traversing public transportation around the city. This trusty app is used widely by locals and visitors in Copenhagen and is accessible in English.
Just type in your destination and the app will show all the different options for getting there. If you have location services activated on your smartphone, the app can also find the station nearest to you – an especially handy feature for those who don’t know the city very well yet.
DOT tickets
DOT (‘Din Offentlige Transport’) is the ticket app for all Copenhagen’s public transport, including buses, trains and the metro, as well as all public in the surrounding regions of Zealand, Lolland, Falster and Møn. You can use the app to buy tickets directly on your smartphone, which means skipping ticket machine lines and foreign transaction fees on your credit card.
The app can be used to buy single tickets for all the city’s zones, commuter cards, extension tickets and passes for unlimited travel (in one- to five-day versions), as well as bicycle tickets which allow you to take your bike on transport. The app is available in English.
Eating and drinking
Too Good to Go
This excellent app is good for the planet and good for your wallet too. Simply download the app, log in and you can order from any shops, restaurants or cafés that have surplus unsold food left at the end of the day. Its aim is to reduce food waste – some 47 million tonnes of perfectly edible food is thrown away each year in Europe – and find a home for unused groceries, bread, pastries and meals.
More than 3000 supermarkets, bakeries, hotels, cafés and restaurants across Denmark have signed up so far, all selling produce that would otherwise be binned at bargain prices. Sign up, and you can save the environment and save money at the same time.
Wolt
One of the most useful apps for a trip to Denmark, Wolt is a handy food delivery app where you can order food to arrive at your door within thirty minutes. You can order from a wide variety of restaurants, that serve pretty much any type of cuisine from hand-made sushi and vegan burgers to poke bowels and burritos.
The app is user-friendly and has a countdown-clock option so you know exactly how long your food is going to take to arrive.
Founded in Finland, Wolt delivers from hundreds of restaurants in Copenhagen, as well as in other Danish cities including Odense, Aalborg, Esbjerg and Aarhus.
Shopping
Zadaa (EU only)
The Zadaa app is a great way of buying pre-loved designer clothes and accessories at bargain prices. You can find good deals on Nike, Burberry, Northface and Tommy Hilfiger clothes as well as even more upmarket brands, such as Gucci and Louis Vitton bags and belts.
There are also plenty of cheaper high-street labels such as Zara and Mango, as well as vintage bargains. The app is available in all the Scandinavian countries including Denmark, plus Germany, France, the Netherlands and the UK.
Budgeting
Currency Converter Plus
This app is really useful for up-to-date conversion rates while you’re out and about in Denmark. Converting everything in your head can be exhausting and slow you down in stores, so this app is an easy solution when you want to know exactly how much things cost.
Just enter the DKK amount and it will convert to your currency of choice in an instant. Once you’ve updated the conversion rate, this handy app will continue to work, even while you’re offline. The app is free but supported through ads, which aren’t too intrusive.
Translation
Google Translate
While most Danes speak English perfectly well in Copenhagen, you may need the help of a translator if you’re taking trips outside of the capital. Google Translate is hands down the best option for translation services. Just type in the word, phrase or location you desperately need to translate, and you can have it in Danish in an instant, and also hear the pronunciation – which is really useful since Danish is notoriously hard to pronounce (even the proper way to pronounce the popular tourist spot Nyhavn may surprise you).
An added plus is the recently added photo feature; simply use your phone to photograph menus, signs, or ingredient lists and the app will translate the text for you. Magic. Download Danish as an offline language so you can use the app even when you don’t have access to wifi.
See also: Free things to do in Copenhagen
Denmark is the future! I want to go here next summer! Good luck)