What is it, exactly?
CopenHill (Amager Bakke) is a waste-to-energy power plant on the Amager waterfront with a public park, hiking trail and dry ski slope on its roof — a piece of playful, radical architecture by Bjarke Ingels Group that opened in 2019. The plant burns household waste to make heat and electricity, while its 85-metre-high roof is wrapped in a green landscape with a walking path, a year-round artificial ski and snowboard piste, and one of the world’s tallest climbing walls on its flank.
Is it worth visiting?
Yes — even if you never touch a ski. Hiking to the rooftop for the panoramic view over Copenhagen, the harbour and the Øresund toward Sweden is free, and the sheer audacity of climbing a rubbish incinerator for the view makes it one of the city’s most memorable outings. It is the anti-tourist-trap: a working piece of infrastructure that locals genuinely use to ski, run and picnic. If you do want to ski or ride, you can, on grass-green plastic matting rather than snow.
How do you get there?
It sits at Vindmøllevej 6 on Amager, a little out from the centre. Take the Metro to Christianshavn and change to a bus toward Refshaleøen/Amager (bus 2A serves the area), or cycle — it is a scenic 20-to-30-minute ride along the water. Free parking is available if you drive.
When to go, and what it costs
Walking the rooftop trail and enjoying the view is free during opening hours (which vary by season and around events — check before you go). Skiing is paid: roughly 150 DKK for an hour on the slope, plus small one-off fees for a lift card and insurance, and you can rent gear on site. Clear evenings are magic for the sunset; wind can bite up top, so bring a jacket.
Insider tip
You do not have to hike up — there is a lift that carries you to the top so you can walk the trail back down, ideal if you want the view without the climb. Time it for late afternoon so you reach the summit as the light goes golden over the Øresund, then descend as the city lights flicker on.
