Copenhagen rewards conscious actions with free cultural experiences

All our choices have an impact on the places we visit when travelling — so why not ride a bike, clean up the harbour, help in an urban garden, and be rewarded?

Last year, Copenhagen redefined its approach to tourism by introducing a creative pilot program called CopenPay where conscious actions became a currency, allowing visitors to earn free cultural experiences.

The goal of the initiative was to raise awareness about the choices we make when we travel — and for tourists to make more city-friendly choices during their visit to the Danish capital.

It exceeded expectations. During last year’s four weeks’ run of CopenPay, bike rentals increased by 29 per cent, tons of litter were collected, and 98 per cent of participants said they would recommend the initiative.

This year, CopenPay has upped the ante to offer even more rewards.

Visitors who arrive in Copenhagen by train can take advantage of perks such as free bike rentals, yoga sessions, guided tours, or discounted entry to some of the city’s top attractions.

And it doesn’t stop there . . . if you arrive to a museum by bike or public transport, you get in for free. You can also paddle a kayak for free in the harbour of Copenhagen while collecting waste on the water, or collect waste in nature and get a free sauna experience at a wellness hotel.

All up there is more than 100 participating attractions including The National Museum, Kronborg Castle in Elsinore, The National Gallery of Denmark, GoBoat, Copenhill, The Urban Garden, and Donkey Republic bike rentals.

CopenPay runs from June 17 to August 17, 2025 and you can see all the participating attractions at visitcopenhagen.com