Where your dog can and can't go: Copenhagen's beaches ranked for summer 2025
Planning a beach day with your dog? Here's where dogs are allowed (and banned) on Copenhagen's beaches this summer — plus the one rule that always matters most.
When the weather turns generous and the sea stops looking like a dare, the dog's eyes say it all. Time for a beach day.
By national rules, dogs are allowed on beaches if they are on a lead between 1 April and 30 September. From 1 October to 31 March, off-lead play is usually fine as long as it is controlled. But local signs and Blue Flag rules can override that, banning dogs from the sand altogether or limiting them to specific zones.
The short version? The sign at the beach gate always wins. And lifeguards do not take kindly to hopeful improvising — though at some beaches, like Charlottenlund, locals will sometimes let dogs paddle outside the patrolled areas, especially on quiet days.
So where can you actually go, lead in hand and dog in tow? Here is our summer 2025 beach league table, ranked by dog-friendliness and what's actually useful when you get there.
Copenhagen's beach league: summer 2025
1. Amager Beachpark
Sand access: Yes, in two signed areas
Off-lead zone: Yes
Notes: Dog zones at north end and Station 3 stay open all summer
2. Charlottenlund
Sand access: No
Off-lead zone: No
Notes: On-lead access via grass path; forest behind beach offers shaded walks. Some dogs paddle outside lifeguarded areas (unofficially).
3. Svanemøllen Strand
Sand access: No
Off-lead zone: No
Notes: Promenade open for on-lead walks
4. Hellerup Strand
Sand access: No
Off-lead zone: No
Notes: No sand access; short path behind beach
5. Bellevue Beach
Sand access: No
Off-lead zone: No
Notes: Full ban during summer; strict enforcement likely
A few beach rules worth remembering
Signs rule. If there is a red line through the dog symbol, that is that.
Default to a lead. Even in allowed areas, a loose dog making beach friends uninvited can earn you a fine.
Plan ahead. Amager is the only spot with dog-friendly zones that stay open all summer.
Think seasonally. From 1 October, most beaches relax their rules unless a new sign says otherwise.
Sun, saltwater and the occasional suspicious crab. Not all dogs love the beach, but for those who do, a little local knowledge goes a long way. Just do not forget the towel.