Copenhagen, the capital of Denmark, is surprisingly tiny. There are no skyscrapers jutting into the sky, and modern neighborhoods and loft buildings blend harmoniously with the architecture of the old part of the city.
Of all the neighborhoods in the city, I recommend visiting four, each with a different character and appearance:
- The Indre Bünde district with the Nyhavn promenade has been a favorite of writers, artists, musicians and other creative people. It can be called the bohemian heart of Copenhagen.
- Oosterbro is met with architectural elegance, while Vesterbro is full of hotspots.
- Christiania is a free city within a city that was founded by hippie anarchists in the 70’s and is still inhabited today. This neighborhood is interesting, but I recommend walking here with caution. Christiania lives by its own laws, to which the city authorities often turn a blind eye. The main rule for tourists: you can’t take pictures here, the locals don’t like it.
Most of the attractions are concentrated in the center of the capital — the Indre Bül district. However, if you come for more than 3 days, it is also worth visiting other districts and neighborhoods of Copenhagen.
- Denmark’s official website.
- Copenhagen Tourism Website.
- Euro to Danish krone exchange rate: 1 € = 7.46 DKK.
Central Station (Københavns Hovedbanegård)
The train station began its operation on December 1, 1911. It is in itself an architectural landmark of the Danish capital, not only on the outside but also on the inside. The building was designed by the famous Danish architect Heinrich Emil Charles Wenck.
Copenhagen Station is connected to the city’s metro line, which uses the same platforms as the trains. From here you can go to the airport, anywhere in Denmark and other countries.
- Working hours of the ticket office and info center: Monday — Friday, 07:00—20:00; Saturday — Sunday, 08:00—18:00.
- Official website of København H train station.
Tivoli Amusement Park
Across the street from the central exit of København H train station sits Tivoli Amusement Park, thesecond oldest operating amusementpark in the world, the most visited theme park in Scandinavia and the fifth most visited in Europe. It was founded in 1843 and has become a favorite destination for fairy tale writer Hans Christian Andersen, Walt Disney and many other celebrities.
The secret of Tivoli’s popularity lies in its diversity. Beautiful landscapes with exotic architecture, historic buildings and lush gardens are combined with attractions. Some are more than 100 years old, such as the wooden roller coaster from 1914. Others are popping up right now. Georg Carstensen, the park’s founder, said, «Tivoli will never be finished.»
The park has restaurants, a street theater, public restrooms and souvenir shops.
- Hours of operation are Sunday through Thursday, 11:00—23:00; Friday through Saturday, 11:00—24:00. Read more here.
- The entrance fee does not include the cost of rides. Adults — 130 DKK (weekends — 140 DKK), children (3—7 years old) — 60 DKK, under 3 years old free of charge. Ticket for unlimited admission to all attractions — 230 DKK. Read more here.
- Tivoli’s official website.
Blue Planet Oceanarium (Den Blå Planet)
«Blue Planet — The largest and most modern oceanarium in Northern Europe. I especially recommend it for visiting with children.
Denmark’s National Aquarium is home to 7 million liters of water and aquatic inhabitants from all over the world. There are bird colonies from the steep slopes of the Faroe Islands, playful sea otters from Alaska and the elusive giant Pacific octopus. Warmer waters are home to the colorful fish of coral reefs, lakes and rivers in Africa.
The ocean tunnel, where hammerhead sharks and stingrays swim, is a very photogenic area. There is also a contact oceanarium where you can touch the underwater world in the truest sense of the word: touch starfish, fish and other sea creatures.
Den Blå Planet has a café and seating areas where you can snack on food you’ve taken with you.
- Mode of operation: Monday, 10:00—21:00; Tuesday — Sunday, 10:00—17:00.
- Admission: adults — 185 DKK, children (3—11 years old) — 100 DKK.
- Den Blå Planet’s official website.
Planetarium
The planetarium is an educational attraction for families. Here you can look through telescopes and other devices to explore space life, see real asteroids and feel like an astronaut.
The interactive exhibition «Made in Space» is holograms with which you can interact: here you can walk through the starry sky, provoke the Big Bang, determine what chemical element you are.
The heart of the planetarium is the ultra-modern IMAX theater, which is located in a separate hall. The screen occupies an area of 1000 square meters. It shows videos about space, stars and the mysteries of earthly life every hour. Whichever movie you choose, you will first be treated to a beautiful and realistic 3D video about the universe.
- Working hours: Monday, 12:00—20:00; Tuesday — Sunday, 09:00—20:00.
- Admission: detailed ticket information here.
- The official Planetarium website.
Kastellet Fortress (Kastellet)
Castellet Fortress is one of the best preserved bastion fortifications in Northern Europe. It is an area with small red-colored houses where soldiers still live. The town is surrounded by walls and a moat with water, over which there are only two small bridges. Today, Castellet acts as a military facility and an open-air museum, which is absolutely free to walk around. From here you can enjoy beautiful views of the harbor, windmills and green meadows.
- Working hours: daily, 06:00—22:00.
- Admission is free.
Monument to the Little Mermaid (Lille Havfrue)
«In the open sea, the water is as blue as the petals of the most beautiful cornflowers, and as clear as clear glass, but it is deep! No anchor can reach the bottom; at the bottom of the sea would have to put one on top of the other many belfries, only then they could stick out of the water. At the very bottom live mermaids…»
Thus begins Andersen’s fairy tale «The Little Mermaid.»
The Little Mermaid Monument is famous even among those who have not read the work. The bronze statue in the harbor of Copenhagen has become a symbol of the Danish capital. Every tourist considers it his duty to take a picture with it, so it is always crowded.
The statue of the Little Mermaid has an interesting history, the authenticity of which is not exactly known. The monument was created by the famous Danish naturalist sculptor Edward Eriksen at the request of Carl Jacobsen, the owner of the Carlsberg brewery. The latter was so impressed by the ballet «The Little Mermaid» that he offered prima ballerina Ellen Price to become a prototype for the future sculpture. She agreed to pose, but not in the nude. As a result, the Little Mermaid has the body of the sculptor’s wife, and the head — Ellen Price.
Nyhavn (Nyhavn)
Nyhavn is one of Copenhagen’s most famous landmarks. The famous promenade can be seen on postcards from the Danish capital. The charming houses of the quarter are painted in a variety of colors, as if they came from the pages of children’s books. Colorful old ships are moored along the canal.
It’s hard to imagine that this picturesque spot was once the city’s «bottom» — the capital’s most dangerous, criminal and notorious place. However, it is the history of Nyhavn that has made the embankment what it is today.
The canal was dug in 1671 to create a direct connection between the Eresund Strait and the new Royal Square (Kongens Nytorv), the main shopping area. «New Harbor» was designed by the royal engineer B. Roosenstine. The area was immediately settled by sailors and turned into a typical port area with pubs, prostitutes, brothels, brothels and other delights of such places.
In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, Nyhavn was still a red-light district and a very dangerous neighborhood, but it was not without its picturesqueness and rough charm. That is why Hans Christian Andersen lived here almost all his life, changing only houses on the same street.
During World War II, Nyhavn began to fall into disrepair, and in the post-war years it was used as a parking lot. Since the late 1960s, the authorities of the Danish capital started to restore the area, and the promenade has become one of Copenhagen’s most famous landmarks.
The most notable building in the harbor is Building 17, a bright yellow house with big red letters. It is home to the world’s oldest tattoo parlor, Tato-Jack. It is famous for the fact that the Danish King Frederick IX himself got several tattoos there. The place is legendary and worth a visit, even if you don’t plan to get a tattoo.
Experimentarium (Experimentarium)
It is a world-class science center in Hellerup where science is practical, intuitive and fun for all ages. In 2018, Experimentarium was listed by TIME magazine as one of the«World’s 100 Best Places to Visit».
On three internal floors there are 19 interactive exhibitions where children and adults can test the laws of physics, biology and chemistry in an experimental and playful format: create a geyser and a tornado by turning a lever, walk inside a soap bubble, play a harp without strings.
Experience life in a new way in the Tunnel of Senses. Become part of a movie in a theater that is based on motion sensors. Experience an earthquake. Immerse yourself in the physics and chemistry of water in a submarine. There are no glass-capped exhibits: you can touch, hold and conduct your own experiments.
The center features a museum store, a restaurant and an interactive rooftop with beautiful views. The Experimentarium is located 6 km north of Copenhagen city center.
- Working hours: Monday — Thursday: 09:30—17:00; Friday — Sunday: 09:30—19:00.
- Admission: adults -199 DKK; children (3—11 years old) — 119 DKK.
- Experimentarium’s official website.
Round Tower (Rundetaarn)
Rudentarn, with its characteristic spiral ramp, is one of Denmark’s most famous and visited buildings.
The Rundetaarn Tower is the oldest operating observatory in Europe. To get to the top, you have to walk 268.5 meters by the outer wall and 85.5 meters by the inner wall (near the core of the building). The core is hollow, you can enter one of the open niches and stand on a glass floor 25 meters above the ground. The glass is more than 50 mm thick and can withstand up to 900 kg per square meter.
Halfway up is the old library hall — exhibitions, concerts and cultural events are held there. The top of the tower offers a 360-degree view of the city.
- Mode of operation: Thursday — Monday, 10:00—18:00; Tuesday — Wednesday, 10:00—21:00.
- Admission: adults — 25 DKK; children (5—15 years old) — 5 DKK.
- Rundetaarn’s official website.
Faraos Cigarer Comic Book Stores
Four stores are located at one intersection. They are not listed in tourist brochures and guides, but I put them on my list of free attractions in Copenhagen and advise to visit them even for those who are not fans of comics, anime and fantasy. Each store has a different thematic focus and appearance. They feature movie characters in full-size and colorful display cases offering books, board games, collectible figurines, t-shirts, etc. Theme music plays in the room, and every employee is a real comic book fan, so an ordinary consultation turns into a fascinating excursion into the world of superpowers and heroes.
- The mode of operation is here.
- Admission: free of charge.
- Faraos Cigarer’s official website.
How much time to spend in Copenhagen?
My trip to the capital of Denmark took 6 days of intensive traveling. During this time I saw castles, museums, sights and had time to walk around the city.
If you come for 3 days, I recommend first of all to visit Nyhavn, Tivoli Park, oceanarium, several museums, Rosenborg palace complex and walk around the city center. If you plan to be in Copenhagen for only a day, but want to feel its atmosphere, I recommend to see the waterfront, walk to the Little Mermaid, walk around the city center and come back again for a longer time.
The Copenhagen map allows you to save significantly on entrance tickets and transportation. You can order the map on the official website.