Copenhagen, Norway
ABOUT
Copenhagen, Denmark’s capital, sits on the coastal islands of Zealand and Amager. Copenhagen began as an 11th-century Viking fishing village and grew into a significant port under Bishop Absalon who founded a fortress in 1167. It became the Danish capital in the 15th century, flourished under King Christian IV in the 17th century. The city’s defensive ramparts were demolished in 1856.
It has seen fires, a British bombardment and was occupied by German forces in World War II. Despite all that the monarchy, one of the oldest in the world, survived and thrives today.
Today, Copenhagen is a modern capital and a cultural bridge between Northern and Central Europe, known for its unique blend of historic architecture, vibrant culture, and a world-renowned bicycle-friendly infrastructure. Population is approximately 667,000 Currency is the Danish krone
THINGS TO DO
When you start looking for things to do in Copenhagen, you realise just how much there is. Here are just a few ideas.
Probably the best known tourist attractions in the city are Tivoli Gardens and also The Little Mermaid. There are many tours that include both – either by bus, canal boat or a combination. There are plenty of walking and cycling tours available too.
Christiansborg Palace is the seat of the Danish Parliament and Amalienborg Palace is the Royal Residence where you can see the changing of the guard.
Other historic sites include military structures and numerous museums. These include the National Museum, the National Gallery and a Design Museum.
On the outskirts of the city is the Carlsberg Brewery that is an interesting visit. Further out of the city are more interesting sites to visit including Kronborg Castle the World Heritage-listed Hamlet’s Castle in Helsingør.
Visitor Tip
There is much to see in and around this beautiful city. If you decide to return to see more over the period of a few days, you may find the Copenhagen Card of interest. The card provides free entry to numerous sites and includes use of the city’s public transport. We would advise comparing its cost against individual expenses of the attractions and travel you intend to use. There is a handy calculator on the Copenhagen Card Website to help you judge its worth to you.
OUR FAVOURITE THINGS TO DO
We have visited Copenhagen on a number of occasions since around 2016. Our first few visits were during Winter Market Cruises. Here we tried some of the local fare, checked out Christmas Markets, seen some of the local decorations and even snow. Indeed sailing in to Copenhagen was the first time we saw snow drifts on the ship.
One thing is for certain, the change of decor at Tivoli Gardens during the winter is quite amazing. It hosts the largest Christmas Market in the City.
A visit that we took independently was to the Carlsberg Brewery prior to its most recent renovation. We had a nice tour, a tasting and were able to check out some of the draught horses at the stables – one for us to re-visit in the future.
Whilst our photographs from that era are few and far between, a small selection is below.
Our visits to Copenhagen have been aboard P&O Cruises Aurora, Princess Cruises Sky Princess and Oceania Vista. On each occasion we have managed to see some of the city either on land or water. Quite unsurprisingly most of our visits at some point ended up in Tivoli Gardens. So below is a little flavour of each.
Walking through the City
With so much history in Copenhagen it is diffucult to go far without seeing a statue, sculpture or water feature of note.
Pictured here is a statue of King Frederick V in Amalienborg Palace Square. King Frederick. His reign in the 1700’s saw many architectural developments including the Royal Theatre and the Academy of Fine Arts.
The Royal Pavilions at Nordre Toldbod were erected in 1905. They are named after the customs houses that used to be situated there. Today they are still used when the Royal Family arrive or depart by boat.
More spectacular sculptures abound in parks throughout Copenhagen. The one pictured below is of Georg Zoega, a Danish scientist and archaeologist from the 1700s.
Fountain in Amalie Garden which is a public park located between Amalienborg Palace and the Waterfront
Copenhagen Waterways
Copenhagen’s canals have a history tied to its 17th-century maritime expansion, with Nyhavn built in the 1670s as a commercial port and gateway to the city. Frederiksholms Kanal was dug in 1681 as a rampart extension. Once crucial for trade and shipping they now act as a backdrop for boat trips and leisure activities.
Houseboats are also found along the canal bank. These are either used as permanent residences, rentals or in the case of some larger ones as bars and restaurants.
The Little Mermaid
Unveiled on 23 August 1913, The Little Mermaid was a gift from Danish brewer Carl Jacobsen to the City of Copenhagen. The sculpture is made of bronze and granite and sits in the water at Langelinie Pier.
Vital statstics: she is 1.25m tall (4ft 1in) and weighs 175 kg (385lb).
It was inspired by the Hans Christian Andersen tale and ballet, then sculpted by Edvard Eriksen.
Although Eriksen based the sculpture on the ballerina, she would not model nude for him but his wife posed for it.
Despite several acts of vandalism over the decades, she has always been repaired and replaced in her rightful place.
Tivoli Gardens
In 1843, Georg Carstensen persuaded King Christian VIII to grant him land for an amusement park by arguing that “when the people are amusing themselves, they do not think about politics”.
It was named after a park in Paris which in turn was named after the Italian City of Tivoli. It quickly became an institution in its own right and inspired artists like Hans Christian Andersen. Most famously it is said to be the inspiration behind Walt Disney’s theme parks.
It is the second oldest theme park of its kind in the world. It is known for its gardens, the theme park rides including a 1914 wooden rollercoaster and its general entertainment.
Visitor Tip
There are a number of different ways to visit Tivoli. Most cruise lines will have a visit of some sort inclued in one of its tours although this may not give long in the park. Some trips such as Tivoli on Your Own will give you longer.
You can of course go to the park independently. There is very good website that gives information about a variety of passes including an annual pass, a pass just for the park or one that includes rides. Rides can be purchased individually as well.
Be Warned – even with pre-paid tickets queues for some rides can be very long.
The website gives details of when the park is open and Theatre Performances in both the Glass Hall Theatre and Concert Hall. It also gives details of the seasonal specials such as Easter, Halloween and Christmas.
The Thrill of the Rides
There are over 30 rides in the park. Some are more `thrilling than’ than others! Some are more suitable for younger visitors.
Ken has always wanted to try a few of the rides. Fortunately while we were there in 2025 he had a partner in crime. Paul, from Paul and Carole Love to Travel, was more than happy to try the rides out. Carole and I meanwhile were more than happy to stand back and watch them.
They decided to purchase tickets for indivual rides which proved to be the better option as time restraints meant they only tried out Tik Tak and The Demon.
The Gardens
One of the first sights that greets you on entering Tivoli is the beautiful Nimb Hotel. The Moorish-inspired building provides luxurious boutique hotel accomodation for those who wish to stay on site.
Walking through the you will see formal gardens, fountains, a pond with pedal boats, food outlets and even a `Chinese Theatre’.
We have been lucky enough to visit in both summer and nearing Christmas. The park is transformed at various times of year. We saw the food festival during one visit. This had fresh fruit and vegetable displays together with various outlets.
Most spectacular is probably the Winter transformation. Whether it is snowing or not, the park is transformed into a Winter Wonderland. If you are visiting in the lead up to Christmas, it is well worth a visit.
More Footage
There is much to see in Copenhagen and things change throughout the year. Hopefully this has given you some ideas and tips. There are bonus pictures and accompanying videos of our trips below.
Accompanying Videos
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