Live Your Own Fairy Tale in Copenhagen

It’s difficult to visit Copenhagen, Denmark’s capital city, and not find something to love. For starters, Scandinavia’s second-largest city (after Stockholm) is full of great architecture and design, castles and palaces, renowned museums, highly acclaimed restaurants, a historic amusement park, canals, and beautiful parks.

Here are ways to find enchantment in Copenhagen:

1. In the steps of royals – Home to one of the world’s oldest monarchies (the oldest uninterrupted hereditary monarchy), Copenhagen has plenty of castles and palaces that you can visit to learn about historic and current royalty and see how they lived. Amalienborg Palace is the seat of the current royal family and visitors can access two of the four buildings. Rosenborg Castle contains the Danish Crown jewels and royal crowns. Christiansborg Palace, housing the Danish Parliament, the Supreme Court, and the Ministry of State, contains Queen Margrethe II’s tapestries depicting 1,000 years of Danish history. Frederiksborg Castle, built on three islands in the Castle Lake, is home to the Museum of National History. Don’t miss the Knights’ Hall with its beautiful tapestries and portraits or the Audience Chamber with its baroque interior.

   
   

   

   Photo credit: Daniel Rasmussen. Photo courtesy: Visit Copenhagan

   
   

2. Go green – Copenhagen focuses on sustainability and environmentally sound practices, and it’s evident throughout the city. Take a boat tour on the city’s Inner Harbor canals. In the harbor, clean enough for people to swim in designated areas, you’ll find people kayaking, paddleboarding, and rowing on the water. Cyclists are plentiful throughout the city and though it may seem daunting to join the throngs, you can book one of many guided bike tours through the city to safely experience this popular method of transportation. Stroll through the King’s Garden to view many statues and sculptures, fountains, and a rose garden. It’s a great place for a much-needed rest from sightseeing or a picnic lunch.

3. Learn about a literary great – Hans Christian Andersen spent much of his life in Copenhagen, and you can stroll along the inner harbor canal in Nyhavn where the author lived in several houses. Ascend the spiral ramp in the Round Tower to enjoy a panoramic city view and see Library Hall, once the University Library used by the author, now housing exhibitions, concerts, and a gift shop. You can also view Europe’s oldest operating observatory and a glass platform from which you can look down into the center of the tower. Within the King’s Garden you will find a statue of Andersen, and on a rock in the water by the Langelinie Promenade, a statue inspired by the famous fairytale. Kids may enjoy the H.C. Andersen Experience with its interactive exhibits on the author. 

   
   

4. From historic amusements to modern thrills - Tivoli Gardens is located right in the heart of Copenhagen. First opened in 1843, both Andersen and Walt Disney visited the famous amusement park, situated next to Central Station. Come during the day to enjoy the rides and beautiful gardens, stay into the evening to take in daily entertainment, stroll among the twinkling lights, and eat in the food hall or at restaurants ranging from casual to fine dining. Just outside the entrance to the park, browse the two levels of the Lego Store. Though not the flagship store, there are plenty of products from the various lines. It’s fun to walk by the colorful displays in the country where the popular toy originated.

   
   

   

   Photo credit: Mark Tanggaard. Photo courtesy: Visit Copenhagen

5. Feast on casual fare or Michelin-starred cuisine – Copenhagen has many Michelin-starred restaurants, where you’ll need to make reservations months in advance, and come prepared to spend a small fortune. From three-starred Geranium and the limited, pop-up seatings at Noma, to multi-sensory dining at two-starred Alchemist and many other highly acclaimed establishments, you can find many options for a memorable meal. For those looking for a more casual experience, the city is full of street food markets and food halls where you can sample a wide variety of cuisine. On a nice day, Broens Street Food in the Christainshavn part of the city offers plenty of food stands and picnic tables just off the water. You can stroll here from Nyhavn, crossing the Inner harbour Bridge. Try the local version of a sandwich – smorrebred – at Restaurant Montergade. Sample meat, fish, or vegetable options served open faced on dark Danish rye bread with an array of spreads. Maple Casual Dining is a casual spot with elevated cuisine. You can go in jeans, but reservations are a must. Restaurant Bobe is housed in a historic building dating back to 1731 in the oldest part of the city. Enjoy the extensive covered patio in warm weather, or the cozy fireplace upstairs in cooler weather.

   
   

   

   Photo credit: Daniel Rasmussen. Photo courtesy: Visit Copenhagen

   
   

6. Shop ‘til you drop – Copenhagen’s main shopping avenue, Stroget Street, is one of Europe’s longest pedestrian thoroughfares and it’s a good place to look for something special to bring home. What to buy? Shop for Legos from the flagship location. Find jewelry and home accessories from Georg Jensen, the famous silversmith who also has a bellwether location on this street. At Royal Copenhagen, you’ll find the famous, hand-painted blue and white porcelain and figurines. For an easy-to-pack souvenir, pick up Danish licorice at Lakrids by Bulow, or Danish butter cookies at local bakeries nearby.

Where to stay:

The NH Collection Copenhagen is situated close to city attractions in the Christianshavn area. Think understated luxury with a 1950s Mad Men vibe mixed with sleek Danish design. The artwork gives a nod to the building’s origin as administration for a ship building company. In season (April through September), the Roof on the eighth floor is a star attraction, with a bar serving signature cocktails and elevated finger food and panoramic city views. Other public space includes a lobby bar, breakfast room and restaurant, meeting space, and a fitness room. The hotel also offers parking for a fee, in a city where it’s extremely limited.

Photo credit: NH Collection Copenhagen

For a more reasonable alternative, consider the NH Grand Joanne, located in the Vesterbro area of the city, not far from Tivoli Gardens and Central Station. Though rooms are small, the hotel offers a fitness room with a yoga studio, small meeting space, and a restaurant serving Italian cuisine. The hotel also boasts a rooftop bar, open in season, with a house DJ spinning tunes on select evenings.

For more information on Copenhagen, visit www.visitcopenhagen.com or for specific travel inquiries email visitorservice@kk.dk.