MUSEUMS
National Museum of Denmark
An easy ten-minute walk from Tivoli along Vestergade brings you to the National Museum (Nationalmuseet), a must-see attraction for anyone with an interest in Danish history and culture. Some impressive runic stones are on display, and the Danish history collection includes a sun chariot (cult object in the form of a cart) that is more than 2,000 years old, Romanesque and Gothic church fittings, Danish porcelain and silver, and collections of antiquities and coins. The ethnographical collection, including items from Greenland, gives an excellent impression of life among the Eskimos. Other areas covered include Asia, Africa and Oceania as well as the culture of the Indians. Here, you’ll also find the Prince’s Palace (1744), a Rococo building influenced by the French style of the period. Around five-minutes’ stroll from the National Museum, Thorvaldsen’s Museum is also worth a visit to view spectacular works from this famous Danish sculptor.
The National Gallery of Denmark (Statens Museum for Kunst), Copenhagen
The National Gallery of Denmark displays the largest collection of Danish art from the 1700s to the present day, as well as impressive works from around the world. Highlights include the Danish and Nordic art exhibition, which spans 150 years, as well as paintings by the Dutch Masters, Edvard Munch, and Picasso among others. Natural light floods the upper floors giving the gallery a wonderful ambiance. Be sure to pick up a map before exploring all the collections. The café is particularly pleasant and a great place to unwind and soak up the surroundings.
PARKS
Bakken: The World’s Oldest Amusement Park
About a 20-minute drive north of Copenhagen, Bakken amusement park is a folksy version of the Tivoli, with numerous restaurants, cafés, and fun things to do – especially for younger children. Believe it or not, this has been a leisure facility since 1583. There are no less than six roller coasters and more than 30 different rides, including a ghost train. The surrounding wood and parkland is particularly pleasant, and there are excellent train and bus links from the city-center for those who aren’t driving. Nearby, you’ll find Klampenborg with prestigious villas and excellent bathing.
Tivoli Gardens
Walking from Town Hall Square and crossing H.C. Andersens Boulevard brings you to the inspiration behind the Disney theme parks, the famous Tivoli amusement park and pleasure gardens dating from 1843 (main entrance Vesterbrogade). Here, you’ll find more than 20 attractions including a roller coaster; roundabouts; halls of mirrors; pantomime, puppet, and open-air theaters; a wealth of restaurants and cafés; flower gardens; and a Moorish-styled concert hall, which is particularly pleasing when lit up at night. The park is famous worldwide and appears in many movies. Indeed, some might say it’s the most famous attraction in Copenhagen. At Christmas, Tivoli becomes an extravagantly decorated wonderland.
MARKETS
Strøget Shopping Mile
A stroll of around five minutes from Christiansborg takes you to the bustling shopping area of Strøget where you’ll find a wealth of boutiques, cafés, and restaurants. Strøget, a nickname from the 1800s, consists of several roads criss-crossing one another, beginning at Town Hall Square (Rådhuspladsen) and ending at Kongens Nytorv. Some adjoining streets on the north have also been pedestrianized. International brand-name stores such as Max Mara, Prada, Louis Vuitton, and Hermès tend to be at the end of the street facing the direction of Kongens Nytorv. Follow Strøget towards City Hall Square for more affordable shopping at H&M, Weekday, and Zara.
