One of Europes most instagramagble cities. Copenhagen, Denmark
ivoli Gardens opened in 1843 and is the second-oldest amusement park in the world. One of the two entrances is across from Central there’s a lot of old-world charm and midway artistry, from simple distortion mirrors and vintage characters to the latest (and scariest) rides. We stuck to just walking around the gardens, playing a few games and eating some cotton candy and other carnival food. Overall it’s pretty enchanting, we visited in the day, but I’d have liked to see it all lit up at night.
The little mermaid statue which I’m told is a huge draw for Japanese tourists, I couldn’t see why. It was just a small statue (1.25m) sitting out on a rock since 1913. and difficult to get a good photo of because of the high contrast between the dark statue and bright water, however more interesting was learning it’s been beheaded (twice), had it’s arm sawn off, been painted red (to protest whaling) and even been blown up – but still they repair it. This isn’t the original sculpture but just a replica. There are 13 more undamaged versions located around the world.
1. Things to see
We don’t get much Opera in the Philippines, so I was excited to see the Copenhagen Opera House, a massive and post-modern building with a roof that extends out like a shelf – and with three spherical chandeliers hanging inside. The Opera house is set right on the shore of the harbor and has beautiful views across the river of the city. We got (expensive) tickets to the ‘The Exterminating Angel’ which was billed as an experimental piece about a dinner party gone wrong. I think there was even supposed to be a bear.
The synopsis:
Guests are invited to an exclusive dinner after a night at the opera. Towards the end of the evening, they find they are unable to leave. The door is open – but no one can get out, and no one can get in. The elegant party quickly dissolves into anarchy. One guest dies. Two others kill themselves in a suicide pact. Finally, the disheveled survivors discover that by re-enacting earlier events they can escape. There is celebration and relief – but it is short-lived, as soon they realize they are trapped again…
The set consisted of one large square that was moved around periodically, and everyone sounded like they were screaming more than singing. I think Opera may be difficult to initially get into – but this one, in particular, came off as grating and almost nonsensical. We ended up leaving (gladly) halfway through, after having a few drinks. Unfortunately, there were no taxis or ferries, so we ended up on a very cold 90 min walk to find the nearest footbridge and get back to the city. Opera is not high on my list for future travel – at least not experimental opera.
The National Aquarium (The Blue Planet) was more my scene. There are aquariums (The Tropical Touch Pool) where you can reach in and touch the animals; crabs, starfish, and other crustaceans. Sea otters, coral reefs, ‘The Ocean’ (full of sharks and other colorful ocean animals), and a Tropical Rivers and Lakes area where you can see river fish and other animals.
Copenhagen’s is deceptively large, too big to get around by foot so we decided to cover more ground with a Segway tour. It started with our guide briefing us on how to ride, it’s not that difficult once you’re on it, the only trick is stepping on / off. They provide a helmet, bright colored jacket and a radio receiver so you can be a real fashionista as you ride around town. Regardless, it’s a great way to see a lot of the city, quickly, without getting worn out.
In just a few hours we were able to visit:
Nyhavn, a historic waterfront area lined with colorful wood-beamed houses that have been turned into bars, restaurants, and cafes with outdoor seating. Probably the most scenic area of Copenhagen for taking photos. We returned alone in the evening to eat and enjoy some seafood and soak in the touristic but favorable atmosphere.
Other tour sights included St. Nicholas Church, Kings New Square, the old stock exchange, Parliament, the Inner Harbor Bridge, City Hall, Royal Theatre, Library and a bunch of small cozy, cobblestoned streets…
I wouldn’t say the Segway tour is a must, but if you want to get your bearings it’s an easy way to understand the layout of the city.
Later, we also visited the Rosenborg castle, which is a must. Three for four floors of over the top wealth and detail. From the inlaid marble floors to three life-sized lions standing guard and thousands of beautiful things to see inside. Portraits of long-dead aristocracy along the walls, the Danish King and Queen’s crows, swords, jewelry, and jewels The palace is both historical and visual eye-candy – well worth a few hours visit.
Last on our list was the zoo. I have a habit of visiting just about any zoo in a city I visit. Always fun at first, but after the first hour just a bit hot, and tired, as there are so many animals to see (or attempt to see). Some scary ones here – like the snakes, monkeys, leopards, tigers, lions, and bats.
Nyhavn
Side streets are the best place to find small eateries
The Little Mermaid, Opera House and more
Square
Docked ships
Playground
Random Copenhagen
Endless love-locks.
2. Nightlife
There are bars all over Copenhagen, good crisp beers and cocktails. We didn’t check out any of the nightclubs or clubs. After sightseeing all day it was dinner, a few drinks in local bars and then time to crash.
Always a few bars to hang out in
3. Spend
Besides taking tours, and buying the usual souvenirs there’s not much to spend on in Copenhagen. Accommodation doesn’t come cheap so most of your budget will probably end up in the hands of the hotels.
4. Food
If you eat at the restaurants in Nyhavn expect to pay full tourist prices, but it’s also good seafood. I had my first lobster dinner and the beer and cocktails were great. If you get out of the tourist ghetto there are lots of small eateries in the small winding streets that extend from the various town squares. We saw lots of boutique restaurants serving international fare.
Lobster, fish and chips and yummy Thai food
5. Getting Around
Walking will get you around most of the places, but it is spread out. You can also use the metro, trains or rent bikes all over town with their app and a credit card.
Taking the train into the city
6. Costs
While not exactly cheap, it’s not as expensive as places like Norway. If you can get by with smaller café instead of elaborate dinners you’ll save a lot.
7. Tips
If I had a do-over I’d go down a notch in my accommodations and spend the extra money on eating and drinking. We were hardly ever in our hotel. There’s too much to see in Copenhagen.
