How to See Copenhagen in 17 Action-Packed Hours
There’s nothing I fear more than a dreary, depressive Scandinavian winter day with endless hours of darkness. Visiting Denmark in the summer is the perfect solution because it yields just the opposite: 17 hours of glorious sunshine and opportunities to revel in Danishness. The challenge: to jam in as much action as possible.
Copenhagen Harbor — happy days in Nyhavn (Photo: Cees van Roeden)
After a 7 a.m. Danish breakfast of rye bread and jam, I’m ready to hit the road, or rather the water. A boat tour is an ideal way to see a city whose name translates to “merchants’ harbor.” We zip by the iconic cantilevered Opera House — which cost over $500 million to build and cemented the transformation of this harbor from a naval-industrial base to a cultural hub — and the Christiansborg Palace, the current seat of Parliament, which was built in 1928 after the first two burned down.
The Opera House in Copenhagen, exterior (Photo: Nicolai Perjesi)
A bronze sculpture that is “smaller than life” yet mobbed with tourists catches my eye. Lo and behold, it’s the famous “Little Mermaid.” The sculpture was unveiled in 1913 to honor Danish hometown hero Hans Christian Andersen, the writer of the fairy tale on which the famous Disney movie was based. The artwork looks in good shape, considering that it’s been vandalized, even decapitated, many times.
No singing crabs here — this is the real “Little Mermaid” (News Oresund/Flickr)
Related: Your Fairy Tale Denmark Vacation
At the Designmuseum Danmark, an Alice in Wonderland-ish oversized wicker chair beckons. This tiny country has had an enormous artistic influence. Inside this fascinating museum you’ll learn about the Danish Modern design movement of the early to mid-20th century and will spot original pieces that are still being copied and produced today. In fact, if you open a catalog today, you’re likely to see “The Chair,” by Hans Wegner, which became a star after being used for the Kennedy-Nixon presidential debate in 1960. Other iconic furniture on display inside the former cabinetmaking factory includes Arne Jacobsen’s “Ant Chair” and “Egg Chair” and lighting by Poul Henningsen.
“Egg Chair” by Arne Jacobsen (Photo: Ireneusz Cyranek, VisitDenmark)
An enormous arch hints at the vastness of our next stop, Tivoli Gardens, opened in 1843. Tivoli receives 4 million guests a year, and it’s easy to see why: It is full of family-friendly rides, including a 100-year-old roller coaster, gourmet restaurants, and cultural offerings like ballets, plays, concerts, and even mime performances. It’s also an arrestingly visual place, with rolling gardens and imposing buildings of distinctly Eastern influence, such as the Taj Mahal-esque Nimb Hotel, planted next to modern European buildings, such as the concert hall rotunda.
Related: A Tale of Two Shopping Cities: Copenhagen and Helsinki
The palatial Nimb Hotel (Photo: Kim Rittberg)
Next up, I saunter the streets of Vesterbro, the former red light district, which has become hip in recent years; Thrillist listed it among its “Top 10 Most Hipster Neighborhoods on Earth. It plays host to “Little Paris,” full of cafés and boutiques for clothing for you and your chien. All these chic stores have prepared me for the covet-worthy bling at the Rosenborg Castle. Though the stunning crowns are hand made with diamonds, sapphires, and garnets, it turns out the king and queen are in no rush to wear the crown jewels around town, because they’re only placed on the coffin after death!
Vesterbro café (Photo: Nicolai Perjesi, VisitDenmark)
Nightcapping off the jam-packed day, it’s on to the Lidkoeb bar, opened by the same team behind the famous Ruby. It’s located inside an old apothecary.
The Lidkoeb bar (Photo: Neel Munthe Bruun—Copenhagen Media Center)
I’m exhausted, exhilarated, and inspired: Even in a head-spinning 17 hours, you’re just scratching the surface of Copenhagen.
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