Many of us have visitors over Summer and there are quite a number of things to do in Copenhagen which don't have to cost a fortune. I've tried to come up with some suggestions of places you can go around Copenhagen and surrounding areas that won't see you break the budget.  

All year round, the Royal Guardsmen leave their barracks at Rosenborg Castle at 11.30 am and march through the old city centre. At exactly 12 noon they arrive at the palace square where the changing of the guard takes place.  The changing of the guard takes place all year, but they are only accompanied by the Royal Marching Band while the Queen is in residence in Copenhagen.

City Bikes are available for 20 kr deposit which operate very much like the supermarket trolleys. Pay 20 kr deposit and get this back when you return the bike to one of the many bike stands around the city. Alternatively, you can rent a bike from around 50 kr per day from many of the bike shops around town.  

Canal tours of Copenhagen are just magic when the sun is shining.  Netto Boats from Nyhavn cost only 20 kr but take in the same sights as all the other tours. For your own Copenhagen Harbour Tour, jump on one of the HT Harbour "Buses" and explore the area from Norde Toldbad (near The Little Mermaid) across to Holmen Nord, Nyhavn, Knippelsbro and finish at the Black Diamond.  The fare is one blue clip or 28 kr and takes about 20 minutes, or get off and explore. On a sunny Summer's day the view is infinitely better than what you would see on a normal HT bus.

Free on Wednesdays. Most Museums around Copenhagen have free entry on Wednesdays, and are closed on Mondays. 

The history of Denmark is told at The National Museum (Nationalmuseet) on Ny Vestergade 10, København K, Tel: 33 13 44 11, together with a display of archaeological artefacts which date back 10,000 years.  Danish paintings and sculpture from the 19th Century can be found in the Hirschsprungske Collection on Stockholmsgade 20, 2100 København Ø Tel: 35 42 03 36 (closed Tuesdays) and the Ordrupgaard Collection (Ordrupgaardsamlingen) Vilvordevej 110, 2920 Charlottenlund Tel: 39 64 11 83 have one of the finest collections of French art from the 19th and early 20th Centuries. The National Gallery (Statens Museum for Kunst) located at Sølvgade 48-50, 1307 København K, Tel: 3374 8494 has a collection of both Danish and foreign art dating from the 14th Century to the present day, whilst the Thorvaldsens Museum (next to Christiansborg Castle) Porthusgade 2, 1213 København K, Tel:  33 32 15 32 features the work of Denmark's most famous sculptor.  One of Denmark's finest collections of art can be found at the Ny Carlsberg Glyptoteket, Dantes Plads 7, 1556 København V  Tel: 33 41 81 41 which is also has free admission on Sunday.

Carlsberg Visitor's Centre located at Gamle Carlsberg Vej 11, 2500 Valby  Tel: 33 27 13 14 not only offer free admission to their exhibition charting the history of brewing (open Monday to Friday), but at the end of the tour you can also sample the beer for no charge.

The warmer months in Denmark are perfect for enjoying the many beautiful parks in and around Copenhagen. Take a picnic and relax in the peaceful surroundings as many Danes do. 

Frederiksberg Have: If you approach from Frederiksberg Allé in the spring, the lawn overwhelms you with its crocuses and daffodils. To the left lies the delightful restaurant Josty's, and from there you arrive at the lake (and Svendsen's Boats) with its impressive hilly view of Frederiksberg Castle at the top. Other surprises the gardens have to offer are the Chinese Pavilion from 1799, and the Apistemplet from 1802, Kildegrotten, Ønskehøjen and Schweizerhuset from 1801. They were all designed to inspire and enchant the visitor and direct his thoughts to far-off, exotic places.  Towards Smallegade there is a small lake with a colony of herons, an elm tree sculpture and a rose garden. Frederiksberg Garden is definitely worth discovering all the year round.  Frederiksberg Runddel, 2000 Frederiksberg.  Opening Hours: 1st November to 1st April - 05:00 - 21:00, 2nd April - 31st October - 06:00 until dusk.  Coffee shop by the lake in Summer.  Toilets, south of the toddler's playground.

Østre Anlæg: The park is founded in a part of Copenhagen's earlier fortified areas, such as the Botanical Gardens, Tivoli, and Ørstedsparken. There are a lot of monuments and sculptures, and you can also enjoy the ducks and the flowers in the right season.  Østre Anlæg, København . Open all year. Toilet by Stocholmsgade/Oslo Plads. Ball games must take place in the marked areas.

Ørstedsparken is used all year round, 24 hours a day. The playground and Cafe Hacienda are popular on weekdays among mothers with children, and others with time to enjoy the view over the lake and trees. The park is located near the town hall square H.C. Ørstedsparken, 1358 København K.   Hacienda Coffee Shop, open in the summer. Toilet: By Nørre Farimagsgade. The grounds are not suitable for games.

Fælledparken:  2100 København Ø.  This park was founded between 1906-14 and is primarily famed for the massive May 1st - Labour Day - assemblies. During the rest of the year it is used for outdoor activities such as ball games, meetings, parties, and concerts. The park has some fine children's playgrounds which are popular with children and their parents from all over Copenhagen. Coffee shop/kiosk: The Cafe pavilion and four kiosks. Toilets: Six toilets (three of them are handicap toilets). Everybody can use the lawns and the petanque courses. Open 24 hours all year.

The Paddling Pool in Fælledparken: Borgmester Jensens Alle 50, 2100 København Ø  Open: Daily 28th May to 27th August between 10:00-18:00.  Set in the middle of Fælledparken, this paddling pool is extremely popular for the youngest city children. The pool is hidden behind a tall hedge in a less frequented corner of the park. An ice-cream and coffee van drives around the park. Toilet: To the right of the entrance

Pavillonen i Fælledparken Borgmester Jensens Alle 45, 2100 København Ø 7th May to 30th September Thursday to Saturday 11:00 - 5:00;  Sunday to Wednesday 11:00 - 23:00. Thanks to its location in Fælledparken (the common) The Pavilion is the only outdoor place with grass and night license to five in the morning. Around the old pavilion is a covered bar and a sitting area with seats for a thousand guests. There is live music on the small stage every Friday and Saturday from 8:00 pm all summer, and after the live music, you can enjoy the night disco until the early morning. The Pavilion focuses on its real assets such as sunset, moonlight, and sunrise. 11:00 - 18:00 Sandwiches and cakes. Thursday to Sunday, 18:00 to 22:00 Meal of the day.

Kongens Have: Øster Voldgade 4 B, 1350 København K  It is called Kongens Have (The King's Garden), and ever since the king opened the gates in the early 1700, the garden has been a popular spot for many people. Today, the garden is the most visited park in Copenhagen. People sunbathe in the summer, and many go there for picnics on the lawns.

The Rosenborg Castle Gardens (Rosenborg Slotshave) were built as a Renaissance garden at the same time as Rosenborg Castle by the Renaissance king, Christian IV. The castle gardens are Denmark's oldest royal gardens. Initially, they were the king's herbal garden, and many of the garden paths are in their original condition. The rectangular network of pathways no longer frames the royal herbs. Instead it encompasses lawns with large trees, blossoming fruit trees, playgrounds, rose gardens and flower beds of rhododendrons and herbaceous perennial.

The style of gardens changed in the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries from Renaissance to Baroque to the Romantic style. First, avenues of lime trees were planted in the garden along Kavallergangen, Damegangen and Husalleen. In the 1700s, fine avenues and other ornamental elements were added to the gardens.

There has always been an abundance of statues in the gardens, and Christian IV's copper lions still flank Grønnebro (Green Bridge). It was opened to the public in 1996 so that people could walk directly from the castle to the gardens just as in the time of Christian IV. The sculpture "The Horse and the Lion" was commissioned by Christian IV in 1617. The marble balls have flanked the crocus beds since 1674.

During the summer period Herkulespavillonen opens and serves food and coffee. Rosenborg Slotshave is owned by the state and maintained by the Palaces and Properties Agency. 

Assistens Kirkegård (Assistens Cemetery) Kapelvej 2, 2200 København N.  Here you can visit the graves of Hans Christian Andersen, Søren Kierkegård, Jens Juel, H.C. Ørsted, Martin Andersen Nexø and many other famous Danes. During summer the cemetery is used as a park and the inhabitants of Nørrebro go for walks or play with their children, students study for their exams, while others simply find their way to a quiet corner in the sun or in the shade of one of the many rare species of trees. 

Assistens Cemetery was founded around 1760 because the cemeteries inside the city ramparts were becoming overcrowded. It was planned as a cemetery for the poor, but in the latter part of the 18th century it became fashionable to bury the rich and famous here. This is why there are approx. 1.800 monuments worthy of preservation in the cemetery, some of which were created by sculptors such as Wiedewelt, Abildgaard, Weidenhaupt and Dajon.  Open daily between 8am and 4pm during Winter, 8am - 6pm during Spring and Autumn and 8am to 8pm during Summer.

Kastellet (The Citadel). Kastellet, 2100 København Ø. It is always an experience to take a walk in the Citadel, however bikes are not allowed. The Citadel was established by Christian IV in 1626, and was later enlarged. This was the place from where Denmark should be defended against the enemy who came from Langelinie to storm the city. Today we can enjoy the quiet and beautiful area which was renovated in the eighties.

The Little Mermaid, Langelinie, 1263 København K.  Hans Christian Andersen wrote a fairy tale about her; Disney produced a movie, and Copenhagen maintains a statue in her honour which continues to be the largest tourist attraction in Denmark and the most photographed statue in the world. New York has the Statue of Liberty, Paris has the Eiffel Tower and we have this pretty, charming maiden who stares dreamily out across the water, just as her Danish countrymen have done for thousands of years. In Denmark, the coast is never more than 50 kilometres away. The Little Mermaid is just small enough and close enough to the water to be an excellent symbol of Copenhagen and Denmark.

The beloved fairy tale of the Little Mermaid was first published by Hans Christian Andersen in 1837. It is the story of a little mermaid who saves the life of a shipwrecked prince and sets off on a perilous quest to win his love. The price she pays is great: to become human she must give up her lovely voice as well as her mermaid's tail, and if the prince should wed another, she will turn into foam and disappear forever.

Throughout history, the Little Mermaid has provided inspiration to many. When the Danish brewer, Carl Jacobsen (of Carlsberg fame), attended a performance of ballet master Hans Beck's "The Little Mermaid" in 1909, he was so thrilled with the performance, particularly by leading prima donna Ellen Price, that he ordered a statue be erected in honour of the story. The Sculptor Edward Eriksen was commissioned to create a statue of the Little Mermaid to sit on a granite stone at Langelinie Pier, wistfully looking for her prince. She was modelled after the head of dancer Ellen Price and the torso of sculptor Edward Eriksen's wife, Eline, and stands 165 centimetres tall and weighs 175 kilograms. The original statue, cast in bronze, was presented to the City of Copenhagen on August 23, 1913 by Carl Jacobsen. This year the Little Mermaid celebrates her 89th birthday. The Little Mermaid has had a tough life: September 1. 1961: Bra & knickers were painted on her and her hair was painted red; April 28. 1963: The Mermaid was covered in red paint; April 24. 1964: She was decapitated; July 15. 1976: She was covered in paint; July 22. 1984: Her right arm was cut off; August 5. 1990: Another attempt was made to decapitate her; January 6. 1998: She was decapitated again.

Zoologisk Have (Copenhagen Zoo) Roskildevej 32, 2000 Frederiksberg. The Zoo has always been a favourite among children and parents alike. Copenhagen Zoo is home to 3,500 animals from 250 species. Visitors can watch the feeding of animals at different times of the day. In October the zoo is open between 9am and 5pm and the entry fee is 80 kr for adults and 40 kr for children, although it is worth buying a season ticket. 7220 0200.

Zoologisk Museum (Zoological Museum) Universitetsparken 15, 2100 København Ø.  The exhibitions are placed on the 5th and the 6th floors of the building. The stationary exhibition "Animals of Denmark" is on the 5th floor, and on the upper floor is the "From Pole to Pole" exhibition. This leads visitors through an abundance of different animals of the various climatic zones - from the North Greenland musk oxes to the Antarctic penguins.  Open from Tuesday to Sunday between 11am and 5pm. Adults 25 kr, children (6 to 11) 10 kr.  Season ticket 125 kr.  Guided tours can be arranged and brochures are available in English, Danish, and German.  Café and museum shop.  You can also bring your own packed lunch.  

Free Concerts: 
Many of the area churches host concerts on Sundays. These concerts provide non-professional performers an opportunity to perform for the public. They are usually classical concerts but around Christmas and Easter you see more choral arrangements. They last an hour and typically start around 15.00 or 16.00. Lori Andersen finds them an easy way to get out of the house and relax to some good music before starting to make Sunday dinner. Check your local newspapers or parish for any in your area.

Boating 
Frederiksdal Kano og Bådudlejning, Tel: 45 85 67 70 www.fredriksdal-kanoudlejning.dk
A lovely activity with the kids, a picnic and good weather.  Hire a canoe and enjoy the lakes just north of Copenhagen.  Mølleåen, Lyngby Sø, Bagsværd.

Vor Frue Kirke (Our Lady's Church Cathedral) Nørregade, 1168 København K.  Although it was originally built in 1191, Copenhagen's cathedral does not have the impressive and medieval look it ought to; it was destroyed several times by fire, most recently during the British bombardment of 1807. Rebuilt the last time in 1829, it was given its present neo-classical look, and the statues inside of Jesus and the apostles were made by the renowned Golden Age sculptor Bertel Thorvaldsen. The cathedral is also home to the internationally known boys' choir; København's Drengekor, who have accompanied Queen Margrethe on several official trips abroad. Conducted tours can be arranged by appointment - 3314 4128.

Holmens Kirke (Church of Holmen) Holmens Kanal 9, 1060 København K. The church was constructed in 1619, the chapel along the canal in 1708, and the sacristy in 1872. Holmens Kirke has avoided damage and ruin from wars and fires, therefore especially the interior looks as it did in the 15th Century. Although the official royal church of Copenhagen is Christiansborg Slotskirke, several royal ceremonies have taken place in Holmens Kirke, giving it some historical prestige. Filled with exceptional woodcarvings, Holmens is one of Copenhagen's most beautiful churches.

Christiansborg Slotskirke (The Castle Church) located at Prins Jørgens Gade, 1218 København K resembles a Greek temple, and is build in the Neo-Classicistic style. The church is used by the royal family, and the Royal Danish Academy of music uses the church for students learning the organ. Entrance Free. For information, 3392 6471.

Marmor kirken (The Marble Church) at Frederiksgade 4, 1265 København K is one of the well-known silhouettes of the city's skyline. Building of the Baroque style church commenced in 1749 using Norwegian marble, and took 150 years to complete. The inspiration for the design of the church came from St. Peter's Church in Rome.  Tours are conducted daily between June 15 to August 31 at 1pm and 3pm. During the rest of the year the tours are conducted at these times on weekends and public holidays. Adults 20kr. Children 10kr.

Vor Frelsers Kirke (Our Saviours Church) at Sankt Annæ Gade 29, 1416 København K is famous for its breathtaking view from the tower and steeple that together measure 90 meters. You have to climb 400 steps to get to the top, but it is a fabulous and exhilarating experience, especially as you have to walk up winding stairs on the outside of the steeple the last part of the way. The church was originally consecrated in 1696, and the steeple was built in 1752.

Sankt Petri Kirke (The Sepulchral Chapels) Sankt Peders Stræde 2, 1453 København K. There is a very Italian feel about the Sepulchral Chapels, which were restored in 1998, and originally built between 1680 and 1750. Coffins with prominent dead Copenhagen citizens, which have been here for several hundred years, are located in the majestic hall (Vandrehal). It is a strange feeling to walk on the stone floor and know that just below, coffins are lying in three to four layers. The last people were buried in the chapels in 1970.  The church is open Tuesday to Saturday between 11am and 3pm at an entrance fee of 20 kr with guided tours costing an additional 10 kr available at 1pm and 3pm.

Helligåndskirken (Helligånds Church) Niels Hemmingsens Gade 5, 1153 København K. On the busiest place on Strøget (main pedestrian shopping street) a church is hiding. It is also used for exhibitions, giant sales of books, and concerts. The church was constructed in the 11th Century, but burned down during the great fire in Copenhagen in 1728. It was restored in 1880, with considerable changes, however there are still traces of the outer walls, which originate from the Middle Ages.

Trinitatis Kirke (Church of the Holy Trinity) at Landemærket 2, 1119 København K was constructed along with the Rundetårn (the Round Tower) which was not created as an ordinary church tower, but rather as an astronomical observatory. Trinitatis church was constructed for the students at the University of Copenhagen, and the church canopy housed the university library along with the Royal antique collection. Telephone: 3312 9180..

Christian's Kirke (Christian's Church) Strandgade 1, 1401 København K was erected in 1755-59 on the initiative of the German community on Christianshavn. The construction was designed by the Royal Builder, Nikolai Eigtved, who also designed the Royal Theatre. Specific to the architecture are the 48 sepulchral chapels which are separated by beautiful and skilfully created wrought-iron lattices. The church arranges a variety of activities which go beyond what is usually associated with a Danish Lutheran-Evangelical church: rock, revival and ballet. The theatrically shaped interior makes the church well-suited for such events. A guided tour can be arranged - 3296 8301

Sankt Petri Tyske Kirke (St Peter's German Church) at Sankt Peders Stræde 2, 1453 København K is the best preserved building from the Middle Ages within the ramparts of Copenhagen. Since its construction in the middle of the 15th Century it has been ravaged both by fires and bombs, therefore, it has been restored and changed considerably throughout the years. Sermons in German have been held since 1585, and the church has been influenced by the German language and culture for several hundred years. In 1585 Frederik II placed the buildings at the disposal of his many German-speaking subjects, and there are still sermons conducted in German today, though it is a Danish National Lutheran Evangelical Church. The most interesting architectural features are the burial vaults that date back to 1681 and are unique in northern Europe, because they resemble Italian `Campo Santo`. Tuesday to Saturday, 11am to 3pm. May to September there are guided tours every Friday. Entrance fee is 20 kr and 30 kr with a guided tour. Telephone 3313 3833.

Cisternerne - The Museum for Modern Glass Art.  Cistern under Søndermarken, Roskildevej 32, 2000 Frederiksberg. Free Admission.  Thursdays and Fridays: 14:00 - 18:00, Saturdays and Sundays: 11:00 - 17:00.  Tel. 3321 9310

It sounds like some kind of supernatural riddle: what feels like a grotto, but looks like a museum, and sits under Valby Hill, just across from the zoo? The answer, of course, is The Cisterns: the country's underground glass museum.

If you haven't yet heard about this intriguing idea in exhibition 'ambience,' pay a visit to this mysterious venue among the placid linden groves of Frederiksberg's Søndermarken area - you'll be surprised.

The museum space itself is a converted waterworks with 3 'cistern' areas from the 19th century.  Guests will enjoy a tour through the clammy gallery space amid puddles of water, and the sound of water dripping, rippling, and echoing in the underground chambers. You may be surprised not to find stalactites growing from the walls - but the selection of colourful, mystical glass art by renowned Danish artists achieves the same, alchemical effect.

Light - or the absence of it - is the other hallmark of the Cisterns' peculiar character: thanks, largely, to the work of John Aage Sørensen, lighting master for Frederiksberg's Betty Nansen Theatre. The Cisterns is the only museum in Europe without daylight.  The effect is somewhat otherworldly - visitors will feel a sense of 'discovery' whilst walking amid the glass sculptures, which emit a kind of 'spirituality' when shown in the dank, timeless, cathedral-like space.  It's a magical new venue for the arts - but mind the chill: the damp climate hovers around 8-9 degrees Celsius, all year round.

Søndermarken.  Roskildevej 1, 2000 Frederiksberg  Tel. 3887 2481.  Open all hours.  Free Entrance.

Dog walking, sun bathing, and jogging are the three grand activities in the park. Actually, Søndermarken is more like a forest than a park - it is certainly more wild than the neat Frederiksberg Gardens on the opposite side of Roskildevej. Both parks, however, are part of the grounds surrounding the Frederiksberg Castle. From the beginning, all the paths spread out in a fan-like fashion - a subtle imitation of the French castle, Versailles. The idea suggests that all routes lead to the absolute monarch. One of the remnants is Norske Alle which leads to the Carlsberg Brewery.

Amalienborg Palace & Slotsplads .  Amalienborg Slotsplads, 1257 København K.  Amalienborg Palace is home to the royal Danish family. Amalienborg Palace is a major piece of Danish architecture and commonly regarded as the finest Danish example of rococo architecture. It comprises four palaces, all of which are identical from the outside, but different inside.

It was built in commemoration of the Oldenburg royal family's 300-year reign in 1749. From the outset, it was conceived as town mansions for four noblemen and their families. The Palace consists of Christian VII's Mansion, Christian VIII's Mansion, Frederik VIII's Mansion and Christian IX's Mansion. The mansions surround an octagonal area, with Saly's equestrian statue of Frederik V in the middle. It took the French sculptor, Jacques Francois-Joseph Saly almost 20 years to create the statue, which today is recognised as one of Europe's most famous equestrian statues. The monument depicts Frederik V and was unveiled in 1771. A group of marines drove the 22-ton statue across Kongens Nytorv to a 27-gun salute and the curious eyes of thousands of interested onlookers.

Amalienborg Slotsplads is the stately square at Amalienborg Palace, where the royal guard changes every day at noon and Danes gather every year on April 16th to celebrate the queen's birthday.

The inspiration for Amalienborg Slotsplads is taken from the French Baroque Period, and leading examples of this are the Place Vendôme in Paris and the Place Dauphine in Versailles. Slotspladsen is flanked by four palaces and has Frederikskirken (Frederik's Church) as its focal point in much the same way as Place Dauphine in Versailles is flanked by four palaces and has a church as "point de vue".

The four palaces were originally built by and for four families of nobility, among them the Moltke and the Gyldenløve families. The royal family resides at Christian IX's Mansion.

Send mail to Danielle Williams danielledegel@hotmail.com with questions or comments about this web site.
Last modified: April 03, 2002