3 Days in Copenhagen

Tivoli Gardens - Tivoli Gardens is the world’s second-oldest amusement park, located in the heart of Copenhagen. Since 1843, it has been a place of wonder and joy for people of all ages. You can enjoy thrilling rides, stunning scenery, lively shows, tasty food and cozy moments with your loved ones. The park is adorned with exotic architecture, historic buildings, and lush green gardens. At night, it transforms into a magical land of colorful lights. Tivoli Gardens welcomes you during the summer, as well as for Easter, Halloween and Christmas. Don’t miss the Christmas market, which is a spectacular sight! Even if you have limited time (for example, if you are on a cruise excursion), you can still stroll through the park and appreciate its beauty and charm.

Canal Cruise – A canal tour is a wonderful way to experience Copenhagen from both land and water, especially if you have a short time, such as a layover or for a cruise excursion. You can book your cruise from various tour operators (but make sure you do it in advance, as they tend to run out of tickets). You will see many canals, visit Amalienburg Castle, the Little Mermaid statue, and more. Your tour guide will share stories and facts with you to make your journey through Copenhagen more enjoyable.

Copenhagen Opera House - The Copenhagen Opera House is Denmark's national opera house and one of the world's most modern ones. It is also one of the costliest one's ever built, with a price tag of 2.5 billion DKK (about 370 million USD). The Opera is situated in Copenhagen, across the harbor from the main palace Amalienborg, where the Danish royal family lives. The opera house aligns with Amalienborg and Frederik's Church (also known as the Marble Church), so that from the Opera's main entrance, one can view the Marble Church over the water on the way to Amalienborg. The Opera House also boasts of its amazing acoustics. Music fills every part of this splendid building, making it one of the best operas in the world in terms of design. You can take a guided tour that shows you most of the building, including the auditorium and the backstage areas. Another notable feature of the Opera House is its metal roof, which stands out from a distance and reflects the modern style of this cultural place. Originally, the roof was planned to be made of glass, but it was changed to metal for durability. It is truly a spectacular building to visit.

The Little Mermaid - The Little Mermaid story was written by Hans Christian Anderson, a Danish author. Carls Jacobson was enchanted by both the ballerina and the fairy tale. He donated the statue to Copenhagen as a tribute, and it soon became a symbol of the city. You can visit the Little Mermaid statue easily by walking, taking a tour bus, or joining a canal cruise that passes by it. Fun fact: The sculpture was based on ballerina Ellen Price, who played the Little Mermaid in a ballet at the Royal Theatre in 1909. But Ellen Price did not want to pose nude for sculptor Edvard Eriksen. So Eriksen's wife, Eline Eriksen, was the model for the Little Mermaid.

Day Trips:

Legoland- If you love Lego and want to have an amazing trip outside of Copenhagen, you should go to Billund, Denmark and visit Legoland. You can do it in one day, but it's better to stay longer and spend two days in Legoland. You can have fun in the park and see the attractions, and also visit Lego House, where you build your meal with the four LEGO bricks and scan the order at your table for the minifigure chefs in the kitchen to prepare your meal. Legoland is open from March to November (some months for select days, so be sure to plan your trip in advance) and you can join the festive celebrations for Christmas and New Years. You can choose from different Lego accommodations to stay, like Hotel LEGOLAND, LEGOLAND Castle Hotel, or even log cabins and camp sites.

This guide is part of our ongoing series on travel to Copenhagen. For more travel tips, check out Fora Advisor Maggie Danielli Pecorino’s guide, The First Timer’s Guide to Copenhagen.