City Break Sights In Copenhagen

This virtual walk through Copenhagen can easily be made in person as well. Expect it to take about 2 hours, plus the time you spend relaxing at a table in Nyhavn underway.

Start the tour at the Tourist Information at the Corner of Vesterbrogade and Bernstorffsgade. At the picture the main entrance to Tivoli Gardens is just to the right of the right side picture edge, and the Town Hall tower is above the building to the right.

The Town Hall Square. The main pedestrian street Strøget begins at the far left side of the picture, but we'll get back to it further down - first we walk down along Vester Voldgade, to the left of the Town Hall.

At the corner of Vester Voldgade we are greeted by this sight - the National Museum to the left, and the castle Christiansborg, which houses the Danish parliament, Folketinget, at the back. Continue through Ny Vestergade and turn right at the canal.

Where the canal meets the inner harbor, turn left. Here you meet the new addition to The Royal Library called Den Sorte Diamant, or The Black Diamond. Walk past this beautiful piece of architecture along the quay as far as you can, and then turn left up Slotsholmsgade.

What you are walking along is the Old Stock Exchange, built by King Christian IV in 1619-1623. It started out as a combined warehouse for the incoming goods from the ships docking at the opposite side of the building, and a mall or gallery of small shops and commercial stalls, from which all these goods were sold. Note the tower which is made of the tails of four dragons which spiral upwards. Move on past Christiansborg and turn right across the small canal bridge Højbro and across Højbro Plads with the equestrian statue of Absalon to Amagertorv.

Amagertorv is the place where the main pedestrian street through Copenhagen, Strøget, meets another big pedestrian street called Købmagergade. Købmagergade is in the bottom left of the picture, and goes all the way to Nørreport Station at the Northwestern edge of Downtown Copenhagen. Now walk down Strøget going on down the left side, and enjoy the many lovely fashion shops and the city life on the way to Kongens Nytorv.

Across Kongens Nytorv from the Strøget exit you find Nyhavn, New Harbor. The name is somewhat misleading, as it has been called that for centuries, but who's counting. The Nyhavn quay to the left is one of the main entertainment centers of Copenhagen, with its many cafes and restaurants. The first thing Copenhageners do when there's just a bit of sun is to go to Nyhavn and sit and enjoy life. Welcome to a good example of the Danish term Hygge. Now you have a choice - walk the rest of the tour after a nice stop at Nyhavn and perhaps lunch, or take one of the tour boats which follow almost the same route the rest of the way. If you walk, go down Nyhavn till you come to the bridge, then turn left down Toldbodgade.

When you pass Admiral Hotel just after Sct. Annæ Plads, you see Amaliehaven, an only decades old park, virtually a baby as parks go in Copenhagen. From here you have the view of the fountain, with the Royal winter residence and castle Amalienborg behind it, and the Frederikskirke or Marble Church with its large copper covered dome behind it.

Continue up the quay along the harbor until you come to an iron gate, and then turn left and go through it. behind it you find the Gefion Fountain. The fountain is an imposing one, telling the myth of how the island of Zealand, on which Copenhagen lies, was created. When you continue, find the footpath that takes you North, passing East of the Copenhagen defence fortress Kastellet and up along the harbor.

Just South of the cruise ship harbor Langelinje you come to The Little Mermaid, sitting on her rock at the water's edge and dreaming of the life that used to be. This is a must-photograph sight, so see what you can do among all the others also there, and then continue North around the yacht harbor to Langelinje and enjoy the view of the great cruiseships.

This is the end of the virtual tour. Now you know the most important sights to see in downtown Copenhagen. If you're actually taking this walk then get a bus or a cab back to the city center after you've enjoyed the harbor life. Note that there is a tourist information at the quay, as well as restaurants, cafes and souvenir shops.