Denmark is known for its high standard of living, cycling culture, love of architecture, Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tales, and I will add for its love of cobblestones, which seriously marred this carefully prepared trip…
I watched with envy the Danish cyclists, who race along their impeccably flat paths and concluded that after all “there is something rotten in the country of Denmark”, and that is the cobblestones.
And so that it doesn’t appear that I was only looking at the floor, here is what else needs to be done in Copenhagen as a must. All attractions are grouped geographically close to each other so you can decide for yourself what to put in on which day.
This is a route that will allow you to see all the must-see attractions that Copenhagen is famous for.
Amalienborg Palace
Amalienborg serves as the official residence of the Danish royal house. The palace consists of four identical buildings, which are symmetrically arranged in an octagonal courtyard.
Only one part of the complex is open to the public. In the yard every day at noon there is a changing of the guard and that is when it is the most crowded.
Judge for yourself whether it is better to see the changing of the guard first and then the museum or vice versa.
The Little Mermaid
Since its discovery in 1913. it became the biggest attraction of the city.
A surprisingly small statue inspired by one of Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tales sits on a rock waiting for its prince. It is easily reached on foot by the sea, which I do not recommend for wheelchair users, as you can guess there are cobblestones here.
If you want to avoid the crowds, come either early in the morning or later in the afternoon, although there is always some free space to take pictures of this well-known figure undisturbed.
On the way to the mermaid, you will pass some other attractions that should be mentioned, namely:
The Gefion Fountain is one of the largest monuments in Copenhagen and is also the fountain of wishes.
St Albon’s Church belongs to the Anglican religion. It was built in 1887 in the Victorian Gothic style.
I wrote about the mermaid, the fountain and the church in more detail here.
Castellet
Since you are in the vicinity, I recommend that you also visit Castellet, a well-preserved 17th-century fortress in the shape of a star.
There is a moat filled with water around the Castellet.
It also has a nice promenade, which allows you to visit the fortress from all sides. The promenade consists of impeccably manicured lawns and rows of trees.
If you need to get caught in the rain somewhere, this is not the place for it, checked.
Frederick’s or Marble Church
It’s time to go back and on the way you will pass by Frederik’s or Marble Church.
This church, which you cannot miss, is one of the largest temples in Europe. Although it was built on the model of St. Peter’s Church in Rome, it got its name because Danish and Norwegian marble was used for its construction. Entrance to the church is free.
Church of Alexander Nevsky
You are now very close to the center. In doing so, you pass by the striking Russian Orthodox church dedicated to Alexander Nevsky, a gift from the Danish princess Maria Fedorovna, who was married to the Russian emperor Alexander III.
St. Ann’s Square
On the way to the center, you will also pass by St. Anne’s Square, which preserves monuments to some important personalities.
City center
And you arrive at the center, which is called Kongens Nytorv. Here, there is: the Danish Royal Theatre, the central square, many places to sit, one of the most important metro stations, numerous side streets, the famous Nyhaven, but also the cobblestones.
Here you can either risk your life by being run over by a cyclist or leave your wheels and kidneys on the rough stone blocks.
Nyhavn
If you’ve ever seen pictures of Copenhagen, at least one is from here.
Nyhaven is an old harbor filled with colorful old houses, each telling its own story. There are many very authentic old ships on the water, which have been converted into cafes and restaurants.
There are plenty of places to sit and sunbathe, have a drink, eat a smorrebrod and people watch.
It’s very crowded, so to get a proper look at the very colorful houses, I recommend going to the other side. It is much less crowded, and there are no cobblestones.
Hans Christian Andersen, who lived just on the other side of the canal while creating his legendary fairy tales, also knew this, it seems. Nyhavn is quite expensive, so if you are hungry, I recommend that you go across the Broen Bridge and find an equally high-quality offer in a slightly more relaxed atmosphere.
Street food is served here, and everyone will find what suits them.
Rosenborg Castle
We continue our walk by going back to Kongens and from there continue to the next attraction, which is Rosenborg Castle.
This Renaissance-looking castle served for many years as a royal summer residence. Today, there is a museum here, which, among other things, houses royal jewels, crowns and swords.
The castle is not wheelchair accessible.
It is located in the center of the well-maintained Royal Park, where you can enjoy various activities on the grass.
There are also hidden corners, where you can be alone.
In this part of the city, if you want to extend your visit, you are close to:
SMK – National Gallery of Denmark
About 250,000 works from various eras are housed there.
Particular attention should be paid to the Danish-Norwegian collection from the 18th century. You can spend a whole day here if you are a fan of painting.
The botanical garden was under renovation at the time of my visit, and I’m not even sure about its availability.
Stroget
In order to go to the next location, it is best to go through the famous Stroget Street.
Stroget is actually a nickname for several connected alleys where you can stroll endlessly. It is the main pedestrian zone in Copenhagen.
All the famous brands are located there if you want to do some shopping.
Also, there is a good and varied offer of street food, but if you want something original Danish, then stop by the nearby Torvehallerne, where you will find the best smorrebrod sandwich, which you must try.
I cannot describe to you the joy I felt when my wheelchair set foot in this part of the city. There are no cobblestones, everything is flat and perfect. I never want to leave here.
Here you can also find the Guinness World Records Museum.
The Round Tower
Here is also the famous Round Tower, along whose spiral path the carriages of the famous Peter the Great passed when he visited the city in 1716.
It slowly leads you to one of the most beautiful viewpoints in Copenhagen. The tower is not accessible for people in wheelchairs because the climb to the viewpoint ends with stairs. Due to its great popularity, there are long queues for tickets.
If you get lost in this part of the city, you will surely find your way next to this fountain.
With a further walk, we leave civilization and return to the cobblestones again.
Kristiansborg Palace
This palace was once the home of the Danish royal family, and today it serves as the parliament, the seat of the government and the seat of the supreme court.
It is sometimes used for more formal occasions but is no longer the primary residence.
To the delight of all tourists, you can spend a whole day here seeing the queen’s quarters, the royal stables and much more.
National Museum
If you want to find out what it’s like to live in Denmark from ancient times to the present day, I recommend visiting this museum.
The displays are very informative and rich, and the museum is also very close to Christiansborg, so it would be a shame to miss it.
Christiania
And now something completely different. When you cross the bridge either on foot or by metro, you come across the part of the city where Christiania is located.
It is the most unusual location you can visit in Copenhagen.
Christiania is a kind of hippie commune created way back in 1971, where people live according to special rules. So special that taking pictures is strictly prohibited on its main street because cannabis can be bought and consumed publicly here. Visiting Christiania is a real experience and a complete contradiction to the rest of the city.
Church of Our Savior
When you’re in the neighborhood, visite the vantage point in the Church of Our Savior, where you also have an excellent view of the city.
Carlsberg Glyptothek Museum
If you can’t get enough of culture, there is another famous museum, the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek.
This is the endowment of Karl Jacobsen, the man who made the famous Danish beer. There are exhibited works of art from his private collection. And if you’re more interested in beer, a little further away is the Beer Museum, which has everything you need to know about this golden drink.
Tivoli
After completing the mandatory program, leave time for a visit to Tivoli.
Tivoli Garden is one of the oldest amusement parks in the world. There are several reasons to come here. Various rides, food stalls, beautifully landscaped grassy areas, shows. Tivoli is not a large complex and can be visited relatively quickly depending on how much you drive. But it might be better if you don’t have breakfast before that.
Town Hall
After Tivoli, you can walk around the square where the town hall and a fountain are located.
You can also find out the exact temperature by looking at this building.
Next to the town hall there is a sculpture of Andersen. You can take a picture here.
And so ends this tour of Copenhagen. All the attractions are close to each other and you can visit them at your convenience.
For me, however, the most beautiful part of the visit is sitting by the water and watching the various vessels in the harbor.
If the weather had been warmer, there would have been swimmers. Architecturally remarkable buildings such as the Opera House are located on the coast, which the locals didn’t like very much at first because it reminded them of a toaster.
There is also a library building, in front of which is the most beautiful view.
In fact, if I had been born in Denmark, I would have spent every day by the water.
And here’s some more practical information:
What is the best way to get around Copenhagen?
The best way to get around the city is on foot as all the attractions are close to each other. I also used the absolutely fantastic subway, which is wheelchair accessible only when I wanted to avoid the damn cobblestones.
Also, a bicycle is a tool that makes your visit significantly easier, and they are everywhere.
Is Copenhagen expensive?
Yes, but there are a few things that are free, which I will write about here.
How many days are needed for Copenhagen?
A minimum of 2 nights/3 days in Copenhagen is required, but 4 nights/5 days would be optimal. Either way, you’ll want to come back.
Food
Copenhagen is a city where you won’t go hungry.
Although Copenhagen is the city with the most restaurants, which are ranked with Michelin stars, there is also a wide selection of street food, and in famous halls you can try original Danish specialties at decent prices.
Best time to visit Copenhagen
May, June and September are the best months to visit.
Conclusion
And to conclude. Copenhagen is a city worth visiting. A beautiful, clean, compact and perfectly organized city full of hidden places.
But the cobblestones drastically affected the quality of my visit.
Admittedly, they made an effort to put two strips of concrete on the sidewalks, why they were not joined will remain unclear to me until the end, and those strips are constantly interrupted by various side passages and inclusions, which, you guessed it, are all cobblestones.
During my visit, I did not see a single person in a wheelchair on the street, and to me that is a serious indicator that “something is wrong inDenmark”.
Have you visited Denmark?
Did I miss something?
Traveled and enjoyed,
Marko Veličković
