Denmark is a high standard country and therefore very expensive, however there is a lot you can do and experience in Copenhagen without costing you anything…
Here are my suggestions:
1. Walk along the Copenhagen Bay or Havneringen
Havneringen is the best thing you can do in the city. This walk includes a route in the form of a ring, 13 km long along the harbor.
You can cross it on foot or by bicycle. In doing so, you will pass numerous attractions, you will see a lot of interesting architecture, you will cross various bridges.
You need good footwear, in my case wheels, and you can start your adventure.
2. Kristianshavn or King’s Harbour
Everyone knows Nyhaven and it’s another free attraction on your trip. However, if you move just a little bit away from the former Red Quarter of Copenhagen, you will come across an end, which is also very fairy-tale and interesting, which is Kristianshavn or King’s Harbour.
It has existed since 1675 and was once a separate city, but as Copenhagen expanded, this area became part of it. It still retains some bohemian spirit which is why it should be visited because good pictures are made here too.
There is the famous Christiania, which I wrote about here.
3. A walk by the lake
Although I could stay by the sea all day, I also visited this destination, which is located near the city center.
There are three artificial lakes, which once belonged to the defense system of the city, and also serve as reservoirs.
Today, swans swim there. It is a very beautiful part of the city, which is popular for recreation.
There I saw these impossible benches whose function I cannot explain.
4. Visit the Palace Garden
Between the castle walls of Christiansborg and the old Royal Library is this hidden garden with a fountain and benches for rest.
It was built in 1920 on the site of the former naval port and represents a real refreshing oasis in the city center.
It is not easy to find, but it is worth the effort. It is accessible for people in wheelchairs, but only on one side from the direction of the castle. There is a passage, which fortunately has a ramp and can be passed without any problems.
If you approach from the direction of the port, you may have problems because you are separated from this paradise by some 200m of the harshest cobblestones, which I call the wheelchair killer. The walking people will not have any problems.
In the middle of the garden there is an 8 m high copper column dedicated to writers and a pond. The pillar spews out large amounts of water every hour.
A garden would not be a garden without sculptures.
The most important one is dedicated to the famous Danish philosopher Søren Kierkegaard, made in bronze and installed in 1918.
This has special symbolism because his works are housed in the nearby royal library and are occasionally displayed to the public.
The old royal library is located here.
5. Slotsholmen channel
Some would say that this channel is better to go by boat. I somewhat agree with them, but only as a possibility to avoid cobblestones.
However, since none of the boats are accessible for people in wheelchairs, this possibility has fallen away.
Here there is the Christiansborg Palace, which houses the Danish Parliament, the Supreme Court, the Prime Minister’s Chambers, the Royal Library, several museums, and the former Stock Exchange.
In a word, this canal surrounds a very important island in Copenhagen.
6. Visit the old houses in Nyboder
Copenhagen has islands with characteristic houses. Nyboder is a great example of that. They allow you to dive into the past.
It is a complex of houses built for the Danish Navy as early as 1600. Namely, King Christian IV believed that he would get loyal sailors if he provided housing for their families. The original buildings were demolished, and the present ones are from 1750.
All buildings are rented and until 2006 they were intended exclusively for the Danish Navy, and today other branches of the military can also apply there. Residents can only be here for 2 to 4 years during their contract.
In the original, these buildings were red like the Danish flag. In some parts of the settlement, the corners of the buildings are rounded so that carriages and firemen could pass here.
Walking through this complex is completely free, but respect the peace of their residents.
7. Royal garden
The Royal Garden is a true green oasis in the city center and is accessible to everyone.
It has carefully manicured lawns, which tempt you to have a picnic here. If you’re on a budget, and even if you’re not, you definitely have to visit this place.
It has different parts, which are very interesting. It is very easy to get to. Rosenborg Castle is also located there, and I wrote more about the garden here.
8. Visit the city cemetery
A visit to a cemetery is not for everyone. But if you look at cemeteries as parks where you can learn something new, then it’s not such a bad idea.
The famous Hans Christian Andersen is buried at Assistant Cemetery, which I wrote more about here, so if you grew up with his fairy tales, you should definitely come here.
Here there is also the famous philosopher Soren Kierkegaard, also Niels Bohr, one of the creators of the atomic bomb. So here are some interesting topics to think about while you enjoy this free and educational walk.
9. The Little Mermaid
Visiting the Little Mermaid is completely free and I wrote about it here.
There are some other free attractions in this small area, such as Castellet, which I wrote about here, then Gefion Fountain and St. Albion Church.
10. Changing of the Guard
A must-see, and it costs nothing, is the changing of the guard in front of Amalienborg every day at noon.
I wrote about it here.
11. View from the Maersk tarnet medical faculty viewpoint
If you’re a fan of viewpoints, one free one is the building of the Maersk tarnet medical faculty, which I wrote more about here.
12. Visit to Frederick’s Church
The church dominates the Copenhagen skyline and is also free. I wrote more about her here.
Conclusion
And as you can see, there are a lot of things that you can do for free even in the most expensive city in Europe. Use them and you’ll come back with a phone full of memories.
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Have you visited these freebies?
Did I miss something?
Traveled and enjoyed,
Marko Veličković
