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Day One
Home » Denmark » Copenhagen Vacations: A 1-3 Day Itinerary » Day OnePosted by Your Guide on May 17, 2006 8:33 PM
You’ll begin your Copenhagen experience with a quick one-hour tour around the city. The Open Top Tour is a great way to familiarize yourself with some of the major tourist attractions in Copenhagen. The Open Top Tour takes place from an open double-decker bus and starts at Râdhuspladsen. The tour will take you by the Queen’s residence, Amalienborg, the government building of Christiansborg, the Little Mermaid statue, and the Louis Tussaud Wax Cabinet. Also seen on this tour are the National Museum, Glyptoteket, Thorvaldsens, and the Nyhavn café area. The tour is available in eight different languages, so you should easily be able to find one that you can understand.
As you view these interesting and historical places, see if anything jumps out at you that you would like to visit more thoroughly. If so, there will be time later today to return to those sites.
Since the Open Top Tour begins and ends at Râdhuspladsen, you’ll be in the perfect place to visit Strøget. Strøget is an open-air market where buses, trams, cars, and bicycles are banned to allow shoppers to walk freely. You’ll notice that things are relatively inexpensive at the Râdhuspladsen end of the market, which has burger joints and reasonably priced bars. As you continue through the market, however, you’ll notice that things get more and more expensive, with stores such as Gucci and Birger Christensen. This is the place to see and be seen in Copenhagen. You can pick up some souvenirs of your trip here, too.
Go ahead and have lunch at one of the many restaurants and cafes around Strøget. For dinner, eat at Vesuvio, a popular Italian restaurant located at Râdhuspladsen, the Town Hall Square.
In the afternoon, visit some of the popular tourist attractions you saw on your morning tour, or visit some new ones. Some favorites are listed below:
The Little Mermaid – The Little Mermaid is a statue based on a character from one of Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tales. Made of bronze, she was created by sculptor Edvard Eriksen and was unveiled on August 23, 1913. Sitting on a rock at Langelinie in the Copenhagen harbor, the little mermaid is one of the most photographed statues in the world.
Glyptoteket – Founded in 1888, the Glyptoteket is one of Copenhagen’s best museums. Its conservatory is filled with exotic plants and palm trees. The museum is home to classic artwork, including works by French Impressionist Monet. There is also an impressive antiques collection containing pieces from the Orient, Egypt, Ancient Greece, and the Roman Empire. The Glyptoteket also holds concerts and lectures in its ceremonial hall.
Kongens Have – Kongens Have is the oldest park in Denmark. In 1634, when Christian IV commissioned the building of Rosenborg Castle, this park was designed. While some parts of the original garden are still intact, the park has been added to over the years, including paths lined with lime trees added in the 18th century, and new English-style landscaping added in the 19th century. The park boasts many interesting sculptures, including one of Hans Christian Andersen, whose fairy tales were inspired by this park. Kongens Have is open each day until sunset.
After dinner, check out Copenhagen’s night life. The city has a broad range of bars, clubs, casinos, and live music to keep every guest entertained. Whether you like jazz, dance music, or pop, you will find something to suit your taste. There are also DJ/bar/restaurant “hybrids” that change as the evening progresses. If you’re a night owl, you’re really enjoy Copenhagen’s night life, as most cafes stay open until 1:00 or 2:00 am, most bars stay open until 2:00 or 5:00 am, and most clubs stay open until 5:00 am.
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