Travel

THINGS TO DO IN COPENHAGEN WITH KIDS

09/01/2019,

Copenhagen is a beautiful, safe, and clean city that offers many activities and attractions for families. We stayed in Copenhagen as part of an extensive tour of Denmark, in which we also visited the Lego Park in Billund and the Hans Christian Andersen Cultural Center in Odense. We were lucky to visit Copenhagen in the summer and we enjoyed the most incredible weather.

Here are our top picks of things to do in Copenhagen with kids. We would love to hear yours too:

Tivoli Gardens: Located in the heart of the city, Tivoli Gardens is much more than just an amusement park for families with children. It is one of Denmark’s most visited attractions and the minute you step foot through the Tivoli entry arch, you understand why. We loved it so much that we published a post about it. You can read all about the magical world of Tivoli Gardens here.

Bike tour: streets are focused on bicycles and pedestrians, making it an ideal city to be discovered at your own pace. Several companies rent bikes (with built-in GPS) and many hotels provide also bicycle rental services. It is a fun, healthy, easy, quick, cheap, and ecological way to sightsee Copenhagen like a local.

Nyhavn: One can’t visit Copenhagen without a stop to the iconic Nyhavn (New Port), internationally famous for its colorful homes and character. The Nyhavn canal dates from 1673, and it is situated in the center of Copenhagen.

Are you interested in enjoying genuinely unique Danish food? The Nyhavn district offers a variety of restaurants and cafes. It is a great place to have lunch and order fish, seafood and the typical Danish “smørrebrød” (literally spread bread, or open-faced sandwich).

The Little Mermaid: Copenhagen is relatively small, so walking is also a fantastic way to get around the city and visit its most iconic symbol. The Little Mermaid is a small (yes! tiny!) statue that takes its subject from H.C.Andersen’s fairy tale. This attraction gets some negative reviews as typically the sculpture is more modest than one might expect. A 5-minute walk takes you to the Gefion Fountain, which is quite impressive.

Boat tour: Copenhagen is an old harbor and maritime city, so a boat tour is one of the most appropriate ways to see the city from a different perspective and to discover that it is even more beautiful from the water. Options are endless: kayak, romantic gondola, boat sailing or the more touristic canal tour boats.

Routs vary, but I would recommend seeing the main attractions like Amalienborg Castle, the Opera House and the main canals (Chrsitianshavn and Frederiksholm). The whole family will love it!

Walk, indulge and shop: Denmark is famous for its design so I would recommend to “get lost” in the city center and discover many lovely shops. If you are interested in interior design (Danes are specially famous for their lightning designs), you might find useful this list with the best Danish design shops in Copenhagen.

Also, Danes seem to love coffee (they are among the world’s most coffee drinking people) and cakes, making Copenhagen a paradise for coffee shops lovers (you will find fantastic coffee shops scattered around every neighborhood). One of the most traditional – and probably the best- is La Glace (Denmark’s oldest confectionary shop, established in 1870).

Hygge: Perhaps you might be familiar with this word that has become quite popular. This amazing book will give you a better insight into an important cultural identity of the Danes.

I am fascinated with the “Hygge” approach to living (“The Danish way to live well”), an excellent concept that makes the most of the everyday. I would recommend that you embrace this intangible concept during your visit to Copenhagen and follow its manifesto, by using candlelights, turning off electronic devices, reading, enjoying a warm cup of coffee or hot chocolate, and savoring the delicious Danish cakes and pastries. No doubt international surveys frequently name Denmark as the happiest country in the world.

Accommodation: We stayed at Hotel Avenue, a child-friendly hotel located in the city center (really easy to access from the airport by train). We loved the daily breakfast, the convenience of being able to walk to the city center and their bicycle rental services.