Beautiful Nyhavn,
Copenhagen, Denmark
Overview:
Copenhagen's Little
Mermaid
Copenhagen is a very
cosmopolitan city of over a million residents that is
also theRoyal Capital of Denmark. The city offers
fabulous sightseeing, wonderful shopping, excellent
dining opportunities and just about anything a visitor
could want. Copenhagen is clean, its people friendly and
your experience is bound to be rewarding.
Cruise
Port Location and Information:
Docked in Copenhagen
Ships
dock in the Port of Copenhagen right on the Langelinie
Promenade which leads past the Little Mermaid and into
the moated citadel, church and spectacular fountain.
Ships Seen From the
Yacht Harbor
It is the way into the
Nyhaven area and the city's main shopping districts.
Simply walk past the yacht harbor, the Little Mermaid
Statue and through the gardens.
The Ship and One of the
Statues Along the Way
The
Langelinie Promenade features a number of wonderful
sights, gardens, fountains and statues to enjoy along
the walkway.
Exploring on Your Own:
The Walkway to Nyhaven
Copenhagen is easily
explored on your own. However, be aware that Copenhagen
is laid our in grids that are not perpendicular, so it
is easy to become disoriented if one loses their way.
This shot was taken on the walkway leading to the Nyhavn
area. If you make a mental note of the church spire to
the left on the other side of the canal, that is the
Church of our Savior and can be seen from just about
everywhere in Copenhagen. It is a reference point that
we will use frequently. Be sure to get a map from the
tourist office located at the pier and take enough taxi
fare so that if you do get lost, you can hail a taxi
back to the ship.
The Copenhagen Hop On
Hop Off Bus
Of
course, the best way to get oriented with Copenhagen is
to jump onto the HoHo bus. It will take you all over the
city so that you can identify sights that you would like
to return to. Fortunately, the buses come along at very
frequent schedules so you will not be spending most of
your day waiting for the next bus. The best place to
pick it up is next to the Little Mermaid.
Shopping Tips:
Stroget Pedestrian
Shopping Street
Much of
the shopping in Copenhagen is located on Stroget and
Købmagergade Streets. It
is actually one street that changes names and is said to
be the longest pedestrian shopping street in the world.
The Beginning of
Stroget Street
To find
Stroget Street, the best way is to walk along the canal
that the ship is docked on until you hit Nyhavn. A
couple of blocks before Nyhavn, you will need to go
inland a block as the canal front walkway terminates
right before Nyhavn. When you arrive at Nyhavn walk up
the canal past the tour boats until you come to a large
square.
The square at the top
of Nyhaven
While
there are some specialty shops on the side streets in
Nyhavn, the serious shopping begins on this square.
The Foot of Stroget
Street is by the Rolex Sign
As you
look around the large square, you will see the Rolex
sign pictured above. Stroget street starts just to the
right of the building the sign resides upon.
Stroget Street Shopping
Stroget
Street goes forever. You go from one square to the next
and the shopping just keeps on going and going. Each
side street also has unique shopping opportunities, as
well. One could spend a day here and never get tired of
Copenhagen's fantastic shopping.
One of the Open Air
Markets Off of Stroget Street
Not
only are there department stores, boutiques, shops,
restaurants, bars and street vendors, Stroget also
boasts an open air markets selling local produce and
other items.
Street Vendors in an
Open Air Market Off Stroget
There
are tons of things to purchase, but some of the most
interesting are local Danish crafts, ceramics, silver
items, household items, clothing and antiques. If you
like to shop, you will love Copenhagen.
Port
Highlights:
The Amalienborg Palace
Home of
the Danish Royal Family since 1749, the Amalienborg
Palace is well worth visiting.
The Amalienborg Palace
and Guard
You can
pay to visit a section of the palace that is set up like
a museum, however, when I did it, I felt it was quite
underwhelming and not worth it unless you have a
specific reason for doing so.
A Palace Guard
If you can
plan your day so as to be at the palace around noon, you
will be treated to a formal changing of the guard
ceremony, which is worth watching.
Christiansborg Palace
Christiansborg Palace located on Slotsholmen just a
short walk from Nyhavn is well worth a visit. This is
the home to the Danish Parliament and is the real
political center of the city. The Prime Minister is also
located here.
Nyhavn
Known
as the epicenter of everything happening in Copenhagen
and the longest continuous bar in the world, Nyhavn is
truly a cultural paradise.
Nyhavn's Restaurants
and Bars
Known
as the "New Port" back in the 1700s, the richest people
in Copenhagen built their mansions on the shady side of
the canal. Hans Christian Andersen found Nyhavn's
fabulous environment very much to his liking and lived
in Nyhavn for years while he wrote his storys.
Nyhavn
If you
are lucky and get to spend the evening in Copenhagen, be
sure to visit Nyhavn's restaurants, bars, pubs and
sidewalk cafes for an entertaining evening.
Nyhavn Canal Boats
At the
very head of Nyhavn is where the canal boat tours start.
These boats will take you around Copenhagen's harbor and
canal system for an excellent view of the city's
attractions.
One of Copenhagen's
Many Canals
If you
are in Copenhagen on a nice day, you can also rent a
kayak or join a kayak tour of the canals. As you can
see, the canal tours are very popular.
Tivoli Gardens
Across
the square from the very top of Stroget Street one finds
Tivoli Gardens. This theme park was opened in 1843 and
is said to be where Walt Disney got the idea for
Disneyland. Tivoli offers roller coasters, games,
outdoor stages, restaurants, bars, specialty food stands
and much, much more. If you are cruising with children,
you will probably want to make your visit to Copenhagen
much about Tivoli Gardens.
St. Alban's Church in
the Kastellet
On the
walk from the ship to Nyhavn you will pass the area
where the Danish Resistance Museum is located and
Kastellet, or old Copenhagen fortress. More a ark than a
fortress today, this moated area is beautiful.
Another View of St.
Alban's Church
The
area features many statues and interesting gardens.
A Danish Windmill in
the Kastellet
Walking
through the park and museum is a reminder of Denmark's
history.
A Carving in the
Kastellet
Denmark
was occupied by Nazis from 1940 through 1945 and the
Resistance Museum honors those that resisted the
occupation. A visit to the museum is very sobering, as
much of life during the occupation is well documented.
Off the
Beaten Path:
Pusher Street in
Christiania
If you
lived trough the 1960s, or want to visit the 1960s as
they were, no trip to Copenhagen would be complete
without visiting Christiania. This incredible place is
the subject of an "On Your Own" special review. If you
are interested in finding out more about Christiania,
click on the review that appears below.
Dining
and Drinking Suggestions:
Nyhavn's Restaurant Row
There
are so many excellent restaurants in Copenhaven it is
overwhelming. Nyhavn is one of the better spots to find
just the right place for your tastes.
Hyttefadet Pub and Bar
While
there are many wonderful restaurants in Copenhagen, I
always seek this spot out in Nyhavn. I have never had a
bad meal here and in fact, every time I dine here it is
memorable. I always get the fresh fish with to caviar
and it is to die for. There is a reason it has been
operating every day since 1734.
Must Do
List:
Yes, I
would give all of Copenhagen a "Must Do"
On Your Own
Reviews
(How to Venture On
Your Own with Detailed Information)
Christiania, Copenhagen, Denmark On Your Own:
If you lived through the hippie era, or want to see what
it was like, Cruistiania is a "must see" This unique
settlement was started in 1971 by some hippies settling
in an old army barrack and subsequently formed
"Freetown" where it was hippie utopia then and still is
toda.
Reader
ePortReviews
(Please Click the Review you'd like to read)
