One of the coolest and most colourful spots in Scandinavia, Copenhagen is a fantastic holiday destination for the whole family. There’s nowhere better to experience the Danish culture than in the capital itself! Copenhagen has been the centre of the country for more than 600 years. The city prides itself on blending the past, the present and future at every turn!
Copenhagen sits on the east coast of the country, just across the water from Sweden. Like much of Scandinavia, the city has an oceanic climate – this essentially means that the winter months are cold and snowy, whilst the summer months are sunny but colder than other parts of Europe – temperatures in the low twenties (°C). However, whilst the weather is not Copenhagen’s strong suit, the city has plenty more to offer you and the little ones!
If you take the little tots to one place in Copenhagen, you’d have to pick the Tivoli Gardens. This amusement park is the second oldest in the world and is the place that inspired Walt Disney himself to open his own amusement park in America – wonder how that worked out for Mr Disney!
Originally opened in 1843, Tivoli Gardens remains one of Denmark’s most popular attractions – welcoming over four million people each year! The park has a mix of traditional and modern amusements. The more traditional ones include the pantomime theatre, the merry go round, a scenic railway across the whole park, and a wooden rollercoaster ride from 1914! The more modern rides for the bigger (and braver) ones! The Dæmonen is a rollercoaster with loops, rolls and high speeds of 48mph. Alternatively, check out the Start Flyer which is one of the world’s tallest swing rides, at a height of 80m high (definitely not one for the faint-hearted!) Tivoli Gardens has enough fun to make your kid’s whole holiday, let alone a day trip.
When you’re done with the bells and whistle of the amusement park, why not experience the wild and wonderful world of the Copenhagen Zoo. You can wander through the leafy areas of this place whilst kangaroos munch and flamingos balance one leg beside you! The bigger attractions for older ones are tigers, lions and polar bears! There are carts to pull along the little ones in and plenty of places to eat and drink when you need to rest. Your little animals are bound to go wild for this attraction in Copenhagen!
Another great place to check out is KU.BE, the “House of Culture and Movement”. Inside this extraordinary building is a 3200sq metre playground for kids! There is a vertical maze, a climbing slope with slides to bring you back down and climbing nets. As well as the active-based activities available at KU.BE, there are also a number of interactive, technology exhibitions for the tech-wiz-kids(!), and a soft play area for the really little ones! This centre for kids also has a number of cultural events on every day to grab the big one’s attention! These include music concerts, workshops, eating experiences and lecture events. The KU.BE is a perfect place for the kids to play and the parents to get a good hit of culture.
Speaking of culture, your family trip wouldn’t be complete without visiting the historic sites in Copenhagen. The H.C Andersen exhibition, a family-friendly centre about this incredible writer’s work which we are (100%) sure you will have heard of: "The Emperor's New Clothes", "The Little Mermaid", "The Snow Queen", "The Ugly Duckling", and "Thumbelina" being some of Andersen’s more famous works.
You could also have a tour of Amalienborg, the Queen of Denmark’s winter residence, so your little prince and princess’s can feel like real royalty! If you fancy some more fancy trips(!), you can have a look around the vast art collection at Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek, one of the most famous art museums in the whole country!
When you’re done enjoying all of the wonderful attractions that Copenhagen has to offer, it’s time to eat! To experience Danish (and every other) cuisine, there’s no place better than Nyhavn. This 17th-century waterfront is one of the most recognisable places in the city, which has a row of multi-coloured buildings that face the canal. As well as the beauty of the place, this area is a fantastic place for bars, cafes and restaurants. One recommendation is to try the number of classic Danish dishes on offer, with the fish-based recipes being very popular with locals and tourist alike!
If you’re looking a family holiday that has everything you need to keep the big ones and the little ones, in one compact city – you can’t go wrong with Copenhagen. The fantastic blend of history and modern attractions, make this place one of the most popular European cities to visit!
Cheers! (Skål!)