The second port of call on Anne and Vera’s Northern Europe City Escapes Cruise with Royal Caribbean Cruises was Copenhagen. From a single red rose to a colossal royal palace, beauty came in all sizes as they explored the sights of Copenhagen. Read on for their tips on how to spend 1-day in Copenhagen, Denmark.
1-Day in Copenhagen, Denmark
First, to take in all the beauty we may not be able to see on foot with only 1-day in Copenhagen, Denmark, we hopped on a Hop On Hop Off Sightseeing Bus right from the cruise terminal. To get an overview of the city we stayed on for the entire loop, taking us by all the tourist attractions, as well as the busy modern downtown area, the hippie-like self-governed Christiana community, and the Nyhavn trendy waterfront area.
After completing the loop, we hopped off at The Little Mermaid, one of the most well-known of Copenhagen’s tourist attractions. This bronze and granite statue inspired by Hans Christian Anderson’s fairytale was smaller than expected, but quite lovely as she sat in the harbour, and we joined the crowd snapping photos as she seemed to pose for us.
Nearby was another attraction – the large, majestic-looking Gefion Fountain, which shows the Norse goddess Gefion driving her oxen, and it was fun watching water spraying continually from the oxen’s nostrils. St. Alban’s Church, a lovely historic church beside the fountain, added to the beauty of this spot.
We headed to Kastellet (the Citadel) next – a star-shaped fortress which is both a beautiful park and a military site. Remnants of cannons could be seen alongside picnic areas as we strolled along the picturesque paths. Like with the grounds of many historic sights in Copenhagen, the grounds of Kastellet are free to explore. As we entered and exited the fortress, we found it fascinating to watch two guards manually lift the barrier arms to let cars and pedestrians pass at varying intervals.
Given the World War II history of the Kastellet being used as a military base for the Nazi’s during the occupation of Denmark by Germany, it would have been interesting to visit the Museum of Danish Resistance, particularly with current world events.
After making our way out of the park and down several blocks, we came to the magnificent Amalienborg Palace, the official residence of the Danish royal family. Four identical palaces surround a grand courtyard with King Frederick V in the centre, and regal guards stand or march in front of each. Here you can wander the courtyard on your own, as we did, trying to capture the perfect shot of the regally dressed royal guards. You can also explore the Amalienborg Palace Museum, join a guided tour, and hear the music and watch the pageantry of the Changing of the Guards on Amalienborg Palace Square everyday around noon.
As you can see from the video above, there is also a Guided Segway Tour of Copenhagen, Denmark.
From the palace to a castle – a few blocks away is 17th Century Rosenborg Castle. It is just as regal and beautiful as the palace, but perhaps made even more grand with a huge park and garden sprawling alongside it. For an entry fee you can see the grandeur of the inside of Rosenborg Castle and the Danish crown jewels. You can also book a themed guided tour of Rosenborg Castle, but this is quite pricey, unless you are booking as a group or taking one of the public tours. For a bit of fun, if you are at the Rosenborg Castle’s barracks at 11:30 am, you can march along with the Royal Guards through the streets of Copenhagen to the Changing of the Guards in Amalienborg Palace Square at noon.
Wandering through the park at Rosenborg Castle, we first admired a large statue of Hans Christian Anderson, who had lived in Copenhagen and walked these very paths, before glimpsing the historic castle which fittingly appears almost like it could be straight from one of his fairy tales.
If visiting Copenhagen on a rainy day, you can discover more of Hans Christian Anderson’s life through the Hans Christian Andersen Experience at Ripley’s Believe It or Not. Alternatively on a fair weather day, you can follow much the same walk we did with an audio guide to take a Self-Guided Tour of Hans Christian Andersen’s Copenhagen. For book lovers, Hans Christian Anderson really does make for the perfect subject to inspire the imagination and focus your time for 1-day in Copenhagen, Denmark.
As if the grandeur of the castle was not enough beauty to behold, our eyes took in the absolutely stunning King’s Garden beside it.
We were in awe as we wandered through the rows upon rows of colourful flowers, but the gigantic red roses were the real show-stoppers, with blooms so enormous that they almost didn’t seem real. Of course we ‘stopped to smell the roses’, but after lingering awhile it was time to stroll on through the park to find our bus stop.
After finally figuring out which was the correct bus stop, we waited for quite some time with no bus arriving – proving that it was easier to ‘hop off’ than ‘hop on’ again. Eventually we gave up and walked to where we could get on the shuttle bus back to the ship.
In the end we viewed our bus adventure as a chance to see even more of the city and only a minor inconvenience, as we remembered all the beautiful sights we had seen in Copenhagen.
One guided tour of interest that caught our eye for a future visit to Copenhagen is the Hygge Walking Tour to discover Danish happiness culture. Something to look forward to in returning.
Tips & Recommendations for 1-Day in Copenhagen, Denmark
- Copenhagen City Card – This visitor’s sightseeing card grants you free admissions to most of the city’s museums and gardens, as well as public transit, and a sightseeing canal cruise.
- Hop On Hop Off Sightseeing Bus – This sightseeing bus was good for seeing an overview of the city. Be forewarned, however, to note the exact locations for hopping back on the bus, and be aware that the bus may not be reliable. There are also three sightseeing bus companies, and the buses all look similar.
- The Little Mermaid – A very popular and lovely statue. Try to go during less busy time of day.
- Gefion Fountain – A beautiful large water fountain. Watch for the water coming from oxen’s nostrils!
- Amalienborg Palace – Lovely royal palace in downtown Copenhagen, where you can enjoy the changing of the guards everyday at noon.
- Rosenborg Castle – A very beautiful castle, housing the crown jewels. Requires pre-booked tickets to enter.
- The King’s Garden – The beautiful flower garden next to Rosenborg Castle, featuring gigantic rose blooms.
What Are Your Tips in Visiting Copenhagen, Denmark?
1-day in Copenhagen, Denmark is a short visit to such a magical city. There is so much to do, see and experience, that we are all going to have different experiences and see and do different things. What are your tips in visiting Copenhagen, Denmark? We’d love to read them in the comments below.
Copenhagen, Denmark Accommodations Map
Spending more than 1-day in Copenhagen, Denmark? Check out this interactive map to different accommodations available in Copenhagen.
Tune into Other Ports of Call on our Northern Europe City Escapes Cruise
- London Calling, 3-Days in London, England
- 1-Day in Oslo, Norway: Walking with Art, Peace, Sauna and History
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