Copenhagen, Denmark: 15 Places Visited By Foot


After exploring the third largest city in Sweden, we went directly to Copenhagen, Denmark; which is just about 30 minutes by train. We arrived in the Danish capital at night, so decided to rent out the cheapest decent place we can find, just for us to relax and sleep.

Initially, I planned the tour to be so relaxed given that we have plenty of time in the area. However, due to a very bad morning weather, we ended up seeking shelter in the beautiful churches in the area, while attending masses and being amazed by the architecture of the structures we visited. In spite of these travelling challenges, we got to explore Copenhagen as much as possible within a single day.

I forgot to mention that we did explore Copenhagen WITHOUT using the train and bus. I did not intend to do this, just to save money; but the circumstances lead me to choose that way. As we seek shelter from the cold, windy weather, I realized most of the attractions were closely-located. There were times, I wanted to take the bus or the city train, but I was thinking the best way to explore the city is by foot. I guess the effort was worth it.

Here are the list of the 15 places we visited in Copenhagen, Denmark:

København H

Copenhagen Central Station is the largest railway station in Denmark. Although it is not connected yet to the Metro train network, the station receives millions of passengers and tourists each year.


Copenhagen City Hall

The City Hall is one of the most remarkable tourism trademark of Copenhagen. It was inspired by the Siena City Hall in Tuscany, Italy. It is located in the city square near Tivoli.


Church of Our Lady of Copenhagen

The Neoclassical cathedral is the Denmark’s national church. The church is where the coronation of Danish kings are done. It has also been a subject of controversy when Lutheran and Catholic followers were made to share the church about five centuries ago. The church still stands even it has been destroyed by lightning and fire since the first church has been built almost 1000 years ago.


Trinitatis Church

The church was built in the 18th century by the Reformists. Although it has been destroyed several times, its architecture has been famous, as well as it’s surrounding structures, such as the Round Tower. The church was inaugurated during the celebration of the Trinity Sunday. During our visit, we attended mass in the church.


Botanical Gardens

The garden is centrally-located and houses several famous Greek and Roman sculptures. During the time, we visited we did not get to see the garden in its entirety, given it was raining too much and the wind was so strong and cold.



Kings Garden and Rosenborg Castle


Rosenborg Castle is the king’s residence before the 16th century and was only used afterwards in times of emergencies and during the British attack in 1801. The castle’s architecture was inspired by Dutch Renaissance. There are also several sculptures inside the castle. During our visit, we were not able to enter the castle as we were late due to the bad weather. Although outside the castle, there exists one of the oldest garden in Denmark, which attracts over 2 million tourists a year.



Nyhavn


One of the most famoust Danish tourist attration is Nyhavn. It is a canal and waterfront district lined with bars and restaurants. Before, it has been where boats of fishermen dock. Moreover, historically, it has been dug by Swedish war prisoners during the Danish-Swedish war. Today, a Memorial Anchor has been placed at the end of Nyhavn. In our visit, we saw flowers on the area to commemorate the Danish terrorist attacks, which has just happened two weeks before our visit.



Frederiks Kirke

Famous for its large dome, this Evangelical-Lutheran church has been built in the 18th century and was inspired by the St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. It is located strategically just west of Amalienborg and in alignment of the Copenhagen Opera house. The church is also called The Marble Church.



Amalienborg and Amalienhavn

Amalienborg is the Danish royal family’s winter house composed of four different residence. The view within the square is extraordinary, having a view on one side of The Marble Church and on the opposite side of the Copenhagen Opera House.



Copenhagen Opera House

One of the world’s expensive and most modern opera house stands in Holmen Island, Copenhagen. It is located in alignment with Amalienborg and Frederiks Kirke or the Marble Church.



Kastellet and St. Albas Church

Just north of the Amalienborg, walking through the Amalienhavn, is the Kastellet, a star-shaped island, which is used as a military fortress even in the present times. There are other structures that exists within and around the fortress. One of this the Gefion fountain near St. Alba’s Church, which is an Anglican-church.


Slotsholmen and Knippelsbro

Slotsholmen is the island where the primary Danish castle and Danish parliament are located. On the other hand, Knippelsbro connects Slotsholmen and Christianshavn. The bridge provides a unique view of the Danish skyline and coastline.



Christianshavn Canal

The canal runs along the Christianshavn, a distinct neighbourhood within Copenhagen. Many business and tourist establishments are found in the area.


Church of Our Saviour

Within Christianshavn, the Church of our Saviour lies. The Dutch Baroque Cathedral is known for its anti-clockwise corkscrew spire, where people get a good view of central Copenhagen. During our visit, we did not have the time to go up the spire, aside from the fact that most of us have fear of heights.



Christiansborg Slot

The Palace houses the monarchy, executive and legislative (The Parliament) and the judiciary (The Supreme Court) in Denmark. It is one of the most important structures in Denmark. Unfortunately, most of us were very tired roaming around the other 14 tourist sites, that we did not have sufficient time and energy to explore the area more closely.


Ending the short trip in the Danish capital city was difficult. Personally, I wanted to stay longer for me to see more museums and places. Perhaps later, I could see another side of Denmark that would motivate me to keep coming back, aside from the language I would really want to learn to speak in the future.



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