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Statue of Niels Juel in Copenhagen, Denmark. Photo by Jebulon –

10 Best Things To Do On Your Birthday in Copenhagen

Historic, youthful, raucous, and refined, Copenhagen can mean many things to many people. If you鈥檙e young then it鈥檚 a literal playground, with the world鈥檚 oldest amusement parks and some of the trendiest shopping and nightspots anywhere.

For culture, there are historic palaces and museums in which Viking and Bronze Age treasures are on display.

1. Tivoli Gardens is an unforgettable place for an amble thanks to its romantic 19th-century representations of the Orient

Copenhagen City Hall by night, April 2022. Photo by JakobSR –

Such is this theme park鈥檚 fame that some people come to Copenhagen just to visit Tivoli Gardens.

And even if you鈥檙e not in the mood to get on a rollercoaster or carousel it鈥檚 an unforgettable place for an amble thanks to its romantic 19th-century representations of the Orient.

After Bakken, also in Copenhagen, Tivoli Gardens is the world鈥檚 oldest theme park, and if you do have kids with you they will have the time of their lives on some of these rides.

Worth special mention is the Star Flyer, a carousel that hikes riders up 80 meters above the ground.

2. Little Mermaid statue is the most famous landmark in the Copenhagen

Copenhagen visit July 1996 – Canal Cruise Ships. Per source. Please credit “Family photos of Infrogmation”. Photo by Creative Commons –

This instantly recognizable statue sitting on a rock next to the Langelinie promenade is surely the most famous landmark in the city.

The sculptor Edvard Eriksen created the mermaid in 1913 as a tribute to the author Hans Christian Andersen, and it鈥檚 inspired by Andersen鈥檚 eponymous fairytale.

When you get up close to the statue what will surprise you is how small it actually is, but you鈥檒l have to take a photo because it鈥檚 simply one of those international identifiers.

3. Follow Str酶get if you want to find some independent shops

The Maersk HQ building in Copenhagen, Denmark, is viewed from the water. Photo by Kmtextor –

This pedestrian street runs on and on, and whether you鈥檙e up for high-street or high-end shopping the chances are you鈥檒l find what you鈥檙e looking for here.

It鈥檚 among the largest pedestrian malls in the world and even if the prices aren鈥檛 for the faint-hearted. If you want to find some independent shops then follow Str酶get into the Old City and then try one of the narrow side streets.

There鈥檚 a wonderful mix of old specialty businesses that go back generations and hip boutiques for young fashionistas.

4. Nyhavn is a historic waterfront area next to a 17th-century

Copenhagen visit July 1996 – Canal Cruise – Towards Mermaid. Per source. Please credit “Family photos of Infrogmation”. Photo by Creative Commons –

New Harbour in English, this historic waterfront area is next to a 17th-century canal where old wooden ships are still moored.

On both sides of the canal are tall painted houses dating to the 1600s and 1700s, the ground floors of which house bars, restaurants, and cafes with outdoor seating. It鈥檚 hard to believe it now, but for most of its existence, this was a seedy part of town.

Now it鈥檚 one of the best places to linger for a coffee or beer in summer.

And it鈥檚 a big literary landmark too: The house numbers 18, 20, and 67 (marked with a plaque) were home to the author Hans Christian Andersen at different times.

5. National Museet Museum is the sort of attraction in which one could lose hours without their knowledge

Copenhagen visit July 1996 – Shorefront. Per source. Please credit “Family photos of Infrogmation”. Photo by Creative Commons –

Copenhagen鈥檚 National Museum is the sort of attraction in which you could lose hours without realizing it. There鈥檚 a remarkable wealth of artifacts here, from all eras of Denmark鈥檚 past.

If you see nothing else take a look at the Trundholm Sun Chariot. It鈥檚 a Bronze Age item, dating to 1400BC, with a bronze statue of a horse pulling a gold disc representing the sun.

According to Norse mythology, the sun made its way across the firmament like this, towed by a divine horse.

The Vikings are also well-covered by this museum, and many artifacts from this collection were sent on a tour of the world in 2014.

6. Christiansborg Palace is made used by the Danish royal family and Denmark鈥檚 prime minister

Copenhagen, view of the city from Town Hall. Photo by A.Savin (WikiCommons) –

Set on the Islet of Slotsholmen, Christiansborg contains Denmark鈥檚 Supreme Court, the Prime Minister鈥檚 office, and the Danish Parliament. The Danish royal family and prime minister also make use of the palace鈥檚 ornate reception rooms for formal events and to receive other heads of state.

The highlight of these reception rooms is the Great Hall, 40 meters long and able to seat 400 guests.

On a tour, you鈥檒l also get to see the Riding School, which is overlooked by a gallery, and the little court theatre which was built in 1767 and updated in 1842.

7. Rent a bicycle so as to cycle when you are on a trip to Copenhagen

Copenhagen visit July 1996 – Canal Cruise Low Bridge. Per source. Please credit “Family photos of Infrogmation”. Photo by Creative Commons –

Copenhagen has to be one of the most bike-friendly cities in the world. Almost everyone who lives here rides regularly, and it鈥檚 so safe that you鈥檒l see many people on bikes without helmets.

The city is flat of course, which helps, but the cycle lanes are very broad and since it helps keep pollution down, people are encouraged to cycle whenever they have to make a trip.

There are countless companies offering rentals in Copenhagen, but you might want to try the hi-tech City Bike scheme, which has been running since 1995.

The latest ones even have a touch-screen tablet with built-in GPS!

8. Botanical Garden are valued as much for their botanical wealth as the majestic iron and glass structures that house them

Copenhagen visit July 1996 – Tivoli Gardens exterior. Exterior and entranceway, Tivoli Gardens.
Per source. Please credit “Family photos of Infrogmation”. Photo by Creative Commons –

Occupying 10 hectares right in the middle of Copenhagen, these gardens are valued as much for their botanical wealth as the majestic iron and glass structures that house them.

The glasshouses date from the 1870s and the most impressive of these is the conservatory complex built-in 1874. Some of the species here are 200 years old.

In all, there are more than 13,000 plant species on display in the gardens. See if you can find the Arctic house, in which hi-tech air-conditioning recreates a polar environment for the gardens鈥� Arctic species.

9. Christiania is a commune that was established in 1971

Copenhagen. Photo by Sean Da Ros –

They do things differently in Christiania, on the site of old military land in Christianshavn. It鈥檚 a commune that was established back in 1971 on the back of the counter culture movement.

Nearly half a century later it continues to thrive, although things have been bumpy along the way as the people who live and work here wrangle with the Danish government for more autonomy.

The best way to describe it is as a peaceful park, with historic army warehouses and barracks taken over by artists鈥� studios, organic shops, restaurants, and music venues.

Because of the drug activity here, it鈥檚 a good idea to be aware of the various 鈥渄o鈥檚 and don鈥檛s鈥� before entering.

10. Rosenborg Castle was built by Christian IV at the start of the 1600s

Copenhagen by night, harbor (2015). Photo by Ingimar Erl –

This palace was built by Christian IV at the start of the 1600s. His long reign and engagement in the Thirty Years鈥� War that swept across mainland Europe made him one of the best-known Scandinavian Kings.

The interiors of this lavish palace have hardly changed in centuries, and feature historic tapestries charting the conflicts between Denmark and Sweden.

You can also see the king鈥檚 chambers, take a look at his bathroom and see where he wrote his correspondence.

Do be sure to browse the collections of 17th-century Venetian glass and Flora Danica dinnerware in the tower chambers: They鈥檙e among the best in the world.