I have been to Copenhagen twice, in 1986 on my first trip to Europe with Jim, and then again in 2025 as the starting point of a trip to some cities in Denmark, Sweden and Norway. On this trip, I found a city with abundant historical architecture, but lots of spare modern architecture as well, and it all seemed well integrated. It is one of the world's best cities for bicycling, has excellent and modern transit infrastructure, and walking through it is to be transported from one vista to another. I enjoyed my time in the city a great deal, and was blessed with fantastic weather.
Photo List (Total 405 Photos)
Click bolded headers below to view, or click "just the best" for quick tour
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Central Copenhagen (124 photos) - This gallery is everything around the central city, and south a little bit as well. It starts at the Rådhuspladsen, or City Hall Square, and continues past Tivoli Gardens to the Central Station, to new complexes along the water's edge. It veers north then, to the more traditional architecture of the Islet of Slotsholmen and the Christiansborg Palace, then circles back through the downtown area through the Strøget shopping street to the Kongens Nytorv square. Continues up in a circle towards the Rundetaarn, with its views, and then moves back towards the Rådhuspladsen.
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Four Parks and Three Lakes (125 photos) - To the north and west of Copenhagen's central city, there are a number of connected parks, and three lakes. The four parks are the Ørstedsparken (a prettier than normal urban park with a pond), the Botanisk Have (a botanical garden), the Østre Anlæg (a bit swampy and excitingly overgrown), and the Kongens Have (famous for the Rosenberg Castle). The three lakes are the Sankt Jorgens Sø, the Peblinge Sø, and the Sortedams Sø. This gallery covers this area, starting with the parks and lakes, as well as buildings and markets in the area, and the Statens Museum for Kunst. It ends with a very few photos from beyond the lakes, where I ate out one night and then retraced my steps the next day when I visited the Assistens cemetery.
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Nyhavn to Nordhavn (90 photos) - Nyhavn is Copenhagen's deeply touristy canal zone, just across from the Opera House and the Indershavenbroen pedestrian bridge. This gallery starts around Nyhavn, and takes in nearby attractions such as the National Theatre, Amalienborg, and the Marmokirken. I visited two museums in this area, the Designmuseum Danmark and the Museum of Danish Resistance. Further north is the lovely Kastellet fortress, and yet further north is a modern district called Nordhavn, on the water, with beautiful modern buildings. I cycled all the way up there, but took my bike back on the subway.
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Refshaleøen to DR Byen (61 photos) - This gallery is everything that falls on the east side of the city, across the waterway that is the former port that bisects the city. It moves from north to south. The Refshaleøen is still quite industrial, but I went up there for the somewhat underwhelming Copenhagen Contemporary gallery. The gallery includes photos of Copenhill, the waste treatment plant that is also a ski hill, the Opera House, and the beautiful Papirøen housing complex. Further south, there are a few photos from the older section of town Christianshavn, and much further to the south, a few photos of the area around the DB Byen metro stop, an area which I found antiseptic.
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Copenhagen in 1986 (5 photos) - I visited Copenhagen with Jim in 1986 on my first-ever trip to Europe. At the time, the city was the weak link in a visit that also brought me to London, Paris, Berlin and Amsterdam. I don't remember caring for the city that much at that time. I took only five photos, which are here in this gallery, along with three re-takes.
