We chose to stay at Hotel Christian IV during our Copenhagen visit because it seemed to offer a more local experience and for its central location in the city. The hotel is only half a block from the entrance to Kongens Have where Rosenborg Castle is located. You can read my review of the hotel on TripAdvisor.
During our few days in Copenhagen, we booked the 2-Day Hop-on/Hop-off Bus and Boat tour combination through Stromma Denmark. We thought it would be and it turned out to be a great way to take in an overview of Copenhagen on our first visit. After filling up on coffee, Danish pastries, and rye bread at the hotel’s breakfast, we headed out for our first day of touring. We walked down the street to the park.
Kongens Have
Kongens Have (the King’s Garden) is a large park in the middle of the city. Walking through the tree lined paths, we saw the statue of H.C. Andersen and the Boy on the Swan fountain. It was a peaceful retreat from a busy day of touring the city. We sat on a bench by the Boy on the Swan and just enjoyed watching people walking their dogs and strolling with their small children. Rosenborg castle is also located in the park.
Rosenborg Castle
We learned about the monarchy of Denmark from Christian IV to Frederik VII during our visit to the castle. The castle was very opulent. Every inch of every room was covered with paintings, portraits, sculpture, tiles, furniture, or some display case of treasures. If you tried to look at every item on display, you could get lost there for days. Here’s a video of our visit to the castle.
Nyhavn
The colorful buildings were the first thing that struck us when we arrived at Nyhavn (New Harbour). Many of the buildings that lined the harbor were restaurants. So many choices, so little time! We picked Nyhavn 37 for lunch. This is where we tried our first Smørrebrød (open faced sandwich), delish. This is also where I discovered Grimbergen beer. We returned to Nyhavn the next evening and ate an early dinner at Nyhavn 17.
We shared the Nyhavn 17 Platter which included roast beef, chicken salad, salmon, pickled herring, filet of plaice, and brie with onions. Everything was delicious. It was just the right amount to share.
Nyhavn was only a 15 minute walk from Hotel Christian IV and a great place to hop on the boat for the canal tour. Every time we arrived at the harbour, whether in the sunshine, rain, or overcast, the view was always stunning.
Copenhagen – Boat View
I highly recommend seeing Copenhagen by boat. Here’s an overview of the tour. It’s easier to just see it than try to describe it in text.