Copenhagen, Denmark

Location: Copenhagen, Denmark

Time Frame: August, 3 nights, 4 days

Lodging

Type. We choose to stay at the Radission SAS Scandinavian Hotel in Copenhagen.  We were able to get a family room, with a bedroom (double bed) and two twin cots in the living area (we brought our own baby cot).

Cost. The room itself was 1545 DKK per night (about $275), and sadly this was a cheap price for Copenhagen, as this is a VERY expensive city.  Breakfast was an additional 175 DKK (about $32) per person per day.  We skipped that.

Amenities. The room had a separate bedroom with a double bed and the hotel gave us two twin cots which were placed in our living area.  The hotel did have internet connection (included in our room cost), and cable television (one tv in the bedroom and one in the living area) which had english language programs and movies.  We also had a full sized bathroom.

The hotel did offer breakfast and had several restaurants in the hotel.  Parking was available on site, and was about 190 DKK per day.

Other. The hotel was located on the outskirts of Copenhagen, but within walking distance of most of the sights.

Kid Friendly Rating: I would give this hotel four stars (****) for kid friendliness.

Transportation

Driving. We drove to Copenhagen (via Norway and Sweden) from our home in Germany.  Whilst it was fairly easy driving, Copenhagen is not a car friendly city, so I would recommend parking the car and either walking or using public transportation during your visit.

Public Transportation. There is a fairly large bus network in Copenhagen, but we did not use it.  Most places were fairly easy to get to, if you didn't mind walking.

Walking. Copenhagen was definitely walking friendly, with separate pedestrian and bicycle lanes on the pavements.  Bicycles were also common.

Food

We brought our own breakfast food (as it was much cheaper than buying it from the hotel), and then purchased our lunches and dinners on the local economy.

Fast Food. Copenhagen is home to many of those restaurants which we know and love (McDonalds, Burger King, etc). They also have several that are more cultural. They also have a healthy supply of Kebab stands, sandwich shops, and other quick cheap European style fast food options. We didn't have a problem finding places to eat (other than making up our minds).

Sit Down.There were a large variety of sit down restaurants ranging from casual cafes to upper crust fancy places. Most restaurants were very expensive and so we didn't use any sit down restaurants.

Attractions

Tivoli Gardens

Times:

Mid April - Mid September

Daily 

Mid October, Halloween 10 days

Daily 

Mid November - 30 December, Christmas

Daily 

Costs:

Admission
Adults	12 years +	DKK 95
Children	3-11 years	DKK 50
Children	0-2 years	DKK Free

Rides
Multi-Ride ticket	Adult: 12 years +	DKK 205
Multi-Ride ticket	Children: 3-11 years	DKK 170
Multi-Ride ticket w/Seasonpass	Adult: 12 years +	DKK 160
Multi-Ride ticket w/Seasonpass	Children: 3-11 years	DKK 110
Ride ticket	1-3 per Ride	DKK 25

Comments: Tivoli is the oldest amusement park in Europe, and is very reminiscent of places like Coney Island.  It is very expensive to get in, and then you must pay extra to enjoy the rides.  We merely went for a few hours, and so only purchased a few ride tickets so our kids could have a little fun.  There is a Hard Rock Cafe in the park, and a variety of other yummy food vendors (our kids had cotton candy for the first time here).
 
The Little Mermaid

Times: Open year round, daily.

Costs: Free

Comments:  If you've managed to make the trek to Copenhagen, and haven't had a heart attack from the expense, you have to see the Little Mermaid Statue, located along the harbour in Copenhagen.  You can take a myriad of photos from the overlook, or if you are daring (and we were) you can scamper across the rocks (hopefully without getting too wet) and have your photo taken with the lovely lady.

Christus Statue - Church of Our Lady

Times: Daily, see church for information.

Costs: Free admission, donations accepted.

Comments:  It is hard to find, but well worth the trouble.  It's proper name is Vor Frue Kirke (so if you are asking for tourist information from your hotel try that name).  It is a gorgeous church, and houses the original of Thorvaldsen's Christus and his statues of the 12 apostles.
 
Freetown Christiana

Times: Daily

Costs: Free admission as this is an open community.

Comments: Christiana is a open co-operative community based in an old military installation.  By law these individuals are squatting (the land is still owned by the military), but the community has been allowed to stay for quite some time.  It is an interesting visit, but may not be suitable for all children.  Photography is discouraged, and the use of marijuana is common.  Other than a ramble through an interesting, alternative community, there isn't much to see here.

Kastellet The Citadel

Times: 

Period	Weekdays
01.01-30.12	Monday - Sunday

Costs: Free admission.

Comments: A great walk right on Copenhagen water front.  This star shaped fortress goes back to the 17th century.
 
Stroget (The Pedestrian Street)

Times:

Monday - Thursday 10:00 - 18:00.

Friday 10:00 - 19:00.

Saturday 10:00 - 16:00.

First Sunday of the month 10:00 - 16:00.

Costs: Free.

Comments: The world's longest pedestrian street is a place to see.  With plenty of shops and restaurants to keep you busy.  We had a nice lunch along here.

Canal Tours

Times: 
This depends on the tour you want, and the point of departure.

Costs:
Adults: 60 DKK
Children: 40 DKK

Comments: This is a great way to see Copenhagen's waterways and harbour.  Get a new view on the Little Mermaid and other Copenhagen sites.

Church of Our Saviour

Times: April 1st to Oct 31st

Costs: Free

Comments: This unique and stunning tower can offer great view over Copenhagen.  If you have small children, you may want to avoid it, as the climb is all stairs.  We missed this one as the tower was closed for renovations.

Amalienborg Palace

Times: 

1. Jan.	Closed
2. Jan. - 11. Feb.	11 am - 4 pm, Monday closed
12. Feb. - 20. Feb.	11 am - 4 pm
21. Feb. - 20. Apr.	11 am - 4 pm, Monday closed
21. Apr. - 30.Apr.	11 am - 4 pm
1. maj - 31. okt.	10 am - 4 pm
1. nov. - 22. dec.	11 am - 4 pm, Monday closed
23. dec. - 26. dec.	Closed
27. dec. - 30. dec.	11 am - 4 pm, Monday closed
31. dec.	Closed

Costs:

Access to the palace grounds are free.  For admission to The Amalienborg Museum, and any special exhibition:

Adults: 60 Kr.
Children (0-17): Free
Groups (min. 12 people): 50 Kr, pp
Students: 40 Kr.
Seniors (+65): 40 Kr.
Combined Ticket: 100 Kr.
Season Ticket: 250 Kr.
Photo Permission: 20 Kr.  

Comments: This palace was beautiful, and you can watch the changing of the guard.  It has a beautiful fountain, and is a nice walk for an afternoon.

National Museum of Denmark

Times: 
Tuesday-Sunday 10am-5pm. Mondays closed. Closed: 24.12, 25.12 & 31.12.
Guided tours in Danish of the Victorian Home start from the National Museum at 12pm, 1pm & 2pm on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays.
The Childrens Museum closes 16.30 Saturday and Sunday.

Costs: Free admission.

Comments: If you'd like to learn about the history of Denmark, or see a wide variety of artifcats, this is the place for you.  Even if you don't want to spend all day, you can have a quick look round, after all it is free! 

Toilettes

When you travel with little ones, bathrooms are an important thing to be able to find. Europeans are generally not big on public restrooms.

Availability: Public restrooms can be found, but are scattered and not always easy to find. Your best bet is to make sure to make use of restrooms offered in the restaurants, museums, and other attractions that you visit. Most of the major attractions have restrooms.

Public/Private: Most available restrooms are actually going to be in some type of business, whether it is a restaurant or attraction.

Cost: Costs for restrooms can run from free to around 1 euro per person. Occassionally bathroom attendants will allow an adult to take a child into the restroom and only charge for one person (I did this with my kids, and even when I took both potty trained children, I usually only had to pay for me).

Nearby Amenities

Laundry: We didn't notice any laundry faciilties near our hotel, but scattered around the city we did see some laundry facilities. Ask your hotel where the best facilities are located.

Groceries: There are a variety of grocery stores in both Leiden and Amsterdam. You can ask at hotels or tourist information points for locations.

Review

While it definitely takes the cake for the most expensive place we've been, it was a beautiful city.  There are so many cultural icons here that you may have a hard time choosing.  You will need to watch your money, so make sure you know what you are willing to splurge on before hand.

Trip Highlights

-Tivoli Gardens
-The Little Mermaid
-The Church of Our Lady

Overall Rating

Copenhagen is definitely a 5 star must see location.