2nd of August 2026 - Nyhavn, The Little Mermaid and Christiansborg Palace

Today we walked around Copenhagen which is a beautiful city with a lovely harbour with old ships, many squares, fountains and canals.

 

Our walking tour started with Nyhavn which is a 17th-century waterfront, canal and entertainment district lined by brightly coloured 17th and early 18th century townhouses, bars, cafes and restaurants. The canal harbours many historical wooden ships.  We stopped for croissants and coffee in the café Nyhavn 17.

 

We then walked through the square Amalienborg Slotsplads with the equestrian statue of King Frederick V at its centre.  The square is in front of Amalienborg Palace, the official residence of the Danish royal family.

Frederik’s Church with its green dome is more commonly known as The Marble Church (Marmorkirken).

 

The Gefion Fountain (Gefionspringvandet) depicts the Norse goddess Gefion driving a chariot pulled by oxen, symbolizing the myth in which she carved the island of Zealand (where Copenhagen sits) out of Sweden.  This fountain leads to a promenade along the waterfront at Langelinie to reach The Little Mermaid (Den Lille Havfrue) which is a bronze statue by Edvard Eriksen depicting a mermaid becoming human.

 

After stopping for refreshments at the Admiral Hotel on the waterfront we then went up the tower at Christiansborg Palace for views over the city, thank goodness there were lifts.

 

The Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek is one of Copenhagen’s most beautiful museums.  We didn't have time to visit the museum however it is impressive architecturally.  It was founded by Carl Jacobsen, the son of the Carlsberg Brewery founder.

 

This sculpture is “The Genetically Modified Paradise” by Danish artist Bjørn Nørgaard which is part of Nørgaard’s series exploring humanity’s relationship with science, ethics, and creation.  The figures, human forms with animal heads, symbolize genetic manipulation and the blurred boundaries between nature and technology.  The raised hand and busts above them add a sense of judgment or reflection, inviting viewers to think about moral responsibility in scientific progress.

 

In the evening we went back to Nyhavn for dinner where we found a delightfully quirky old restaurant that did excellent fish and seafood.

 

We then went for peach Bellinis in the Villa Copenhagen hotel housed in Copenhagen’s former Central Post & Telegraph Office, a 1912 landmark, before walking back to our hotel past the Tivoli Gardens.