Amazing Copenhagen on a Baltic Cruise

amazing copenhagen on a baltic cruiseMy friend and I took a two-week trip to the Baltic in May on the Regal Princess, and this was the first time it ever snowed on a cruise!  Copenhagen was amazing, Russia was COLD — and, as always, it was a fun adventure.

Amazing Copenhagen

We flew to Copenhagen — and arrived with all our luggage (unlike previous years) about 9 a.m.  Took a transfer to the hotel we’d booked through Princess — the Radisson Collection — which was lovely and within walking distance of renowned Tivoli Gardens. And it had a Hop On/Hop Off bus stop right outside the front door. Sightseeing doesn’t get much more convenient than that!

 

Amazing Copenhagen

We checked in to our fabulous corner room on the 8th floor, which was very Scandinavian minimalist — with big, beautiful windows on two sides in the main room and large, low windows in the bathroom. (Even after closing the curtains (they only had sheers), couldn’t quite get over the feeling that if anyone was in the window of the  buildings next door — they’d probably see right in…)

Amazing Copenhagen

We wanted to see all the sites possible that one day and our goal was to stay up until at least 8 p.m. their time to get our sleep cycles back in sync, so we set up for a marathon day of sightseeing.

Amazing Copenhagen

I’d bought tickets from AAA at home for a combination of the Hop On/Hop Off bus, Copenhagen canal boat tour and Tivoli Gardens for about $60 each and it was well worth the money since those were the big things we wanted to do and see.

We took the bus to where the canal tours began (which was pretty easy since a Princess cruise rep inside the hotel lobby gave us advice and maps of the city). We boarded a big, low boat right away and saw some of the same sights we’d seen on the bus from the water.

Amazing CopenhagenAmazing Copenhagen

Amazing Copenhagen

Copenhagen has many, many low bridges, and the boat narrator had to warn everyone to sit down when we went under every one of them …

The weather was very chilly – in the 40s, I’d guess – all day, and the boat ride was really cold. So glad we had thick winter coats with hoods!

Amazing Copenhagen

The guide gave interesting talks about the major buildings, and my favorite was the enormous, modern-looking incinerator plant where trash is burned. He said a public ski slope was being built on its long, steep, sloped roof and was nearly complete! (Afterwards, it occurred to us maybe he was joking, but I looked it up on my return and it’s true. In face, the ski slope has opened! Check it out here and here.)

Amazing Copenhagen

Another impressive building was a large, modern opera house on the water; the guide said professional divers participate in an annual diving competition from the roof (which was very high)! (Looked that one up later, too, and, yes, it was true.)

Amazing Copenhagen

Those two buildings — and all the hundreds of people riding bikes all over the city in designated bike lanes — drove home the fact that Danish people are hardy outdoors-lovers who don’t let the weather, or anything else, stop them from being healthy and keeping fit.

It was amazing that in downtown Copenhagen, there was hardly any traffic. (Here’s a view from the hotel window.)

Amazing Copenhagen

The buildings in Copenhagen are a mix of ornate, old buildings and sleek,  modern, glass fronted buildings.

Amazing Copenhagen

One of Copenhagen’s most famous buildings — Church of our Savior – is stunningly ornate, and has a gold steeple with an external spiral staircase that winds counterclockwise to the statue of Christ on top.

Amazing Copenhagen

At the opposite end, a modern, angular, secular building known as the Black Diamond is located on the waterfront; it’s an extension to the public library and houses many other public offices, as well.

Amazing Copenhagen

Amazing Copenhagen

Our favorite buildings, though, were in a tourist section of town called Nyhavn – streets along a canal with various-colored townhouses on each side in an entertainment district with  cafes, bars with lots of outdoor seating.

The oldest townhouse dates to 1681, and  Hans Christian Andersen wrote “The Princess and the Pea” when he lived in one of them. Picturesque sailboats are moored on the waterway and the area looks like a postcard.

Amazing Copenhagen

Adding to the area’s charm, hundreds of “love locks” are affixed to several Nyhavn pedestrian bridge railings — many engraved with couples’ names.

We visited The Little Mermaid, too, a famous (smallish) statue in the water along the harbor.

Amazing Copenhagen

Amazing Copenhagen

Amazing Copenhagen

We also visited Tivoli Gardens – established in the 1840s —  one of the oldest amusement parks in the world with amazing flower gardens. Big, landscaped beds of tulips were in bloom along with a variety of other colorful flowers.

Amazing CopenhagenAmazing CopenhagenAmazing CopenhagenAmazing Copenhagen

The park has 38 restaurants and 100,000 colored lights that come on at night. We did walk the whole park and have a meal there but, with jet lag, could only stay awake long enough to see the first lights flicker on!

Amazing Copenhagen

The park has several large, ornate amphitheaters with a variety of performers, a lake with boats, a replica of a German village, as well as a variety of amusement rides, including a beautiful old-fashioned carousel. It’s really something!

Copenhagen was my favorite city on the whole cruise. 🙂

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2 Responses to Amazing Copenhagen on a Baltic Cruise

  1. Elisa says:

    That is so beautiful! Denmark is such an interesting place. So glad you had another great cruise.

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