Wonderful, Wonderful Copenhagen
By Mary McCarney

"Try our Kissing Benches" invite the Tivoli posters, meaning any bench in these beautiful gardens. Many Copenhageners take up the invitation, bringing their sweethearts along to the Parterre Garden, world famous for its magical, romantic atmosphere. And with special days dedicated to love, a whole lot of kissing goes on here.

Denmark’s capital is certainly a city for lovers. Water and light combine to create romantic moods and the green towered skyline evokes a fairytale setting. A visit to The Tivoli Gardens is the perfect start for your romantic Danish adventure. In winter, you can visit the Christmas market here, and as summer evenings draw in, the lights begin to twinkle in the trees and Tivoli sparkles. There are over 400,000 flowers in the summer bloom and 115,817 colored light bulbs.

Tivoli probably inspired Hans Christian Andersen to write this description from The Nightingale: "Everything was so ingenious in the Emperor's Garden and it stretched so far that even the gardener himself had never seen its boundaries; if you continued walking you reached the most enchanting of forests with tall trees and deep lakes." Take an evening stroll through the gardens, with the eternal lovers Pierrot and Columbine playing their timeless parts in the outdoor theatre, followed by a romantic meal for two in one of the many restaurants. Book a table at Fregatten, the full-size sailing ship in the Tivoli lake. And on Saturdays and Wednesdays, enjoy the spectacular late night firework display.

The city has Hans Christian Andersen to thank for its fairytale atmosphere. Copenhagen was home to the writer and statues of him can be found all around the city. Of course, a trip to see his Little Mermaid at Langelinie is an absolute must for every visitor. The largest tourist attraction in Copenhagen and the most photographed statue in the world, The Little Mermaid sits on a granite stone, looking for her prince. Langelinie is a harbor promenade where couples used to walk in order to proclaim their engagement. A stroll along Langelinie, and the whole town knew that young lovers would soon be married.

Venture a little further a field and visit the beautiful Kronborg Castle at Helsingor, where Shakespeare based his tragic lovers Hamlet and Ophelia. A word of warning -- steer clear of the open-top buses in the city offering "Hamlet Tours". These are often too rushed to allow enough time to really appreciate this romantic place. Make your own way by train from Copenhagen instead.

Back in the city, Nyhavn is a pretty harbor area packed with sailing ships and cozy restaurants. Sailor’s dockside haunts still overlook the harbor and you can see the house where Hans Christian once lived. The city’s romantic history can be experienced at Rosenborg Castle, home of the Danish crown jewels, and the Royal Palace of Amalienborg.

All year round, Copenhagen has something for romantics: from ice-skating and drinking spiced mulled wine in winter, to open air cafes and outdoor jazz in the pretty summer squares. Pay a visit -- see for yourselves, and make your fairytale dreams come true.

More Information

Danish Tourist Board / Wonderful Copenhagen1, Gammel Kongevej DK-1610 Copenhagen VTel.: +45 70 22 24 42
E-mail: touristinfo@woco.dk
Website: http://www.visitcopenhagen.dk/

Romantic Accommodation: 71 Nyhavn Hotel71, Nyhavn
CopenhagenTel.: +45 33 11 85 85
www.71nyhavnhotelcopenhagen.dk

Romantic Restaurant: Fregatten at TivoliSct. Georg III3, Vesterbrogade
CopenhagenTel.: +45 33 15 92 04
www.bojesen.dk

Photos © Morten Bjarnhof, Cees van Roeden and Mary McCarney.

Mary McCarney is a teacher and freelance writer from England. She writes articles and book reviews for a range of newspapers and magazines. She is also a contributing author of a new History study guide.