Visit the unique Runde Taarn... and other Copenhagen, Denmark Things to Do Tips

If the weather is good, go up the Runde Taarn (Rond Tower), which is a short walk to the North-west of the cathedral.

The view is splendid but the wierdest thing about it is the complete lack of steps! Instead you walk up what is in effect a 200m cobbled road which spirals up the inside of the tower almost to the top.

Apparently its the only one of its kind in Europe.

Entry was about 20 Krone.

And half way up we stumbled across an art exhibition and gift shop.

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Address: Kobmagergade
Directions: Its a VERY big, fat, tall, round tower - hard to miss - not far from the cathedral.

Its bang in the middle of the city where a lot of visitors start there exploration of Copenhagen. And there is little to publicise the fact you can go up it. What am I describing - the Town Hall tower of course!

Just inside the massive front door on the main square is a gift shop where you can find out the times of the ascent(s). I visited in October and there was only one per day, at noon. BE ON TIME!! Admission 20DK.

The most interesting thing about my climb up the tower (apart from the panoramic views) were the paintings, photos and maps at each level. There is a massive wall painting of medieval Copenhagen next to the first staircase, for example.

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Address: Rådhus Pladsen
Directions: 2 minutes from Central Station. The tower is the great big tall square pointy thing attached to the left of the Town Hall. Enter via main doors on Rådhus Pladsen.

Officially recognised as a legal part of Copenhagen in 1986, this part of the city started out as a camp of hippy squatters. It is now a colourful community, with shops, restaurants, a theatre and public toilets!

There are a wide variety of buildings in Christiania, some of them built from scratch with recycled materials. Others existed on the site, next to Copenhagens old ramparts, for many decades as warehouses or homes.

Christiania has a strong social conscience - they hosted the Danish gathering of the European Social Forum this year. Apparently every Christmas the residents also provide meals for the city's homeless.

Christiania is within the limits of Copenhagen's City-Bike network, so pedal across the harbour from the city centre and take some time to explore. The community seems to be the origin of many of the wierd and wonderful customised bicycles that you see around the city.

Nearby, in Christianshavn is The Church of Our Saviour, with the gold spiral tower, which is possible to climb up with views of Copenhagen.

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Address: South of Christianshavn amongst the ramparts.
Website: http://www.christiania.org/

Thorvaldsen's Museum is next to the Christiansborg Palace and the Parliament Buildings. Bertel Thorvaldsen was a Dane who became famous as a sculptor throughout early C19th Europe.

So famous, in fact, that the museum in Copenhagen was built in his lifetime, to house his sculptures and his art collection.

The Museum building is absolutely beautiful. It surrounds a simple central courtyard. The galleries run around the edge,with lovely ceilings, illuminated by big windows. The fantastic collection of classical sculptures are placed in the alcoves, or along the walls, lit theatrically by the daylight.

There are also some more modern sculptures and also a collection of C19th furniture.

One of the finest examples, in my view, of a 19th century art gallery.

Entrance price was about 30DK for an adult. Or go on 'free' Wednesday.

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Phone: (+45) 33 32 15 32
Address: Bertel Thorvaldsens Plads 2
Directions: Centre of the city near Gammel Stand, next door to the Christiansborg Palace.
Website: http://www.thorvaldsensmuseum.dk

Located 35 km north of Copenhagen on the Øresund coast at Humlebæk. This makes a great day trip.

People come from all over the world to see Louisiana.

World class collection of paintings and sculpture, Danish and International (e.g. Giacometti). Housed in an unusual maze of galleries in woodland next to the beach.

There is a bus or you can pay for a train ticket at Copenhagen Station which includes admission to the gallery, saving you money.

See my Humlebæk Page

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Address: Humlebæk, on coast road/railway to Helsingor
Website: http://www.louisiana.dk

Thanks to the amazing engineering of the Øresund Bridge it is possible to get to Sweden easily and quickly. A great day trip, you can tell all your friends you've been to two Scandinavian countries :-)

Malmö is where you will find youself. It is a small Swedish city, like a mini-Copenhagen, with historic Squares, buildings and plenty of parks.

I only wish I had spent more time there.

See my Malmo Page. Or the Tourist Information office in the station at Malmö has plenty of free leaflets and maps.

One thing that annoyed me was that Sweden (understandably) use Swedish crowns as currency. You wil have to change some of your Danish currency.

The return train fare to Malmö was 140 Danish krone in October 2004. It takes about 45 minutes.

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Website: http://www.malmo.se/english