Tivoli Gardens :: Copenhagen

For over 150 years, Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen, Denmark has delighted, entertained, surprised, and excited visitors from all over. Originally part of Copenhagen’s fortifications, the land was granted by King Christian VIII to Gerog Carstensen for the specific purpose of amusing the people. Surprisingly, the Danish people do not take this fantastic attraction for granted, and have continued to show up in droves to this traditional “Pleasure Garden” generation after generation. In fact, Tivoli Gardens averages approximately five million visitors a year! With such a mundane sounding name you would think that it would just be twenty plus acres of trees, birds, and flowers. How wrong you would be. Although three quarters of the park are considered open space areas, there is no lack of fun to be had here. Rides, restaurants, music, live entertainment, and so much more are waiting for you; so hop aboard and see what Scandinavians and tourists alike have been raving about since 1843.

[php snippet=1]A summertime ritual, Tivoli Gardens is rife with color, vibrance, and the sparkle of thousands upon thousands of twinkling lights. Day time visitors (typically families with children) experience nearly 30 rides including The Dragon Boats (Dragebådene) and The Pixie Train (Nissetoget) for the kiddies, Galley Ships (Galejen) for those with a little more nerve, and The Demon (Dæmonen) and The Star Flyer (Himmelskibet) for those adrenaline junkies out there. There is also a massive saltwater aquarium (with 100 foot long tropical reef), The Pantomime Theatre, and a summer concert series known as Fredagsrock attracting such big name headliners as Smashing Pumpkins, Sting, and The Pet Shop Boys. Nighttime brings a more mellow vibe and a sort of romantic feel as the sun sets and Tivoli Gardens lights up with its thousands of beautiful little white lights. This is when the dance halls and beer gardens really get going. Then at midnight, the skies come alive with an impressive display of unique and stunning fireworks. With the sounds of the babbling streams and wind through the lush greenery it is almost a mystical experience.

Late spring to early summer brings one of the biggest delights to park goers. This is when 100,000 tulips and hundreds of thousands of other flowers are in spectacular bloom throughout the park. Tivoli Gardens truly lives up to its namesake during this time and it is definitely one of the busier seasons. As if that weren’t enough, visitors can enjoy carnival games, marching bands, and more than 40 restaurants throughout the premise. These eateries range from the very casual hotdog and fast food stands to the extremely opulent (and extremely expensive) gourmet fare. Open mid-April to mid-September daily (autumn and winter months do hold some limited attractions) Tivoli Gardens is a fantastic destination for families and couples alike. Chock full of entertainment and fun, it is impossible to not have a good time. Night or day, Tivoli Gardens is the answer to your “What to do?” blues.

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