“Copenhagen is the coolest kid on the Nordic block. Edgier than Stockholm and worldlier than Oslo, the Danish capital gives Scandinavia the X factor,” the lonely planet claims and after experiencing it firsthand we have to agree. After a full day at sea on our cruise through the Baltic Sea, København, Denmark was our first port of call and we were for a family friendly adventure. We had two days in this modern yet classic capital finding excitement, beauty, and a touch of hippy love as we walked through the streets from the canals to Christianshavn.

We love how accessible cities in Europe are by foot. Each day we averaged 8-10 miles of just walking around and exploring the different cities and Copenhagen gained a gold star for pedestrian travel in our book, but you may want to pick and choose your key spots depending on how long the kiddos’ energy will last. Walking along the canals we fell in love with the vibrant colors on the buildings even for a cloudy day they seemed to brighten up the sky. Although there are far less of them than in Amsterdam, they surpassed my expectations and some even beat out its neighboring port.

“Tails” from Langelinie Park

Travel Tip >> If you’re on a cruise and didn’t pick up a Copenhagen travel map, simply follow the crowd and you’ll find your way to the first main attraction to kick off your explorations. Be one with the “sheeple” 

It’s the basic principle of accepting being a sheeple, once you find your way to the first main stop there will be some resource or tour guide company begging for your business. In this case the first main stop was the iconic Little Mermaid statue, perched by on a smooth rock by the sea with the old shipping island of Refshaleøen behind her. If you’re coming from city center, it’s a bit far, but walking is never a true chore in cities like Copenhagen, especially when you’re too distracted by its colorful culture and architecture to worry about your feet. For as much hype as the statue has in tour books, it’s smaller than you might imagine once you reach her domain.

Hans Christian Anderson, a children’s storybook legend wrote the classic story of The Little Mermaid and lived many days of his life in Copenhagen. We always appreciated his talents in the classical nostalgic sense, but we recently found a new appreciation after discovering he wrote series of travelogues back in the mid 1800’s, including a visit to my beloved Spain in 1866. It’s incredible to think how many lives his works touched and to see one of his most famed fairy tales memorialized with such permanence was pretty special.

As we trekked on we walked through Langelinie Park where there were towering sculptures sprinkled throughout the grounds, a playground, and a pier. Many of the artistic creations had angels atop, including a tall pillar with one waving gloriously toward the bay that stood as a proud tribute to sailors coming in and out of the channel. Another triangular sculpture with a winged goddess perched memorialized local workers and their life’s labor that they dedicated to the local economy, their families, and beyond.

Down the park path we found a beautiful statue of Princess Marie of Orleans (1865 -1909) that stands tall with a mother and baby sitting at her feet. She was a French princess by birth and a Danish princess by marriage to her husband Prince Valdemar. Briefly learning about her legacy she seemed like a pretty amazing woman and although she never did learn the Danish language, she broke the mold of traditional women in court life by actively participating in political movements and is described as “impulsive, witty, and energetic” introducing a more relaxed style to the stiff royal lifestyle. Even in stone there is something regal about her presence and as a mother and child sit at the foot of her sculpture. Although We are indeed proud Americans and believe in the foundations and purposes of democracy, moments like these remind you why little girls dreamed of being princesses one day and why monarchies tend to be almost romantic in our minds.

Is Christiania Family-Friendly?

Travel Tip >> You’ll have to decide whether this hippy town fits into your family philosophy or not. It’s “Green Light District” may fire up your teens’ imaginations of hemp products but there are a few gems to experience in this interesting little community. 

From white table cloths to picnic benches and homemade houses, it is amazing that just 10 minutes walking distance you can find yourself in Christiania, often referred to as the “city within a city.” It is a place where artists, musicians, students, hippies and yes – families – all co-exist in community. We’ve traveled to a wide range of different countries including many third world destinations and we always like to remind people that although a place may not have the best curb appeal – families do still call it their home. It may be a simple lesson in keeping an open mind to diversity, but you’ll have to decide what’s right for your brood.

When the community was established in the early 1970’s locals basically took over former military barracks so the buildings aren’t much to look at. In fact at first glance it looks like a run-down town under a bridge, decorated with colorful graffiti art, scrap metal sculptures, skate ramps, and residents from all walks of life. For some maybe that’s all it is, for others its an insight into a unique sub-culture of this amazing city.

If your family leans on the conservative side we’d recommend staying to the outskirts of the community where you will still see cultural ornaments scattered around the grounds. If you go to the heart of the area, you’ll find the “Green Light District” which is an acceptable place for marijuana propaganda and usage – which may very well spark your teenagers imagination if they aren’t already familiar with it from the legalization in America. Keep in mind cameras are not allowed in this area so if you do venture in you’ll need to file those away. Given this we’ll let you decide if it fits within your family philosophy but hope it gives you a little insight to help you make your decision.

Craving more about Denmark?

Read all about the royals and a few memorable churches in our post Copenhagen: From Steeples to Regals

Check out the charm of Fredericia Denmark with our Travel Guide and Tips