Tivoli Gardens, Copenhagen, Besucherguide & was in der Nähe unternehmen

Tivoli Gardens is a historic amusement park and garden in the centre of Copenhagen, opened in 1843 and still one of the oldest of its kind in the world. It sits right beside the main railway station and City Hall Square, which makes it easy to fold into almost any day in the city.

The story behind it

Tivoli opened in 1843 as a place built for pleasure and spectacle: gardens, pavilions, music and entertainment in the middle of a city that was then still tightly bound by its old fortifications. The idea was to create a small, theatrical world apart from everyday routine, and that spirit is still what the park trades on.

Over the years it has mixed fairground rides with theatre, concerts, flower beds and a lake, and it has become part of how Copenhagen sees itself. Its address on H. C. Andersens Boulevard also ties it to the city's most famous storyteller, Hans Christian Andersen, whose name the street carries.

What to look for

• Look at the entrance area and the decorative details around it, where the playful, fantastical design sets the tone before you step into the gardens.
• Walk around the lake and the garden paths, which give a calmer side of Tivoli away from the rides.
• Notice how the buildings and pavilions mix different styles, which gives the park its storybook look.
• Come back after dark if you can, when the lights change the mood of the whole place.

Tips for your visit

• Entry to the park requires a ticket and opening periods vary through the year, so check current opening hours and entry details before you go.
• Allow a couple of hours for a relaxed stroll, or much longer if you plan to try the rides and eat inside the park.
• Late afternoon into evening is a lovely time, as the daylight fades and the lights come on.
• You are close to the main railway station, City Hall Square and the pedestrian streets, so it pairs well with a walk through the old centre.

See it on a quest

Lost Stories and Hidden Streets: Andersen’s Copenhagen is a good way to meet Tivoli on foot. You reach it as one stop on a longer self-guided route through the surrounding streets, the app tells you about each place as you arrive, and you solve a puzzle in what is right in front of you. The Andersen theme fits the neighbourhood well. It is a paid quest, and one ticket covers the whole group. You can start whenever you like, with no guide and no group to join.