Our grand finale in Copenhagen on Sunday evening was to go to Tivoli Gardens before we left on Monday. We had walked by it a million times since it is right across from the main train station, just blocks from our hotel and takes up 20 acres of Copenhagen.
It is like a fantasy land in a city that is already like a fantasy land to us.
It has lots of old fashioned rides since it became Europe's first great public amusement park in 1843.
It's been known for it's beautiful gardens and we took some time to walk around and look at them all when we first arrived.
Walking around, you could imagine what it was like when it was new in the mid-1800's. It was an attempt to introduce Danes to the world and to bring people of all classes together.
We waited until dusk to come here because we knew it was beautiful at night with all the lights and some 110,000 lanterns. It was Hans Christian Andersen's favorite place in Copenhagen.
My favorite was looking at all the food and there was a lot of it; your typical amusement park fare such as freshly made cotton candy
candied apples
candy shops with lots of lollipops
and of course, lots and lots of ice cream places with waffle cones.
I can see how this place would be a child's paradise along with all the games, roulette wheels, and funny mirrors.
They also have lots of modern, screaming-type rides for adults so there is something for everyone. You automatically think of Disneyland when you first walk in but there is something about Tivoli Gardens that is wonderfully and happily Danish. We had a relaxing dinner while we were there at one of the many, many restaurants. Ours was called Faergekroen and it was a lovely, lakeside German inspired restaurant.
Bruce had wienerschnitzel and I had their special lamb shank with a generous portion of mashed potatoes. The one thing I've noticed here in Sweden and Denmark is how they love their potatoes! We get potatoes with every dinner, plus sometimes a bowl on the side for some extra. I'm not complaining, it's just something you don't see in the U.S. because of the bad rap that potatoes have for being "fattening". I'm enjoying every minute here and also enjoying my potatoes.
After dinner, we stayed to watch the light show over the lake to close out our evening. It was more like a laser, water, smoke and fire show all to music.
The next morning before we left town, Bruce and I took a stroll down to Cafe Norden where we first had our smorrebrod, and had our last Danish pastry on Amagertorv Square.
It was a bitter sweet ending to our Wonderful Copenhagen stay. We know more adventures await us ahead as we journey to Italy but it's still a little sad to leave this magical place.
Looks like an amazing place, and the food, wow. Keep writing!
ReplyDeleteGreat account of Copenhagen! Looks like it really could be a home away from home.
ReplyDeleteYes, indeed!
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