Copenhagen by Canal

It’s my birthday and I am out to explore Copenhagen by canal.  

I wake up feeling better than yesterday.  I haven’t been well and despite being rather desperate to get out and explore Copenhagen, I spent the previous day in bed, somewhat resigned to the fact that today may be spent the same way.

The boys tumble in, excited enough for all of us.  They can barely contain themselves and they wish me a happy birthday and proffer gifts and home made cards.  The cuddles and excitement are always the best gifts but the other things are nice too – some pjs, lipsticks and eyeshadows, body cream and a ticket to the ballet in a couple of nights.  Feeling rather special, we have some breakfast and mum (who has been sick as well) and I decide we’re able to head out for at least a while.

A tour seems a good option given our delicate state so we jump on the big red bus from near central station and hop off at Børsen, the old Stock Exchange building.  The spire here is fashioned as four entwined dragon’s tails which gets me in the spirit of adventure for the day.  As we emerge from the bus a procession of mounted guards cross in front of us in formation through the city.  We’re not headed to the same place as the guards, however, and we jump on the waiting barge for a tour of the city from the water.

The tour starts at the terminal next to the Church of Holmen and works its way down to the Inderhavn harbor with the fancy Standard restaurant, past Nyhavn, the Royal Danish Playhouse and the new Opera House and over to view the Little Mermaid.  Along this stretch the Port Authority also sits, proudly flanked by the Royal Pavilions.  This is where the Danish royalty embark on their private yacht for summer holidays.

From here it crosses over to the other side of the water and takes us along another canal and past the Freetown Christiana area.  There are some very cool houses and apartments here not to mention some very nice boats as we travel along the Christianshavn Canal, parallel to Overgaden Oven Vandet.  From here we glimpse the gold tipped spiral of the Vor Frelsers Kirke (the Church of Our Savior).

From here we cross over the Inderhavn harbor again and circle back to the dock along Frederiksholms Kanal, past the Civiletatens Materialgård, the military storage facility and Christiansborg Palace, the former royal residences.

This stretch of canal that wraps around Slotsholmen (the Castle Islet), has an alarming number of very low bridges and a couple of very sharp turns for a boat as long as this one.  As we turn a particularly sharp turn in the canal back around to the front where Christiansborg Palace can be viewed, the stone detail in the bridges strikes me as rather impressive and worth taking note of.

It’s been a pleasant tour but now the boys are getting a bit irritable and hungry.    We disembark, grateful that the rain has held off, and decide to take the short walk up to Nyhavn for a celebratory lunch.  After all, who can really get enough of Copenhagen’s pretty canals?

Good To Know

There is no need to book your canal tour. Kronometertrappen run tours run regularly although they are tide dependent. Check the timetable and availability in advance to ensure you are not left waiting. The tour begins near Holmen’s Church opposite the historic Stock Exchange building. Tours guides provide information in Danish, English and German.

Would I Return?

Yes.  Perhaps not for another tour but there is much to love regarding this city’s canals.  In summer there are bathing spots for swimming and boating activities galore.  Many buildings, including the restaurants at the Standard, take in the water views for various forms of recreation and who can resist a drink or ice cream simply soaking up the scene along Nyhavn.