The Copenhagen Card, the city’s official tourist card, has been in business since 1984, offering savings for travellers. Having one card that gets you into over 80 museums and local attractions, and allows you to ride on public transit (including to and from the airport) is super convenient when visiting a new city.
There are two main cards to choose from: Discover (admission to over 80 attractions, plus public transit including to/from the airport) and Hop (admission to over 40 city attractions plus Hop-on/Hop-off sightseeing busses).
[The Copenhagen Card includes a one-hour city boat tour]
It’s easy to figure out whether or not the Copenhagen Card is cost-effective. The website’s savings calculator lets you select type of card, attractions that you’re aiming to visit and then calculates the total cost of those admissions versus the price of a Copenhagen Card.
Prices start at USD $73 for an adult 24-hour card, and go up to USD $175 for a 120-hour card. Within that range are 48-, 72- and 96-hour cards.
Children aged 3 to 11 gain free admission to included attractions when accompanied by an adult with a paid card, and junior cards (12-15 years old) are discounted.
There were a few key points of interest that I wished to see while in the Danish capital.
Tivoli Gardens
No visit to Copenhagen would be complete without a stop at the world-famous Tivoli Gardens. From seasonal decor spread amongst the gardens to thousands of coloured lights that create a magical vibe, Tivoli has impressed visitors since 1843, counting H.C. Anderson and Walt Disney amongst its patrons.
There’s an onsite food hall open year-round (free street access), and within the Gardens is a wide range of both savoury and sweet treats for all tastes and budgets. The Copenhagen Card will grant you entry; tickets for rides can be purchased on an individual or unlimited basis.
Glyptoteket
This stunning museum, regarded for its marble sculptures and palm-filled winter garden, is filed with over 10,000 works of art and archeological objects.
It was founded in 1897 by brewer Carl Jacobsen (of Carlsberg Brewing Company). Auguste Rodin fans will be pleased to discover an outstanding collection of works by the sculptor. A collection of Danish Golden Age art is also on display.
Designmuseum Denmark
Located right next to Amalienborg, Rococo-style Copenhagen Designmuseum Denmark houses one of the world’s largest collections of Danish design, from art Nouveau to contemporary pieces.
Rococo architecture, popular during the reign of Louis XV in France (from 1715 to 1774), is exceptionally ornamental in style, characterized by the use of motifs such as shells, curves, mascarons, arabesques, and other classical elements.
[The history of Danish modern design is a new permanent exhibit, opened on June 7]
The eye-catching museum includes works by famous Danish designers such as Arne Jacobsen, Jacob Jensen and Kaare Klint, one of two architects that remodelled the former Frederiks Hospital into the Designmuseum in the 1920’s.
Onsite is a lovely garden, cafe, museum shop and library. I was particularly interested in the IRMA exhibition (on through August 11). IRMA – A DESIGN STORY focuses on Denmark’s supermarket chain and its iconic branding.
Irma humbly began in a small basement shop in Nørrebro. Since then, their collection of cool products and promotional items have left an indelible mark on the Danes.
At its heart, Irma is a true design story, and as a career-long graphic designer, I was enchanted with how the girl in the blue dress evolved through the decades, as the ‘spokesperson’ for the now-defunct chain. Note that many museums are closed on Mondays.
The Copenhagen Card, in digital format, works hand in hand with the Copenhagen Card Guide City app (Android, iOS, free download). When you’re ready to use the Card, open the app, find My Cards to add your unique code, and you’re set!
Even better, once you’ve redeemed the card in the app, you won’t need WiFi to use it.
I was provided a 72-hour Copenhagen Discover Card for the purpose of visiting several attractions while in Copenhagen. Opinions, as always, remain my own.
