Arriving in Copenhagen for a Cruise through the Norwegian Fjords and Scottish Isles

We arrive in Copenhagen in the late afternoon the day before departure of our cruise through the Norwegian fjords and then over to the Scottish isles, check into our hotel, and immediately head out into the city.  Our hotel is near Tivoli Gardens, the second oldest amusement park in the world, but we first head the other direction, toward Vesterbro, the renovated former meatpacking district, now trendy clubs and great restaurants, to find something to eat.

 Arriving in Copenhagen

 Dining in the meat-packing district

After dinner, we walk over to Tivoli Gardens and enter a fabulous wonderland.  Tivoli Gardens was named after the Tivoli Gardens in Paris (Jardin de Tivoli amusement park located near the current site of the Saint-Lazare train station) and opened in 1843, occupying 82,717 square meters (20 acres, 8 hectares) just outside the original west gate of the city.  From the beginning, Tivoli included exotic buildings, a theater, band stands, restaurants, cafes, flower gardens, and amusement rides.

 Tivoli concert hall, open air stage

As soon as we enter, we hear the sound of happy people enjoying themselves.  Families, couples, friends, and people on their own fill the park with joy.  Everyone is having fun and so do we.  This is a magical place!

We first wander and see some of the rides scattered through the park, some calm, some terrifying.

Rides

Not only are there exciting rides, but all through the park there are beautiful lakes, gardens, and buildings containing displays of fragile and/or tropical plants and flowers.

 Beautiful grounds and gardens

As we walk by one of the lakes, the fish are all begging for some sort of treat.  We don't have any, but others offer them something to eat.

 Feed me!

As the sun gets lower in the sky, we stop for a glass of wine and watch the lights come on along the paths and walkways throughout the park.

Getting darker

Leaving Tivoli, we cut through Copenhagen's fabulous Central Train station, serving Denmark, Sweden, and European destinations since 1911, the most direct path back to our hotel where we'll crash after our long day travelling from San Francisco (through London) to Denmark.

 Copenhagen Central Train Station