Tivoli Gardens, Copenhagen

In April 2017, while I was visiting Copenhagen, I met an American girl, Janet, and we visited the city together. The weather was very cold, and it felt like proper Winter. On my last evening in Denmark, we went to the Tivoli Gardens. Suddenly, it was Christmas.

Tivoli Gardens Are Not Actual Gardens

Tivoli Gardens are actually an amusement park.

Fun fact: the park is one of the oldest amusement parks still active in the world. To be precise, it is the third oldest. It opened in 1843 and is not an ordinary amusement park. In fact, it is today considered a national treasure. And for good reason! It inspired famous people along the years: apparently, Andersen, the Danish fairytale writer, visited it several times. Also, it is said that it’s where Walt Disney got the idea to create Disney World!

In total, it includes 26 roller coasters during Summer, and a bit more during the holiday seasons such as Halloween and Christmas. Some of the rides are pretty ancient. For example, the “Roller coaster” is one of the oldest wooden roller coasters on the planet. It was created in 1914 and you can still ride it today. In the Tivoli Gardens, you’ll see modern roller coasters, but also old school carousels: the Classic Carousel, the Music Carousel and the Swing Carousel (used during the Halloween and Christmas seasons).

Much More Than Just An Amusement Park

With their 8 acres, the Tivoli Gardens are not exactly small. Sure, if you compare them with Disney World’s Magic Kingdom’s 142 acres, it can seem tiny. However, you have to remember the gardens are more than just an amusement park. Located right in the heart of Copenhagen, they are part of the city’s history and life. The park hosts events, concerts, it even has an open-air theatre, a Concert Hall and a Food Hall.

What I liked about the park is that it seemed to be made for everybody! I liked walking around the park. Some places are quiet and inspiring, while some others are very loud. It seemed like it could be the perfect place for a romantic date, but also for a teenager’s party or for taking the kids to play. And no matter your mood, you would find happiness there. Maybe it was because I had a great evening that day, maybe some people would hate it and think it’s too much, I don’t know. All I know is that I enjoyed it very much and thought it was beautiful.

Christmas In April

I thought that in April, in Denmark and Sweden, I would see the first flowers of Spring and would appreciate a chilly but not cold weather. Well, I was wrong. It was freaking cold. Janet and I were wearing our warm coats, with the hood on our ears and gloves… Everything! She was from California and just like me, she didn’t expect the weather to be so wintery. So when we saw the lights in the park, it felt like December and Christmas. In fact, the Tivoli Gardens reminded me a bit of Winter Wonderland in London.

Depending on which section of the park you are visiting, the mood and the theme are different. At the beginning, it looked traditional and creative (and sometimes a bit weird), with strange decorations and old carousel horses on the walls. Then, there was a Chinese section, a Pirat ship, some kind of Taj Mahal full of lights, then weird stuff again like elephant plastic heads on mirrors. As romantic as some areas are, there could definitely be a horror movie in that park!

To see more photos of Denmark, you can visit the gallery Denmark.