One of Copenhagen’s most famous tourist attractions, the Tivoli Gardens opened in 1843. This highly popular entertainment park combines all the fun of fairground rides with fountains and fireworks, concerts and ballets, top-quality restaurants and fast-food outlets. Based on the 18th-century ornamental gardens popular in Europe at the time, Tivoli features Chinese-style pagodas and Moorish pavilions, as well as the Hanging Gardens and the Bubble Fountain.

Among the many fairground rides are a traditional roller coaster, a ferris wheel, and a “freefall” tower, as well as rides designed especially for children. You can also have fun in the amusement arcades and shooting galleries.

The gardens are at their most enthralling after dusk, when thousands of tiny lights illuminate the park. At night, open-air theaters host all forms of entertainment, from jugglers to jazz bands and performances of Italian Commedia Dell`Arte. On Wednesdays and Saturdays there is a spectacular fireworks display just before midnight.

A good time to visit Tivoli is between late November and Christmas. At this time, the gardens are transformed into a bustling Christmas fair, where you can sample traditional Danish seasonal fare, buy many specialty Christmas gifts, and ice-skate on Tivoli Lake.