Denmark with 5.5 million people, is still the smallest country in Scandinavia with area of slightly less than twice the size of Massachusetts. Once the seat of Viking raiders and later a major north European power, Denmark has evolved into a modern, prosperous nation. The 2009 Global Peace Index survey ranks Denmark as the second most peaceful country in the world, after New Zealand. Denmark was also ranked as the least corrupt country in the world in the 2008, sharing a top position with Sweden and New Zealand. Denmark forms a gateway between mainland Europe and the Baltic countries.
Docking and Langelinie Cruise Terminal (arrows)
COPENHAGEN
About one-quarter of the population lives in greater
Copenhagen, the capital of Denmark. Copenhagen is known for an
attractive and affluent lifestyle with
a liberal attitude that rivals Paris or Amsterdam.
It is among the finest of European capitals with much charm, reflected in
its canals, narrow streets, and houses that have stood for hundreds of
years. Bicycles spin alongside automobile traffic, and in the early morning
in the pedestrian streets of the city the air is filled with the aroma of
freshly baked bread and newly scrubbed storefronts. It is a city with
museums, cultural attractions, a lively nightlife, cafes, restaurants, and
entertainment of the highest caliber.... a fantastic tourist destination for every traveler.
Cranes and scaffolding everywhere signify that Copenhagen is building for the future while simultaneously preserving its Danish heritage. The city has been able to preserve unique inner city districts, each with its own indescribable character and uniqueness, from the elegant Osterbro to the ethnic and vibrant Vesterbro.
DOCKING at LANGELINIE CRUISE HARBOR
The Northeastern quay of Copenhagen Harbor is called Langelinie, which means long line. This refers to its long, straight design. Langelinie is the most visited cruise harbor in Europe with more than 500 cruises and half a million passengers visiting the city in 2008. (Large ships that are beginning or ending a cruise in Copenhagen are likely to use the newer Freeport Cruise Terminal, which is in an industrial harbor area well to the North of Langelinie and the city center.) Although Langelinie is sometimes referred to as the "Copenhagen Cruise Terminal," it's less a terminal than a long wharf with shops and an information center operated by the Copenhagen Tourist Office. And you can easily walk to the major tourist sights along Copenhagen's attractive waterfront.
Our ship docked at Langelinie Pier about 1 mile from the center of town. The pier is just north of the Little Mermaid and about 4 km or 2.5 miles from Tivoli and the main railroad station. Many ships will offer a complimentary shuttle service that will deliver you to King’s Square but we chose the walking option.
TRANSPORTATION
Alternatively, you can use your cruise ship's shuttle bus, public transportation or a taxi. The local No. 26 bus will take you from the pier to the City Hall Square, which is right next to Tivoli Gardens, in about 20 minutes. There are three different routes with double-deck-type London buses.
Taxis
The standard of taxis in Copenhagen and Denmark
is generally very high. Most drivers operate Mercedes cars or similar brands
of a standard that you might consider "Limousine service".
Taxi fares and licenses are regulated the authorities
Public Bus Service
(Yellow buses)
If you have a Copenhagen Card it will enable you to use the buses free of
charge.
The Copenhagen Card (CPH CARD) also gives
you free entry to more
than 60 museums and attractions throughout the Greater Copenhagen Region
including free entrance to Tivoli. Furthermore, the card gives you free
transport by train, bus and Metro. However, most cruise passengers have limited time
in Copenhagen so it may not be a wise investment to purchase the card.
If you do choose
the CPHCARD purchase it online a minimum of 10 days before arriving to
Copenhagen.
Otherwise, the minimum
price of a one-way ticket on the bus for adults (two zones) is 14 Danish Kroner (1.90
euro). This ticket will be valid for one hour after the time of purchase,
and will enable you to travel on bus or train within the city of Copenhagen.
One bus terminal is situated right across from the Tivoli Gardens. A range
of bus services and taxis can be used from here.
You’ll find the other terminal at the west end of City Hall Square in a
black building, which is a combined bus terminal and tourist information
service. A sign on one side of the building shows destinations and departure
times of the various services available as well as the letter of the
platform from which they depart.
All buses are colored brightly yellow making them
easily identifiable from a distance.
Bus number 29, will pass by many of the most interesting attractions of
Copenhagen along its route: City Hall, Christiansborg (Parliament), Royal
Opera, King's New Square, Nyhavn ("New Harbour"), Amalienborg (Residence of
the Royal Family) and Langelinie ("Site of The little mermaid"). From the
bus terminal at the City Hall choose service 29 in the direction bound for "Nordhavn".
Hop-on, Hop-off
Sightseeing Buses
If you gave up on figuring out how to use the yellow buses, an alternative
is one of the two hop-on, hop-off sightseeing bus services provided by
"Copenhagen Pride" and "Copenhagen Excursions" respectively. Just as in
London you can ride in an open double-decker bus, which will take you
through a selection of the most popular sights in Copenhagen. The service is
available from April to October. A full, uninterrupted trip takes around 1
hour, and you can choose to get off or on at any of the many sights. The
tickets can be purchased on the bus or booked on-line and are valid for two
full days. An adult ticket costs around 180 Danish Kroner (24 euro). This is
a great way to get an overview of the general layout of the city centre
Tour Boats .....You can also take canal and harbor tours by boat. There are two main canal tour operators: DFDS Canal Tours and Netto-Bådene. The blue Netto boats start at Nyhavn and Holmens Church. The DFDS boats start at Nyhavn and Gammel Strand. There are guided tours in Danish, English and German and unguided tours. The tours are of various durations, so check the route before you go. The most common tour is a 60 minutes guided tour where you will pass the following sights: Nyhavn, The Little Mermaid, Amalienborg Castle, Holmen, The Opera, The Royal Library (The Black Diamond), Christiansborg, The Stock Exchange, Langelinie, Christianshavn Canal and more… If you decide to take the main tour (as mentioned above) you should go with the Netto boats. The Netto boats costs only 30 DKK (adults) while DFDS Canal Tours costs 60 DKK (adults) for a nearly similar tour (2008 prices).
Copenhagen City Bikes
A unique feature of Copenhagen traffic is the important role played by the
bicycle. The local authorities have it as part of their traffic policy to
actively improve the conditions for bicyclists in the central Copenhagen
area, and this is clearly visible by the many dedicated bicycle lanes along
the streets of the city. It has become an inseparable part of the everyday
culture of living in Copenhagen to be part of the bicycling movement.
An independent foundation has managed in co-operation with
private sponsors and the local authorities to establish the "Copenhagen City
Bike Scheme", whereby more than 2.500 bicycles are made available for use by
tourists and citizens freely in the period between 15th May and 15th
December of each year. In order to use these bicycles you need first to find
one of 125 racks distributed across the inner city, and when you find a rack
with a bike available, you should insert a Danish coin representing the
value of 20 Danish Kroner (2,50 euro) in a special slot. This will release
the bike, which you may then take anywhere within the city centre. Remember
to return the bike to a rack and recollect your 20 Kroner deposit.
The City Bike foundation has a web page, where you can read more about the
concept and also see a map of the area within which you may take the bike.
Car Rental
It is of course also possible to rent your own car through any of the
international rental agencies. Hertz, Avis and Europcar all have offices in
the area situated next to Vesterport Station.
GOVERNMENT
Copenhagen is
Denmark's only major city with the parliament, government and monarchy all
situated in the heart of the city where tourist, especially in the summer,
seem to outnumber the locals. The city has a definite international
personality and is home to headquarters to many of Europe's most progressive
commercial and financial enterprises as well as a number of cultural and
humanitarian organizations.
POPULATION: city/metro, 1,027,900
TIME ZONE:
GMT/UTC +1 or Central European
Time.
Flight times: Paris - 2
hrs.; London - 2 hrs.; Los Angeles - 11 hrs.; NYC - 8.5 hrs.
WEATHER
Copenhagen is a city that is fairly easy to navigate in a wheelchair on
your own as it is predominately flat. Tour guide Steffen Harbirk of
Harbirk´s Bustrafik www.harbirk.dk
info@harbirk.dk has accessible bus
tours for both solo disabled travelers and groups: a city sightseeing tour,
a castle tour or a tailor-made tour. The company is a family-owned company
with a fleet of 22 buses all equipped with facilities that make a bus tour
easy, relaxing and comfortable for disabled guests. Because of a special
seat and floor construction, each bus is adjusted specifically to each
customer. Guests in wheelchairs can stay in the wheelchairs during the tour,
as wheelchairs are locked to the floor. Guests can also use the lift and sit
on a regular seat if they like.
There are also many museums that are wheelchair
accessible. However, many shops, except the malls, are not easy to get around
in. The shopping area known as Strøget is accessible but many of the small
shops are impossible to enter. If you need a Danish wheelchair, it is
possible to rent one in Denmark. For wheelchair accessibility in
Copenhagen establishments, look for this Accessibility Label.
