Small-Group City Highlights Walking Tour with Local Guide Copenhagen

Kastellet, the star fortress of Copenhagen

Kastellet is one of the best-preserved star-shaped fortresses in Northern Europe. Built in the second half of the seventeenth century to defend the harbour and the city, it still has its five bastions, grassy ramparts and moat, and inside them rows of long red barracks, a church and an old windmill. It remains an active military area, yet it is open to the public as a peaceful park.

Your guide starts the walk here and explains how this fortress protected Copenhagen, and why its ramparts are now a favourite place for locals to stroll and run. Many people search for things to do in Copenhagen that are free and calm; walking the Kastellet ramparts, with views across the moat and the harbour, is one of the best answers, and the tour gives you the history behind it.

Gefion Fountain and the Second World War memorial park

Just outside Kastellet, a green park pays tribute to the heroes of the Second World War, the years when Denmark lived under occupation. Your guide tells the story of this difficult period and of the people who resisted, in a calm setting of trees, lawns and memorials close to the harbour.

Nearby rises the Gefion Fountain, the largest monument in Copenhagen, unveiled in 1908. The bronze sculpture shows the Norse goddess Gefion driving four oxen through rushing water; according to the legend, they are her sons, turned into oxen to plough the land that became the island of Zealand, where Copenhagen stands. The fountain stands on a stone stairway beside a red-brick church and is one of the most impressive photo stops of the tour, especially when the water is running.

The Little Mermaid on the harbour promenade

From the fountain you stroll along the harbour boardwalk to the Little Mermaid, the small bronze statue unveiled in 1913 that has become the symbol of Copenhagen. She sits on a granite rock at the water's edge on the Langelinie promenade, gazing out to sea, and is much smaller than many visitors expect, which is part of her charm.

Your guide tells you her story, which is more dramatic than most people imagine, including the times she has been vandalised and repaired. The walk along the promenade gives you wide views across the harbour to the modern waterfront and the Opera House. If you are asking how to get to the Little Mermaid from the city centre, this walk is the most pleasant way, and the guide helps you find the best angle for photos.

Amalienborg Palace and the Royal Guards

Amalienborg is the residence of the Danish royal family: four identical rococo palaces from the 1750s set around an octagonal cobbled square, with a bronze equestrian statue of the king who founded the surrounding district in the centre. The great dome of the Marble Church closes the view on one side, and the harbour and Opera House on the other.

Royal Guards in dark uniforms and tall bearskin caps stand watch at the sentry boxes. Your guide shares insider stories of the guard, the kind known only to those who have served, and invites you to a playful game: spotting which palace the head of the royal family is in by looking at the flag. Amalienborg Palace is one of the moments travellers remember most from this tour.

Nyhavn and Kongens Nytorv

The walk continues to Nyhavn, the New Harbour, a canal dug in the 1670s and lined with tall townhouses painted in bright colours, with wooden sailing ships moored along the quay. Your guide shows you a special spot for a memorable photo and is happy to take the picture for you, so you leave with a shot of Nyhavn without the usual crowds in the frame.

The tour ends at Kongens Nytorv, the largest square in the city, framed by the Royal Danish Theatre and elegant historic buildings, right beside the long pedestrian shopping street of the old town. From here buses, taxis and the metro are close at hand. Before saying goodbye, your born-and-raised guide gives you personal recommendations for food, sights and neighbourhoods for the rest of your stay.