The Little Mermaid, Copenhagen

The Little Mermaid is 1.25 metres tall. This is the fact that registers differently from any photograph. The statue sits on a rock at the water’s edge in Langelinie harbour, 1.5 km north of Copenhagen’s centre, and the gap between expectation and reality is immediate. It was commissioned by brewer Carl Jacobsen, sculpted by Edvard Eriksen, and unveiled in 1913, inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s 1837 fairy tale. More than a century of association has turned a modest bronze figure into one of Denmark’s most recognised symbols – which does not change the fact that the walk along Langelinie harbour is pleasant and the statue itself a five-minute stop.

She has been decapitated twice (1964 and 1998), had her arm sawn off (1984), covered in paint multiple times, and temporarily removed for international exhibitions. She keeps returning to the rock. A copy sits in the Hans Christian Andersen Museum in Odense.

Copenhagen Beyond the Statue

Nyhavn is the most visible Andersen connection in the city: he lived at three addresses in the old harbour district at different periods of his life (numbers 18, 20, and 67). The canal lined with painted townhouses and restaurant terraces is now Copenhagen’s most photographed street. It carries considerably more tourist business than when Andersen lived there, but the architecture is the same.

Christiansborg Palace on the island of Slotsholmen houses the Danish Parliament, Supreme Court, and Ministry of State in a single complex. The ruins of earlier castles on the site (visible in the basement), the royal reception rooms, and the observation tower are all open to visitors. The tower offers the best free view of central Copenhagen.

Tivoli Gardens near Central Station opened in 1843 and was, according to Walt Disney himself, a direct inspiration for Disneyland. The combination of rides, open-air stages, and restaurants makes it more enjoyable than the admission price might suggest, and it is genuinely atmospheric in the evenings.

Food

Copenhagen has consistent claims to being one of the best restaurant cities in Europe, built on the influence of noma and the local produce-driven cooking it popularised. Noma ran its final seasons in 2024 and 2025 – the Ocean Season in spring 2025 was its last – and is now closed. The influence on the broader Copenhagen food scene is permanent; noma alumni have opened a significant number of the best restaurants in the city.

Geranium (three Michelin stars, Osterbro) is the current top-ranked option. Alchemist runs a long tasting menu structured around theatrical presentation and unconventional sourcing. For more casual eating, Torvehallerne market near Norreport station has two covered halls with food stalls, cheesemakers, coffee roasters, and prepared food. The smørrebrød (open sandwiches) at the market stands are the most direct experience of traditional Danish lunch.

Getting There and Around

Copenhagen Airport (Kastrup) is 15 minutes from the city centre by metro (M2 line). The Langelinie harbour walk to the Little Mermaid from Nyhavn is about 25 minutes on foot. The city centre is compact and manageable on foot; cycling is also straightforward on dedicated infrastructure.

Where to Stay

Hotel d’Angleterre on Kongens Nytorv is the historic grand hotel, operating since 1755. Nimb Hotel inside Tivoli Gardens is the most distinctive mid-luxury option. The Norreport and Nørrebro areas have boutique hotels and guesthouses at lower prices, both within 20 minutes’ walk or a short metro ride from the main sites.