Copenhagen, Denmark, Day 1

During our first trip to Denmark, we spent two full days exploring the capital city. The copper-domed building in the opening photo is Frederik's Church, also called The Marble Church.

We began the day with a harbor and canal tour. It's always fun to see a city from a watery vantage point.

Coming into Nyhavn ("New Harbor" in English) on our harbor cruise.

Nyhavn in the heart of old town Copenhagen is popular with the locals as well as tourists. Nyhavn was built by King Christian V in the mid 1600s.

Today Nyhavn harbors historical wooden ships and offers a wide variety of cafes, bars, and restaurants. It is not uncommon to see artists at work and musicians playing their instruments along the harbor's walkways.

Next stop: Rosenborg Castle. A beautiful example of King Christian IV's many building projects. In the Renaissance style, Rosenborg was originally built as a country summer house. Like so many castles, it was expanded several times. 

The Danish Crown Regalia and the Crown Jewels are on display in the Treasury for visitors to enjoy viewing.

Gold and emerald set for the queen's use above. Below is just one of the crowns on display. 

It's fitting that guards are present as Rosenborg Castle to ensure that the Royal Danish jewels are kept safe. Rosenborg also features Denmark's oldest royal gardens. 

Next stop: the Round Tower or "Rundetaarn" in Danish. Another building project by King Christian IV, the Round Tower was originally built as an astronomical observatory.

The unique feature of its spiral equestrian staircase, made for horses to walk up the tower, provides an easy climb for visitors. Rather than stairs, the gentle sloping walkway takes 10-15 minutes to climb. 

Above: a view of Copenhagen's spires from the top of the Round Tower. Denmark is a flat country, so it's doesn't take much elevation to get panoramic views. The copper-topped turret below is located at the opposite end of the building that the Round Tower is attached to. It houses an academic library, a chapel, and Trinitatis Church.

Next stop: Tivoli Gardens Amusement Park. Locally known simply as "Tivoli," it is the third oldest amusement park in the world.

Music performances, as well as other types of entertainment, such as pantomime, can be enjoyed here. Below: the octopus climbing up the side of the ship's hull caught my attention. 

Lush landscaping, water features, and exotic architecture combined with fun offerings typical of amusement parks make Tivoli a delightful experience for everyone. A must-see in Copenhagen!