An Afternoon at Tivoli Gardens: One of the World’s Oldest Theme Parks

I’ve spent a fair share of time with children. So much so that the thought of going to another arcade or theme park can give me the shivers. I feel they can be overwhelmingly daunting, featuring way too much visual and audio stimulation paired with an unHealthy helping of bad quality food.

But these preconceptions changed after visiting Tivoli Gardens, one of the world’s oldest and most charming amusement parks. Set in the heart of Copenhagen, this park is more than just a place for kids to overdose on sugar and ride rollercoasters until they can’t walk straight—it’s a slice of theme park History that gets adult visitors just as excited as children.

A Stroll Through History at Tivoli Gardens

As the name suggests, Tivoli Gardens isn’t just a theme park with loud rollercoasters and unique themed rides. It’s home to one of the most beautifully manicured gardens in Copenhagen, if not Denmark. Within minutes of arriving, I passed by plenty of senior citizens enjoying the gardens just as much as five-year-olds were enjoying the bumper cars. There are few amusement parks that blend child-friendly activities with adult ones as well as this one.

As one of the oldest continually running amusement parks in the world, Tivoli Gardens was first built in 1843 by Georg Carstensen. At this time, it was conceived as a leisurely garden where tourists and locals could enjoy a lush green space amidst the city. Among those who would visit the park were none other than Walt Disney and Hans Christian Andersen. It was the gardens that inspired Andersen to write the fairytale Nightingale, and the ambiance that Disney wanted to recreate in his own park.

Over the years, the garden has evolved into a cultural icon of Denmark, housing musical theatres, restaurants, pirate ships, grand entrances, and iconically, the Roller Coaster, which is now one of the oldest wooden roller coasters still operating.

Getting There

One of my favorite things about Copenhagen is its manageable size. Even if you don’t have a bicycle, the city is super easy to get around by foot or using public transport. Tivoli Gardens is located right in the heart of the city center in the Vesterbro øst Copenhagen, Denmark, quite literally across the street from the Copenhagen Central Station, which services trains from within Denmark and across Europe.

From the iconic Nyhavn waterfront or the Strøget shopping center, the park is just a leisurely twenty-minute stroll away. If walking isn’t for you, you could catch the number 26 bus from Nyhavn to Tivoli Gardens and be there within 13 minutes.

From Strøget, it’s just a 12-minute walk or an 8-minute bus ride on the 31 or 2A bus line. Public transport costs DKK 24 per direction within the city. To buy tickets, make sure you download the DOT Tickets app on your phone.

From the airport to the Central Station (which is about ten steps from the entrance of Tivoli), you can catch the metro or regional train, which costs around DKK 36 in each direction.

The park itself isn’t massive, stretching around only 83 thousand square meters. In my opinion, this is what makes it such an attractive option. There is nothing more confusing than having to navigate your way around a theme park ensuring you can pass the rides and attractions you want to, knowing there is just no way to see it all. I spent about four hours at Tivoli and can confidently say I walked past all the main sections of the park.

The Best Time to Visit

When you visit Tivoli Gardens, timing is key to ensuring you have the best possible time. Like any tourist attraction or theme park, crowds are to be expected. Crowds are hefty during peak times of the day and seasons, such as weekends and evenings during summer.

Each season brings its own unique charm to the park, from spring blossoms to a lush summer garden to a magical winter wonderland during the festive season. The month around Christmas is another peak period to visit, but it is so beautiful at this time of year that it’s worth managing the crowds to experience the magic of Tivoli at Christmas.

Pro Tip: Because of the light shows, events, and illumination of the park, early evening is one of the most popular times to visit. If avoiding crowds is important to you, visit on a weekday morning for the least crowded experience.

Admission and Budgeting

With a busy schedule and not nearly enough time in this magnificent city, I only had one afternoon to dedicate to Tivoli Gardens. Conveniently, the park was a quick ten-minute walk from my accommodation.

Entry costs differ depending on when you visit and whether there are any special events on show at the park. A standard ticket for one adult costs between 140 (weekdays) and 160 (weekends) DKK, which translates to between $20 and $23. Those below the age of 8 can enter for just 70 DKK.

It’s important to know that this ticket allows you to enter the park and gardens but doesn’t include access to the rides. You’ll have to pay per-ride depending on which ones you take. This is great for adults accompanying kids or those more interested in the shops, restaurants, gardens, and stunning sites than the thrilling rides.

There are about 30 different rides within the park, each costing between 50 and 90 DKK per ride.

Pro Tip: If riding rollercoasters is your thing, you can purchase a once-off entrance and ride pass from 419 DKK ($60), which allows you to try all the rides as many times as you want to. If you plan to ride more than three of the bigger rides, this ticket will be well worth the price. The package also includes free downloads of ride photos onto your phone.

Exploring the Wonders of Tivoli Gardens

As I walked through the grand Station Entrance into the park, I was greeted by formally dressed guards checking tickets. Within minutes of entering the iconic gardens, I felt its unique heritage – this is no ordinary amusement park but one packed with stories and History.

There are over 30 rides to explore in the park. No doubt the most famous is The Roller Coaster (otherwise known as Rutschebanen), a wooden rollercoaster that works like it did when it was built in 1914, with a brakeman onboard each carriage. It’s not the most adrenaline-pumping ride I’ve ever been on, but it was a real experience to ride.

On the other side of the spectrum, The Demon is a modern rollercoaster that incorporates 360-degree VR into the experience. As incredible as this modern Technology is, I can’t help but feel a little ill after such a visually dramatic ride!

For exceptional views over Copenhagen, the Star Flyer is a giant swinging chair that swings you around the sky 80 meters above the ground.

The old-school feel makes this place feel like a wonderland for both kids and adults. As the sun sets, the park lights start to illuminate what looks like a fairytale city. Instead of modern lighting, the park is lit with thousands of tiny individual lightbulbs.

Concerts and Performances

After a couple of hours of enjoying the main rides, it was time to relax and be entertained. The night I visited, a ballet show was running at the Pantomime Theatre, an open-air theatre that has a daily schedule of shows.

On Friday evenings, live band plays at the theatre, where visitors can relax on the soft lawn and enjoy different music shows.

The Tivoli Illuminations are a light show that happen every evening as the sun sets around The Tivoli Lake. You can expect a multitude of lasers, fire, smoke, and water fountains dancing about in a spectacular show of colors, music, and lights. The best place to view the illuminations is from the bridge over the lake or in front of The Star Tower. The shows happen every evening at 21.30 from Sunday to Thursday and at 22.30 on Fridays and Saturdays.

Theme Park Culinary Delights

No trip to Tivoli would be complete without savoring the delicious array of food and beverage options on offer. In fact, I would go so far as to say that this might have been the highlight of my time in the park.

Many of the food options can be found in the official Food Hall, which you can access without a ticket to the park. Open between 11.00 and 22.00 Sunday to Thursday and 11.00 to 23.00 on Fridays and Saturdays in summer, the food hall is home to fifteen different food stalls serving up a delicious selection of local Danish and international meals. From burgers to salads to Indian cuisine, pizza to French fare, Asian Fusion to traditional smorrebrod, it’s not hard to find a tasty meal here.

I started my culinary adventure in the park itself, which is scattered with sweet stands, churro stations, ice cream parlors, and candy floss stands. Within the park, there are another 40 or so restaurants, cafes, and food sellers, including a beer garden for social adults and the high-end Nimb Brasserie at the Nimb Hotel. Depending on where you eat, you can expect to spend between $20 and $50 for a delicious meal.

Pro Tip: Don’t eat too many sweet treats before going on extreme rides, such as The Demon and Vertigo. To avoid nausea and indigestion, save your apPetite until after you’ve enjoyed these head and stomach-turning rollercoasters.