Experiencing Copenhagen History and Architecture by Boat

Experiencing Copenhagen History and Architecture by Boat

Copenhagen is traversed by a network of canals, so admiring the city sailing through her canals is an ideal way to explore. During our visit to Copenhagen, we were so enamored with a boat tour of the city appreciating architecture and history that we savored two canal boat tours. In addition to absorbing the city while enjoying time on the water, we learned quite a bit from each of our tour guides.

Each of our tours started in slightly different spots in Copenhagen not too far from each other. Both tours allowed you to bring beverages on board. Our departure point for Canal Tours was near a mini outdoor bar. For our Netto Boat Tour, we were not immediately near a spot for beverages.


Viewing Prominent Structures from the Canals:

Christiansborg Slot impresses at it rises above the canal.

Some of the first structures we floated by were incredibly significant including Christiansborg Slot which is currently the seat of the Parliament. Castles have stood on this spot since 1167 with the current one being constructed in 1907. I will have more details on Christiansborg Slot in a future post and you will find its history quite intriguing!

Børsen the Old Stock Exchange constructed in the 1600s with a spire of four intertwined dragon tails.

Copenhagen is full of interesting spires! Situated next to Christiansborg is Børsen which is the old stock exchange constructed in the 1600s. If you look at the interesting spire, you will notice four intertwined dragon tails with three crowns atop representing the Scandinavian empire (Denmark, Sweden and Norway).

Sailing by the aesthetically pleasing and intriguing Copenhagen Opera House.

Soon after Børsen,  we passed was the Copenhagen Opera House. The landmark was designed by Danish architect Henning Larsen and donated by A.P. Moller and Chastine McKinney Moller Foundation to the Danish people.

Making a Stop by the Little Mermaid:

The Little Mermaid draws a crowd!

We did, of course, see the special lady -- the Little Mermaid. However, from the boat tours you will see the back. So, definitely go visit her to get the whole effect!

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A City of Spires:

Spiral spire with stairs on Church of Our Saviour.

One of the fun shots on the boat tours is to take a picture of the spire of the Church of Our Saviour. You really only have about a second to take the shot before your line of sight is obscured by a tree. Check out the spiral -- people really do climb on the outside to the top. Wow!

A City of Bridges:

The Circle Bridge immediately draws attention.

During our adventure, we ducked under a number of bridges with one in particular lacking much clearance. We learn a little background of several of the more unique bridges. One of the more interesting aesthetically is known as the "Circle Bridge."

A City of Boats:

In addition to enjoying a boat ride through the canals, you will no doubt be inspired by a variety of other boats throughout the canals and harbor. What is not to love about this lofty tall ship used for training:

Lofty tall ship in Copenhagen

Copenhagen Boat Tours:

You can embark canal tours at different points including Nyhavn which is a beautiful 17th century waterfront populated with brilliant buildings. Nyhavn is a popular spot to photograph, so I am sure that it looks familiar!

Vibrant and beautiful Nyhavn.

We loved our travels in and out of canals and along the harbor. We learned something new on each tour and enjoyed viewing Copenhagen from a unique perspective. We traveled both with Canal Tours Copenhagen and Netto Boat Tours. We loved each tour and would recommend either depending on your schedule and preferences.

**Disclosure: No compensation was received for this post. All opinions are 100% my own.