Tivoli Gardens

In the centre of Copenhagen, we find the flamboyant Tivoli Gardens, founded in 1843. On-site, you find spectacular and rather exotic architecture intertwining with beautiful gardens and landscapes. In addition, there are various carousels, a theatre and an aquarium. Tivoli is a unique mixture of a theme park, eateries and a venue for events – a world to relax in and have fun in the heart of Denmark's capital city! Not only at daytime is it a spectacle to be at, but also coming here at night is worth it. The park is then illuminated and shines in any colours imaginable. The restaurants offer fantastic and diverse cuisines. In summertime, there's a daily portion of live music played. So, come here and let Tivoli Gardens entertain you!

Entertainment at Tivoli Gardens

On the Plænen, the largest open-air stage of the park, (inter)national rock stars and dancers are regularly invited to perform on, being musical and artful highlights in the city as well as creating a fantastic atmosphere. With the changing seasons, you find musical performances offered here at any time of the year. The concert hall and the Glass Palace Theatre see many artists perform throughout the year as well. Summer is the season of open-air music, clearly! You have live music playing almost any type of music including Swing, Jazz, Reggae, Rock, Hip Hop and Pop. There's something for every taste here. The Tivoli Illuminations, a fascinating sound and light show, take place on the Tivoli lake. The Pantomime Theatre produces the most spectacular pantomime and ballet performances. Weekly parades and concerts are held by the Tivoli guard and all maritime life enthusiasts will beam with joy upon entering the Aquarium. It is the oldest salt water aquarium in Northern Europe.

Landscape architecture of the theme park

The Hanging Gardens at the Boulevardhaven, the Garden of the Columbine, the Parterre Garden or the Chinese inspired bamboo forest – at Tivoli Gardens fans of horticulture will feel at home instantly and have the chance to delve into a landscape architectural dream world. Why not have a long walk through the green oases of the park and enjoy Copenhagen in a very special way?

Petzi's World brings a smile to any child's eyes

The definite highlight for children of any age at Tivoli is Petzi's World – a play oasis located in the heart of the park. Children have 1,300 m² of space to romp around and embark on a very special journey, while parents relax over a picnic.

Carousels are fun and a guarantee for action

The many attractions at Tivoli are fun and a guarantee for action among all visitors. Those of you who like to ride more attractions than just the rollercoaster, are recommended to purchase a multiple-ride ticket so that you can ride all other carousels in the park, making the most of your visit.

Tivoli is a place for the entire family. Have a romantic ride in the big wheel, wild rounds on the rollercoaster or a chilled out and fun boat tour in one of the drakes. There are numerous other attractions making your visit at Tivoli a spectacular one, such as the bumper car ride, various carousels, the Fun House, the Golden Tower, the Gyroscope, a slow train, a star flyer, the Odin Express or the Temple Tower to name just a few of the many attractions at Tivoli.

Restaurants: From fast food to gourmet cuisine

The theme park offers more to its visitors than just sweet cotton candy and a pleasant attack on your nerves. On-site, you may enjoy food offered by more than 40 restaurants, bistros and snack bars. You can have it all from finest gourmet cuisine to fast food. The range is wide and covers menus like beefsteaks with béarnaise sauce, sushi with sake as well as pitas with beer. After a delicious meal, there are plenty of concerts taking place in the evening for you to enjoy on Plænen, the largest open-air stage at Tivoli. 

Tivoli Gardens was opened in 1843 and has since been a major success. In its first (but short) season, the park is reported to have welcomed around 175,000 guests. Considering the park's design and structure, the inspiration came from the romantic pleasure gardens across Europe. The founder of Tivoli Gardens, Georg Carstensen, received the permission by King Christian VIII in 1841 to create and run a theme park, which was initially limited to 5 years. He named the park Tivoli Vauxhall, a combination between the Parisian Jardin de Tivoli and London's Vauxhall Gardens.

A theme park on a military area

Tivoli was built outside the city walls at Vestervold on Copenhagen's ramparts, which were then still guarded by the military. One prerequisite for the park was that all buildings had to be built in a light and provisional way. The idea was to prevent the park from massive damages in case a war broke out. If there was an attack, the provisional buildings could be easily dismantled. In May 1843, the construction work started. The entire park was so quickly built that most buildings were already finished a year later. The park was opened on 15 August 1843. Nowadays, Tivoli counts around 4 million visitors a year.  

By car

If you decide to get here by car, it's best to use one of the motorways to get on the Copenhagen ring road 02, which you leave at the junction it crosses H.C. Andersen Blvd. From here Tivoli is only a few hundred metres away.

By public transport

Copenhagen's central station is only a few metres away from Tivoli. There are several bus lines calling at the town hall square, which is just opposite the theme park.