Walking Tours  

Welcome to Guided Walking Tours in the Old City of Copenhagen with Denmarks's beloved fairytale writer, Hans Christian Andersen (Richard Karpen). Andersen lived most of his life in Copenhagen and many places still look as they did then. The old poet invites you to join him for guided walks to various parts of the historic city center where along with seeing the main sights of the city you can learn about Copenhagen, Denmark, The Danes and of course, Hans Christian Andersen. All tours are in English and last 90 minutes. Groups are usually small and so there is never a problem to see what your guide is talking about or to near what he is saying. We stroll at a comfortable pace, stopping frequently to admire the symbolism on building facades and to learn about the various architectural styles the city has to offer. Along the way we will enter some of the buildings whose interiors merit a visit and explore hidden alleyways and back courtyards behind others. There is a pause half-way through each tour where some of the cleanest restrooms in Copenhagen are available. All tours end with convenient access to major museum. castle tours, canal tours, tower tours, Danish lunch restaurants, pastry shops and the Walking Street for shopping.

The ticket price for the walking tours is 75 Danish Kroner (12 US dollars or 10 euros).

The walking  tours meet inside the Tourist Information Office daily [except Sunday] at 10:30 AM from mid-May to mid-September. Look for Hans Christian Andersen in his top hat and long coat. The Tourist Information Office is located near the intersection of the streets Bernstorffsgade and Vesterbrogade (The Hard Rock Cafe is on the opposite corner), near the Main Train Station and next to the Tivoli Gardens. Across the street is the Radisson SAS Royal Hotel. Tickets for the tours are purchased from Hans Christian Andersen inside the Tourist Information Office and no reservation is required. If you arrive late to the Tourist Information Office and the tour has already left, you can still join it at the first stop in the center of the Town Hall Square (Radhuspladsen) at 10:45 AM. Look for Hans Christian Andersen in his top hat and long coat.

Rosenborg Castle  

Sir Richard of Rosenborg welcomes you to his guided tour in Rosenborg Castle and Royal Treasuries. The tour costs 50 Danish kroner (8 US dollers or 7 euros). There is an additional entrance fee to the castle (adults 60 DKK, children 10 DKK, student and senior-citizen discounts) which also includes entry to the treasuries. As there is no detailed written English explanation on most of the display-cabinets within the castle, the guided tour greatly enhances a visitor's appreciation of the collection by explaining the symbolism we can see the artifacts, how the objects and rooms were used, as well as the life and times of the various Kings and Queens. The Rosenborg Castle Tour begins outside the castle ticket office at 1:30 pm on Mondays and Thursdays from mid-May to mid-September. Tour tickets are purchased from Sir Richard in his renaissance costume.

Your Guide  

Eighteen years in Copenhagen and a New York sense-of-humor make Richard's walking tours a unique and enjoyable experience. Each of the tours explores a different part of the historic city-center and are of equal value. It is advisable to take a walking-tour at the beginning of your stay in order to become familiar with the city and to take advantage of the advice a knowledgeable guide can offer. Even if you have already looked at some of the sights on your own, the guide's explanation will allow you to 'see' them in a new and more intimate way and to better understand what you are looking at. As you wander past historic buildings, towers, city squares, markets, harbors, canals, backstreets, courtyards, alleyways, statues and fountains, your guide will provide biographical background on important Danish figures in the fields of literature, philosophy, art, science and religion, such as the poet and fairytale-writer, Hans Christian Andersen; the philosopher, Soren Kierkegaard; the 19th-century sculptor, Bertel Thorvaldsen and the colorful Renaissance monarch, King Christian IV; along with contemporary personalities such as the writer, Karen Blixen ('Out of Africa') and Queen Margrethe II. There will also be an opportunity to learn something about various aspects of the Danish culture, its government, education, religion, the economy and what products the Danes produce, who they trade with, the Danish Welfare Model and the tax system which makes it possible, marriage rituals and the unique status of women, the treatment of the elderly and children, contemporary trends such as immigration, even their love-affair with the bicycle, as  well as where to find the city's best (and most affordable) smorrebrod sandwiches and Danish pastries. Let an 'insider' make your stay more enjoyable and productive with helpful suggestions on museums, castle tours, tower tours, canal and harbor tours, bus tours, bicycling in Copenhagen, antique markets, flea markets, lunch cafes, dinner restaurants and advice on what's good (and what's not) in and around Copenhagen.

For further information or to arrange private tours send an e-mail to copenhagenwalks@yahoo.com or you can call (45) 32 84 74 35 (May thru September).