Tivoli Gardens amusement park with funfair rides in the heart of Copenhagen is the most popular experience in Denmark to visit for both children and adults.
For nearly two centuries, visitors have streamed to Tivoli Gardens for fun, culture, shopping, and dining. This funfair amusement park in the heart of Copenhagen has around 30 rides, a large children’s play area, shops, concert venues, a beautiful garden, casinos, and more than 40 restaurants. Tivoli is hugely popular with visitors and locals alike. Buy skip-the-line tickets in advance.
Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen
Tivoli is the most popular attraction in not only Copenhagen but the whole of Denmark. The Tivoli fun park opened in 1843 and is thus one of the oldest amusement parks in the world.
For an amusement park, Tivoli is surprisingly beautiful with entertainment for visitors of all ages. In addition to the rides, Tivoli also has a variety of other entertainment, shops, restaurants, surprisingly tasteful decorations, a beautiful garden, and a small aquarium with a tropical coral reef with around 1600 fish.
Adults may try their luck in the casinos – mostly slot machines.
Tivoli has more than 40 restaurants and food outlets ranging from kiosks and fast-food outlets to stylish cafés and gourmet restaurants.
Prices are similar to the rest of Copenhagen – pricy but without a fun park surcharge.
Tivoli tickets are available as admission only (as many parents only accompany children to the park), admission and unlimited rides combo, and unlimited rides upgrade (as many locals have annual admission passes). The Copenhagen Card covers admission but not rides.
Rides and Concerts in Tivoli Gardens
Tivoli has around 30 rides suitable for all ages. The minimum age and height for rides are clearly signposted: solitary rides are possible from age 3 while some of the wilder rides come with health warnings. The Petzi world play area is free with around 40 activities for smaller children.
Tivoli is probably most famous for its funfair rides but it is also an important cultural venue. It hosts the largest classical music festival in Scandinavia with over 50 concerts each summer (usually separate charge). It also has free rock music concerts on many Friday nights and a variety of live music events throughout the year.
When to Visit Tivoli in Copenhagen
Tivoli does not get too crazy busy but is obviously quieter on weekdays during school term. Rides usually open from noon with early afternoon generally quieter than late afternoon or early evening. In equalitarian Denmark, no VIP passes, skip-the-line tickets, etc. are available once inside the park.
For visitors not interested in rides, Tivoli presents itself at its most beautiful at night when more than 100,000 bulbs light up the park into a romantic cityscape worthy of the fairy tales of Hans Christian Andersen, who was a frequent visitor. However, even during the day, Tivoli is astonishingly beautiful for a funfair park and always decorated for the season, e.g. tulips and bulb plants in spring, pumpkin for Halloween, and spectacular during the Christmas season.
Tivoli Gardens Visitors Information
Opening Hours of Tivoli Fun Park
Tivoli is open for five periods each year:
- Summer / main season from early April to late September
- Halloween – from mid-October to early November
- Christmas – from mid-November to 31 December
- Winter – most of February
- Easter – a couple of weeks around the Easter weekend but calendar depending often part of the main summer season.
Opening hours are usually daily from 11:00 to 23:00 (up to midnight on Friday and Saturday). All rides are open from noon with some operating earlier.
Tivoli Admission Tickets
The basic admission tickets to Tivoli do not include any rides and unlimited-ride tickets do not include admission. Combination package deals are usually available but save only minimally. The Copenhagen Card covers admission but not rides.
Admission tickets for Tivoli are for the day and for all visitors 8 years and older are around DKK150 – admission does not include rides! Children 3 – 7 years pay DKK65 and under 3 enter for free. During the high season, prices go up a bit and are often the most expensive on Friday evenings with weekends slightly more expensive than weekdays.
Rides are priced individually (DKK25 to 75) but it will almost always save money to buy a full all-rides ticket that includes (almost) all rides for the day — around DKK250 for the day and required for everyone older than one-year-old. The Unlimited Ride Ticket Plus includes virtual reality displays on the rollercoaster and some photos.
Re-entry stamps are only available if exiting through the Tivoli Food Hall exit.
Annual Savings Passes for Visiting Tivoli in Copenhagen
Annual cards are great value for local residents but also for visitors planning on visiting the park more than three times in the year:
- The basic annual ticket is DKK379 – so it pays from the fourth visit (or earlier during the summer holidays).
- A wild card is DKK999 – it gives admission for a year plus one all-rides wristband per day. The card and wristbands are personal
- A silver card is DKK729 and is valid for one named person with any second guest per day.
- A gold card is DKK1,349 – it is valid for one named person and any four guests per day. It works well for families and small groups – many Copenhagen residents have one for when family and friends visit.
Gold and silver cardholders enjoy a few other perks too including free (or reduced-priced) concerts, discounts on parking, food, and entertainment.
The annual cards are strictly personal – not only are they linked to a named account but the owner’s photo will display when entering. Guests should be family, friends, colleagues, or similar – selling spaces on a ticket will lead to the card being canceled.
Annual tickets are valid for the month of purchase and the next 11 months – so best bought at the beginning of the month.
Tivoli Gardens Location
Tivoli Gardens, Vesterbrodgade 5, 1630 Copenhagen V, tel. +45 3315 1001, is in the center of Copenhagen directly across from the main train station and the RÃ¥dhus. The main entrance is in Vesterbrogade but it is also possible to enter from Bernstorffsgade directly across the road from the train station.
Other Fun Parks in Copenhagen
Many of Copenhagen’s parks have play areas for children but for the best rides visit Bakken to the north of Copenhagen. Bakken is the oldest amusement park in the world and is usually open from mid-March to the end of August. Admission is free and rides may be paid for individually or compare the variety of combination deals.
Other Major Sights near Tivoli Gardens
Tivoli Gardens are in the center of Copenhagen and thus many further sights are close to this popular amusement park. The Rådhus (town hall) and the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek are rights across the road. The Museum of Copenhagen, the National Museum of Denmark, Copenhagen Cathedral, and the Strøget (pedestrian zone) are all close by.
