Tivoli Gardens, Copenhagen: A Visit in February

We received press tickets, including unlimited rides, in exchange for this honest review.

I am so excited to be writing about Tivoli Gardens, Copenhagen and I will start by saying it was one of the most magical places I have ever been to. This is one of those posts where the photos really speak for themselves. I had dreamed of visiting Tivoli Gardens for about as long as I had dreamed of visiting Copenhagen, and the fact that the Gardens are now open in February for Winter in Tivoli meant my wish could finally come true on our recent first visit to the city.

If you are visiting Copenhagen for the first time, I have a post with tips for visiting on a budget with places to eat, drink and visit, including free attractions - click here to check it out.

Tivoli Gardens, Copenhagen: First Impressions

When I first walked into the entrance of Tivoli Gardens I was completely blown away. It was the most beautiful winter-themed place I have ever seen, and far surpassed my previous experience at Hyde Park's winter wonderland.

As you can see in the photos, the organisers have managed to get a nice balance between that winter wonderland feel but not looking too Christmassy as it was February so definitely out of that festive season. I loved the fact that because it was quite cold when we were there, I kept forgetting that the snow was artificial! I would advise you to get wrapped up in plenty of layers if you visit in February as it was certainly cold and most of the rides are outside.

Winter in Tivoli runs from 1 - 24 February. The park is also open 4 April - 22 September for summer, 11 Oct - 3 Nov for Halloween, and 16 Nov - 3 Jan for Christmas. Whatever season you visit, I am sure you will be as charmed as we were! I would love to be able to re-visit the park in different seasons and I am sure it would never get boring.

Tivoli Gardens, Copenhagen: The Rides

I will confess this upfront: I am a massive scaredy-cat when it comes to fairground rides. I am far too risk averse to just let go and enjoy a rollercoaster, and I end up getting really scared. However, this was the great thing about Tivoli Gardens. Because there are so many different rides there are plenty which you can enjoy if you aren't a huge fan of rollercoasters, as they are more about capturing that traditional magic of fairgrounds from the past.

I loved the Ferris Wheel and we managed to get on it (unintentionally) at golden hour. I will love looking back on these photos in future as I had such a nice day at Tivoli, and Copenhagen in general, with these photos showing just how gorgeous the views were! We had such a laugh trying to get pictures with the right background in the split second when the wheel turned... silly memories I will remember forever.

They had some real classic attractions, such as an ice skating rink and a gorgeous, traditional merri-go-round. I did go on one rollercoaster, and I debated whether to share this hugely embarrassing moment, but I actually nearly cried and had to close my eyes all the way round. It really wasn't scary and was full of children but I am just so terrified of rides! I guess that says it all: if I am giving a fairground a rave review, then it must be fantastic.

My other half loved the Demon rollercoaster with 4D glasses which I obviously sat out for. I was quite happy with my nice cup of tea with a blanket wrapped round me, feeling all hygge and enjoying a well-deserved sit down! Here is a photo of the rollercoaster: he really enjoyed it.

I loved just aimlessly wandering around the Gardens, checking out each little covered hut to see what was on offer. There were loads of cute shops selling (very expensive) souvenirs and other bits for the home. I would recommend window shopping as prices were eye-watering! There was a Christmas-themed shop with all sorts of decorations which I loved browsing.

Tivoli Gardens, Copenhagen: Food and Drink

There is plenty of food and drink to have as you make your way around Tivoli gardens but it is expensive, as is Copenhagen in general. We found the best food was at the separate food court where we had some amazing tapas and cava. You leave the park to get to it, but the friendly security guards give you a stamp so that you can get back in whenever you like.

I find it hard to recommend any particular food option as it all looked so good. We loved our tapas and the fact you could sit at high stools round the bar and order small plates as and when you fancied them.

Other than that we had some nice hot drinks and cake in a covered cafe which gave us a nice, cosy break from the low temperatures and we couldn't resist some jelly sweets from one of the stalls. You definitely won't go hungry at Tivoli, but with all the amazing food options in Copenhagen overall it will be hard to decide whether to eat there or head somewhere else after!

I am really glad we decided to have food during our visit, and it didn't feel like your usual theme park food court that you might find in the UK: it was a special treat.

Tivoli Gardens: Need to Know

Entrance to Tivoli Gardens including unlimited rides, at the time of writing, is 405 DKK. To just gain entrance to the park it is 130 DKK for over 8's and 60 DKK for 3-7 year olds. You can pay per ride at a cost ranging from 25 DKK for smaller rides up to 70 DKK plus. This isn't too expensive in the context of Copenhagen where you will pay quite high prices for most attractions.

I would recommend only getting unlimited ride passes if you are a huge fan of going on lots of rides, otherwise it won't be good value. There is so much to take in other than just the rides. I think I would have been happy without going on any at all and would still have a thoroughly enjoyable visit. This might be different in summer on a sunny day but it is much bigger than you may expect before visiting and will easily take you a couple of hours to enjoy it all without going on many rides.

Tivoli Gardens is very centrally located so you should be able to walk there from any central hotel. I would recommend arriving mid -  late afternoon to make sure you see the decorations both in the daytime and after dark when there are beautiful light shows to take in. There were open fires dotted around to warm your hands which was a nice touch. Make sure you look out for gorgeous sunsets like this one! I actually loved visiting in February as it wasn't too busy and we could take everything in without big queues for rides. It's overall a fantastic time of year for a visit to Copenhagen, and I love the fact Tivoli is open now too.

We finished our day with a gorgeous drink at the fancy Library Bar, which is very close to Tivoli and ideal for a drink after you leave the Gardens.

I can't recommend Tivoli Gardens enough for a visit to Copenhagen. I am really glad we visited in February as with the winter decorations and light show I felt it really gave a taste of hygge and exactly what we wanted to experience in the city. I would honestly recommend this place to anyone and everyone and will never ever forget this magical day. Thanks for having us, Tivoli!