City Center Walk

Copenhagen's heart is the Rådhus Pladsen, home to the baroque-style Rådhus and its clock tower. On the east side of the square is the landmark Lurblæserne. Off the square's northeastern corner is Frederiksberggade, the first of the five pedestrian streets making up Strøget, Copenhagen's shopping district. Walk northeast past the cafés and trendy boutiques to the double square of Gammeltorv and Nytorv.

Down Rådhusstræde toward Frederiksholms Kanal, the Nationalmuseet contains an amazing collection of Viking artifacts. Cross Frederiksholms Kanal to Christiansborg Slotsplads, a small atoll divided by the canal and dominated by the burly Christiansborg Slot. North of the castle is Thorvaldsens Museum, devoted to the works of one of Denmark's most important sculptors, Bertel Thorvaldsen. On the south end of Downtown is the three-story Romanesque Kongelige Bibliotek, edged by carefully tended gardens and tree-lined avenues. To the south, on the harbor side of the royal library, is its glass-and-granite annex, nicknamed the "Black Diamond." The newest addition to the library complex is the Dansk Jødisk Museum. Back on the south face of Christiansborg are the Teatermuseet and the Kongelige Stald.

On the street that bears its name is the Tøjhusmuseet, and a few steps away are the architecturally marvelous Børsen and the Holmens Kirke. To the southeast is Christianshavn, connected to downtown by the drawbridge Knippelsbro. Farther north, the former Holmen shipyard houses major institutions, several departments of Københavns Universitet, and the new Opera House, which opened in January 2005.

From nearly anywhere in the area you can see the green-and-gold spire of Vor Frelsers Kirken. Northwest of the church, the Dansk Arkitektur Center occupies a hulking old warehouse on Strandgade. Back across the Knippels Torvegade Bridge, about 1 1/2 km (less than a mile) down Børgsgade through Højbroplads, is Amagertorv, one of Strøget's five streets. Farther west down the street is the 18th-century Helligaandskirken. On Strøget's Østergade, the massive spire of Nikolaj Kirken looks many sizes too large for the tiny cobblestone streets below.

Timing

The walk itself takes about 2 hours. Typically, Christiansborg Slot and its ruins and the Nationalmuseet both take at least 1 1/2 hours to see -- even more for Viking fans. The hundreds of shops along Strøget are enticing, so plan extra shopping and café time -- at least as much as your wallet can spare. Note that many attractions on this walk are closed Sunday or Monday, and some have odd hours; always call ahead or check with the tourist information office.