Botanical Gardens are among our favourite attractions – they’re usually free and stunningly beautiful. Copenhagen Botanical Garden is located right in the middle of Copenhagen. And guess what – it is free and stunningly beautiful.

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Why Visit the Botanical Garden?

Botanical Gardens may not be high on your list of tourist attractions. For our family it is high on the list wherever we go. Here are some of the reasons we love visiting Botanic Gardens:

  1. Botanical Gardens are normally free entry. We are always on the lookout for free activities during vacation time. It’s true that some of the best things in life are free!
  2. You can bring your own picnic lunch. Indeed you can enjoy a picnic in a divine setting.
  3. There are wide open spaces and lots of walking paths, meaning you get some good exercise.
  4. The plants are beautiful specimens and gorgeous to look at. We love to admire beauty in plants.
  5. For anybody into photography, it’s a wonderful excursion to fill up your photography portfolio.
  6. It’s great to teach kids about nature and the wonders of God’s creations.
  7. Botanical Gardens are perfect places to find peace, tranquility, and to recharge your soul.
  8. Doesn’t if feel great to just get back to nature, and feel the earth, water and plants?

Overview of Copenhagen Botanical Garden

The garden covers a whopping 10 hectares in area, which massive considering the central location. Although the garden has been around since about 1600, it’s been moved twice and ended up in the current location back in 1870. I’m not exactly sure how you would move a botanical garden, but apparently they did… twice.

The correct name for this garden is the University of Copenhagen Botanical Garden. Furthermore it is part of the Faculty of Science of the University of Copenhagen. Not only is it a wonderful recreation area, it also has important scientific purpose, for it houses the only gene bank for wild plants of the area.

The Copenhagen Botanical Garden also comes under the Natural History Museum of Denmark.

Copenhagen Botanical Garden in autumn
Gorgeous pond in the garden

Palm House

Copenhagen Botanic Garden is famous for the huge glasshouse complex (conservatory), dating back to the 1870’s. The entire conservatory is 3,000 square meters in area. Impressive.

There are 27 glasshouses in total, but the one they all come to see is the massive Palm House which was built in 1874. It is a monumental structure, and as the name implies it is filled with palm trees in a hot, humid tropical climate. At 16 metres tall, you can climb to the top inside the Palm House using a beautiful cast-iron spiral staircase. To be sure it looks like something out of a Jules Verne movie set.

The Palm House is open 10am to 3pm daily, and closed on Mondays through winter.

Arctic House

In case the Palm House is not amazing enough for you, try the special Arctic greenhouse. In fact it has special air-conditioning that re-creates environments for arctic plants. Surely you will want to bring a good jacket for that one!

Getting There

Being centrally located, the garden is within walking distance from practically anywhere, if you’re staying in central Copenhagen.

Otherwise you might like to catch a train there. In this case Nørreport Station is just across the road from the Copenhagen Botanical Gardens. With this in mind you can catch S-Trains, Metro and Regional trains, for Nørreport is a major station.

The address is:

Botanisk Have
(Botanical Garden)
Gothersgade 128
1353 Copenhagen K

Tip: Rosenborg Castle and Kings Garden are right across the road. With this in mind, why not make it a double header and see them all in one day.

Visiting the Garden

Copenhagen Botanic Garden is open to the public and is free to enter. In addition you can find a lovely cafe near the entrance to the Palm House. The food is light and fresh in a home cooked style; healthy and delicious.

Garden opening times are:

  • 8:30 am to 6:00 pm from 1st April to 30th September.
  • 8:30am to 4:00pm from 1st October to 31st March.

When you enter you will be able to pick up a free guide map of the Garden. There are also some useful map signs at the front entrance.

Tip: If you would like a guided tour you can organise one by sending and email to this address: rundvisning@snm.ku.dk

Copenhagen Botanical Garden Conservatorium
Nice but Chilly Dining in the Outdoor Cafe

You’ll Be Glad You Visited

I am sure you’ll be glad you visited Copenhagen Botanical Garden. Surely the fresh air and the tranquility will leave you feeling invigorated. Especially surprising because it’s in the heart of a bustling city. Copenhagen is full of surprises!




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