Winter in Tivoli in Copenhagen: the Magic of Lights

by Paola Agostini (sissi_mum) 12/02/2018

Discovering Copenhagen in winter means trying to understand its true DNA: visiting the beautiful Danish capital during the cool summers is certainly a relief and an escape from our Mediterranean heat… but if you really want to know the essence of Copenhagen, you should definitely visit it in winter. A perfect time is certainly Christmas, when the city comes alive with the Christmas spirit and is tinged with the colors of the markets. We chose the first days of February, when the cold is pungent, rain often becomes sleet, but you can feel the real hygge in cafès and restaurants where you can enjoy the soft lights and people always welcome you with a smile that warms your hands, feet and heart. And you can visit the Tivoli Gardens in a new guise: Winter in Tivoli.

Tivoli Garden’s new winter season celebrates 175th anniversary of the historic Danish park

Winter in Tivoli is open in February 2018 from 2nd to 25th, in a period that coincides with the winter school holidays for the Danes, Valentine’s Day and Shrovetide, the Carnival of Denmark. Since its opening in 1843, Tivoli Gardens were destined for summer season, but in 1994 Christmas in Tivoli was created, which attracted many more tourists to Copenhagen in December and inspired other amusement parks in Scandinavia to open even at Christmas time. In 2016 Halloween in Tivoli was introduced and finally this year, for 175th anniversary, February is dedicated to Winter in Tivoli.

Winter in Tivoli in Copenhagen: what to see

Just cross the door of Tivoli Gardens in Vesterbrogade 3 and get immersed in a magical, white, snow-capped world (snow is not true, but… you never know, it might snow really!), a charming winter landscape with cute snowmen, glittering crystals of frost and ethereal lights.

Every time we were in Tivoli, we experienced a new and different feeling. And we come back again and again. We come back because beyond the races, Tivoli is also a park, to walk, to live, to admire. Tivoli is the enchanted place where everyone returns child, those child who looked forward to Sunday for the ride on the carousel or the arrival of the amusement park for the crash-cars.
A place where you can admire a play in teather, a concert, a game of lights, where to warm your hands on the hot embers, where to wait for the arrival of the evening and the lighting of enchanting lights.

Tivoli is always worth the visit, in every season.
But Winter in Tivoli perhaps has the most magical and romantic aspect of a Winter Wonderland.

If you enter the park when it is still day, you must absolutely wait for the evening’s arrival, when the colors change and the lights start to light up, and then the night, magically illuminated by them. Enjoy the glimpses full of hygge, the lake with swans where to wait for the Illuminations show, enjoy shopping between gourmet and design, pass in an illuminated tunnel that accompanies with games of lights the romantic music of a piano, skating in the ice ring. Look for the reflection of the lights in the puddles.
It’s pure magic. And only in Tivoli can you find it.

Winter in Tivoli rides

Most of the Tivoli Gardens’ rides stop during the winter holidays, but some special winter attractions are open.

Pingonesia is an igloo, heated, and full of fun: a playground where to take refuge when the cold begins to be too strong. Hall of Mirrors is a fun house of mirrors. The Ice ring doesn’t need any introduction. You can feel the adrenaline on the Roller Coaster or just have fun in The Fun House. The towers for young and old are four: the Icicle, the Panda, the Temple Tower and the Golden Tower. Three carousels, with a retro style, all one more beautiful than the other: the Winter Carousel, the Music Carousel, the Classic Carousel. As in summer, Fatamorgana is a 3-in-1 race, while The Monsoon takes you up to 12 feet above the ground. Finally The lighthouse tests… your legs! The race has six boats in the shape of prehistoric animals, designed for children who love a bit of thrill, but do not want it to become too wild.

Winter in Tivoli is also full of creative workshops: you can try your hand at creating fantastic masks at Tivoli Createry. For Valentine’s Day you can make Valentine’s Day greeting card and floral arrangements. Remember to visit the My Own Mug workshop, where only the imagination sets limits (and you can enjoy coffee, chocolate and sweets at good prices!).