I was lucky enough to have a short break in wonderful, wonderful Copenhagen in early December.

Out hotel was on the outskirts of the city ( due to a mix up with Expedia - the hotel we were supposed to be using hadn't been given out booking!!) but there was an excellent bus service which we found very easy to use.

Tivoli is in fact the oldest amusement park of the world . It is said that it was Tivoli that inspired Walt Disney to build Disneyland.
The park opened on August 15, 1843 and was designed by Georg Carstensen who said of Tivoli in 1844, "Tivoli will never, so to speak, be finished," and he was right, it has changed and grown over the years.

I have heard people give bad reviews of Tivoli gardens, but I think the reason for this is that they are expecting a 'Disney' type park - that is not what Tivoli is about - it is an amusement park that has timeless charm and class that you can't get anywhere else. Tivoli Gardens truly is a remarkable place.There are beautiful gardens, wonderful restaurants and entertainment. With great rides for both children and adults.

If you are in a 'Bah humbug' mood, Tivoli at Christmas is just the place to go the place to put you in the Christmas spirit,it is full of delights of Christmasses past and present.
The wonderful gardens of Tivoli are transformed into small villages filled with lights and life and an incredible selection of Danish christmas décor, gift ideas and Danish food and drink suitable for Christmas. The stalls are delightful, they have pine branches attached to the roofs - pine branches are also laid out alongside the paths and everywhere you go it smells beautiful - a real Christmas smell.and atmosphere.
The main draw are the lights, stalls, food and drink and generall fun of the place but added to that are the thrills and spills of the white knuckle ride or more gentle varieties, real ice skating on the lake, fireworks and water displays and so much more. The lights at Tivoli are a story in their own right; there are one thousand eight hundred light chains are needed for the willows around The Tivoli Lake, another 5000 metres are needed for all the Christmas trees and a further 1000 metres for the buildings at Tivoli - the results are truly magical.
There is an incredible water and light display every hour from 5pm onwards with music on the lake. We sat with a drink at the Faergekron Restaurant which sits on the lake and - what a sight, we had front row seats!
All around the grounds coal fire pits are dotted , very welcoming to warm the old fingers on a cold Copenhagen winter night.

In the centre of Tivoli is a large tent where we found the enchanting village of 'Nissekøbing'. This is a real a winter wonderland where Santa's little helpers - the elves (in Danish 'nisser')are in full swing to help Santa with his busiest time of the year - the looks on the children's faces were wonderful as they gazed in awe at the scene.

When I think of that visit, for some reason I always think of the prams and pushchairs the Danes had in the park - they were triuy huge and held two to three little kiddies all bedecked in ski suits - remarkable sight!!