Copenhagen
Frederiksberg
The green residential district where Copenhageners go on Sunday mornings: free royal gardens with canal boats, the zoo with an elephant house by Norman Foster, and bakeries that justify the walk.
About Frederiksberg
Frederiksberg is technically its own municipality entirely surrounded by Copenhagen, a quirk of Danish administrative history that means it has its own mayor, council, and tax rate. In practice it functions as Copenhagen's green residential district: tree-lined streets, embassies, and a quality of urban calm that the city centre cannot offer. Frederiksberg Gardens (free) is the most beautiful park in Copenhagen: formal gardens, a canal with rowing boats for hire, the Chinese Pavilion, and the backdrop of Frederiksberg Palace on the hill above. The gardens are most used on Sunday mornings when the entire neighbourhood appears to be walking dogs and eating pastries. Copenhagen Zoo (DKK 199) is in the southern part of Frederiksberg: the elephant house designed by Norman Foster (completed 2008) is architecturally significant, with two geodesic domes housing a Sumatran elephant family in a space designed around elephant social behaviour rather than human viewing convenience.
Things to Do
Top experiences in Frederiksberg
Frederiksberg Centret
Copenhagen's oldest shopping center with a distinctive 1960s architectural style that's been thoughtfully renovated. It houses Danish and international brands, a food court with local eateries, and a rooftop terrace offering views over Frederiksberg. The center has a distinctly local shopping vibe rather than tourist-focused.
Frederiksberg Have
This romantic landscape garden surrounds Frederiksberg Palace and features English-style landscaping with winding paths, artificial hills, and a series of canals and lakes. Created in the early 1700s, the park includes Chinese pavilions, a Swiss cottage, and the Royal Copenhagen Porcelain viewing pavilion. It's connected to the Copenhagen Zoo, and you can see elephants from certain vantage points.
Søndermarken
A sprawling park adjacent to Frederiksberg Gardens but larger and more natural, with open meadows, dense woodlands, and the Carlsberg-founded Cisternerne art space beneath its grounds. The park features ancient trees, grazing Highland cattle, and wide-open spaces perfect for football, frisbee, or simply spreading out a picnic. It feels more like countryside than city park.
Cisternerne
This former water reservoir beneath Frederiksberg Gardens has been transformed into a dramatic underground exhibition space for contemporary art and installations. The cathedral-like concrete chambers with standing water create an atmospheric backdrop for site-specific works that play with light, sound, and reflection.
Frederiksberg Svømmehal
Stunning Art Nouveau swimming hall from 1902, featuring original architectural details including ornate ironwork and beautiful tile work. The pool is still in active use and open to the public, offering a unique opportunity to swim in a historically preserved setting. The changing rooms maintain their vintage charm.
Storm P. Museet
Charming small museum dedicated to Robert Storm Petersen, one of Denmark's most beloved cartoonists and satirists. The museum showcases his witty drawings, paintings, and observations of everyday Danish life from the early 20th century. It's housed in a picturesque yellow building in Frederiksberg Gardens.
Frederiksberg Flea Market
Authentic weekend flea market on the grounds of Frederiksberg High School where locals buy and sell vintage clothing, antiques, furniture, and curiosities. This is one of Copenhagen's best spots for finding Danish design pieces and retro treasures. The atmosphere is relaxed and distinctly local, far from tourist markets.
Where to Eat
Restaurants and cafes in Frederiksberg
Getting Here
Getting There
Frederiksberg station (Lines M1 and M2) is at the edge of the neighbourhood, a 5-minute walk from the park entrance.
On Foot
Flat. A 20-25 minute walk from the city centre along Vesterbrogade.
Insider Tips
Frederiksberg Gardens is the best free hour in Copenhagen
The gardens open at 7 AM daily (7 AM in summer, 9 AM in winter) and close at dusk. Sunday mornings from 8-10 AM are when locals walk here before the afternoon crowds. The canal boat rental (DKK 80-100 per hour) runs April to October and the route through the formal gardens is 30-40 minutes of easy rowing. The Chinese Pavilion at the edge of the lake is original 18th-century architecture and is free to approach.
Copenhagen Zoo on a weekday morning
The zoo (DKK 199 adult, DKK 129 child) is substantially less crowded on weekday mornings than on weekends. The Norman Foster elephant house is the architectural centrepiece: the two timber-ribbed geodesic domes are designed as a miniature savanna, and the elephants move between indoor and outdoor spaces according to temperature. The hippo house and giraffe enclosure are next to each other in the northern section.
Nearby Neighborhoods
Continue exploring
Nyhavn & Indre By
The city centre and its famous canal: coloured townhouses on the water, the pedestrian shopping spine, the round tower, the royal palace, and the square where everything converges.
Vesterbro
The neighbourhood that went from red-light district to Copenhagen's most interesting area in 20 years: Meatpacking District restaurants and bars, Mikkeller craft beer, and the most diverse food street in the city.
Norrebro
The multicultural neighbourhood north of the centre where Copenhageners actually live: the cemetery-as-park, ceramics and coffee on Jagersborggade, the colourful Superkilen park, and food prices that make sense.
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