Have you ever visited a city, and wondered what it would be like without tourists? I have vacationed around some giant tourist hubs this last year including Amsterdam, Paris, and London.
I always wondered what it would be like without the lines and selfie snappers. And amazingly, because of the coronavirus, I am getting to see some beautiful landmarks here in Denmark without tourists.
Currently, Denmark has closed its borders, to everyone but Danes and a small population of people with work permits. So right now, all of the major Danish icons are virtually people-free. I feel like a VIP tourist!
Rasmus and I ventured into Copenhagen to see the sites. We got a front-row parking spot at nearly everything, and we took unhindered shots of the most beautiful destinations. It was only us and a few other photographers out to capture this phenomenon.
Danes are saying this might be the only time in history we will be able to see these sites without tourists.
Here are a few of my favorite spots in Copenhagen in the middle of the day on a Monday and Tuesday last week. This post has a series of photos where you can see the sites mostly empty, enjoy!
Nyhavn
Nyhavn is THE most famous place in Copenhagen. If you've ever heard of Denmark you have likely seen a photo of these colorful buildings. What used to be the main port of entry from the sea to the inner city is now a giant tourist attraction, it is famous among Danes for having outrageously priced smørrebrød.
You can see in the first photo that it is normally filled with people, especially in the spring and summer when it is warm, and also around Christmas to enjoy the lights and hygge.
Rosenborg Castle
This castle is located in the oldest garden in Copenhagen, called the "Kongens Have" meaning the King's Garden. It is a beautiful old castle that I've toured about many times. This garden is normally overflowing with tourists. This area of Copenhagen is exceptionally beautiful. Last week-- crickets!
Christianshavn's Waterfront
To me, Christianshavn is a more chill and less crowded Nyhavn on a normal spring day, and now, even more so! I don't have a before photo, but you can see how quiet it is now. One of my favorite ice cream places in the area, Munchies, was still offering takeaway!
Frederik's Church and Amalienborg
Amalienborg is the residence of the Danish Royal Family. And the green dome in the back there is Frederik's Church, both of which are Danish icons. You can normally find oodles of people snapping shots of the buildings, as well as the guards protecting them. When we went you could truly get the 360-degree feel of the property. It was beautiful!
Magstræde Street
This is one of the oldest streets in the old part of Copenhagen. This charming, intricate, and colorful street still has the original cobbling. It is so photogenic, and even more so without the crowds!
The Little Mermaid
This is the most photographed statue in Denmark, getting over 4 million snaps a year! I once visited it in October and couldn't even get a photo of it without self sticks in my shot. When we went last week-- there was no one, except a guy with a chai latte stand, optimistically hoping a little business would walk by.
Landemærket Street
In the late 16th century this street separated the urban area and the undeveloped part of Copenhagen. These houses are right off the King's Garden. And the colors are a hot Instagram destination, but as you can see, completely barren right now!
Christiania
Freetown Christiana, or Christiana as it is known, is currently closed. I wanted to get in and take photos, but it is closed to the public. This is an area that is very controversial and known to be a drug trade area, supposedly the cannabis trade was tolerated by authorities until 2004.
It is a hippie living territory where many of its residents live rent-free. It seems totally out-of-place in a place like Copenhagen, nonetheless, it is there. Closed until further notice, I may venture back, but I thought the art was cool!
I hope you enjoyed my photo series. Stay safe out there everyone!