Under the Sea with Denmark’s Little Mermaid!

Posted in Denmark by Kristina @ Three Little Birds travel

Disney’s The Little Mermaid came to theaters in 1989 and I, like many other kids, fell in love! I’m such a fan that a few years back my sister gave me a mermaid bottle opener for my birthday! Even when my pup, Lilo, was small, I gave her a mermaid toy that she still snuggles with often! We’re all fans in this family!

Since it’s still one of my favorite movies today, I couldn’t wait to go to Copenhagen, Denmark to see the real Little Mermaid from Hans Christian Anderson’s famous book!

Did you know there are actually two Little Mermaids in Copenhagen?? The famous one is a short boat ride away from Nyhavn, along the waterside at the Langelinie promenade. The other is a smaller replica that’s in an outdoor garden in the Carlsberg Brewery. It was actually Carl Jacobson who donated the famous statue in 1913 to the city of Copenhagen!

If you want to see the famous Little Mermaid, you can either walk or take a boat. I recommend doing both! If you walk along with waterside, you’ll have the opportunity to get the best pictures since you’ll be able to get right up on the rocks! (Be careful!! They are very slippery!)

By boat, it’s faster and relaxing, but you won’t get up-close shots since you’re…well…on a boat at a distance!

Traveler Tip: There are LOTS of boat options to choose from at the waterfront canal, Nyhavn. Go with the option that’s 1/2 way down the pier called Kanalrundfart. It’s a bargain compared to the others and just as good!!

20Jan2015

What I added to my Travel Christmas tree in 2014!!

Posted in Denmark, Norway, Spain, Sweden by Kristina @ Three Little Birds travel

It’s January 20th and I officially took down my Christmas tree. Finally!! It was such a great tree this year that I just couldn’t box everything up right away and was trying to delay the process as much as possible! My wreath is still up though…so that’ll be a battle for another day!

As most of you know, one of my best pieces of travel advice is “Pick one souvenir and stick with it!” My signature souvenir is collecting an ornament from every state or country I visit. My 2014 Christmas tree was FILLED with new ornaments that I absolutely adored and quite frankly, couldn’t stop talking about! I always forget all the amazing places I’ve been until I put that tree up and I’m instantly filled with joy and accomplishment!

This year I added Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Spain, Texas and two new Chicago ornaments (one for the Bean and the other representing a Beluga whale encounter I did at the Shedd Aquarium). I missed an ornament for Savannah, Georgia and I can’t seem to ever remember to grab one from Boston, even though I go multiple times a year!! Maybe 2015 will be my year to get those!

What souvenirs are you getting in 2015? What did you grab from your 2014 adventures?? Make sure to share your travel comments below!

3Sep2014

Who doesn’t love Brew Tours?? Especially at Carlsberg!

Posted in Denmark by Kristina @ Three Little Birds travel

I’ll admit loud and clear, that I’m a gal who loves her beer!! Stouts and Porters are definitely my go-to, but when I’m traveling I just want to taste the local refreshments and see what all the fuss is about. When I was in Ireland, it was the Guinness Storehouse and when I was in Prague, it was a 3-stop free beer tour. A few months ago in Copenhagen, my sister and I decided to check out Carlsberg Brewery.

Travel Tip: Take a cab! We took the Metro and got turned around a few times. Maybe too many beers??

When you first arrive at Carlsberg, head to the Elephant Gate. You’ll see a lot of these signs posted so just follow those and look for “Elefantporten.”

You really can’t miss it! It’s a very tall brick building and at the bottom, it appears as if it’s being supported by four elephants. Each elephant has an initial of Carl Jacobsen’s four children. Neat!

On to the beer tour! You need to find the main entrance/brand store building. Once you walk in, you’ll instantly be hypnotized by all the Carlsberg merchandise you can buy including clothing, magnets, soccer balls and glassware. They even sell the actual beer in ready-to-take cans! Walk up to the sales clerk and buy your ticket to the self-guided tour. They will hand you a fancy sticker and on you go!

Once inside the museum, you’ll see a fascinating timeline of the history of Carlsberg beer. You’ll also get a glimpse of the machinery, delivery vehicles, stables with the famous Jutland horses and even a miniature stature of the Little Mermaid! It’s quite extensive. For more pictures on this part, check out my Carlsberg Brewery Pinterest page.

By far, the most awe-dropping part about this tour was walking up the stairs to a whole floor dedicated to the “World’s Largest Collection of Unopened Beer Bottles.” Seriously people…this is massive!!! Right now, there are 22,346 bottles housed here for you to gawk at. I was even lucky to find a Guinness Stout!

The whole tour took us about 45 minutes, but that’s only because we spend 20 minutes salivating at all the beer bottles mentioned above! It’s fairly quick if you just run from room to room. I do recommend following the timeline and checking out every part of this museum. After the tour, it was time to relax over some delicious Carlsberg beers. You get two free beers with your tour ticket. If you’re lucky, they will have the famous Jutland horse out for you to enjoy!

What brew tours have you been to? Share your stories in the Comment field!

30Jun2014

Tivoli Gardens – A whimsical experience under $20!

Posted in Denmark by Kristina @ Three Little Birds travel

I recently went on a two week vacation with my sister to Scandinavia (Denmark, Norway and Sweden) and couldn’t be more excited to share my adventures with you! If this area isn’t already on your list, get your credit card ready because you’re going to want to book a flight ASAP!

The first stop on our trip was Copenhagen, Denmark and one of the places I was most excited to visit was Tivoli Gardens! Prior to our trip I did a lot of research and Tivoli had such mixed reviews that I started to second guess my original excitement. Would two young adults really have that much fun at an amusement park?? Was it going to be filled with screaming kids and unorganized parents (Yikes)?? Was the food going to consist of popcorn and cotton candy like at Six Flags in the States??

Luckily, I was able to convince myself and my sister to make not only one trip…but TWO trips to Tivoli in the two days that we were in Denmark. Yes folks, that’s right…Tivoli was so magical and whimsical that we just HAD to go back! The best news, none of my above fears were even true! Tivoli is so much more than an amusement park and the only screaming I heard came from the 100yr old roller coaster. As far as the food, it was fantastic! We managed to find a wine bar (Bodega), a newer Italian restaurant (Mazzolis) and a Brew House (Faergekoen Bryghus).

For an $18 admission ticket, we spent a few hours each day strolling around the colorful gardens and getting lost in all the winding paths. We “ohhh’d” and “ahhhh’d” over everything cause it was SO GOSH DARN CUTE!!

“Look at that toy soldier…SO CUTE!!”

“Look at that Scandinavian shop…SO CUTE!!”

“Look at that Hans Christian Anderson ride…SO CUTE!!”

It was enchantment overload for sure that anyone of all ages will truly love! It’s also very easy to get to as it’s right across from the main train station in Copenhagen (exit train station toward Bernstorrffsgade street).