Holiday apartment in Frederiksberg – discover the palace, zoo and gardens

Frederiksberg combines royal architectural history, underground art, distinctive park spaces and a wide range of experiences centred around animals, sound and movement. Between Frederiksberg Palace, the ZOO, Frederiksberg Have and cultural venues such as Cisternerne, a varied picture of this Danish urban landscape emerges.

Culture and history

Frederiksberg Palace was built from 1699 to 1735 and served intermittently as the royal family’s summer residence until the middle of the 19th century. The palace is normally closed; however, guided tours take place on the last Saturday of every month, except in July and December, and begin at 11 a.m. or 1 p.m. The tour includes the Knights’ Hall, the flag balcony, the marble bath and the Baroque church.

Frederiksberg Church is an octagonal church designed by Felix Dusart and built between 1732 and 1734; it is also used for concerts. Guided tours of Frederiksberg Town Hall include the council chamber, the wedding hall and the 60-metre-high town hall tower. On a historical tour of a cemetery in Frederiksberg, you can see the graves of Adam Oehlenschläger, Kamma and Knud Lyne Rahbek, Anders Sandøe Ørsted and other notable Danes.

The smaller cultural venues also each add their own distinctive touch. STORM provides insights into the significance of Danish humour and satire, both in the past and today. Møstings presents changing exhibitions of contemporary art in a classic old villa in Frederiksberg at one of the entrances to Frederiksberg Have. Walks organised by the Frederiksberg City Archives convey the history of Frederiksberg through texts, audio or together with an archivist. Bakkehuset offers changing exhibitions and readings, as well as workshops, lectures and long-table dinners.

Cisternerne is located in Copenhagen’s former water reservoirs beneath the parkland of Søndermarken, opposite Frederiksberg Palace. The site reopened in 2013 as an exhibition venue for site-specific art experiences and is an underground space for contemporary art. Cisternerne lies on Frederiksberg Hill, 31 metres above sea level. Another unusual installation is Lydbrøndene: 32 speakers hidden beneath the square serve as a stage for music, podcasts and site-specific sound experiences.

Nature and gardens

At Haveselskabets Have, you will see a lawn and a reflecting pool; numerous benches invite you to sit down, and the garden is open to everyone. The garden is divided into many smaller garden spaces, each with its own character, offering peaceful places for relaxation and contemplation.

Frederiksberg Have is the third-largest park in Copenhagen. It is home to a colony of relatively tame grey herons. Frederiksberg Have also offers a view of Norman Foster’s Elephant House at the ZOO. Thus, botanical and animal impressions stand side by side in the park as distinct motifs.

Paths and movement

The Frederiksbergruterne comprise three routes measuring 3, 5 and 10 kilometres. They feature wide paths with pleasant surfaces, pass outdoor areas for strength training and offer opportunities for challenging hill runs and sprints. To explore Frederiksberg by bicycle, there is also a cycling map created by Frederiksberg and Wonderful Copenhagen, featuring three routes.

Zoo and special experiences

At the ZOO’s Børnezoo, families can see pigs, horses, llamas and cows up close. At the ZOO, visitors experience animals from all over the world and learn more about nature and conservation through activities and educational programmes. The ZOO can be reached by train to Valby station or by metro to Fasanvej or Frederiksberg Allé.

Culinary stops are also part of the local character. Bakkehuset’s orangery serves coffee with homemade rolls and croissants from its own bakery. From Easter to September, the museum’s lunch restaurant serves Danish smørrebrød inspired by dishes from Denmark’s Golden Age.

Other destinations: Frederikssund, Gladsaxe, Albertslund, Høje-Taastrup Municipality, Vallensbæk, Furesø Municipality, Hørsholm Municipality, Gribskov Municipality

For the higher-level travel overview: Hovedstaden.