How to Spend a Weekend in Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark (B)

Copenhagen is a beautiful city, rich with great sites, amazing museums, and fabulous food. But what if you only have limited time to visit? You can see a lot of the highlights in just a weekend. Here are some of my recommendations to get the most out of a short visit.

Carl Jacobsen, the son of the founder of the Carlsberg Brewery, commissioned the bronze statue in 1909. Carl asked Ellen Price, a ballerina who’d performed in the Little Mermaid play, to pose for the statue. She agreed, but refused to pose in the nude. So the sculptor, Edvard Eriksen, used the model’s face, but used his wife’s body to complete the sculpture. Eriksen unveiled the statue in 1913.

The statue has been vandalized and damaged numerous times over the years. It seems every time there is a political or social protest, the Little Mermaid becomes the target. Vandals have decapitated the statue, cut off its right arm, blown it up, and covered it in paint countless times.

Get up with the sunrise to get unobstructed photos. Basically anytime after 9am is too late. You’ll find yourself jostling for a decent photo with dozens of other visitors. But if you’re willing to get up early, you’ll be one of only a few early risers with the same idea. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).