Castle Island (Slotsholmen) Walking Tour, Copenhagen

Audio Guide: Castle Island (Slotsholmen) Walking Tour (Self Guided), Copenhagen

Castle Island, sitting outside Copenhagen Harbor, proudly holds the title of the Danish capital’s birthplace. Back in 1167, Bishop Absalon built a small fortress on what was then a cluster of soggy little islets. Unfortunately, the Hanseatic League didn’t think much of the place and destroyed it in 1369. But like any good comeback story, the castle rose from the rubble and became Copenhagen Castle-a royal pad from 1443 onward.

Under King Christian III and his royal successors, this former fortress morphed into something far more bureaucratic: an administrative powerhouse. Over time, the scattered islands merged into one mighty hub of political gravity, earning it the nickname “the Island of Power”.

As centuries rolled on, Castle Island got an architectural makeover with a chancellery, an arsenal, and a stock exchange. But alas, Copenhagen Castle got a bit creaky and eventually, in 1731, was razed to make room for the grandiose Christiansborg Palace. The latter, however, managed to burn down twice-yet still came back. Today, Christiansborg is where the Danish Parliament, Supreme Court, and Prime Minister all clock in for work. Democracy, with a hint of royal flair...

But that's not all! The Old Stock Exchange dazzles with its fairytale spire made of four dragon tails twisted together like a Renaissance cinnamon roll. The Royal Library-complete with its cool, modern sibling, the Black Diamond-caters to bookworms and culture buffs alike. The Danish War Museum gets serious with cannons and chainmail, while Christian IV’s Brewhouse serves up sculptures instead of suds.

Cross the elegant Marble Bridge, and you'll find Thorvaldsens Museum, where neoclassical sculpture reigns supreme, courtesy of Denmark’s own sculptor Bertel Thorvaldsen.

Today, Castle Island is the perfect place to step back in time-without leaving modern Copenhagen. It’s a one-stop shop for ruins, royalty, and really good photo ops. So, whether you’re a history geek, an architecture enthusiast, or just here for the vibes, Castle Island says: take your time, explore, and maybe-just maybe-feel like a king for a day.

Image Courtesy of Wikimedia and Colin / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0.

How it works: Download the app "GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store to your mobile phone or tablet. The app turns your mobile device into a personal tour guide and its built-in GPS navigation functions guide you from one tour stop to next. The app works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

Download The GPSmyCity App

Create Your Own Self-Guided Walks in Copenhagen

Map Instructions: (1) Click the "Nearby Sights" button to view the nearby attractions; (2) click a map pin to see sight information.

Guide Name: Castle Island (Slotsholmen) Walking Tour
Guide Location: Denmark » Copenhagen (See other walking tours in Copenhagen)
Guide Type: Self-guided Walking Tour (Sightseeing)
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.6 Km or 1 Miles

Sights Featured in This Walk

WalkBuilder (customize this walk or build your own)

Use the WalkBuilder tool below to customize this walk to suit your interests. Instructions: click

at the upper right corner in the map above to view other sights in the city. To learn more about a sight, click a map pin. Click the “+” or “–” to add or remove a sight from the walk. To reorder the selected sights, simply drag and move them up or down the list in the left column.

Click here to view route map

Enter a name for your custom walk, along with your email address, in the fields below. You will receive the instructions for retrieving your custom walk in the GPSmyCity app by email. The GPSmyCity app offers turn-by-turn travel directions to guide you from one attraction to the next.
Walk Name*:
Email*:

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How do I access my walking tour in Copenhagen?
Save your walking tour on the website. Then download the GPSmyCity app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store and sign in to your GPSmyCity account. Next, download “Copenhagen Map and Walking Tours” within the app. Your walk will appear on the Walks screen.

2. How do I view other attractions in Copenhagen?
At the upper-right corner of the map above, click the “Nearby Sights” button to show or hide other sights in the city. Click a map pin to view details about a sight. To add a sight to your walk, find it in the right column of the WalkBuilder tool above and click the “+” button next to it.

3. How do I re-arrange the sight order?
In the left column of the WalkBuilder tool, drag a sight to move it up or down the list. Then click “Click here to view route map”. Repeat this process until the route meets your needs.

4. Can I add my hotel to a walking tour?
Yes. You can add your hotel as the starting point, the ending point, or both (creating a loop route). This feature is currently available only in the GPSmyCity app.

5. Can I add my own sights to a walking tour?
Yes. You can add sightss that are not in our database and include them in your walk. To do so, sign in to your GPSmyCity account on the website or use the GPSmyCity app.

6. How many sights can be included in a walking tour?
For technical reasons, the number of sights in a walking tour is currently capped at 20. This limit may be increased over time.

Walking Tours in Copenhagen, Denmark

Create Your Own Walk in Copenhagen

Creating your own self-guided walk in Copenhagen is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.

Copenhagen Introduction Walking Tour

The Danish capital Copenhagen is a fairy tale of a city, full of peculiarities. Its name – derived from the Danish words for merchant ("køpmann") and harbor ("havn") – reflects the city's origin as a place of commerce by the sea. A humble fishing village, established in the 10th century AD, some hundred years later it emerged as a town after Bishop Absalon, recognized... view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.7 Km or 1.7 Miles

Hans Christian Andersen's Copenhagen

Before Disney glamorized fairy tales, Hans Christian Andersen was the original master of childhood magic. Best known for stories like The Little Mermaid, The Ugly Duckling, The Emperor’s New Clothes, and Thumbelina, Andersen essentially built the foundation of fairy-tale literature-dark undertones and all...

Born in 1805 in Odense, in the middle of the country, Andersen grew up in poverty,... view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.9 Km or 1.8 Miles

Little Mermaid Walking Tour

Back in the 18th century, Denmark was in the throes of an economic boom. Constructed during the reign of King Frederick V (hence the name), the district of Frederiksstaden attests to that with its beautiful architecture, measuring up to the projects from the same period in Berlin, Paris, and Vienna. This tour will guide you through the area's broad streets lined by bourgeois houses, mansions,... view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.8 Km or 1.7 Miles

Latin Quarter Walking Tour

One of the most interesting, young-spirited neighborhoods of Denmark's capital, the Latin Quarter is well known for its hangout spots, alternative shopping, and 18th-century architecture.

Back in the Middle Ages, the area surrounding Our Lady's Square (“Frue Plads” in Danish), right in the heart of it, was considered a “ray of light” in the overall darkness of those times. A... view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.7 Km or 1.1 Miles

Useful Travel Guides for Planning Your Trip

Copenhagen Shopping: 16 Distinctively Denmark Things to Buy

Denmark is renowned for simple, industrial and functional design, as well as bohemian and everyday fashion-wear for the individual urban living. The capital Copenhagen, home to Copenhagen Fashion Week twice a year and biannual INDEX: Design to Improve Life - the world’s biggest design awards, is...