Nyhavn Harbour Copenhagen

Nyhavn, the “New Harbour”, was dug in the seventeenth century to bring ships into the heart of Copenhagen. Today its quayside is lined with townhouses painted in reds, yellows and blues, and old wooden sailing ships are moored along the canal. The fairy-tale writer Hans Christian Andersen lived in several of the houses.

Stroll the quayside, sit at a canal-side café, and take in the classic view from the bridge at the end of the canal. Canal boat tours leave from here, and the royal palace of Amalienborg is a short walk away.

Nyhavn is at its liveliest on summer evenings and at its prettiest in the soft light of early morning. In December, a Christmas market fills the quayside.