To fete its 175th anniversary this year, Copenhagen's Tivoli Gardens will open in February for the first time in nearly two centuries as a winter wonderland retreat that will feature illuminations, a skating rink and Valentine's Day-themed dining experiences.
Though the historic park traditionally closes in the first quarter of the year for maintenance, Denmark's most popular attraction will open its gates this winter as part of a year-long celebration for its 175th anniversary. Opened in 1843, Tivoli Gardens attracted 4.6 million visitors in 2016, about one-third of whom were tourists.
The sprawling leisure park features rides, games, live music, open-air performances, flower gardens, and dining spaces, along with weekly fireworks displays in the summer. Between February 2 and 25, part of the park will awaken from its traditional winter hibernation and be transformed into a wintry fairyland with light projections, illuminations, musical and theatrical performances and creative workshops.
The centerpiece of the park will be a new ice skating rink, free with admission. Tivoli's 103-year-old wooden roller-coaster and other rides will also be open throughout the festival.
For Valentine's Day, Tivoli's restaurants will serve up romantic dinners, while the gardens will be spruced up for the heart-shaped holiday. The opening also coincides with the Danish school winter break and Shrovetide, the Danish version of Halloween.