The world has many great gardens, amusement parks, and theaters, but rarely are they located together in one enchanting place, and nowhere are they combined with such fine attention to history and design as at Copenhagen’s Tivoli Gardens. It is the second-oldest amusement park in the world (the other, Dyrehavsbakken, is also in Denmark) and features buildings and attractions dating from the mid-1800s. But it also offers modern rides, eclectic dining and hotel options, and a routinely excellent roster of dance, music, and theater performances.
I have had the pleasure of visiting numerous times over the years, in all seasons and in daytime as well as evening, and what continues to fascinate me is the way Tivoli manages to embrace the past while making the most of the present. It’s something of a time-machine effect. Not far from a sleek new roller coaster, for example, stands a period-perfect 1920s carousel. Nearby, a 150-year-old pantomime theater with an intricate hand-drawn metal curtain hosts works of modern ballet. And this summer, as part of the Copenhagen Jazz Festival, Tivoli will feature concerts starring Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga. Each thrilling for its own reason.__[
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Take a stroll along with me through Copenhagen’s Tivoli Gardens.
