Review · SELF-GUIDED TOURS IN COPENHAGEN
Copenhagen Little Mermaid Exploration Game and Self-Guided Tour
Little Mermaid stories make Copenhagen more fun. This app-guided quest links the Royal Danish Theatre, Hans Christian Andersen, royal palaces, fountains, and the famous Mermaid Statue in one walk. I like the freedom to start when you want, stop for a break, and continue later. I also like the low price, about $6.01 per person, for a private activity with audio stories and no fixed guide.
The main drawback is the app. Some people have had trouble with access codes, maps, or getting the game to work on their phones. You also need to understand what you are buying: this is a scavenger hunt with sightseeing, not a traditional guided tour, and the listed admission tickets are free because the route does not include entry into the attractions.
In This Review
- Key points at a glance
- What kind of Copenhagen experience is this?
- Starting at Kongens Nytorv
- The Royal Danish Theatre and Copenhagen’s performing arts
- Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy-tale connection
- Agnete and the Merman: a quieter sculpture stop
- Amagertorv and the Stork Fountain
- Amalienborg Palace and royal Copenhagen
- Finishing at the Little Mermaid
- How long should you allow?
- The app is the real make-or-break issue
- What the $6.01 price really buys you
- Who should book this quest?
- Booking, cancellation, and practical details
- Should you book the Copenhagen Little Mermaid quest?
- FAQ
- Where does the Copenhagen Little Mermaid Exploration Game start?
- Where does the experience finish?
- How long does the activity take?
- Is a physical tour guide included?
- What language is available?
- Are attraction admission tickets included?
- Can I pause and resume the quest?
- Can I cancel for a full refund?
Key points at a glance
- A six-stop route from Kongens Nytorv to the Little Mermaid: You cross central Copenhagen before finishing at Langelinie.
- The route mixes famous sights with Andersen-themed stops: The Hans Christian Andersen Fairy Tale House and Agnete and the Merman add storybook flavor.
- About two to three hours on foot: One review found the route took nearly three hours, especially with only one short break.
- No physical guide or group schedule: You explore privately with your own party and begin at any hour within the operating period.
- A very low-cost way to get oriented: At about $6.01 per person, the price is attractive if you want prompts, directions, and audio rather than museum entry.
- Prepare the app before you arrive: Downloading it is not enough. Check your code, maps, and access while you still have a reliable connection.
What kind of Copenhagen experience is this?

This is a self-guided city game built around the Little Mermaid. You receive directions and audio stories through an app, then move from one location to the next by solving or following the quest. The route begins at Kongens Nytorv, the large central square at the end of Strøget, and finishes beside the Little Mermaid at Langelinie.
I would think of it as a guided walk with a playful layer. You are not joining a person carrying an umbrella, and nobody is giving a live lecture as you walk. Instead, your phone provides the route, information, and game structure.
That difference matters. If you want a polished explanation of Copenhagen from a local guide, this will feel too spare. If you enjoy finding your way through a city, answering prompts, and making your own schedule, the format can turn ordinary sightseeing into a small mission.
The activity is offered in English. It is private, so only your group participates, and there is no need to coordinate with strangers. Service animals are allowed, and the route is near public transportation.
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Starting at Kongens Nytorv

Kongens Nytorv is a sensible starting point. It is one of Copenhagen’s main public squares and sits at the end of Strøget, the central pedestrian shopping street. That makes it relatively easy to reach before beginning the quest.
The square also gives you an immediate sense of Copenhagen’s center. From here, the activity points you toward a series of landmarks rather than sending you straight to the Mermaid Statue. That is one of the better features of the route. You see more of the city than you would by simply taking public transportation to the statue, snapping a picture, and leaving.
You should allow a few minutes to orient yourself before pressing ahead. Check the start point, confirm that the app recognizes your booking, and make sure the map and audio work. The support information says help is available by chat around the clock or by email, but an app problem can still eat into your sightseeing time.
The Royal Danish Theatre and Copenhagen’s performing arts
The first listed stop is the Royal Danish Theatre, or Kongelige Teater. The institution is Denmark’s national performing arts organization, while the historic theater building dates from 1874.
The stop is brief, about five minutes, so expect an outside look rather than a performance or theater visit. The attraction is included as a point of interest, not as an admission experience. You can pause to examine the building and listen to the related story, then continue.
This is a good early stop because it puts Copenhagen’s royal and cultural life into the same walk. Still, keep your expectations in check. The tour does not include a theater ticket, and the itinerary does not promise interior access.
Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy-tale connection

The Hans Christian Andersen Fairy Tale House is given about ten minutes. Andersen is one of Denmark’s most famous literary figures, and his connection to the Little Mermaid makes this part of the route especially fitting.
The attraction is presented as a place connected with the fairy-tale writer. The game uses the stop to tie Copenhagen’s streets to the stories that made Andersen famous around the world. I like this connection because it gives the walk a clear theme instead of presenting a random string of landmarks.
Again, the ticket information can be confusing if you expect a museum visit. Admission is listed as free, but the activity does not provide paid entry into buildings. You are being guided to the location and given an audio story, not escorted through an indoor exhibition.
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Agnete and the Merman: a quieter sculpture stop

Agnete and the Merman is a group of bronze sculptures in Copenhagen. The route allows about ten minutes here, giving you time to look at a work that is less obvious than the Little Mermaid.
This stop strengthens the water-and-fairy-tale theme. It also breaks up the better-known royal and city-center sights with public art. You may appreciate it most if you like sculpture and unusual local stories, rather than only the headline attractions.
The stop also shows the limits of an app quest. A written or audio prompt can direct your attention, but it cannot answer every question in the way a live guide can. If the sculpture interests you, you may want to spend longer than the suggested ten minutes. The flexible format allows that, provided the app lets you pause correctly.
Amagertorv and the Stork Fountain

The Stork Fountain is at Amagertorv in central Copenhagen. It was presented to Crown Prince Frederik, later Frederik VIII, and sits in one of the city’s most central public spaces.
The planned visit is short, around five minutes. That is enough for a look and a photograph, but not a long stop. Since Amagertorv lies along the central pedestrian area, you can also use this point as a natural place to pause, find a café, or simply watch Copenhagen life pass by.
This is where the tour’s route-building value becomes clear. You are not only chasing the final statue. The walk connects a theater, literary site, sculpture, fountain, palace area, and waterfront destination. The app gives you a reason to keep moving through parts of the center you might otherwise pass without noticing.
Amalienborg Palace and royal Copenhagen

Amalienborg Palace is the route’s main royal stop. It is associated with Denmark’s royal family, which still resides inside the palace complex. The activity allows about ten minutes.
You should distinguish between seeing Amalienborg and visiting the Amalienborg Palace Museum. The itinerary names the museum, but the admission is listed as free and no internal ticket is included. Based on the supplied details, you should plan on an exterior stop and story, not museum entry.
That distinction is important for the price. At roughly $6.01, the activity is inexpensive if you want an organized route past royal sights. It is not a bargain museum tour because museum admission is not part of the package.
I like this section for the sense of progression. After central streets and public art, the route brings you into the setting of Denmark’s royal family before sending you onward to the waterfront and the Little Mermaid.
Finishing at the Little Mermaid

The final stop is the Little Mermaid at Langelinie. The bronze sculpture by Edvard Eriksen shows a mermaid becoming human, sitting on a rock beside the water.
The route ends here rather than beginning here, which is practical. You build toward Copenhagen’s best-known statue instead of using it as a quick starting point. The final destination is open daily from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. during the stated operating period, from August 29, 2019, through February 7, 2027.
The statue itself is small. Do not arrive expecting a huge monument. Its appeal comes from the Andersen story, the waterfront setting, and its place in Copenhagen’s identity. The route gives you context before you reach it, which makes the final stop feel less like an isolated photo opportunity.
The ending point is listed as The Little Mermaid, Langelinie, 2100 København Ø. That is different from the start at Kongens Nytorv, so plan your onward transportation from the waterfront rather than assuming you will finish where you began.
How long should you allow?
The advertised duration is about two to three hours. In practice, I would reserve the full three hours if you want to read the information, listen to the audio, take photographs, and pause along the way.
One person found the activity took nearly three hours and included only one short break. That is useful planning information. The route covers a fair amount of ground, and the word game can make you stop more often than you would on a simple point-to-point walk.
The tour is flexible in principle. You can start at any hour, take a break, and resume later. But the app experience may include timing or pause controls, and one user had to restart after forgetting to pause. Before you begin, learn exactly how the pause function works. Do not assume your phone will handle interruptions automatically.
Comfortable shoes will help, though the supplied information does not give a precise distance or terrain description. You should also think about weather, since this is an outdoor walk with several stops.
The app is the real make-or-break issue
The low price comes with a trade-off: you are responsible for the technology. The activity requires a smartphone, and most people can participate, but the phone is not just a bonus feature. It is your map, guide, audio player, and game controller.
Before you leave your accommodation, check all of the following:
- Confirm that the booking code is correct.
- Open the experience and make sure the route loads.
- Test the map and audio.
- Check how to pause and resume.
- Keep your phone charged.
- Save the support email, [email protected].
The support team is listed as available through 24-hour chat and email. That is useful if something goes wrong, but you should still test the system early. Several problems have been reported with codes, map descriptions, or the app failing to work. One user downloaded everything before leaving home but still could not start the experience.
That technical risk is the biggest reason I would not book this as your only plan for a short Copenhagen visit. If the app works, the activity is a cheap and enjoyable framework. If it does not, you are left with a route you could walk without the game.
What the $6.01 price really buys you
At about $6.01 per person, the price is low for a private city activity. You are paying for the app-based route, directions, audio stories, and the structure of a quest. You are not paying for a human guide, museum admission, theater admission, or palace entry.
That can be good value for the right person. If you already planned to see the Little Mermaid and several central landmarks, the game helps organize the day and may lead you to places you would otherwise skip. One strong benefit is that you cover more of Copenhagen than you might by wandering without a plan.
The price is less attractive if you expect a conventional tour with detailed commentary or included tickets. The admission wording has caused confusion, so read it plainly: the attractions are stops on the route, and the listed admission cost is free. No paid entry is supplied.
Group discounts are available. Groups larger than 15 people should make multiple bookings. Since the activity is private, a family or small group can set its own pace without waiting for other participants.
Who should book this quest?
I would recommend it most strongly to independent visitors who like a bit of play in their sightseeing. It suits couples, families, and friends who want directions but do not want to follow a guide holding a sign.
It can also work well for a first look at Copenhagen. The route links central landmarks with the waterfront, helping you get your bearings while introducing the city’s royal and literary connections.
You may want something else if:
- You need a live guide who can answer questions.
- You want to enter the Royal Danish Theatre, Amalienborg Palace Museum, or other buildings.
- Your phone has unreliable data, battery, or app access.
- You dislike timed games or solving prompts.
- You have limited time and cannot spare up to three hours.
The tone is light, and the fairy-tale theme gives the walk a clear purpose. It is not a substitute for a full city tour, but it can be a pleasant first route through central Copenhagen.
Booking, cancellation, and practical details
You receive confirmation at booking. The activity can be played anytime after booking without rescheduling, within the stated operating conditions. The experience is offered in English.
Free cancellation is available if you cancel at least 24 hours before the local start time. Changes or cancellations made less than 24 hours before the start are not accepted for a refund.
The experience is private and does not involve a physical guide. It is near public transportation, and service animals are permitted. The start is Kongens Nytorv, while the finish is at the Little Mermaid in Langelinie, so allow for a separate trip after the activity.
Should you book the Copenhagen Little Mermaid quest?
Book it if you want a cheap, flexible way to connect Copenhagen’s central sights with the Little Mermaid. I especially like the route’s mix of Andersen, public sculpture, royal Copenhagen, and waterfront scenery. At about $6.01, it offers good value as a playful walking guide, provided the app works.
Skip it if you expect museum tickets, a personal guide, or a polished history lecture. The smartest approach is to test the app before you set out, allow close to three hours, and treat the activity as a self-guided scavenger hunt rather than a traditional tour.
FAQ
Where does the Copenhagen Little Mermaid Exploration Game start?
It starts at Kongens Nytorv in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Where does the experience finish?
It finishes at the Little Mermaid in Langelinie, 2100 København Ø.
How long does the activity take?
The expected duration is about two to three hours. You should allow the full three hours if you want time for the stops, audio stories, photographs, and breaks.
Is a physical tour guide included?
No. This is a self-guided activity using a smartphone app, directions, and audio stories.
What language is available?
The experience is offered in English.
Are attraction admission tickets included?
No paid attraction admission is included. The listed stops have free admission in the supplied tour details, and the activity does not provide internal access to the buildings.
Can I pause and resume the quest?
Yes. The experience is designed to let you take breaks and resume later. Make sure you learn how the app’s pause function works, since forgetting to pause may cause problems.
Can I cancel for a full refund?
Yes, if you cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time. Cancellations made less than 24 hours before the start are not refunded.
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