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Copenhagen Zoo

A historic city zoo where polar bears, pandas and giraffes share leafy grounds with bold modern architecture, playful family zones and hands‑on conservation stories.

4.4

Copenhagen Zoo in Frederiksberg is one of Europe’s oldest and most innovative zoos, home to more than 4,000 animals from over 250 species. Spread between leafy outdoor enclosures and expansive indoor habitats, it blends classic zoo charm with striking contemporary architecture like the Panda House and Elephant House. Families, animal lovers, and architecture fans can all spend a full day here, wandering between Arctic ice, tropical rainforest, and savannah landscapes without leaving the city.

A brief summary to Copenhagen Zoo

  • Roskildevej 32, Frederiksberg, 2000, DK
  • +4572200200
  • Visit website
  • Duration: 3.5 to 6 hours
  • Mid ranged
  • Environment icon Outdoor
  • Mobile reception: 5 out of 5
  • Monday 9 am-6 pm
  • Tuesday 9 am-6 pm
  • Wednesday 9 am-6 pm
  • Thursday 9 am-6 pm
  • Friday 9 am-8 pm
  • Saturday 9 am-8 pm
  • Sunday 9 am-6 pm

Local tips

  • Arrive close to opening time for quieter paths and more active animals, especially around the Arctic Ring and big carnivore enclosures.
  • Check feeding and keeper‑talk schedules at the entrance and plan a loose loop so you can catch a few different sessions as you go.
  • Wear comfortable shoes; the grounds are extensive and it is easy to walk several kilometres while exploring all the zones.
  • Budget‑conscious visitors can pack a picnic and use the many outdoor seating areas, then treat themselves to drinks or ice cream inside.
  • If visiting with small children, allow extra time for the children’s zoo and playgrounds, which can easily add an hour or more to your stay.
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Getting There

  • Public transport from central Copenhagen

    From Copenhagen Central Station, frequent city buses such as lines 6A and 7A run towards Frederiksberg, stopping near Copenhagen Zoo in about 15–20 minutes depending on traffic. Standard single tickets and city travel cards are valid; expect to pay roughly 20–30 DKK for a one‑way adult ticket within the central zones. Buses run throughout the day at regular intervals, with reduced frequency late in the evening.

  • Metro and short walk

    You can take the M1 or M2 metro lines to Frederiksberg Station, a journey of around 5–10 minutes from inner‑city stops such as Kongens Nytorv or Nørreport. From Frederiksberg Station, walking to the zoo takes about 15–20 minutes along generally flat, paved streets suitable for strollers and wheelchairs. A single metro ticket within the central zones costs in the region of 20–30 DKK; multi‑day travel cards cover both metro and bus for added flexibility.

  • Bicycle within the city

    Copenhagen’s extensive cycle lanes make biking to the zoo a straightforward option from most central districts, typically taking 15–25 minutes from areas like the old town, Vesterbro or Nørrebro. The route is predominantly flat and uses segregated bike lanes for most of the way. You can use personal bikes or rented city bikes, with common rental fees starting around 30–50 DKK per hour. Be mindful of local cycling etiquette and dedicated bike parking areas outside the entrance.

  • Taxi or rideshare

    Taxis are widely available across central Copenhagen and provide a direct, comfortable trip to Copenhagen Zoo in roughly 10–20 minutes depending on starting point and traffic. Fares vary with distance and time of day, but a typical ride from the city centre falls in the range of 120–220 DKK one way. This option is convenient for families with young children, visitors with limited mobility or those travelling in poor weather.

Copenhagen Zoo location weather suitability

  • Weather icon Any Weather
  • Weather icon Rain / Wet Weather
  • Weather icon Clear Skies
  • Weather icon Mild Temperatures
  • Weather icon Cold Weather
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Discover more about Copenhagen Zoo

A historic zoo at the heart of Frederiksberg

Copenhagen Zoo has been a fixture of city life since the mid‑19th century, growing from a modest menagerie into one of Scandinavia’s most celebrated animal parks. Set along Roskildevej in leafy Frederiksberg, it feels like a green world of its own despite being surrounded by urban neighborhoods. Wide pathways, mature trees and views towards Frederiksberg Gardens give the grounds a park‑like character, inviting you to wander rather than rush between exhibits. Today the zoo is home to more than 4,000 animals representing over 250 species, from familiar Nordic wildlife to tropical birds and primates. Rather than arranging them in strict rows of cages, the grounds are divided into themed zones that evoke different regions of the world, stitched together in a way that makes it easy to drift from one habitat to the next.

Journeys between continents in a single day

One of the great pleasures here is the sense of travelling across the globe in just a few hours. In the Arctic Ring you step into a cool, pale world of rock and ice, where polar bears glide through underwater viewing pools and North Atlantic seabirds wheel overhead. The North section adds musk oxen, reindeer, wolves and snowy owls, giving a strong impression of the animals that thrive in harsher climates. Further on, the air turns warm and humid in the tropical houses, where free‑flying butterflies, birds and small primates share lush greenery with reptiles and amphibians. Outside, the savannah area opens up into long, grassy views populated by giraffes, zebras and antelopes, with raised viewing platforms so you can look across the plain from eye level with the animals.

Architectural highlights among the enclosures

Copenhagen Zoo is as well known for its architecture as for its animals. The Panda House, designed by a leading Danish firm, curves around an open central garden so that the giant pandas can roam between indoor and outdoor areas while visitors watch from sweeping walkways and glazed restaurants above. The Elephant House, created by a renowned international architect, uses organic forms and skylights to bathe the spacious enclosures in natural light. Other structures play with texture and perspective: the Hippopotamus House features walls patterned like a hippo’s skin, and the Arctic Ring’s underwater tunnel lets you stand beneath swimming bears and seals. Historic buildings, including the red‑brick zoo tower visible above the treeline, remind you that this has been a place of urban escape for generations.

Family‑friendly spaces and close encounters

The zoo is designed with families in mind. A dedicated children’s area brings you closer to domestic animals such as goats, pigs and ponies, with low fences and gentle, supervised encounters that are especially popular with younger visitors. Playgrounds, climbing structures and sand areas are scattered around the grounds, providing welcome breaks between animal exhibits. Throughout the day, scheduled feeding sessions and keeper talks introduce you to everything from inquisitive squirrel monkeys to hippos and big cats. Simple games and interpretation boards invite children to compare their own speed or jumping distance to those of the animals. It is easy to spend most of a day here without retracing your steps, especially if you pause for ice cream by the polar bears or sit down for lunch near the primate islands.

Food, comfort and year‑round appeal

A wide spread of eateries ranges from casual kiosks and coffee stands to full restaurants like Bistro PanPan at the Panda House or more traditional Danish options elsewhere in the park. Picnic spots and benches are plentiful, so bringing your own food is equally practical. The grounds include numerous restrooms, sheltered areas for wet days and indoor habitats that make the zoo a viable outing in all seasons. Accessibility has been carefully considered, with broad paths suitable for strollers and mobility aids, and step‑free routes to key exhibits. Because many areas are partially covered or fully indoors, rain showers and cool temperatures rarely cut a visit short, while sunny days make the outdoor sections feel like a city‑within‑a‑park.

Conservation, education and modern zoo values

Behind the scenes, Copenhagen Zoo works on breeding programs, field projects and educational initiatives aimed at protecting endangered species and their habitats. Interpretive panels explain how some animals are part of international conservation networks, and special programs encourage children to think of themselves as guardians of nature. The message is that every ticket supports this broader work, whether it involves amphibian reintroductions close to home or anti‑poaching efforts further afield. For visitors, this means the zoo experience goes beyond simply looking at animals. You come away with a clearer sense of the global web of habitats that connect the Arctic, savannah and rainforest, and of the role a modern city zoo can play in safeguarding them.

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