Hotels near The Little Mermaid

Edvard Eriksen's bronze statue of the Little Mermaid has perched on a rock at Langelinie harbour since 1913, modelled after the heroine of the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale. Commissioned by Carl Jacobsen of the Carlsberg brewery, the statue is small (1.25 metres) and famously underwhelming on its own - but the 30-minute walk to reach it through Kastellet fortress and Amalienhaven gardens makes the visit worthwhile.

The statue has been vandalised dozens of times since 1964 (decapitated twice, painted, blown up) and the head and arms have been replaced more than once. Kastellet, the star-shaped fortress right next to it, is one of the best-preserved 17th-century citadels in Europe and is free to walk. Combine the two for a 90-minute scenic loop from Amalienborg Palace.

Pro Tip: Visit before 09:00 to beat the tour buses. Walk from Amalienborg Palace through Amalienhaven and into Kastellet; exit on the north side and the Mermaid is 200 metres further. The whole loop takes 90 minutes from Nyhavn.