Copenhagen: Six Forgotten Giant Sculptures Tour by Bus

The fun begins when Copenhagen gives way to fields, woods, and quiet corners where enormous wooden trolls wait out of sight. This four-hour trip takes you to all six Forgotten Giants, giant scrap-wood sculptures made by Thomas Dambo with help from local volunteers.

I like the clever treasure-hunt format, and I like that the tour shows you rural edges of Copenhagen that are hard to reach without a car. The bus also has useful comforts such as WiFi and phone chargers, and guide Vinod has been praised for keeping the day organized and on time.

The main drawback is the price: $135 per person is a serious sum for a half-day outing. Much of the time is spent riding between sites, and the commentary about Dambo, the individual sculptures, and Denmark may feel brief if you want a full art-focused tour.

Key points to know before you book

• Six remote sculptures in one outing: Visit Sleeping Louis, Hilltop Trine, Oscar Under the Bridge, Little Tilde, Thomas on the Mountain, and Teddy Friendly.
• A practical way to reach the sites: The bus saves you from planning routes through six different western municipalities.
• Short walks, not just roadside viewing: You leave the bus and walk through fields or natural areas to find the giants.
• A strong nature-and-art combination: The sculptures bring you to overlooked outdoor spots around Rødovre, Hvidovre, Vallensbæk, Ishøj, Albertslund, and Høje Taastrup.
• Simple central meeting point: Meet at CPH Tours & Tickets, about two minutes from Copenhagen Central Station.
• Bring your own refreshment: Food and drinks cost extra, though the bus lets you carry snacks and there is a short break at Spisestedet Mosen.

Why these forgotten giants make a good Copenhagen side trip

Thomas Dambo’s Forgotten Giants project turns a standard sightseeing day into a hunt. Instead of placing the art in a gallery or busy city square, Dambo and local helpers built the sculptures from scrap wood and put them in less-noticed natural areas around Copenhagen.

That idea gives the tour its character. You are not simply stepping off a bus, taking a photograph, and moving on. You walk into a field or wooded patch, look around for a large wooden figure, and see how the sculpture fits its setting. The search is part of the reward, especially if you enjoy unusual public art more than formal museums.

The project also has an environmental point. Dambo is known for using recycled materials, including scrap wood, plastic, and cardboard. The six sculptures on this trip are wooden, and their rough, handmade look suits the outdoor settings. They feel playful rather than polished, which makes the experience a good fit for families, curious adults, and anyone who likes art with a bit of humor.

You should keep your expectations in check. This is not a long hiking tour, a detailed art seminar, or a full countryside excursion. It is a compact bus trip with several short walks, quick visits, and plenty of time on the road.

Starting near Copenhagen Central Station

The tour begins at the CPH Tours & Tickets office, only about two minutes from Copenhagen Central Station. That location is handy if you are staying in the city center or arriving by train, since you do not need to cross Copenhagen for a hotel pickup.

The bus ride to the first area takes about 30 minutes. This opening stretch helps explain why the bus matters. The six sculptures are spread through western municipalities outside the main tourist zone, including Rødovre, Hvidovre, Vallensbæk, Ishøj, Albertslund, and Høje Taastrup.

A car could get you closer to the sites, but finding all six on your own would require planning six separate stops and figuring out the shortest walks. The guided bus keeps the route orderly and removes that logistical work.

The vehicle is one of the better practical features. It has WiFi and charging points, and you can bring snacks to eat during the ride. Still, do not treat the drive as wasted time. This is where a good guide can add real value by explaining Dambo’s work, the local areas, and how each sculpture differs.

Sleeping Louis: the first search

The first sculpture is Sleeping Louis, reached after roughly 30 minutes by bus. You get a guided visit of about 15 minutes, making this the shortest stop on the route.

That brief visit sets the tone. The sculpture is located away from the central city, so the walk to it becomes part of the discovery. You should expect to leave the bus and search through an outdoor area rather than view the figure from a paved city street.

As the first giant, Sleeping Louis helps you understand the scale of the project. These are not small garden figures. The use of scrap wood gives them a rough surface and a homemade quality, while their size makes them easy to photograph once you find the right angle.

The short timing is worth noting. If you like to linger over every detail, 15 minutes will feel tight. If you mainly want to find the sculpture, take photographs, and hear the key story, it is enough to keep the whole route moving.

Hilltop Trine and the pleasure of the search

After another 15-minute bus ride, you reach Hilltop Trine. The visit lasts about 20 minutes, giving you a little more time to walk, look around, and study the sculpture.

The name suggests the figure is placed at a higher point, and the stop adds variety to the day. Each giant is tied to its surroundings, so the route is not just six repetitions of the same photo opportunity. You move through different types of outdoor space and see how the artist uses a site to shape the experience.

I especially like this part of the tour for people who want a little fresh air without committing to a long hike. The walking is short at each stop, but the cumulative effect gets you out of the bus several times. Wear shoes that can handle fields and uneven ground, since the information specifically notes that the giants sit in remote areas and require walks through natural spaces.

The guide’s role matters here. A well-organized guide keeps the group together and gets everyone back to the bus on time. Vinod has received particular praise for running the schedule smoothly, which is useful on a route with six stops and several transfers.

Oscar Under the Bridge, the longest early stop

The third sculpture is Oscar Under the Bridge. The bus ride from Hilltop Trine takes about 20 minutes, followed by a 40-minute visit, one of the longest stops of the day.

This is a good place to slow down. The setting under or near a bridge gives the sculpture a different mood from one placed in an open field or on a hill. It also shows the project’s central idea clearly: ordinary, overlooked spaces can become destinations when art gives you a reason to visit.

A 40-minute stop gives you time to see the figure from more than one side and take in the surrounding area. You are likely to appreciate the contrast between the rough wood and the hard infrastructure of the bridge. It is the kind of pairing that makes a photograph more interesting than a simple portrait of a sculpture.

The word under matters practically. This is not a polished attraction with a standard museum path. The experience is outdoors, and the route involves walking from the bus. Keep your camera ready, but also leave a little time to notice the place around Oscar rather than treating the giant as the only thing worth seeing.

A short break at Spisestedet Mosen

After Oscar Under the Bridge, the group takes a short bus ride of about 15 minutes to Spisestedet Mosen. The break lasts around 10 minutes.

That is enough time for a pause, but not enough for a leisurely meal. Food and drinks are not included, so you should plan ahead. You can bring snacks on the bus, which is useful given the long sequence of stops and drives.

This pause also breaks up the first half of the route. Without it, the day would feel like a continuous cycle of bus rides and short walks. Ten minutes is modest, but it gives you a chance to stretch and reset before the final three sculptures.

Little Tilde and Thomas on the Mountain

The next stop is Little Tilde, reached after about 15 minutes on the bus. The guided visit lasts around 20 minutes.

Little Tilde is another chance to see how Dambo uses a natural site as part of the artwork. The project was designed to bring art outside museums and into places people might otherwise ignore. That purpose is easier to understand when you are standing in a quiet outdoor area rather than in a gallery full of other objects.

After Little Tilde, the bus continues to Thomas on the Mountain. The visit lasts about 40 minutes, matching Oscar Under the Bridge as one of the day’s more generous stops.

The longer pause gives you room to appreciate the sculpture at different distances. You can look at the construction, the scale, and the way the figure sits within its surroundings. Since the sculptures were built with volunteers from recycled wood, they invite closer inspection. You may notice variations in the boards, joints, and surfaces that would be lost in a quick glance.

This stop is also useful for understanding the personal side of the project. Thomas Dambo did not limit his work to one material or one kind of public art. His wider practice includes sculptures made from plastic and cardboard, but here the six giants share a common wooden, outdoor character.

If you want more information about the artist, listen closely to the guide and ask questions when there is a chance. The tour is in English, but the amount of detail about each sculpture can vary. The route clearly prioritizes getting to all six sites in four hours.

Teddy Friendly closes the hunt

The final sculpture is Friendly Teddy, also known as Teddy Friendly by Thomas Dambo number 14. It comes after a bus ride of about 20 minutes, and the visit lasts around 20 minutes.

Ending with Teddy Friendly keeps the final stop manageable. By this point, you have seen six large wooden works in different areas, walked through several outdoor settings, and spent a good part of the afternoon on the bus. Twenty minutes is enough to finish the photo hunt without making the day drag.

The final ride back to CPH Tours & Tickets takes about 30 minutes. You return to the same central location near Copenhagen Central Station, which makes it easy to continue sightseeing or catch a train afterward.

The route is tightly planned, but the timing appears designed to avoid rushing. You get 15 to 40 minutes at each sculpture, and the bus transfers are short enough to make visiting all six possible in one half-day.

What the $135 price really covers

At $135 per person, this is not a cheap way to spend four hours. The value comes mainly from transportation and route planning, not from included meals or a long guided walk.

You are paying for an English-speaking guide and bus transport to six sites spread across the western edge of Copenhagen. If you do not have a car, that convenience is substantial. Reaching all six locations independently would take time, local route planning, and a willingness to search for remote sites.

The price is harder to justify if you already have a rental car, want to visit only one or two giants, or prefer to explore at your own pace. You could find that the fixed schedule gives you less time than you want at your favorite sculpture.

I see the tour as better value for a first visit to Copenhagen, a short stay, or a group that wants a simple half-day outing without driving. It also works well if you are drawn to Dambo’s work but do not want to spend a day organizing the route yourself.

The bus, walking, and pace

The day includes about four hours of activity, but that does not mean four hours of walking. The itinerary has several bus transfers, ranging from 15 to 30 minutes, plus short outdoor visits. The walking is part of the experience, yet the tour is not presented as a long-distance hike.

You should bring comfortable shoes suitable for fields and natural ground. The giants are in remote areas, and the route specifically involves walking to uncover them. Weather can affect how pleasant those walks feel, so practical clothing matters more than dressing for a city tour.

The bus makes the trip possible for a broad range of visitors, but you should be comfortable getting on and off several times and walking outdoors at each site. Exact group size is not provided, so you should not assume a small private outing.

One useful touch is the onboard WiFi and phone charging. You can use the driving time to recharge your phone, especially if you plan to take photographs at every stop. Snacks are allowed, though you need to provide your own food and drinks.

Who should book this tour

I would recommend this outing to anyone who likes public art, playful sculpture, recycling projects, and unusual day trips. Families may enjoy the treasure-hunt feeling, while adults who want a break from Copenhagen’s historic center will get a different view of Zealand.

It is also a smart choice for visitors without a car. The route covers six municipalities and remote sites that are not practical to connect casually in one afternoon. The tour handles the driving and gives you a clear plan.

You may want to skip it if your priority is classic Copenhagen architecture, museums, food, or a long countryside walk. You should also think twice if $135 feels high for a bus-based activity or if you want extensive discussion of Dambo’s artistic methods. The tour can include useful background, but its main job is to get you to the sculptures efficiently.

English is the only listed tour language. Cancellation is flexible up to 24 hours before departure, with a full refund, and you can reserve now and pay later. Starting times vary, so check availability when choosing your date.

My verdict on the six-giant hunt

I like this tour because it gives you a reason to leave central Copenhagen and combines art with real outdoor settings. The six sculptures are memorable, the treasure-hunt format keeps the day light, and the bus solves a difficult transport problem.

The cost is the key question. Book it if you want to see all six giants in one organized half-day and do not have a car. Skip it if you prefer slow independent visits, need a low-cost activity, or want a tour with far more detailed art commentary.

For the right person, this is a lively and practical way to see a less familiar side of Denmark. You return having visited six unusual sculptures and several quiet areas that most short-term visitors would never reach.

FAQ

Where does the Six Forgotten Giants tour start?

It starts at the CPH Tours & Tickets office, located about two minutes from Copenhagen Central Station.

How long does the tour last?

The tour lasts four hours, including bus transfers, visits to all six sculptures, and a short break.

Which sculptures are included?

The route includes Sleeping Louis, Hilltop Trine, Oscar Under the Bridge, Little Tilde, Thomas on the Mountain, and Friendly Teddy.

Is the tour conducted in English?

Yes. The listed live tour language is English.

Are food and drinks included?

No. Food and drinks are not included, though you can bring snacks to eat on the bus. The route also includes a short break at Spisestedet Mosen.

Can I cancel for a refund?

Yes. You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund. You can also reserve now and pay later.