Copenhagen: Six Forgotten Giant Sculptures Tour by Bus

The best thing about this four-hour troll hunt is that it gets you out of Copenhagen and into the overlooked green spaces of Zealand. Six giant sculptures by Thomas Dambo sit in remote spots around the western suburbs, and a bus makes it possible to see them all in one afternoon.

I like the clever route and the handmade feel. The sculptures use scrap wood, local help, and natural settings rather than gallery walls. I also like the easy transport. You leave near Copenhagen Central Station, ride between sites, and take only short walks to find each giant. The possible drawback is time: you visit six places in four hours, so the stops are focused rather than leisurely. You should also expect fields and uneven outdoor paths.

Six giant sculptures, one practical half-day route

• Sleeping Louis is the first woodland-style discovery, giving you an early taste of Dambo’s playful use of place.
• Oscar Under The Bridge gets the longest early stop, with about 40 minutes to see the sculpture and its setting.
• Little Tilde, Thomas on the Mountain, and Teddy Friendly complete the collection in a tightly planned loop.
• Every sculpture is made from recycled or scrap materials, with local volunteers helping bring the project to life.
• The bus removes the hard part of the hunt, linking six remote sites that would be difficult to connect by public transport.
• The tour suits curious families, art fans, and first-time visitors who want nature and local creativity without renting a car.

Why these forgotten giants belong outside a museum

Thomas Dambo’s Forgotten Giants project was built around a simple idea: art can pull you into places you might otherwise ignore. Instead of placing six large works in central Copenhagen, Dambo and his team put them around Rødovre, Hvidovre, Vallensbæk, Ishøj, Albertslund, and Høje Taastrup.

That choice matters. You are not moving from one polished attraction to another. You are walking into fields, wooded corners, and quiet edges of the city to find something unexpected. The sculpture becomes part of the outing, while the route shows you a side of Denmark that many short city breaks miss.

The giants are made from scrap wood, and local volunteers helped build them. That gives the project a rough, friendly character. These are not delicate works that ask you to whisper and keep your distance. They are big, humorous figures that invite you to look closely, take photographs, and think about how discarded materials can be put to work.

Dambo has also worked in plastic and cardboard, and his wider body of work includes figures such as Hector Protector and Troels The Troll. On this tour, the focus is the six Forgotten Giants, but the guide may add context about the artist and the wider project. The amount of explanation can vary. One useful improvement would be more detail about what each sculpture means and how it was built.

Starting near Copenhagen Central Station

You meet at CPH Tours & Tickets, only about two minutes from Copenhagen Central Station. That is a very useful starting point, especially if you are staying in the center and do not want to arrange a hotel transfer.

The tour includes a guide and bus transportation. Hotel pickup and drop-off are not included, so you need to make your own way to the office. The total duration is four hours, with a mixture of driving, outdoor walks, guided stops, and a short break.

The route begins with about 30 minutes by bus. This is not dead time. It is the first chance to see the urban edge of Copenhagen give way to open areas and smaller communities. If you like to know more about Denmark as you ride, ask your guide questions. The strongest practical feedback about the tour points to good organization and punctual departures, while also suggesting that extra information during the drives would make the ride even better.

The vehicle used on one reported departure had WiFi and charging points, and you could bring snacks aboard. Those details are not guaranteed as a formal feature of every departure, but they make the bus ride easier.

Sleeping Louis: the first quiet discovery

The first sculpture is Sleeping Louis, reached after the opening bus ride. You get about 15 minutes for this stop, including a guided visit.

That is a short window, but it works as an introduction to the format. You leave the bus, walk toward the giant, listen to the guide, and have time to look around before moving on. Sleeping Louis shows how the project uses location as part of the artwork. The setting is not simply a backdrop. Finding the figure is part of the fun.

You should wear shoes that can handle grass or uneven ground. The tour is not a long hike, but all six sculptures are in outdoor locations, and the walk to each one may take you across fields or rough paths.

Hill Top Trine and the value of changing scenery

After about 15 minutes on the bus, you reach Hill Top Trine. The visit lasts roughly 20 minutes.

The name points to the way the sculpture works with its surroundings. You are not just ticking off another large wooden figure. You are seeing how a different patch of countryside changes the mood of the project. Each stop gives you a new setting, and that variety is one of the tour’s main rewards.

This is also where the trip begins to feel like a treasure hunt rather than a standard sightseeing circuit. The sculptures are placed away from the usual city route, so you rely on the guide and the planned bus transfer instead of trying to work out every turn yourself.

Oscar Under The Bridge gets the longest early visit

The bus ride to Oscar Under The Bridge takes about 20 minutes. You then have around 40 minutes at the site, the longest stop so far.

That extra time lets you enjoy the sculpture without a quick in-and-out visit. You can examine the scrap-wood construction, take photographs, and spend a little time with the setting. The name itself reflects Dambo’s habit of linking a figure to a particular place, giving each work a distinct identity.

This stop is a good example of why driving is valuable. The six sculptures are spread across six western municipalities, and the sites are deliberately remote. Finding one or two on your own would be possible with careful planning, but connecting all six in one afternoon would be much harder. The bus turns a complicated search into a manageable route.

A ten-minute pause at Spisestedet Mosen

After Oscar Under The Bridge, you make a short bus ride of about 15 minutes to Spisestedet Mosen for a ten-minute break.

Do not expect a full meal stop. Food and drinks are not included, and the break is brief. If you want something to eat, bring a snack for the bus or plan around the short pause. The stop gives you a chance to reset before the final three sculptures, but it is not long enough for a relaxed restaurant visit.

This is one of the small planning points that can affect your enjoyment. The tour moves at a steady pace, so eat beforehand or carry something simple. You will have more freedom with food if you treat this as a short rest stop rather than a dining experience.

Little Tilde brings the project back to its playful side

Little Tilde follows the break, with about 20 minutes at the sculpture.

By this point, you understand the basic rhythm: ride, walk, find the giant, hear the story, take in the setting, and return to the bus. Little Tilde keeps the mood light and gives you another chance to compare the shapes, materials, and locations of the figures.

The use of volunteers and discarded wood is worth noticing at each stop. Look at how the pieces fit together and how the sculpture’s size changes your sense of the surrounding space. Children often respond well to the scale and humor, while adults may appreciate the environmental message behind the work.

Thomas on the Mountain deserves your time

The next bus transfer takes about 15 minutes, followed by a 40-minute visit to Thomas on the Mountain.

Like Oscar Under The Bridge, this longer stop gives you room to pause. You are less likely to feel that you have simply collected another photograph and moved on. The figure’s name ties it to the land around it, and the visit lets you consider the relationship between a large handmade object and a quiet outdoor setting.

This is also a good point to ask the guide about Thomas Dambo, the use of scrap materials, and the local volunteers. The tour’s organization is a clear strength, but the amount of background offered can depend on the guide. Vinod led one highly praised departure and was described as especially organized and kind. If your guide is Vinod, you can expect a carefully managed route. In any case, asking questions is the best way to get more artist and project detail.

Teddy Friendly finishes the collection

The final sculpture is Friendly Teddy, also identified as Thomas Dambo number 14. You have about 20 minutes here before the return journey.

Ending with Teddy Friendly gives the tour a fittingly approachable finish. You have now seen all six Forgotten Giants, each placed in a different outdoor setting. The final stop is a chance to compare the project as a whole: the giant scale, the recycled materials, the local volunteer effort, and the decision to bring art into less-visited parts of the region.

After Teddy Friendly, the bus ride back takes about 30 minutes. You return to the same CPH Tours & Tickets office near Copenhagen Central Station.

What the $135 price really covers

At $135 per person, this is not a cheap city add-on. The value depends on how much you want the convenience of a dedicated route.

You are paying for a guide, a bus, and transportation between six remote sculpture sites. You are also paying for time saved. Without a car, reaching all six locations would be difficult. With a car, you would still need to research the sites, navigate between them, find the walking routes, and keep the schedule moving. The tour handles that work.

The price is easier to justify if you do not want to drive in an unfamiliar area or if you have only one free afternoon. It is less attractive if you are mainly interested in a single sculpture or prefer slow, unplanned walks. Food, drinks, and hotel transfers cost extra or require your own arrangements.

The transport received a perfect score from all listed ratings, and the overall score was 4.8 from 23 reviews. That points to a very reliable core service: getting people to the sculptures and keeping the day on time. The main question is not transport quality. It is how much commentary you want while riding between stops.

Who will enjoy this tour most

I would choose this tour for you if you like public art, unusual day trips, photography, or small adventures outside the city. It is also a smart choice for first-time visitors who want to see more of Denmark without committing to a long countryside excursion.

Families may enjoy the treasure-hunt format, although you should be comfortable with outdoor walking and a fairly fixed timetable. Art lovers will get the most from examining the materials and hearing about Dambo’s approach. Nature fans will appreciate the open spaces, even though this is not a hiking tour.

I would think twice if you need a slow pace, dislike bus time, or want a detailed art lecture at every stop. The tour covers a lot of ground. Its strength is access and variety, not long, quiet study of one work.

The best practical tips are simple:

• Wear sturdy shoes suitable for grass and uneven outdoor paths.
• Bring water and a snack, since food and drinks are not included.
• Keep your camera ready, but do not spend every stop behind the screen.
• Ask questions about Dambo and the meaning of each figure if you want more background.
• Meet at the central office, since hotel pickup and drop-off are not included.

Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before departure, and you can reserve now and pay later. The tour is offered in English, with starting times shown according to availability.

Should you book the six giants tour?

Book it if you want a simple, well-organized way to see all six sculptures and spend part of your Copenhagen visit outdoors. The route is hard to duplicate efficiently, and the bus makes the remote locations practical.

Skip it if you would rather explore one area slowly, avoid a fixed schedule, or keep your day focused on central Copenhagen. For most visitors with four free hours and an interest in art that feels playful rather than formal, the $135 cost is reasonable for the transport, planning, and access. Just arrive ready for short walks, a quick break, and a tour that values discovery over long explanations.

FAQ

Where does the tour start?

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

How long does the tour last?

The tour lasts four hours, including bus rides, sculpture visits, a short break, and the return to Copenhagen.

Which language is the tour offered in?

The tour has a live English-speaking guide.

Which sculptures will I see?

You visit Sleeping Louis, Hill Top Trine, Oscar Under The Bridge, Little Tilde, Thomas on the Mountain, and Friendly Teddy.

Is transportation included?

Yes. Bus transportation between the sites and the guide are included.

Is hotel pickup included?

No. You need to travel to the central CPH Tours & Tickets office yourself, and hotel pickup and drop-off are not included.

Are food and drinks included?

No. Food and drinks are not included. The route includes a short ten-minute break at Spisestedet Mosen.

Can I cancel the booking?

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