Between past and present

Taking a walk through the streets of Køge's city centre, you will experience the beautiful old and well preserved houses on one hand, representing 700 years of town history, and on the other hand you will see Køge as an enterprising and lively modern town with rich opportunities for holiday shopping.

Since 1966, Køge's City Council has applied a special programme for the preservation of old buildings, whether they are privately owned or city property. That is why our town is visited by a large number of groups every year who study the pretty, well preserved houses on a conducted tour with a talk about the history of Køge.

The old medieval centre is surrounded by a progressive town with a very active business and cultural life. The industrial harbour is in constant development, and Køge's corporate scene includes both major and minor companies.

To discover the old town, you will find a small guide book useful with its description of the old houses and a detailed map. It is on sale at the Tourist Office for DKK 5.

City walks with a Danish guide are organised in early and late summer. Tickets are sold at the Tourist Office.

These walks include a tour of central Køge with access to medieval basements that are normally not open to the public. The witch hunt, Køge Huskors, is usually part of the guide's narratives, as are the stories of the Wooden Shoe Battle and Hans Christian Andersen's visit to Køge in the 1800s. Some of the tours focus on the church. It is also possible to book tours for groups.