Køge: History of the town and the Køge Å Trail

Køge between the market square and the countryside

Køge reveals its character at Køge Torv and along the Køge Å Trail: a historic urban space and a varied trail landscape offer two different ways of experiencing the destination. If you are weighing culture against active days for your trip, you can set your priorities accordingly and include both sides in your stay. The town’s history is reflected in the square, museum, guided tours and historic buildings; the landscape perspective unfolds along the cycling and hiking trail. This gives you two clearly distinguishable guiding ideas for your planning from the outset.

Køge Torv and the history of the trading town

Køge Torv was laid out in the 13th century. A market selling, among other things, meat, fish and vegetables has also been documented at Køge Torv for 700 years. Market days at Køge Torv take place every Wednesday and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. The square therefore combines a long history with a regular market rhythm that you can take into account when planning your day.

The museum and guided town history tours

Køge Museum is centrally located in Køge and presents the town’s history in a merchant’s courtyard dating from 1619. Guided town tours in Køge cover the history of the town, including its history as a trading town and the witch trials that took place there. The guided town tours in Køge begin at Køge Torv. A visit therefore leads from the historic market square to further topics in the town’s history, while the merchant’s courtyard provides its own architectural connection to the past.

Historic buildings in Køge

Det Gamle Hus is one of Denmark’s oldest dated half-timbered houses. At Køge Library, you can visit Det Gamle Hus from the inside. Køge Rådhus is Denmark’s oldest town hall building still in use. This means the perspective extends from a dated half-timbered house to a town hall whose use continues into the present day – two different ways of exploring Køge’s architectural and urban history.

Vallø in the surrounding area

Vallø is located in the area surrounding Køge and is one of the castles.

The Køge Å Trail for cycling and hiking days

The Køge Å Trail runs through forests, along marshes and through villages, offering views of the open countryside. It is a 22-kilometre cycling and hiking trail that leads from Køge via Dyndet in Borup to Borup railway station. Those who would like to include cycling and hiking in their stay can regard the route as a separate planning focus: the trail brings different landscape impressions and places together in a shared sequence, without requiring a purely urban day plan.

Your guide to Køge

When choosing your accommodation in Køge, you can therefore orient yourself around your preferred daily rhythm: town history or a landscape experience, depending on which themes you would like to include in your stay. The market square provides a cultural focus, while the Køge Å Trail provides a landscape focus. This allows you to organise your travel plans according to your interests and daily rhythm.

More places for planning your trip: Lille Skensved, Borup, Ejby, Stubberup.

To the overarching travel overview: Køge Municipality.