The Philosopher’s Last Walk: An audio tour on the life of Søren Kierkegaard

Søren Kierkegaard’s Copenhagen comes into focus on this thoughtful walk from his family home to his grave. The route links churches, the university, Rundetårn, the lakes, and Assistens Cemetery, turning familiar city sights into chapters in the life of Denmark’s great philosopher.

I like the witty, informative storytelling and the freedom to stop, linger, or pause the audio whenever you wish. I also like the low price and offline access, though you’ll need your own smartphone and headphones, and the self-guided format offers no live guide for questions or conversation.

Key points

• Starts near Kierkegaard’s family home: Begin in central Copenhagen at Nytorv 2.
• Connects philosophy with city life: Hear about Kierkegaard alongside 19th-century Copenhagen.
• Passes major landmarks: The route includes Rundetårn, Copenhagen University, the cathedral, churches, bridges, and the lakes.
• Ends at his grave: Finish at Søren Kierkegaard’s burial place in Assistens Cemetery.
• Works offline: Download the audio, map, and geodata before you set out.
• Costs $9.99: A modest price for roughly one hour to one hour and 15 minutes of independent sightseeing.

Following Kierkegaard Through Copenhagen

This is not a museum audio guide or a lecture delivered in one quiet room. It is a walking route through Copenhagen, using the streets themselves to explain Søren Kierkegaard’s life and ideas.

You start at Nytorv 2, near the family house connected with Kierkegaard. From there, the GPS audio tour leads you through central Copenhagen and onward toward Assistens Cemetery. The route takes about one hour to one hour and 15 minutes, depending on your walking pace and how often you pause.

I like this format because it gives philosophy a physical setting. You are not simply hearing names and dates in isolation. You are moving through the city, passing places tied to religious life, education, public streets, and everyday Copenhagen.

The experience is offered in English through the VoiceMap app for Android and iOS. Once the tour is set up, you can use the audio, map, and geodata offline. That matters in a city walk, since you can keep your phone focused on the route rather than constantly checking a mobile connection.

From the Family House at Nytorv 2

The opening point is listed at Nytorv 2, 1450 København. This gives the tour a clear starting point in central Copenhagen and places Kierkegaard’s story close to the surroundings that shaped his early life.

The first stop is by his family house. That is a useful choice for an introduction because it gives the walk a personal beginning before it expands into the wider city. You can expect the narration to establish Kierkegaard as a person connected to Copenhagen, not only as a name attached to difficult books.

The tour’s audio is written and delivered in a way that balances information with humor. One especially useful feature is its attention to 19th-century Copenhagen as well as Kierkegaard himself. That broader setting helps if you know little about the philosopher and want more than a string of biographical facts.

Arrive with enough phone battery for the walk. You will need your own smartphone and headphones, and neither is included.

Churches, Faith, and Kierkegaard’s World

The route passes by a church before moving on to other central landmarks. The exact church name is not provided, but its place in the walk is easy to understand: religious questions were central to Kierkegaard’s work, and a church stop helps connect his ideas to the city around him.

You should expect this section to be heard from outside rather than as an indoor church visit. Admission fees are not included, and the experience is built as a walking tour, not as a package of entries to attractions.

That distinction keeps the price down, but it also shapes what you get. You are paying for the audio route, not for access to monuments or a private lecturer. If you want a tour centered on atmosphere, context, and independent movement, this is a good fit. If you want to sit inside historic buildings or ask detailed questions on the spot, you may prefer a guided visit with a person.

Rundetårn and Copenhagen University

The route continues past Rundetårn, one of Copenhagen’s best-known landmarks, and Copenhagen University. These stops broaden the story beyond Kierkegaard’s home and religious surroundings.

Rundetårn brings a recognizable piece of Copenhagen into the walk. Copenhagen University, meanwhile, adds an academic setting that fits a tour about a major thinker. The value here is not only the sight itself. The route lets you see how different parts of city life, religion, learning, and public space, can sit within one personal story.

You do not need to plan separate transport between these stops. The tour is designed as one continuous walk, with directions built into the app. GPS triggering is meant to start the relevant audio as you reach the right place, so you can pay attention to the streets instead of constantly searching for the next point.

Still, GPS tours work best when you keep the app open and follow its map. Carrying a charged phone is important, since the app is your guide, map, and route marker.

The Cathedral and the Bridge

The tour passes the cathedral and then goes along a bridge. These are brief route sections rather than separately priced attractions, but they help create a sense of movement through the city.

The cathedral adds another major religious landmark. The bridge changes the pace of the walk, giving you a transition between the dense central sights and the later stretch by the lakes. I like this kind of route design because it avoids making the experience feel like a list of unrelated stops.

The narration is the main attraction at these points. You are not promised a live explanation at each location, and no guide’s name is provided. Instead, you follow the recorded voice and the GPS directions at your own speed.

This also means you control the mood of the walk. You can pause the audio for a photo, stop for a drink, or take a moment to look around without holding up a group. The tradeoff is that you need to manage your own timing and stay aware of the route.

Walking Beside the Lakes

After the central Copenhagen stops, the route passes by the lakes. This section provides a change from churches, towers, and university buildings.

The lakes give the walk a more open setting before the final destination. You may find this part especially useful as a break between the information-heavy sections, since the route continues to tell its story while you walk through a less enclosed part of the city.

The route length is not excessive, but it is still worth wearing comfortable shoes. The stated duration is about one hour to one hour and 15 minutes, and pauses, slower walking, or time spent orienting yourself can affect the total.

You should also think about the weather. The experience takes place outdoors and has no transportation included. If conditions change, the self-guided format lets you pause or resume later, though your booking’s cancellation terms still apply.

Entering Assistens Cemetery

The tour goes into Assistens Cemetery, where the route takes on a quieter and more personal tone. The cemetery is not just the final map point. It brings the walk back to Kierkegaard himself after the route has taken you through the wider city.

Assistens Cemetery is the setting for the final stop, Søren Kierkegaard’s burial place at Kapelvej 2, 2200 København. Ending there gives the walk a clear sense of purpose. You begin with the family home and finish with the place where Kierkegaard is buried.

Because the tour ends at a gravesite, the final section may appeal most to people who want a biographical walk rather than a general city sightseeing loop. The route does not simply return you to its starting point, so plan your next move from Assistens Cemetery.

The ending is also practical to note before booking. This is not a circular route, and transportation is not included. The tour’s directions take you to the route and its conclusion, but you remain responsible for getting around Copenhagen before or after the walk.

What the Audio Adds

The strongest part of this experience is the writing and delivery. The audio provides an introduction to someone you may know by name without knowing much about his life or work.

It also gives you a portrait of Copenhagen in the 19th century. That broader approach keeps the walk from becoming a narrow biography. You hear about Kierkegaard while seeing the streets, religious buildings, learning institutions, bridges, lakes, and cemetery that frame his story.

The tone is informative with a touch of wit. That matters with philosophy. A dry lecture could make the walk feel heavy, while a shallow city commentary would miss the point. The balance here is designed to make Kierkegaard more approachable without turning the subject into a simple tourist anecdote.

The format suits independent sightseeing. You can begin when it fits your day, pause when you want, and continue without waiting for a group. The listed opening hours run from midnight to midnight every day during the stated booking period, so there is no fixed departure time shown.

Is $9.99 a Fair Price?

At $9.99 per person, this is a modest-cost way to add a focused cultural walk to a Copenhagen visit. The price includes lifetime access to the English tour, the VoiceMap app, offline audio, maps, and geodata.

That lifetime access improves the value if you want to keep the tour for a later trip or repeat parts of it. Offline access is also useful because you can download what you need before walking and avoid depending on a live connection.

The price does not include your phone, headphones, transportation, food, drinks, or personal expenses. No admission fees are included, though the route information does not list a required paid entry along the way.

I would compare the cost with what you want from a city tour. For less than the price of many live sightseeing experiences, you get a private route for your own group and a full audio program. You do not get a human guide, conversation, or custom changes to the itinerary. At this price, the value is strongest if you already like self-guided walks.

Who Should Take This Walk?

I would recommend it to anyone curious about Kierkegaard, especially if you want a gentle introduction rather than a formal academic course. The audio’s combination of biography and Copenhagen context should help you understand why the city matters to his story.

It also suits visitors who prefer quiet, independent sightseeing. You can walk alone, with a companion, or with your own private group, and you are not tied to a scheduled departure.

The tour may be less suitable if you want a fast route through major attractions or a guide who can answer questions. The pace is yours, but the content is fixed. It is also less practical for anyone without a smartphone, headphones, or comfort using a GPS app.

Most people can participate, and the route is near public transportation. Still, transportation itself is not part of the booking, so plan your arrival at Nytorv and your departure from Assistens Cemetery separately.

Booking, Timing, and Cancellation

You receive confirmation at booking, and the tour can be used any time within the stated operating period. The experience is listed as available from July 23, 2020, through February 16, 2027, with daily hours from 12:00 AM to 11:59 PM.

Free cancellation is available if you cancel at least 24 hours before the local start time. Inside that 24-hour window, the amount paid is not refunded, and changes made within 24 hours are not accepted.

Since this is self-guided, you do not need to coordinate with a guide. I would download the audio and map before setting out, check your battery, and bring headphones that let you remain aware of your surroundings.

Should You Book the Philosopher’s Last Walk?

Book it if you want an affordable English audio walk that connects Kierkegaard’s life with real Copenhagen places. The route has a clear beginning at his family house, a varied middle through churches, landmarks, the university, the cathedral, bridge, and lakes, and a meaningful finish at his grave.

Skip it if you want a live guide, indoor visits, included transportation, or a tightly scheduled group experience. For curious walkers who enjoy thoughtful storytelling and the freedom to set their own pace, $9.99 is a reasonable price for a focused hour in Copenhagen.

FAQ

Where does the audio tour start?

The tour starts at Nytorv 2, 1450 København, Denmark, by Søren Kierkegaard’s family house.

Where does the tour end?

It ends at Søren Kierkegaard’s burial place at Kapelvej 2, 2200 København, Denmark, in Assistens Cemetery.

How long does the tour take?

The estimated duration is one hour to one hour and 15 minutes.

What language is the tour offered in?

The tour is offered in English.

Which landmarks does the route pass?

The route passes a church, Rundetårn, Copenhagen University, the cathedral, a bridge, and the lakes before entering Assistens Cemetery.

Is this a guided group tour?

No. It is a private, self-guided GPS audio tour for your own group. No live guide is included.

What do I need to take the tour?

You need a smartphone and headphones. Transportation, food, drinks, and personal expenses are not included.

Can I use the tour without mobile service?

Yes. The tour includes offline access to the audio, maps, and geodata through the VoiceMap app.

What is the cancellation policy?

You can cancel for a full refund at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time. Cancellations or changes made less than 24 hours before the start time are not accepted and are not refunded.