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

Philosophy feels different on foot. The Philosopher’s Last Walk follows Søren Kierkegaard through central Copenhagen, linking the places that shaped his life with churches, university buildings, lakes, and his final resting place. I like the witty storytelling and the way the walk adds 19th-century Copenhagen to Kierkegaard’s story, rather than treating him as an isolated thinker.

I also like the freedom of a self-guided GPS tour. You can start when it suits you, walk with your own group, and use the maps and audio offline. The main consideration is simple: this is not a live tour, so you need a smartphone, headphones, and enough interest in managing your own route.

Key points to know before you go

• A 60 to 75-minute walk connects Kierkegaard’s family house with his burial place.
• The route mixes philosophy and city history, passing churches, Rundetårn, Copenhagen University, the Cathedral, the lakes, and a bridge.
• The audio is offered in English, with lifetime access through the VoiceMap app.
• Offline maps and audio make it practical when you do not want to rely on mobile data.
• The tour costs $9.99 per person, a modest price for a private walk you can use at your own pace.
• The experience ends at Assistens Cemetery, at Søren Kierkegaard’s gravesite on Kapelvej.

Why Kierkegaard makes a good walking subject

Søren Kierkegaard is often introduced through books, difficult ideas, and a serious expression in old portraits. That can make him feel distant. This walk gives you a more grounded way to meet him, by placing his life in the streets of Copenhagen.

You begin at his family house, listed at Nytorv 2, in the heart of the city. From there, the route moves through places connected with the city’s religious, academic, and civic life. That setting matters. Kierkegaard’s ideas did not develop in a vacuum. The churches, university, public squares, and familiar walking routes of Copenhagen formed the world he observed and questioned.

The audio also gives you a useful second subject: 19th-century Copenhagen. One of the strongest features is the connection between Kierkegaard’s life and the city around him. You are not simply given a timeline of books and dates. You get an introduction to the man alongside an account of Copenhagen as he would have known it.

This makes the walk a good choice even if you know Kierkegaard only by name. One direct strength of the narration is that it works as an introduction for someone who has heard of him but has not read much of his work. The tone is informative and witty, which helps keep the subject from becoming overly solemn.

Starting at Nytorv and the family house

The tour starts by Kierkegaard’s family house at Nytorv 2, 1450 København. The directions in the VoiceMap app are designed to get you to the correct starting point, and the tour begins when you arrive in the right location.

That GPS trigger is useful because you do not have to meet a guide at a precise minute. You can begin at your own pace during the stated operating period, which runs every day and around the clock from July 23, 2020, through February 16, 2027. You still need to allow enough time for the full walk, but you have much more control than you would with a scheduled group outing.

The opening stop gives the tour a personal starting point. Rather than beginning with an abstract explanation of existentialism, you start with the place where Kierkegaard’s family lived. That approach should help you connect the philosopher to an actual address and a real urban setting.

Bring your phone fully charged. The tour includes audio, maps, and geodata for offline use, but the phone and headphones are not included. Downloading what you need before setting out is a sensible step.

Churches and the religious world around him

The route passes by a church before continuing toward Rundetårn. The supplied information does not name the church, so you should think of this part as a city stop tied to the religious setting of Copenhagen rather than a specific church visit with admission.

That distinction matters. This is an audio walk, not an attraction-hopping tour. You pass by the listed sights, and the narration gives them meaning as part of the route. You should not expect included entry fees or an interior visit. Any admission expense is your responsibility, and no admission is specified as part of the experience.

The church stop fits Kierkegaard particularly well. Religion was central to his thought, but the tour’s value comes from placing that subject within the streets he knew. You get a better sense of how public religious life and private reflection could meet in one compact city.

The route then passes Rundetårn, one of Copenhagen’s best-known landmarks. Because this is a passing stop, the attraction works mainly as a recognizable point along the walk. It also gives you a chance to orient yourself in central Copenhagen before the tour turns toward the university and cathedral.

Rundetårn, Copenhagen University, and the Cathedral

The route continues past Copenhagen University and then the Cathedral. These stops create a useful sequence: the city’s famous tower, its academic world, and its major religious institution.

Copenhagen University adds an academic setting to the story. You can expect the audio to use the area as a way to discuss Kierkegaard’s intellectual life and the society around him. The tour does not present itself as a lecture inside the university, so you should keep your expectations focused on outdoor context and storytelling.

The Cathedral brings the route back to religious life. Combined with the earlier church stop, it helps frame the cultural setting in which Kierkegaard lived and wrote. You do not need a detailed background in Danish philosophy to follow this section. The experience is intended to introduce you to Kierkegaard, and the narration has been praised for being well-written and well-delivered.

That praise points to an important practical benefit. With a self-guided audio tour, the writing and delivery carry the experience. Here, the available feedback describes the presentation as informative, witty, and an excellent introduction. Those qualities matter more than a long list of stops because they determine whether you keep listening as you walk.

The bridge and Copenhagen’s lakes

After the central city stops, the route goes along a bridge and passes by the lakes. This gives the walk a change of pace. You move away from the tight cluster of historic buildings and follow a route that links central Copenhagen with the cemetery area.

The bridge is part of the route rather than a separate attraction. The same is true of the lakes. Their value is visual and geographic: they help you feel the movement of the city and make the walk more than a series of nearby addresses.

This section may be especially welcome if you prefer a walking tour with some breathing room. The total duration is about one hour to one hour and fifteen minutes, so the route is long enough to feel like an outing without taking over an entire day.

Still, pacing depends on you. The experience is self-guided, so you can pause the audio, stop for a short break, or move at a faster pace. The route does not include transportation, food, or drinks, so plan accordingly if you want anything beyond the audio walk itself.

Entering Assistens Cemetery

The tour goes into Assistens Cemetery and ends at Søren Kierkegaard’s burial place, listed at Kapelvej 2, 2200 København. This is a fitting final stop because the walk moves from Kierkegaard’s family home to the place where his life is commemorated.

The cemetery ending gives the experience a clear shape. You begin with the setting of his family life, pass through the religious and academic city he inhabited, then finish at his grave. That progression is more satisfying than ending at a random landmark or transit stop.

Assistens Cemetery also changes the mood of the walk. The central streets provide movement and city context, while the cemetery offers a quieter place to finish the narration. You may want to leave a few extra minutes at the end, even though the advertised duration is roughly 60 to 75 minutes.

The tour’s endpoint is also practical. It is a clearly identified address, and the experience ends there rather than requiring you to retrace the route. You can then make your own plans from the cemetery.

What the audio format does well

The VoiceMap app supplies the tour for Android and iOS, including offline access to the audio, maps, and geodata. That combination is the heart of the experience. You are not just pressing play on a general podcast. The GPS system connects the narration with your position along the route.

The format gives you several useful freedoms:

• You can explore at your own pace.
• You can take the walk with only your own group.
• You do not need to coordinate with a guide or larger group.
• You can use the route without depending on a live mobile connection.
• You receive lifetime access to the English tour.

The private format means no one outside your group participates. That is useful if you prefer quiet listening or want to stop without holding up other people. It also means the experience lacks the spontaneous questions and personal interaction you get from a human guide.

That is the main tradeoff. If you want a conversation about Kierkegaard, a chance to ask for clarification, or live reactions to the city, this format will feel limited. If you value control and privacy, it is a strong fit.

Is $9.99 a fair price?

At $9.99 per person, this is an inexpensive way to spend about an hour in Copenhagen. The price includes the English audio tour, VoiceMap app access, offline route materials, GPS directions, and lifetime access. It does not include your phone, headphones, transportation, food, drinks, or admission fees.

I see the best value in the repeatability. You are not buying a single timed performance. Lifetime access means you can keep the tour and potentially use it again, though the walk itself remains tied to the Copenhagen route.

The price also compares well with the private nature of the experience. Your group does not share the walk with other participants, and you can choose when to start. That said, the value depends heavily on your interest in Kierkegaard. If philosophy is not appealing to you, the walk may feel like a narrow subject spread across several city stops.

For anyone curious about Kierkegaard or Copenhagen’s 19th-century culture, the cost is easy to justify. You get a focused route and an introduction that has been praised for its clear writing, good delivery, and humor.

Who should take this walk?

I would recommend it most strongly to:

• First-time readers of Kierkegaard who want a friendly introduction.
• People interested in the link between writers and the cities where they lived.
• Independent visitors who dislike fixed departure times.
• Couples, families, or small groups who want a private activity.
• English-speaking visitors looking for a short cultural walk.
• People who already plan to explore central Copenhagen and want a themed route.

You should think twice if you need a live guide, want detailed interior visits, or prefer a tour with meals and transportation included. The route passes the churches, Rundetårn, university, and Cathedral, but it is not presented as a ticketed sightseeing package.

The walk also requires basic comfort with smartphone navigation. VoiceMap provides directions and geodata, but you still need to follow the route, listen through your headphones, and keep an eye on your surroundings.

Timing, cancellation, and practical planning

The tour is available every day around the clock during the stated booking period. That gives you room to fit it around museum visits, meals, or other Copenhagen plans. Since the walk lasts about one hour to one hour and fifteen minutes, morning, afternoon, or evening scheduling should be possible within your day.

Confirmation is provided at booking, and the starting point is near public transportation. Most people can participate, according to the supplied activity information, but the experience does involve walking from the city center to Assistens Cemetery.

Free cancellation is available if you cancel at least 24 hours before the start time. A cancellation within 24 hours is not refunded, and changes made within that period are not accepted. The cutoff uses Copenhagen local time, so check the time carefully if you are booking from another country.

Should you book The Philosopher’s Last Walk?

Book this tour if you want a short, affordable, self-guided introduction to Søren Kierkegaard with a real Copenhagen setting around it. The best reasons to choose it are the witty, clear narration, the link between philosophy and 19th-century city life, and the freedom to walk privately at your own speed.

Skip it if you are looking for a live historian, entry into several attractions, or a broad overview of Copenhagen. This is a focused literary and philosophical walk, not a general city tour.

For the right audience, $9.99 buys a thoughtful route with a strong ending at Kierkegaard’s gravesite. Bring your phone, headphones, and curiosity, then let the city provide the setting.

FAQ

Where does The Philosopher’s Last Walk begin?

It begins at Søren Kierkegaard’s family house, listed at Nytorv 2, 1450 København, Denmark.

Where does the tour end?

The tour ends at Søren Kierkegaard’s gravesite in Assistens Cemetery, at Kapelvej 2, 2200 København, Denmark.

How long does the audio tour take?

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

What language is the tour offered in?

The tour is offered in English.

Is the tour guided in person?

No. It is a self-guided GPS audio tour accessed through the VoiceMap app.

What do I need to bring?

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

Can I use the tour offline?

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

Can I cancel for a full refund?

Yes, if you cancel at least 24 hours before the experience start time. Cancellations made within 24 hours are not refunded, and changes during that period are not accepted.