Leaving Hamburg behind I went up north towards the Danish border. I thought it would be nice to drive through Denmark rather than catching the ferry from Kiel to Copenhagen. I will be crossing the ocean with a ferry pretty soon (Sweden to Baltic here I come), so I didn’t feel like I am missing out. During my 24 hours in Denmark I could stop at a few places along the way, which was amazing. From the Fredensblorg Palace to Hamlet’s Castle, there is lots to see in this part of Europe.
I don’t think I ever drove that far north, although I have been to Copenhagen before. Back in the days when I was working in Munich and went on business trips.
My 24 hours in Denmark
If you would ask me to describe Denmark in a few words I would say: DRY and FLAT! The landscape and scenery is just that. There are no mountains to be seen as well as no greenery. Yes, the season contributes to lots of golden fields (Remember the golden fields in Hungary?), but I have also learned later from the locals, that the northern countries had no rain since April! That explains it then!
As soon as you enter Denmark however you get the ‘Scandinavian’ feel and look. It’s cute! I wonder if the locals here embrace the ‘Scandinavian’ design as much as I have seen it in Australia or do they go for something else? The total opposite? Love the thought of it.
I decided to spend only one night in Denmark, not only because it is an expensive country, but also because this trip is based on timelines. E.g. arriving at my cousins wedding in Poland on time (12th August). And when you plan a whole trip you have to consider the priorities and a few set dates. That said the days are long (sunset is at 9.30pm) so I did a lot in my 24 hours in Denmark.
Besides the capital city there are a few great spots to visit north of Copenhagen. The original plan was to go straight to the big city but after some research I decided to drive up to the Fredensborg Slot and then up to Helsingor. It was a great trip!
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Fredensborg Palace (Slot) and the Gardens
The Fredensborg Palace (or Slot in Danish) is still mostly used as the royal residence. You could only enter with a tour guide and so I explore the gardens instead. It was nice to walk a little bit, especially after 6 hours in the car, but the gardens were nothing spectacular.
Unfortunately it wad too dry and so didn’t come across as stunning as it should/could be. When looking on their official website for this blog I noticed the photos were taken when the Gardens were much greener. Such big difference! However I liked the palace, the gardens and the little town. The houses were very cute with their great Scandinavian and old style. Very picturesque!
Helsingør and Hamlet’s Castle
I couldn’t start a roadtrip without seeing a castle asap and so I headed further up north to the port city Helsingør (also known as Elsinore) and the Kronborg Castle. A stunning 15th-century Castle that provided the setting for Shakespeare’s “Hamlet“. The city itself is very gorgeous as well and from the harbour I could see Sweden.
I arrived at my lovely accommodation in a small village Ostrad late in the evening and was ready for a rest. The next morning I was off to Copenhagen before crossing the big Øresund Bridge across to Malmö, Sweden!
Copenhagen
Copenhagen, the Capital of Denmark. It was great to be back as well. I couldn’t remember too much of my previous trips (except that the shopping was amazing) but I always knew it was a great city. And it still is!
The shopping streets are still amazing, the Amalienborg area is beautiful and the mix of different architectures (from very old to modern) gives the city a unique grandness. I especially liked the Nyhavn district with its colourful buildings. After walking 13km in 3 hours I definitely covered a bigger part of the city. It is very easy to spend a few days here (probably next time?) exploring all the different areas (and shops). Love this city and it is a must visit!
And so here I was, my 24 hours in Denmark. Sweden is next and a new country for me! xx
