København excursions

Sjælland

We could go on an organized sightseeing tour, but it is more fun to set our own pace. Therefore we rent a car for an extra day for a trip around the northern part of Zealand to survey a typical Danish landscape, castles and a cathedral, and some very important museums.

If we want to have a look at everything in one day, we must set out early, at 9:00 in the morning. The round trip is 175 kilometers and takes almost four hours to cover, excluding stops. As some important sites close rather early, we do not have much time at each stop.

If we use two days for the trip we can either overnight at Hotel Marienlyst at 2 Nordre Strandvej in Helsingør = Elsinore, or at Hotel Store Kro at 6 Slotsgade in Fredensborg. We start by going north along the coast about 40 km to Humlebæk.

We find our way from Oslo Plads through Hammerskjölds Alle and Østerbrogade which soon changes into Strandvejen = The Coast Road. We drive on it out of town. This a narrow district road, winding its way around coastal villages, summer villas and country estates. In clear weather we can see the island Ven and the coast of Sweden. At Humlebæk we turn off the road to Louisiana.

Louisiana

Gammel Strandvej 13, Humlebæk. Hours: Open 10-17, Wednesday -22.

An country estate in a large and beautiful garden at the northern end of the village, a whole little world of modern art, both in and out of doors, in the old chateau and in new galleries, some of them underground. This is one of the most free museums in existence, gently kissed by the fresh ocean air.

If you dont have a car, you can leave by train from Copenhagen Hovedbanegården. It leaves every half an hour. A ticket including entrance to the the museum costs DKr. 85.

You should plan to spend some time in Louisiana and have lunch there.

We now turn our attention to the artists. Alberto Giacometti is among them.

Alberto Giacometti

An Italian Swiss, born 1901. He started as a Cubist but became Surrealist before World War II. After the war he was considered an Existentialist in painting, depicting the distress of modern times.

Next comes Alexander Calder

Alexander Calder

Born in America 1898, educated as an engineer. Became a resident of Paris in 1926 and took up sculpture, in the beginning by using wire as material. Was a friend of Arp, Miro, Mondrian and Léger and started to make Abstract sculpture. Many of his works are mobile, some of them operated by machines and others moving with the wind.

Next is César (Baldaccini).

César

Born in France 1921, became a Neo-Realist sculptor, concentrating on works of art made of industrial refuse, such as car wrecks, depicting the destructive stress of modern times.

We turn our attention to Frank Stella.

Frank Stella

Born in America, an adherent of simple Abstract Geometrism, empasizing the repeat and rhythm of the simple line.

Henry Moore is next.

Henry Moore

Born in Britain in 1898, started as a Surrealist and moved into Abstract sculpture. After World War II his best-known work has mainly been massive outdoor sculpture with holes.

Jean Dubuffet is next.

Jean Dubuffet

Born in France 1901, worked partly in commerce until 1947. His works have tended to the Primitive, Savage Art as he calls it, combining it with elements of Surrealism.

Now it is Joan Mirós turn.

Joan Miró

Born in Spain 1893, lived for a while in Paris. He went through periods, started in Cubism, went into Dadaism and then Surrealism. He signed the Surrealist Manifesto. His works exude fairy tales and joy.

Nobuo Sekine catches our interest next.

Nobuo Sekine

Born in Japan, a sculptor famous for heavy forms on slender feet.

Richard Long follows.

Richard Long

His specialty is to make art in nature by lining up stones.

Then comes Sebastian Matta.

Sebastian Matta

Born in Spain 1912. Educated as an architect and worked with Corbusier. Became an Abstract painter before World War II. After the war he has embraced mechanistic and symbolic techniques.

Jean Tinguely comes next.

Jean Tinguely

Born in Switzerland 1925, built windmills and became a Dadaist Abstract painter and sculptor after World War II. Produced art machines who move and make music and are even edible, moving between Neo-Realism and Kinetism

This must be enough of samples of the important artists of this century whose works are on display in Louisiana. We must move on.

We drive again to the Strandvejen coast road and drive the short way to Helsisgør = Elsinore. We keep to Strandvejen all the way to the harbor for the ferries to Sweden, as from there the directions to Kronborg castle are clearly marked.

Kronborg

Hours: Open in summer 10-17, in winter 11-15.

An ancient cornerstone of the Danish Realm, a fort from which ships, which refused to pay for passage through the Sound, were shelled. It was built in 1574-1585 in Dutch Mannerist style, rather cold to look at, in red tile and with a copper roof. This is the setting Shakespeare used for his Hamlet tragedy, now bringing in a steady stream of English speaking travelers.

Inside we can see one of Europes greatest palace saloons, original oak furniture in a church and the chambers of the king and queen. Most important is Handels- & Søfartsmuseet = The Danish Maritime Museum, in the castle.

Having refreshed the memory of our literary education we can get lost and find the sedate market square downtown in Helsingør = Elsinore, surrounded with old houses and old streets. If we have lunch or dinner at Gæstgivergården Torvet we will enjoy a timeless atmosphere.

After lunch or dinner or next morning we are on the road again. We take A3 and turn on to A6 after six kilometers. After 20 minutes driving we arrive at a new stop, Fredensborg Slot = Palace of Peace. Take care to follow the signs to Fredensborg Slot, not Fredensborg, as it is the name of the adjoining village.

Fredensborg Slot

Fredensborg. Hours: Open in July at the hours 13-17.

The peaceful palace is open to the public only in July, but the great park is open all year. The palace was built in 1719-1726 by Frederik IV in Italian style.

It was a kind of European society center in the reign of Christian IX. He was called the father-in-law of Europe, as so many of his daughters married foreign crown-princes. Here he laid out summer parties for his relatives and in-laws, among them Czar Alexander III of Russia and King Edward VII of Britain.

In Fredensborg town there are two good restaurants, Skipperhuset, Skipperallé 6, 3480 Fredensborg; and Hotel Store Kro, Slotsgade 6, 3480 Fredensborg. The latter one is also a hotel that we are recommending.

We continue on A6 for ten minutes through Gribskov, one of Denmarks biggest forests, to Hillerød. Arriving there we follow signs to Frederiksborg Slot.

Frederiksborg Slot

Hillerød. Hours: Open in summer 10-17, in winter 11-15.

A majestic and elegant castle, built by Frederik II in 1560 in Dutch Mannerist style. His son, Christian IV, also influenced its architecture. He was born here and had the castle changed and renovated in 1602-1620.

It is now a major national museum with a gem of a chapel with a throne and an organ from 1610. The main hall of the castle is also heavily decorated. Here the kings of Denmark were crowned until the custom of crowning was abolished. In the museum there are innumerable paintings and old pieces of furniture.

We again drive on A6 and this time for three quarters of an hour to reach the former royal town of Roskilde. Arriving there we first follow signs to the town center, looking for a roundabout crossing with a sign pointing to Vikingeskibshallen = The Viking Ships Museum, at the harbor.

Vikingeskibshallen

Roskilde. Hours: Open in summer 9-18, in winter 10-16.

Opened in 1969, exhibiting five ships from 1000-1050, which were sunk in the narrow entrance to the fjord, probably to prevent the entering of a group of Norwegian Vikings. 70% of the wood from the ships has been preserved and put into place again with the greatest skill.

Here we can see what is possibly the sole survivor of the type of ship that the Vikings of Scandinavia used to discover Iceland, Greenland and America. It is the merchant ship, “knörr”. The other ships are a small merchant ship, a ferry, a fishing boat and a military longship.

We return to the traffic roundabout and continue into Roskilde center. It will not be difficult to locate the dominant cathedral.

Roskilde Domkirke

Roskilde. Hours: Open in summer Sunday 12:30-17:45, Monday-Saturday 9-17:45, in winter Sunday 12:30-15:45, Monday-Friday 10-15:45, Saturday 9-17:45.

The foundations of the cathedral date from the time of bishop Absalon, about 1170, but the tops of towers were not added until 1635. The style is a combination of Romanesque and Gothic. The church was damaged in a fire in 1968, but has been restored since.

In this cathedral most Danish kings and queens have been buried for the last 1000 years. Some of the coffins are of alabaster, others of marble. In the chapel of Christian I there is a column on which the height of royal visitors are marked.

When we leave Roskilde we make a short detour to Lejre, if we still have time before Oldtidsbyen = The Iron Age Hamlet, closes for the day at 17:00. To find Lejre we take A1 south from Roskilde and soon arrive at a signpost to Lejre. The whole way takes about a quarter of an hour. Otherwise we drive on A1 in the other direction and reach Copenhagen in only half an hour.

Oldtidsbyen

Lejre. Hours: Open in summer 10-17.

An Iron Age Hamlet has been reconstructed in an archeological center. It has workshops for ceramics, weaving, coloring, masonry and carpentry.

We return on A1 and turn back to Copenhagen.

Dragør

Amager.

If we are idle for half a day it is ideal to take a bus to the village of Dragør behind the Kastrup airport on the island of Amager. Buses 30, 33 and 33 H leave from Rådhuspladsen square.

It is a sleepy seaside village with old, romantic houses and narrow streets, founded by Dutch settlers in the 1st half of the 16th C.

Baghuset, Strandgade 14, 2791 Dragør, is the good restaurant in town.

From Dragør harbor there is a ferry to Limhamn in Sweden.

Malmø

The flying boats between Copenhagen and Malmø in Sweden leave from the corner of Nyhavn and Havnegade in the city center. The trip takes only 35 minutes.

On the other side of the channel we can inspect the cathedral of Malmø, the most beautiful Romanesque church in Scandinavia, built 1080-1145.

We can also go to the sympathetic university and bishopric suburb of Lund.

Danmark

We should try to discover the charms of the country behind Copenhagen, the roots on which the cosmopolitan stem of Copenhagen rests. We can visit old castles and churches and old towns and countrysides, which have bred the Danish “hygge” through the centuries. If we have children in tow we can easily fit in visits to safari parks and the childrens park of Legoland.

We suggest a trip of 900 km driving, plus four ferry rides between islands. If we are planning for a whole week, it will make a relaxed daily driving of about 130 km, with plenty of time for sightseeing and relaxing. In more hurry this trip could be made in fewer days, especially if we consent to skip some of the less important sights in the following pages.

Having booked all hotels on our planned itinerary, we depart in a rented car from Copenhagen and head south on A2/E4 all the 38 km to the town of Køge, where we follow the town center signs to the Torvet main square.

Køge

Køge.

We can park and buy provisions at Torvet, the main square of Køge. In the square and in two of the streets leading off it, Kirkestræde and Vestergade, there are some 16th C. half-timbered houses.

In Kirkestræde we can also see the 17th C. Skt. Nicolaj church, from the tower of which Christian V observed the naval battle of Denmark and Sweden in Køge bay in 1677.

We soon strike out south in the direction of Vordingborg on the district road, not the motorway A2/E4. After about 20 km we come to the latter of two signs to Haslev on the right. We turn there if we want to see the chateaux of Bregentved and Gisselfeld. From the crossroads there are 2 km to Bregentved. Otherwise we keep on and look for the Næstved sign, 5 km farther on.

Bregentved

Haslev. Hours: Open Sunday & Wednesday.

A Rococo mansion with a park with lime-tree alleys, basins, flower arrangements and open spaces. The park is open to the public on Sunday and Wednesday.

Two km farther on the road we take a left turn for Gisselfeld.

Gisselfeld

Haslev.

A Renaissance castle, built in 1547 as a fortress, surrounded by a moat. The beautiful park is open to the public.

On the same road we soon see the Næstved sign. After passing through Holme-Olstrup we turn right for the Holmegård glassworks.

Holmegård Glasværk

Fensmark. Hours: Open Monday-Friday 9-12 & 12:30-13:30, in summer also Saturday-Sunday 11-15.

Here we can see the most precious glass hand-blown by time-honored methods. This is one of the most famous Danish glassworks and is probably the best one, founded in 1825. This is a place to linger in, if you can tolerate the heat from the 1450?C hot glass.

We put the car in gear and keep on the road all they way to Næstved. When entering the town we make a few hundred meters detour to the former monastery of Herlufsholm.

Herlufsholm

Næstved. Hours: Open in summer 10-16, in winter 11-13.

The monastery is from 1560. The most important part of it is the 12th C. church which still retains a 13th C. look.

Now it is time for lunch and we head straight for Næstved center where we park under the hill of Skt. Peders church. We climb the short way to church square and go directly for lunch into hotel Vinhuset, Skt. Peders Kirkeplads. We have traveled 60 km since leaving Køge. After lunch we enter Skt. Peders church.

Sankt Pederskirke

Næstved. Hours: Open in Summer Tuesday-Friday 10-12 & 14-16, in winter 10-12.

The biggest Gothic church in Denmark is from the 13th and 14th C.

We stroll along the church square, Akseltorv, through Torvestræde to the Skt. Mortens church from the 12th C. Then we turn into the Renaissance-looking Riddergade with a half-timbered house from 1500, and then back on Købmagergade and Skt. Peders Kirkeplads, past an old rectory from 1450 and a local museum, back to our car.

Having breathed memories from the Medieval merchant and monastery town of Næstved, we hit the 29 km road straight to Vordingborg, a town in beautiful surroundings. Our road leads by Algade directly to the town center and to the ruins of the town castle.

Gåsetårnet

Vordingborg. Hours: Open in summer Tuesday-Sunday 13-16.

The national hero Valdemar the Great built the castle in the 12th C. as a starting point for his military campaigns in Germany and Poland. He died in the castle in 1182.

We can see walls, foundations and cellars in addition to Gåsetårnet = The Geese Tower, which still stands, seven storeys high. It was both a fortress tower and a dungeon, with 3,5 m thick walls and a height of 36 m up to the golden goose on top.

Now we drive over Denmarks longest bridge, 3,2 km, over Storstrømmen to the island of Falster, on our 31 km road straight to Nykøbing. There we follow signs to the center-east and soon find the Baltic Hotel on the corner of Bredgade and Jernbanegade, tel. 0385 3066. We book dinner at Czarens Hus in nearby Langgade 2, tel. 0385 2829, and also our ferries for tomorrow.

Nykøbing

Nykøbing.

After a shower we walk Jernbanegade to Gråbrødrekirken = Gray Friars Church, from 1532, with an adjoining monastery. From the church we plunge into pedestrian Lille Kirkestræde, which has kept an old atmosphere. We turn right into Friesgade / Langgade, past the oldest burgher house in town, at no. 18, from 1580, to Czarens Hus at no. 2.

This is a half-timbered house from around 1700. Czar Peter the Great dined there and so we are doing tonight. It is a museum of cultural history and a restaurant. The latter is a museum in itself.

Having booked the ferries Tårs-Spodsbjerg, Rudkøbing-Marstal and Søby-Fåborg, we take Brovejen over the bridge between the islands of Falser and Lolland and either go directly on A7 for Sakskøbing and Maribo or make the Nysted detour to Fuglsang chateau and Ålholm castle. The road from Nykøbing to Nysted is 16 km and 24 km from there to Maribo. We next arrive at Fuglsang.

Fuglsang

Nykøbing.

A Gothic Renaissance manor in a beautiful park, suitable for a morning stroll.

We go on to Nysted, where we make a detour to Ålholm Slot just when entering town.

Ålholm Slot

Nysted. Hours: Open in summer 11-18.

The large 12th C. castle looks like a fairy tales robbers castle. It has many different styles from different periods. The north-east tower is from the 14th C and the western walls are from the 13th C. It was once a royal residence.

Near the castle is the Ålholm Automobil Museum with 200 antique cars from 1896 to 1939.

From Ålholm we take the Sakskøbing road to Maribo. Near the central square of Torvet we find the Maribo cathedral.

Maribo Domkirke

Maribo.

The town is built around a convent and a monastery from the early 15th C. The church, from 1413-1470 is beautifully situated at pleasant lakes.

After 3 km on the A7 in the direction of Nakskov, we turn right for Bandholm to make a 5 km detour to Knuthenborg safari park.

Knuthenborg Safari Park

Bandholm. Hours: Open in summer 9-18.

The largest safari park in Scandinavia, since 1970, with Bengali tigers as the main attraction. In addition the park boasts of wild-roaming antelopes, giraffes, zebras, camels, rhinos, ostriches, apes, etc.

There is also a large childrens zoo with pony riding, a playground with a miniature country and other attractions, seven miniature English palaces and castles, and 500 different species of trees.

This is a good place to spend the whole afternoon, if children are traveling with us. We can have lunch at Skovridergård Cafeteria in the middle of the park. But we must also take care not to miss the two ferries we have to catch before arriving in Ærøskøbing tonight.

In due time we must return back to the A7 from Maribo to Nakskov, drive the 27 km to Nakskov and from there the 4 km to the ferry harbor of Tårs. The ferry from Tårs to Spodsbjerg on Langeland island runs every hour and often every half an hour. The trips takes 45 minutes. From Spodsbjerg pier there is only a short trip of 8 km to the ferry pier in Rudkøbing.

Rudkøbing

Rudkøbing.

From the pier we walk up Brogade to Gåsetorvet which is surrounded with old houses, and then a few meters on to the church, which is partly from ca 1100, with a Renaissance tower from 1621.

From there we walk through the old atmosphere along Smedegade, Vinkældergade, Ramsherredsgade, Gammel Sømandsgade, Strandgade, Sidsel Bagersgade, Østergade and then back Brogade to the harbor.

From Rudkøbing we can make a detour over the Langeland bridge of 1,7 km and back again to the pier.

The last ferry to Marstal on Ærø island leaves at 20:15 and weekends at 21:15. The trip takes an hour. From Marstal there is a short 5 km ride to Ærøskøbing where we park in the middle of the old town, at the parking place of hotel Ærøhus, Vesterbrogade 38, tel. 0952 1003. We hurry to claim our dinner table at nostalgic Mumm in nearby Søndergade, tel. 0952 1212.

Ærøskøbing

After sleeping soundly in one of the garden houses of the quiet old Ærøhus hotel, we stroll through the old streets, Søndergade, Gyden, Nørregade, Smedegade and the crossing Vestergade and Brogade.

This is the most genuine 17th and 18th C. town in the whole of Denmark. Ærøskøbing is the high point of our trip back into romantic history and nostalgia. The whole town is old like a museum, with 36 protected houses, but still livable and lived in, with modern children going to school through the alleys in the morning. And the town is happily off the main tourist track.

We book the ferry and dial Falsled Kro for a late 14:30 lunch.

We take the 13:15 ferry from Søby, 16 km west of Ærøskøbing. The ferry ride takes an hour to Fåborg on the island of Fyn. On arriving there we drive directly 10 km to Falsled on the Assens road, for a real gastronomic lunch at beautiful and luxurious Falsled Kro by the sea at the far end of Assens village. After lunch we return to Fåborg and park at the central Torvet square.

Vesterport

Fåborg.

We have a look at old street parts around Vesterport, in Vestergade, Holkegade and Østergade, all in the immediate vicinity of the remaining tower of the demolished Skt. Nicolai church, just by our parking place.

Færgegårdens Restaurant, Christian IXs vej, 5600 Fåborg, is a good restaurant in town.

From Fåborg we set out on the 47 km A8 road to Nyborg, first passing Brahetrolleborg 1 km on the far side of Korinth village.

Brahetrolleborg

Korinth.

A Cistercian Monastery, church and castle from 1172.

We continue on A8. 10 km later we make a 1 km detour to Egeskov.

Egeskov

Kværndrup. Hours: Open in summer 10-17.

The best preserved Renaissance moated castle in Europe, with a unique garden, including 200 years old bushes and a herb garden. It was built 1524-1554 on oak poles rammed into the bed of a lake.

We drive back to A8 and continue to Nyborg where we drive straight past the center to Nyborg Strand, looking for our lodgings at the Hesselet, Nyborg Strand, tel. 0931 3029, one of the best hotels in Denmark, in spite of being a conference hotel. It also has gastronomic ambitions. After a morning ride on a hotel cycle we drive to Nyborg center and park at Nyborg Slot.

Nyborg Slot

Hours: Open in summer 10-17, in winter Tuesday-Sunday 10-15.

A castle from 1170, long a strategic meeting place for royalty and nobility.

Soon we speed on A1/E66 the short 29 km to Odense. We go straight for the center and park underground at the square opposite the Skt. Albani church.

Odense

Odense.

One of the oldest towns in Scandinavia, the third largest city in Denmark, a bishopric since 1020 and the special town of story-teller H.C. Andersen.

The best culinary restaurant in Odense is Marie Louise, Lottrups Gård, Vestergade 70-72, 5000 Odense, tel. 6617 9295, closed Sunday. For atmoshphere we are recommending Under Lindetræet or Den Gamle Kro, which we shall pass on our walk in the center.

First we walk right off the square past the city hall to Skt. Knuds church.

Sankt Knuds Kirke

Odense.

From the middle of the 13th C. the most important Gothic church of Denmark, housing the graves of a few Danish kings and queens, a clean and harmonious building, especially inside.

Just farther than the church along Skt. Knuds Kirkestræde there is Munkemøllerstræde with the childhood home of H.C. Andersen at no. 3-5, open in summer 10-17, in winter 12-15.

We return to Skt. Albani church, cross Torvegade and walk into the district of Overgade, Bangsboder, Jensensstræde, Ramsherred and Sortebrødretorv.

H. C. Andersen Museum

Odense.

The more or less pedestrian district of Overgade, Bangsboder, Jensensstræde, Ramsherred and Sortebrødretorv is an old village inside the modern city center.

In Jensensstræde 39-43 the H.C. Andersen museum is open in summer 9-18, in winter 10-15, showing some of his personal things, books and original drawings.

Opposite the museum, at Ramsherred 2, the restaurant Under Lindetræet, tel. 0912 9286, is suitable for H.C. Andersens fans. A more economical alternative, also in an old atmosphere is Den gamle Kro in Overgade 23, tel. 0912 1433, a restaurant in a half-timbered house from 1683, surrounding a courtyard. It has been a restaurant all this time.

After lunch and possibly further walks in the old center, we steer again to the A1 for a late afternoon one hour drive the 67 km to Kolding on the Jylland = Jutland mainland of Europe, crossing the Lillebæltet suspension bridge from 1970 of 1 km in length and 42 m of sailing height. In Kolding center we stop beside the castle of Koldinghus.

Koldinghus Slot

Kolding. Hours: Open in summer 10-17, in winter Monday-Saturday 12-15, Sunday 10-15.

A castle from the 13th C., partially restored as a museum of several collections.

It is pleasant to saunter on the love path along the lake in front of the castle.

On the other side of the lake is the city park with hotel Tre Roser, Grønningen 2, tel. 0553 2122, where we are going to dine and overnight. Another alternative at this side of the lake is Saxildhus, Banegårdspladsen, tel. 0552 1200. The best restaurant in town is La Cocotte, Scantiocon, Skovbrynet 1, 6000 Kolding.

Next morning we leave town on A10/E3, charging into the Billund road soon after our start. The trip to Billund is 40 km and we arrive at the Legoland gate when this childrens wonderland opens at 10:00 in summer.

Legoland

Billund. Hours: Open 10-20.

Here we must give the children a free rein into the afternoon, interrupted by lunch at Vis-a-Vis, directly accessible without leaving the park. The Lego guard parades Saturday and Sunday at 13-15.

Legoland is owned by Lego Systems, the producer of famous little play-bricks for children. The main attraction is a miniature country built from 33 million Lego bricks, with medieval towns and villages, modeled on Amsterdam and other romantic cities, and landscapes from Rhineland, Norway, Sweden and Holland. The versatility of the Lego bricks is astounding.

The children also love to test their driving skills in the driving school and to get their certification afterwards. There is also a unique doll museum with over 350 antique dolls and ca 40 doll houses; a toy theater with six performances daily; a wild-west town with an Indian settlement, pony riding, gold-digging and a saloon; furthermore trains, cars, boats and kindergartens.

From Billund we take the road signposted to Give, and having passed that village we turn right for the Vejle road. After some 25 km from Legoland we arrive at Give Løvepark = Lions Park.

Give Løvepark

Give. Hours: Open in summer 10 – 2,5 hours before sunset.

A kind of a safari land with lions as the main attraction. We can drive around, occasionally having to nudge the animals off the track.

In addition to lions Give park boasts of elephants, wild boars, antelopes, camels, tapirs, hippos, zebras, ostriches, lamas and many exotic birds. There is also a kindergarten with special facilities for children to get acquainted with animals.

We continue the 20 km of the road from Give to Vejle, stopping for a while at Jelling.

Jelling

Jelling.

We climb the mounds on either side of the church, the graves of the 10th C. king Gorm and queen Tyre, from the late 10th C.

In the cemetery we inspect the two runic stones, the smaller one erected by king Gorm in memory of Tyre, and the bigger one erected by king Harald Blåtand = Blue Tooth, in memory of Gorm. We can also see about 50 reerected menhirs in the area.

On the same road we arrive at Vejle and drive south through the city on A18/E67 and turn left for Munkebjerg. After some 8 km on the coast road we arrive for an overnight at panoramic hotel Munkebjerg, tel. 0582 7500. Next morning we drive back in the direction of Vejle, look for the Århus sign, cross the bay on a high bridge and drive on A10 all the way to Århus center.

Århus

Århus.

The second city of Denmark. It has a famous reconstruction of a village of historical buildings, the well-preserved remains of a 1600 years old corpse, and many other interesting sights.

Among them is a museum of natural history in the university park, especially noteworthy for showing the start and evolution of life. Also the cathedral, founded in 1201, consecrated to Skt. Clemens. It was originally a Romanesque brick church, restored and enlarged in the 15th C. and changed into a Gothic style. It is the longest church in Denmark.

There are some nice dinner spots in town, including the gastronomic De 4 Årstider at Åbulevarden, tel. 0619 9696 and Gammel Åbyhøj at Bakkealle 1, tel. 0615 7733 and the historical Kellers Gård at Frederiksgade 84-86.

Finding the Århus harbor, we drive south Spanien and Srandvejen where we find Hotel Marselis, Strandvejen 25, tel. 0614 4411. After getting our room we continue on Strandvejen past the camping place and follow the signs to Mosegård museum.

Mosegård

Århus. Hours: Open in summer 10-17, in winter Tuesday-Sunday 10-17.

An archeological and ethnographic museum in the woods, showing us Danish prehistory, including the famous, well-preserved Grauballe man, looking as if he was offered to the gods only a few months ago. This 1600 old corpse is more macabre than anything at Madame Tussaud.

Returning to the hotel we prepare for a visit to Den gamle By = The Old Village, in the city center and to have dinner in town.

Den gamle By

Århus. Hours: Open in summer 9-17, in winter Monday-Saturday 11-13, Sunday 10-15.

An open-air museum of 60 old buildings, which have been transported here and reerected. They are complete with interiors, showing bygone economy, architecture, habitation, commerce and handicraft.

Especially noteworthy is the Mayors house from 1597 at the main village square. Many of the shops have intriguing interiors, such as the watchmakers, the brewery and the chemists, full of quaint jars and pharmaceutical instruments.

This is the recreation area of Århus, overflowing with people during happenings on weekends, extremely amusing in being in the same breath a nostalgia and a living carrousel. Beside it the botanical garden spreads out for afternoon picnics.

After the night at Marselis we have to rise early to catch the 8:00 ferry from Århus harbor to Kalundborg on the island of Sjælland. We can skip breakfast at the hotel as we can have it at leisure on board. Landing in Kalundborg we drive directly up the hill to the church, where we part in Adelgade.

Kalundborg Kirke

Kalundborg. Hours: Open in summer 9-18, in winter 9-16.

A Byzantine church, built in 1170 in the form of five towers with a ground plan resembling a Greek crucifix, one of Denmarks most unusual churches.

There are nice, old houses in the church square.

Leaving Kaldundborg on the road to Slagelse, we take a right hand detour of 4 km to the palace of Lerchenborg.

Lerchenborg

Kalundborg. Hours: Open in summer Monday-Thursday & Saturday 13-17, Sunday 13-18.

A Baroque building from 1743-1753 with an entrance to a wide park of 20,000 roses among other flowers and trees.

We return to the main road and continue the 38 km to Slagelse. Arriving there we find the Korsør road out of the town center and look for a right hand sign to Trelleborg, where there is a 5 km detour for us.

Trelleborg

Slagelse.

A most curious Viking fortress from 1000-1050. It includes a moat and a main fort, surrounded by a high circular wall with four gates facing the four major directions. Inside the main wall there are sixteen house, built in a strict geometric pattern. Outside there is a reconstruction of one of the fortress houses.

Anyone who thought that the Vikings were not especially influenced by Roman engineering and exactitude may change his opinion here. The only difference is that Roman castra were rectangular and Trelleborg is circular.

Turning back to Slagelse we hit the A1/E66 to Copenhagen, through Sorø and Ringsted. The first leg, to Sorø, is 15 km. We stop in the town center at the square Torvet just by the convent gate and cross the street for a late lunch in the confectionery. Then we walk through the gate to Sorø Klosterkirke.

Sorø Klosterkirke

Sorø. Hours: Open in summer Monday-Saturday 11-17, Sunday 13-17.

The largest convent church in Denmark. The Cistercian convent was founded 1160-1170 at the instigation of folk-hero and bishop Absalon, who is buried behind the altar as the other folk-hero, king Valdemar Atterdag and some other kings.

We also walk down to the lake which is in beautiful surroundings, eminently suitable for relaxed strolls. The park includes an English garden on the right when approaching the lake.

From Sorø there are 16 km along the same road to Ringsted. There we drive to Skt. Bendts Kirke in the center,

Skt. Bendts Kirke

Ringsted. Hours: Open in summer 10-12 & 13-17, in winter 10-12.

A Benedictine church in the Romanesque style, one of the very first brick buildings in Denmark. The Gothic elements were added after a fire in 1241. In he church there are over 20 royal graves.

Now we take the car for the last leg of 60 km to Copenhagen. We have made a seven-day pilgrimage through the country, parks, villages, towns, churches, museums and castles of Denmark, through its history, its ambiance, its nostalgia, its “hygge”, -ever ready for another visit sooner or later.

1996

© Jónas Kristjánsson