Imagine a town straight out of a fairytale, where colorful houses line cobblestone streets and a majestic castle guards the coastline. This is Helsingør, Denmark, a charming town waiting to be explored on a captivating day trip.
And it’s extra special thanks to Shakespeare. That spooky castle Hamlet goes slowly mad in is based on a real castle in Denmark, just a little North of Copenhagen.
Beyond Kronborg Castle, there are so many Helsingør hidden gems! Here’s everything you need to know for the perfect Helsingør day trip to one of the most beautiful towns in the country (for real, It’s like every cobblestone street should belong in a Disney movie.)
First – Kronborg Castle Has Many Names
If you’re English Lit friend asks you to take a day trip to Elsinore Castle, they mean Kronborg Slot. If they say they want to visit the Hamlet Castle, they also mean Kronborg.
And, some people just call it the Helsingør Castle. Everyone means Kronborg, the stunning fortress along the shores of Helsingør.
Yes, the same one that William Shakespeare used as inspiration for the setting of Hamlet (though, he never actually visited the Renaissance Castle, but he did hear many tales about the vast beauty and creepiness of the place).
Helsingør Day Trip Itinerary From Copenhagen
Yes, it’s very easy to visit Helsingør in one day! While living in Copenhagen, Robin and I did a Helsingør day trip by train from the city and found it incredibly easy to manage. The town is compact and pedestrian-friendly, making it easy to explore on foot.
How To Get To Helsingør From Copenhagen
Head to either Copenhagen Central Station aka København Hovedbanegård or to Østerport Street Station. The latter is the one we used since it was closer to the apartment we were renting. Most Denmark Travel guides will tell you the train only leaves from Central Station but there’s two!
Simply use your Copenhagen Card or Rejsekort the whole way. The Copenhagen Card gives you free public transportation for the time limit of the pass (24 hours, 48, 72, etc) and a Rejsekort is the local metro card that you can load money on via machines at train stations.
We love this city pass. It includes tons of amazing museums and sights PLUS transportation (and the trains in CPH are so so good, you'll want to take them!) You'll save a few hundred dollars with this pass.
- Includes Public Transport
- Most major sights
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You’ll want to take the RE Train to Helsingør – it’s the last stop on the line and usually takes about an hour from the city. It’s as easy as that! the station drops you off downtown and from there’s it’s a very quick walk to the castle and other top Helsingør things to do.
8am – Leave For Helsingør
Start your Helsingør day trip itinerary by getting out early! Copenhagen to Helsingør Denmark is quick and easy via the RE train. Check the schedules first so you can time your trip correctly.
9:30 – Arrive In Helsingør
Helsingor is the last stop on the line and drops you off right downtown. If you haven’t had breakfast yet or need a pick-me-up, head to Albis kaffebar or Bruket kaffebar for some coffee and bites!
10:30am – Visit Kronborg Slot
Start your day by visiting the main attraction – Kronborg Slot! The famous stronghold built by King Eric VII in the 1420s and has a vibrant history of power struggles. It’s now a UNESCO’s World Heritage site and is absolutely massive.
Just a little fun Danish lesson for you, “Borg” means castle and “Slot” means fortress so Kronborg Slot is basically “Kron Castle Fortress”.
Robin and I went on a weekday in the high season (June 2022) and had no problem at all buying tickets right at the gate! Though you can buy tickets online in advance if you feel like you may be competing for spots for some reason.
11am-Noon – Kronborg Tour
You can do self-guided tours, but I recommend you join of the free walking tours, especially the Hamlet Tour. They guide you through all the main sites but also allow you to visit a few spots, like underground storage areas that feel just like a place Hamlet would see a ghost.
These happen about once an hour, you can find a sign in the main square or near the gift shop that tells you when the next tour is starting!
Make sure you wear sturdy shoes since this tour takes you underground to dungeons and areas with dirt floors!
Oh, and you have to look for Holger the Dane at Kronborg Castle, too. He’s iconic.
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12pm-1pm – Explore Kronborg Gardens & Gift Shop
The place is seriously massive. Even after your tour you’ll have things to explore. The jesters in the courtyard alone are worth watching for a while!
We went in the summer and the weather was perfect, so we loved exploring the gardens and pathways around the castle. You can look across Øresund Strait and see the coastline of Sweden from here!
The gift shop is also cute, I took home a few souvenirs, like a tiny Danish flag ornament for my Christmas Tree. Immediately outside the gates is Kronborg beach (aka Kronborg strand) and some fun modern art galleries that you can swing by as well.
Special Events At Kronborg
A few times a year, the castle hosts High Afternoon Tea!! It looks like so much fun, if you happen to be visiting that day book it!!
They also have select nighttime tours!! I live in San Francisco and went on the Alcatraz Night Tour once it was creepy and beautiful and made the whole tour a hundred times more fun. I bet a Kronborg Slot Night Tour would be equally as creepy and cool to view the Renaissance architecture way!
1pm-2pm – Lunch At Værftets Madmarked
The Danes secretly love food halls. One of my favorite Copenahgen places to eat is at Reffen, an large outdoor food stand garden, and I was thrilled when I discovered Værftets Madmarked on our trip to Helsingor.
It’s a huge indoor food market just a couple blocks from Kronborg. It has so many types of restaurant stalls – fish and chips, ramen, burgers, pizza and more. The inside is so electric. Mismatched chairs, vintage art, quirky decorations. It’s such a vibe and a great place for lunch in Helsingør.
2pm-5pm Explore Downtown Helsingør
After lunch head over to the city center for shopping and soaking up all the amazing beautiful streets! Circle around so you pass St. Mary’s Church and Saint Olaf’s Church along the way (they’re just really cool).
There’s so many cool shops to visit, some I really loved are:
- Igen i brug / Shadesby
- Tibberup Høkere
- Löfström
Most of the best shops are along Stengade, but allow your self to wander and see what catches your eye! The streets are narrow, the houses are colorful, there’s tons of flowers, sometimes they hang the Danish Flag outside, it’s all very charming.
Don’t Miss Munkegade Street – The Disney Street!
This charming street is one of the must-see sights in Helsingør besides Kronborg. I’m literally still not shutting up about it since I walking down it felt like I was in a fairytale movie. Cue: MAJOR Princess Vibes.
You can find corner near the Fotex along Munkegade street. It loops around in a circle and the houses here are *chef kiss* beautiful.
5pm-6pm – Dinner In Helsingør
If you want to stick around for dinner, there’s a lot of yummy spots! Here’s some top restaurants:
6pm – Helsingor Train Station
When you’re ready to head home, just wander back over to the train station and catch the train back to Copenhagen! But of course, check the train schedule to make sure you catch the right one.
On your way back to the city if you leave earlier, you can swing by the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art a train stop away on the RE line. If you love museums, there’s the Shipyard Museum, a Maritime Museum.
Ready to discover the magic of Helsingør? Start planning your unforgettable Danish adventure today!
When you travel to Copenhagen, you simply can’t miss this adorable town and the cool history of this castle. It’s worth a day trip to Kronborg andI honestly wish we had more time to explore, I want to go back!!
It was such the perfect day trip from Copenhagen and I’m still pinching myself over how dang quaint the town is. Every house looked like something plucked from Disney!
If you have any tips to add or questions about getting here, drop a comment below and we’ll try and get back to you!
