Helsingør

A Day Trip to Kronborg Castle in Helsingør from Copenhagen

If you are planning a trip to Copenhagen and are looking to get out a little further to explore, Kronborg Castle in the town of Helsingør is ideal. It is easy to get to by train and is a mere 45 minute ride station-to-station. I visited with my teenaged sons during the month of June to help break up our days in the city.

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To read about our full four-day itinerary in Copenhagen, click here.

Kronborg Castle is Hamlet’s castle in Shakespeare’s famous tragedy. The anglican translation of Helsingør is Elsinore, which is what the castle is called in the play. My older son is a fan of Shakespeare and all kinds of renaissance role play. So, I knew this would be a great day for him — and an opportunity for us to see a bit more of the Danish countryside.

Besides being famous for Hamlet, Kronborg Castle is one of the most important Renaissance castle’s in northern Europe. It is located on the coast at the narrowest point of the strait of Oresund between Denmark and Sweden. However, for most of history, the area of Sweden directly across the strait has been controlled by Denmark. Hence, the kings of Denmark were able to control the passage of all ships entering and exiting the Baltic Sea.

Above photos: Copenhagen rail and main station

To get to Kronborg Castle, you can take a train for the main station in Copenhagen to the Helsingør station. Timetables for the train can be found here. From the train station in Helsingør, it is a 15 – 20 minutes walk to the castle. The walk from the station to the castle has nice views of the sound.

Above photos: Helsingør Station and waterfront

Once you arrive at the castle, you can purchase a ticket for one of their daily tours or explore on your own. We decided just to explore on our own. If you are a planner, you can also purchase your ticket in advance online here.

Above photos: Kronborg Castle entrance

The castle is also used for group tours and private events. There are all of kinds of fun family things to do, such as storytelling, plays, treasure hunts, cannon salutes, and afternoon tea. Even if you aren’t able to attend one of these, the castle is still amazing all on its own.

Above photos: Exterior views of Kronborg Castle

Inside the castle, you are able to see the chambers, halls, ballroom, cellar, and other rooms. The ballroom is pretty amazing! The C4 monogram seen over doorways and in other areas around the castle was for Charles IV, the son of Frederick II and Sophie.

Above photos: Interior view of Kronborg Castle

The Chapel located within the castle is really, really beautiful. It is sectioned off so you can only admire it from within a small area, but it is sufficient to get a look at the ornate organ and carvings. The Chapel was inaugurated in 1582 and it was not affected by the great fire in 1629. So, the interior is well-preserved and still mostly original.

Above photos: Kronborg Castle Chapel

From the top of the castle, you can get a great view of the spire, the town of Helsingør below, as well as across the sound to Sweden.

Above photo: View from the top of Kronborg Castle looking across the Öresund

One of the really fun aspects of Kronborg Castle is the role play happening throughout the castle and in the main courtyard. There are performers dressed in period costume and acting out scenes from Shakespeare’s Hamlet and engaging with visitors. It is a great experience for all ages!

Above photos: Performers at Kronborg Castle

With the ForSea ferry running on a continuous schedule, we decided we would make the 2.5 mile trip to the other side to Helsingborg, Sweden. This was mostly so my son could take home bragging rights that he’d set foot in Sweden. But, actually, it makes sense to incorporate a trip to the fortress of Kärnan because it was the counterpart of Kronborg and made control of the strait possible.

ForSea timetables and vehicle tickets are available here. Other tickets can be purchased through their App or in-person at the terminal.

Above photos: ForSea ferry crossing to Helsingborg, Sweden

From the ferry landing, it is just a short walk to Kärnan. There were a lot of steps! The fortress itself it rather plain, but the views from the top over Helsingborg and the Öresund were worth the effort.

Above photos: Kärnan and views of Helsingborg

Our return voyage afforded us wonderful views of Kronborg Castle from the sea. And, the experience crossing the strait really cemented the significance of this stronghold.

Above photos: Views of Kronborg Castle from the Öresund

After disembarking from the ferry, we had some time before our return train trip. So, we killed time by wandering through the nearby streets of Helsingør. This is a quiet and charming town full of secret little cobblestone alleys and vine-covered homes. During WWII, the town of Helsingør was key in transporting many Danish Jews to safety in neutral Sweden under the code name The Helsingør Sewing Club. Interesting to learn.

Above photos: The streets of Helsingør

Thanks to the long daylight summer hours, we arrived back in Copenhagen just a little after dark despite it actually being quite late!

To read about our full four-day itinerary in Copenhagen, click here.