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City in North Zealand, Denmark
Photo: Flickr user: Adrian https://www.flickr.com/people/padrian2/, CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Elsinore or Helsingør (Danish: Helsingør) is a city of just under 50,000 residents, in the north eastern corner of the island of Zealand in Denmark. It is the closest city to Sweden, with frequent ferry connections to its twin city across the strait; Helsingborg. It is known for the impressive Kronborg castle (world heritage site), the setting of Shakespeare's Hamlet, and for its historic city centre.
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The Danish Maritime Museum, M/S Maritime Museum
It's all about Danish maritime history since the renaissance, told by photographs, models and exhibits on everything from the Danish colonies in India, Africa and West Indies over naval battles and the east Asia trade to recent history.
The Kronborg Galleries
Since the last soldier left Kronborg in the early 1990s, life has been breathed back into the lovely centuries-old yellow garrison buildings with extensive renovations and allowing an increasing number of artists to set up a small creative colony within the castle, with galleries selling and displaying various forms of art and industrial design - from paintings and photography to ceramics, textiles and glass works.
Shipyard Museum
In the old shipyard administration offices a group of passionate previous employees together with the city council have set up an exhibition on shipbuilding in the city including collections on the craft in general.
The Culture Yard
The newest addition to the city's cultural life is an interesting modern architectural piece fitted into the old shipyard overlooking the castle. The house features two stages for the local theater and frequent concerts, an exhibition space for changing displays of contemporary art and photography, the city's main library with a small English section, internet access and various events held regularly.
Technical Museum of Denmark
Housed in an 8000-m² former iron foundry, within its walls is a large collection of steam engines, cars, airplanes and other inventions with particular emphasis on Danish achievements in science and industry like the 1888 Hammel car which, as far as is known, is the oldest original automobile still running, the world's first typewriter and the world's first electromagnetic sound recorder. In the impressive aviation collection which counts a number of complete historic aeroplanes, is also the plane of Ellehammer, which according to the Danes, were the first to take flight on the continent. Many exhibits can be run or operated by inserting a coin.
Set in a classic 1830 country house, surrounded by a beautiful rose garden recreated from its 1920s layout. The museum's main building houses permanent exhibits of a grocery store from last century as well as a typical area farmhouse. The fields around the museum are home to a farming operation using tools and animals from the same period, and there is also an exhibit on local fishing in the early 1800s. Best suited for families.
City museum
Housed in a building nearly 500 years old, parts of it built by the Carmelite monks, this museum has exhibits relating partly to the early history of the house as a hospital and a lavish renaissance manor extraordinarily turning later into the city's poorhouse. The rest of the house portrays the history of the city, and the museum's piece de resistance is an amazingly accurate 1:300 scale model of Elsinore in 1801.
Saint Olai Church
The city's red brick cathedral towering over the medieval centre was built in 1559, but its roots stretch back to the 13th century. The massive 12-metre white and golden altarpiece from 1664, the elaborately decorated 1567 pulpit and the incredibly detailed font cover in the baptistry from 1578 are the highlights, but there are many other ancient relics inside and curiously also an English cannonball fired en route to the Battle of Copenhagen in 1801 stuck in one of arches.
Marienlyst Palace
Built as a royal pavilion in the 16th century for the king to enjoy the amazing vista over the sound, the residence was extended in the 18th century in neoclassical style and served a great variety of tenants before being taken over by the municipality in the 1930s. The grand beautiful interiors are supplemented by a nice collection of art with local motifs and silverware. Following the public takeover the garden was redesigned to closer match its neoclassical origins, and ensure public access to the great views over Øresund.
The city's, if not the country's best preserved merchant house from where they used to handle the paperwork for the Øresund tolls and supply foreign ships with provisions for the onward journey. It hails back to the 16th century, while the current building overlooking the harbour is from 1780. Nearly all the interior is original, and there is also a small shop which sells samples of some of the original items sold here.
Carmelite Priory
Founded in 1430, and the finest example of a complete monastic complex surviving in Denmark, and one of the best in all of Scandinavia. The Carmelites were invited by the king to enhance education and knowledge in the city, and more importantly care for sick sailors passing through the city. When the order was expelled from Denmark following the reformation, it was turned into a hospital, but thorough restoration works throughout the 20th century have preserved the premises for posterity.
Øresund Aquarium
Small salt-water aquarium exhibiting local sea life. Unless you have a general interest in marine biology you can probably give it a miss, but they are great with kids - the university of Copenhagen staff are great intermediaries, and will probably be able to handle foreign kids, since many of the activities, like the feedings, are self-explanatory hands-on activities.
It's a far cry from Las Vegas, but it used to be the only casino in the country from its beginning in 1903 until 1990, and it is still one of only 3 in the country. It's in a historic beach resort, with great views. You have to be 18 years old, and you must present a valid passport or driving license at the entrance. Dress code exists, though it's fairly relaxed, just avoid showing up in your newest Adidas track pants.
5 screens, and might be an option if you're staying over night on a rainy day, this is Denmark after all. Movies are not dubbed in Denmark.
Bike rentals
Join the locals for lovely rides up and down the coast during the summer; you are in the land of bicycles after all.
One of Denmark’s oldest golf courses with an 18-hole and 9-hole par 3 courses with pretty landscaping and views.
Public indoor pool
50-metre pool indoor swimming pool with a 50-metre water slide and springboards if the waters of Øresund are too cold for you; also has a well-equipped fitness center.
Elsinore Theatre
Lively theater for a city this size, mainly touring shows, so sometimes you won't have to sit though 2 hours listening to the agonizingly coarse local language.
Cultural venue in the old customs office building from 1891. It's the city's main venue for mainstream music concerts while live jazz is also a fairly regular occurrence. Also has an exhibition space and gallery for modern art and a cafe.
Boat rentals
Besides dinghies they also rent fishing rods, officially only for the boat rentals, but if you are a tourist and willing to hand in a deposit, they might just comply.
Newly opened French bistro with a changing menu at reasonable prices.
Unpretentious no frills food at reasonable prices, fitting for the old workers guild house in which its located. The menu is mainly Danish dishes with small hints of the French kitchen here and there.
Folksy place in the harbour serving traditional Danish food, good value specials include Lunch buffet during weekends for 155 kr and a changing 'Dish of the day' for 80 kr. À la carte
Italian restaurant in a nice old building in the centre. Decent food.
Nice place with great outdoor seating and atmosphere in a historic house in the city centre, and probably the best choice for gourmets.
Tugged away in a side alley, this place in an impossibly cute 18th century house. Has outdoor courtyard seating and serves middle of the road traditional Danish lunch with a few international here and there.
Classic Danish working class pub with outdoor seating on a small patio on the square facing the harbour.
The largest club in the city covering 2 floors and a balcony for smokers, popular with Swedes from across the sound. There is a dresscode in effect mainly to discourage 'gangsters' so don't show up looking like one. The club doesn't open until 23:00.
Cafe in the yellow 'bridge house' on Kronborg, serving beers, coffee and ice cream at the moat, also has toast, sandwiches and pizza buns... and the real draw, picnic baskets the green surroundings for 175 (for 2, ex. 50 kr deposit).
Nice cafe facing the main square in an old half timbered building, has outdoor seating in the front and in the garden patio out back. Employs physically and psychically handicapped people as part of a CSR programme which is a nice touch.
Healthy café with outdoor seating on the pedestrian street. Serves coffee, freshly squeezed juices and smoothies as well as Brunch, Nachos and home baked sandwiches and potatoes,
Cafe Kronen
Perfect location in one of nice old yellow buildings inside the castle compound, indoor and outdoor seating where you can drink a beer, have brunch (11:00-13:00, 120 kr) or the usual café lunch suspects; burgers, sandwiches and salads (105-125 kr) and digest it over the coffee and cake special for 65 kr.
As the name hints all about a decent cup of coffee, with cookies or bagels on the side.
Easily one of Denmark's best located hostels, directly on the beach, with good facilities - including guest kitchen, laundry room, free Wi-Fi and bike rental.
Directly on the beach north of the castle, there is no faulting the location of this campsite. If you didn't bring a tent they have basic cabins sleeping up to 6 people, during high season and summer weekends you are required to stay at least 2–3 days in the cabins.
Cheapish family run hotel in the city centre, the rooms were a bit kitschy for one traveler, but their 1150 Kr weekend specials is good value, otherwise.
Small charming 3-star hotel in the old city center with classically decorated rooms. There is a good restaurant and café in the building as well.
Three-star hotel on the outskirts of town, just by the highway. Has 57 hotel rooms and a number of luxury apartments sleeping 1-4 people, making it a fairly economical choice if you are more than 2 persons.
Nice hotel with 8 cozy rooms on the fashionable Strandvej (coast road), with a nice forest directly on the backyard, and a small public beach a stone's throw away.
A small family-owned hotel in a renovated historic townhouse right in the middle of the city center. Owners are very friendly.
A stone's throw away from the palace of the same name, this historic, 4-star, beachfront hotel from 1858 is one of nations most renowned, and was thoroughly renovated a few years back. Has a private pool, wellness and conference facilities as well as one of only 3 licensed casinos in the country.
Hotel at a former manor house with spa bath and pool at the roof terrace. Rooms with free internet and minibar. Billiard, volleyball, golf and other outdoor facilities available.
Has booths where it is possible to buy fresh fish, cheese, fruits and vegetables from local farmers and fishermen. It also plays host to the Annual Christmas Fair running from late November until just before Christmas Eve. From its 30 little quaint booths, it has become a popular place to buy homemade Christmas ornaments, quilts, birdhouses, jewellery, clothing, candles & lanterns as well as sausages, cheeses, specialty mustards, fresh fruits, nuts, cakes, pastries, pancakes, waffles with ice cream and marmalade and coffee. The Christmas Fair also has an ice rink, pony (and camel) rides, and a nostalgic Parisian Ferris Wheel dating back to 1912.
Pharmacy
The city's main pharmacy, well stocked and with competent staff that can help you find local equivalents of most drugs found at home.
A large (by local standards anyway) indoor shopping center with more than 30 stores, including a hypermarket (Føtex), a sports and recreation store (Intersport) and a drug store (Matas). Has ample parking with 550 free parking spaces
Elsinore's second shopping center, has more than 30 larger stores and ample free parking. For tourists it will mainly be the post office, the drugstore (Matas) and a handful of supermarkets that are of any interest, though these are also available much closer to the city center. Each store maintains their own opening hours.
Has a collection of books in English.
A local leather worker who designs bag, sandals and jackets.
Local ceramist working out of an old romantic half timbered house. Sculpture pieces, artworks and home decór.
All kind of outdoor gear including clothing, footwear, backpacks, sleeping bags, tents, tools.
Small shop with gift ware, souvenirs, post cards, Danish industrial design etc.
Wonderful shop for kids toys. Very well curated collection.
Nice collection of casual clothes for women and children as well as nice Danish dishes and furnishings.
By boat
Frequent ferries are connecting [Helsingborg] in [Sweden] to Elsinore (Helsingør). Two companies operate on this route: Forsea (previously Scandlines) and Sundbusserne.
By car
The motorway E47/E55 from Copenhagen ends in Elsinore, it's a 50-km (30-mile) drive, taking around 40 minutes outside of rush hours. Route 6 takes you to Hillerød, in about 30 minutes.
While the city is quite expansive, most sights of interest - besides the technical museum - lie within the compact city centre, so walking is really the best way to get around.
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