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Helsingør and Hillerød

Capital Region · Denmark

Helsingør and Hillerød

The castles of northern Zealand: Kronborg, Hamlet's castle overlooking the Øresund Strait in Helsingør, and Frederiksborg, the Renaissance palace on a lake in Hillerød.

Copenhagen and Zealand

In the photo: Palácio de Fredensborg

Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.

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Get to know the place

A region to enjoy
at your own pace.

Helsingør and Hillerød are in northern Zealand, less than an hour by train from Copenhagen, and host the two most visited castles in Denmark outside the capital. The region, called Nordsjælland, was for centuries the kings' hunting grounds and summer residence, with forests, lakes and palaces linked by royal roads.

In Helsingør, the Castelo de Kronborg dominates the narrowest point of the Øresund, only 4 km from Sweden. There the kings charged passage fees for 400 years on ships entering and leaving the Baltic, and Shakespeare set Hamlet at the castle, which he called Elsinore. Kronborg is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Next to it, the maritime museum M/S Museet for Søfart was built inside an old dry dock, and the historic center has low houses, the medieval Carmelite convent and the cathedral of Santo Olavo.

In Hillerød, 24 km to the west, the Castelo de Frederiksborg, built by Christian IV, occupies three islets in a lake and houses the National History Museum, with the country's largest collection of portraits. Behind the castle is the Baroque garden with cascades, and 10 km away is the Palácio de Fredensborg, the royal family's summer residence with an open park.

Those who prefer a slower pace can sleep in Helsingør and visit the Louisiana in Humlebæk on the way.

This destination brings together 2 cities: Helsingør, Hillerød.

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One destination, many paths

The cities on this trip

Start with one city or combine several in your itinerary.

Where Helsingør and Hillerød is
HillerødHelsingør

Outlines: Web Vectors Map, via geoBoundaries (CC BY 4.0). Adapted by Cidade Turismo.

How to get there: Helsingør and Hillerød

✈ Aeroporto de Copenhague (Københavns Lufthavn, Kastrup) (CPH), in Kastrup · 55 km to Helsingør

Confirm before booking. From Copenhagen, the coastal line train reaches Helsingør in about 45 minutes, and the S-tog urban train takes about 40 minutes to Hillerød. Between Helsingør and Hillerød, a regional train covers the route in around 30 minutes. From Helsingør, ferries cross to Helsingborg in Sweden in about 20 minutes.

Suggested arrival point: Helsingør

The local experience

Things to do in Helsingør and Hillerød

Castelo de Frederiksborg (Frederiksborg Slot)
Hillerød · Capital Region · Castle

Castelo de Frederiksborg (Frederiksborg Slot)

The Renaissance palace of Cristiano IV on three islets in the lake of Hillerød, with the coronation chapel, the Compenius organ from 1610 and the Museu de História Nacional, which houses the country's largest collection of portraits.

Castelo de Kronborg (Kronborg Slot)
Helsingør · Capital Region · Castle

Castelo de Kronborg (Kronborg Slot)

The Renaissance castle from 1574 to 1585 on the tip of the Øresund, where kings levied a toll on passing ships and where Shakespeare set Hamlet. A UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Jardim Barroco de Frederiksborg (Barokhaven)
Hillerød · Capital Region · Garden

Jardim Barroco de Frederiksborg (Barokhaven)

The terraced garden behind the castle, created in the 1720s and restored in 1996, with cascades, clipped hedges and symmetrical beds that descend to the lake. The view of the castle from above is the most famous.

M/S Museet for Søfart
Helsingør · Capital Region · Museum

M/S Museet for Søfart

The maritime museum of Denmark, built inside an old dry dock next to Kronborg, with ramps and bridges by the firm BIG. It tells 600 years of Danish seafaring.

See 2 more places in Helsingør and Hillerød
Centro histórico de Helsingør e Karmeliterklostret
Helsingør · Capital Region · Historic center

Centro histórico de Helsingør e Karmeliterklostret

The streets of houses from the 16th to the 18th centuries between the station and Kronborg, featuring the medieval Carmelite convent, the Church of Santa Maria where Buxtehude was organist, and the cathedral of Saint Olav.

Palácio de Fredensborg (Fredensborg Slot)
Hillerød · Capital Region · Palace

Palácio de Fredensborg (Fredensborg Slot)

The royal family's spring and autumn residence, 10 km from Hillerød, built from 1720 to 1726 beside Lake Esrum. The Baroque park is open year-round; the palace usually opens for guided tours in July.

To choose before you go

Tours in Helsingør and Hillerød

Where each tour starts, how long it takes, how it is done, what is included and the price range.

Kronborg, the harbour and maritime history

From Helsingør and Hillerød On foot, with transport to the start when necessary Half a day or a day, depending on the stops during the day

Visit Kronborg by the strait and allocate another part of the day to the maritime museum and the historic streets of Helsingør. The castle and the museum have separate interior routes. The town centre can be explored on foot between the chosen entrances.

Stops: Kronborg, M/S Museet for Søfart, Helsingør town centre.

Frederiksborg and gardens

From Helsingør and Hillerød On foot, with transport to the start when necessary Half a day or a day, depending on the stops during the day

Make your way to Hillerød and walk to Frederiksborg. Set aside time for the castle interior and another for the gardens, taking in the ensemble by the lake. Fredensborg can be an additional excursion, with access to the palace and gardens according to its own schedule.

Stops: Frederiksborg Slot, Barokhaven.

Day by day

1, 2 and 3-day itinerary in Helsingør and Hillerød

Suggestions to plan the trip. Change the order of the days according to the weather and tour availability.

1 days · Helsingør and Hillerød in 1 day

For For those who want to spread out visits and travel from a base. · Based in Helsingør and Hillerød

  1. Day 1 · Day 1: Kronborg and the strait

    Helsingør: Kronborg, maritime museum and historic town centre, choosing how much time to spend on each interior.

2 days · Helsingør and Hillerød in 2 days
For For those who want to spread out visits and travel from a base. · Based in Helsingør and Hillerød

  1. Day 1 · Day 1: Kronborg and the strait

    Helsingør: Kronborg, maritime museum and historic town centre, choosing how much time to spend on each interior.

  2. Day 2 · Day 2: Frederiksborg and the lake

    Hillerød: Frederiksborg and baroque gardens, with a walk by the lake.

3 days · Helsingør and Hillerød in 3 days
For For those who want to spread out visits and travel from a base. · Based in Helsingør and Hillerød

  1. Day 1 · Day 1: Kronborg and the strait

    Helsingør: Kronborg, maritime museum and historic town centre, choosing how much time to spend on each interior.

  2. Day 2 · Day 2: Frederiksborg and the lake

    Hillerød: Frederiksborg and baroque gardens, with a walk by the lake.

  3. Day 3 · Day 3: Museums and royal gardens

    Excursion to Fredensborg to visit the areas open to the public or spend more time at one of the two bases.

Best time to go

When to go: Helsingør and Hillerød month by month

From May to September days are usually long and the gardens at Frederiksborg and Fredensborg are at their best; in August Kronborg often hosts the Shakespeare festival. April and October are cool with fewer visitors. From November to March it is usually cold and dark early, and the castles operate on reduced hours; check before you go.

The seasons shown are the most usual ones; nature doesn't always follow the calendar.

January Some rain

winter

For Helsingør and Hillerød, set aside part of your itinerary for Frederiksborg and the lake. As a national reference for 1991–2020, the averages of the minimum and maximum temperatures are -0.7 °C and 3.6 °C; monthly precipitation is 65.3 mm.

February Some rain

winter

For a trip to Helsingør and Hillerød, February is still usually cold with short days; the trip calls for more indoor activities. For Helsingør and Hillerød, set aside part of your itinerary for museums and royal gardens. As a national reference for 1991–2020, the averages of the minimum and maximum temperatures are -0.9 °C and 3.7 °C; monthly precipitation is 50.3 mm.

March Some rain

spring

For a trip to Helsingør and Hillerød, spring begins in March, but the cold often continues and daylight increases gradually. For Helsingør and Hillerød, set aside part of your itinerary for Kronborg and the strait. As a national reference for 1991–2020, the averages of the minimum and maximum temperatures are 0.3 °C and 6.4 °C; monthly precipitation is 46.4 mm.

April Some rain

spring

For a trip to Helsingør and Hillerød, April usually alternates cool air and rain, with more daylight for walking. For Helsingør and Hillerød, set aside part of your itinerary for Frederiksborg and the lake. As a national reference for 1991–2020, the averages of the minimum and maximum temperatures are 3.4 °C and 11.2 °C; monthly precipitation is 38.5 mm.

May Some rain

spring

For Helsingør and Hillerød, set aside part of your itinerary for museums and royal gardens. As a national reference for 1991–2020, the averages of the minimum and maximum temperatures are 7.1 °C and 15.6 °C; monthly precipitation is 47.3 mm.

June Some rain

summer

For a trip to Helsingør and Hillerød, June usually brings mild summer weather and very long days; the wind still calls for an extra layer of clothing. For Helsingør and Hillerød, set aside part of your itinerary for Kronborg and the strait. As a national reference for 1991–2020, the averages of the minimum and maximum temperatures are 10.4 °C and 18.5 °C; monthly precipitation is 64.3 mm.

July Some rain

summer

For a trip to Helsingør and Hillerød, July is usually among the mildest months, with plenty of daylight and possible rain during outings. For Helsingør and Hillerød, set aside part of your itinerary for Frederiksborg and the lake. As a national reference for 1991–2020, the averages of the minimum and maximum temperatures are 12.7 °C and 21.2 °C; monthly precipitation is 65.8 mm.

August Some rain

summer

For a trip to Helsingør and Hillerød, August usually maintains mild, long days, although daylight duration begins to shorten. For Helsingør and Hillerød, set aside part of your itinerary for museums and royal gardens. As a national reference for 1991–2020, the averages of the minimum and maximum temperatures are 12.8 °C and 21.2 °C; monthly precipitation is 82.1 mm.

September Some rain

autumn

For a trip to Helsingør and Hillerød, September usually marks the transition to autumn, with cool air and shortening days. For Helsingør and Hillerød, set aside part of your itinerary for Kronborg and the strait. As a national reference for 1991–2020, the averages of the minimum and maximum temperatures are 10.1 °C and 17.2 °C; monthly precipitation is 74.7 mm.

October Some rain

autumn

For a trip to Helsingør and Hillerød, October is usually colder and wetter in autumn; schedule outdoor walks for the daylight hours. For Helsingør and Hillerød, reserve part of the itinerary for Frederiksborg and the lake. As a national reference for 1991–2020, the averages of the minima and maxima are 6.4 °C and 12.3 °C; monthly precipitation is 83.2 mm.

November Some rain

autumn

For a trip to Helsingør and Hillerød, November is usually cold and low on daylight; the long winter already affects travel. For Helsingør and Hillerød, reserve part of the itinerary for museums and royal gardens. As a national reference for 1991–2020, the averages of the minima and maxima are 3.1 °C and 7.6 °C; monthly precipitation is 70.3 mm.

December Some rain

winter

For Helsingør and Hillerød, set aside part of your itinerary for Kronborg and the strait. As a national reference for 1991–2020, the averages of the minimum and maximum temperatures are 0.4 °C and 4.7 °C; monthly precipitation is 70.9 mm.

Plan the journey

How to get there: Helsingør and Hillerød

Transfers from Helsingør and Hillerød

Helsingør and Hillerød have walkable centres. Train and bus connect the bases; Fredensborg is another locality and requires planning your own stop.

Before you go

Practical information

A little planning leaves more time to enjoy the journey.

When to go

From May to September days are usually long and the gardens at Frederiksborg and Fredensborg are at their best; in August Kronborg often hosts the Shakespeare festival. April and October are cool with fewer visitors. From November to March it is usually cold and dark early, and the castles operate on reduced hours; check before you go.

The seasons shown are the most usual ones; nature doesn't always follow the calendar.

How many days to stay

One day is enough for both castles—Kronborg in the morning and Frederiksborg in the afternoon. With two days there's time for the maritime museum and Helsingør's center, the Louisiana in Humlebæk, and the park at Fredensborg.

Which city to stay in

Many people do the castles as a day trip and sleep in Copenhagen. Those who want to stay in the area will find hotels in Helsingør's historic center, near the station and the harbor, and beach hotels on the northern coast in Hornbæk and Gilleleje. Hillerød has hotels near the station and the castle lake.

Respect the place

Take your trash with you, follow the signs and support local businesses. In natural areas, follow the visiting guidelines.

Get your questions answered

Frequently asked questions about Helsingør and Hillerød

Can you see Kronborg and Frederiksborg on the same day?

Yes. Start at Kronborg, by train from Copenhagen, take the regional train to Hillerød (about 30 minutes), and return to Copenhagen on the S-tog.

Is Kronborg really Hamlet’s castle?

It is the castle where Shakespeare set the play, called Elsinore. There is no proof he ever visited, but actors from his company performed at the Danish court. Hamlet is often staged in the courtyard.

Do I need a car?

No. Trains connect Copenhagen, Helsingør and Hillerød frequently, and the castles are within walking distance of the stations. A car only helps for the northern coast and Fredensborg.

Can you go to Sweden from Helsingør?

Yes, ferries cross to Helsingborg in about 20 minutes with frequent departures. Bring your passport.

What is the best time to visit?

From May to September, when gardens are in bloom and days are long. In winter the castles operate on reduced hours.

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