Kronborg Castle

Kronborg Castle guards the narrowest point of the Øresund, the strait between Denmark and Sweden, at Helsingør, about 45 minutes north of Copenhagen. For centuries, ships passing here paid tolls to the Danish crown. Shakespeare set Hamlet at the castle, which he called Elsinore, and it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Explore the royal apartments and the great ballroom, then descend into the dark casemates beneath the castle, where the statue of the legendary hero Holger Danske sits sleeping. From the ramparts, Sweden is clearly visible across the water.

In summer, actors bring scenes from Hamlet to life around the castle. Kronborg combines well with Frederiksborg Castle on a North Zealand day trip. Leave time for a coffee in Helsingør’s old town afterwards.