Hillerød & Helsingør, Denmark
This was my first full day back in Denmark. Jet lag kept me up a bit at night and I got a relatively late start in the morning but the sun was out which helped with motivation. I pointed my rental car to the north and the town of Hillerød, home to Frederiksborg Slot (castle).
Driving in Denmark, at least outside Copenhagen, is relatively relaxed. The roads are smooth, cars are small and everyone keeps a respectable distance (unlike the French, who tailgate like mad). There aren’t any crazy Italian scooters darting between cars either.
I’ve managed opposite driving on tiny Scottish and Irish roads where you occasionally share the pavement with sheep. The German Autobahn can generate anxiety when the Mercedes from nowhere zooms up behind you like a missile before you can get over. Denmark? Piece of kage.
After parking in Hillerød, I hiked across a bridge as the soaring Frederiksborg Castle loomed before me. Surrounded by water for defensive purposes back in the day, the setting now just amped up the drama. I’d researched this castle and most visitors agreed it was essentially the Danish version of Versailles.
Brick is the most common element you notice in Scandinavian buildings which makes sense considering the weather at this latitude. Here at Frederiksborg, it was artistically integrated with stone embellishments and topped with a green roof for a pleasing, timeless appearance.
Built as a royal residence for King Christian IV of Denmark-Norway in the early 17th century, the castle complex suffered a serious fire in December 1859. How did the fire rage despite the complex being surrounded by water? This being Denmark in December, the lake was unfortunately frozen solid. It was eventually rebuilt on the basis of old plans and paintings.
I hiked around the edge of the (thawed) water and soaked in the views. I decided it would be tough to top this castle in Denmark.
Another castle beckoned to the northeast. Kronborg Slot, in the town of Helsingør, was situated on the Baltic Sea. Hiking along the shore, you could see Sweden just 2.5 miles across the sound.
Perhaps I was castled out but I was frankly more impressed with the Frederiksborg Slot which generates considerably less hype. I did however greatly enjoy exploring the surrounding streets of Helsingør.
I find ports tend to be more architecturally interesting than inland cities. Commerce probably generated more wealth that could be poured into merchant homes. Perhaps more character was also supplied by sailors and dock workers as well as travelers who passed through over time. Regardless, Helsingør proved very interesting to explore.
At a rail crossing, I studied this sign. Perhaps you needed to be extra careful because trains could sneak up on you like a cat?
I also came to appreciate the hanging symbols in front of stores which had origins stretching back to medieval times when most people couldn’t read. Today, I could understand the purpose of most businesses without knowing Danish. A hanging pretzel? Yep, must be a bakery.
After a long day of exploring, I welcomed the sight of an outdoor cafe on Helsingør’s main square. You just ordered beer and food at the kiosk and grabbed a table. I’ve always marveled at the fact there never seem to be any flying bugs in Europe to annoy you while sitting outside.
Denmark is an active member of the EU but chooses to retain its own currency rather than adopt the euro. With so many people paying with phones or cards here, I had actually never seen a Danish krone (DKK). I pulled some cash out of an ATM and received these coins as change.
They are beautiful. The Queen’s monogram and crown decorate one side while a prehistoric Danish design anchors the reverse. The holes in the middle make it easier for the blind to distinguish between coins.
One krone is worth about 15 US cents. So a price of 34 DKK would be about five dollars. I can tell you it’s much easier to understand relative prices in euro which is currently worth about 10% more than a dollar.
……….
Thanks for coming along on the trip. If you have questions or suggestions, tweet @JasonRMatheson. Missed an entry? Click here.
