How to Visit 3 Castles from Copenhagen: Day Trip Itinerary
Check out how to visit 3 amazing castles near Copenhagen in one epic day trip itinerary. We’ll dive into the practical information needed to make the most of your day trip!
Copenhagen, Denmark is an amazing city. It offers tons of must-see sights, including some castles in the city limits, but if you have extra time in the city, plan a day trip to three castles near Copenhagen. It’s one of those things you can only really do in Europe, and honestly, you’ll learn some of the best history in the area by visiting the epic castles of:
- Frederiksborg Castle and Gardens in Hillerød, Denmark
- Fredensborg Palace and Gardens in Fredensborg, Denmark
- Kronborg Castle in Helsingør, Denmark
That’s right castle-hopping from Copenhagen. It’s kind of like island hopping but completely different – helpful, I know! So how do you visit the many castles of Denmark in just one day? Let’s take a look!
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Castles near Copenhagen
In this post, we’ll be looking at three castles outside the city limits of Copenhagen, however, there are already multiple castles and palaces in Copenhagen. Definitely make sure to visit those while you’re exploring Copenhagen!
Check Out the Castles in Copenhagen
Here are the palaces and castles in Copenhagen that you must visit. Choose to visit the outside and beautiful grounds, or book a tour and go inside to explore the elegance they have to offer.
- Christiansborg Palace: This palace is also the seat of Danish Parliament. Tour Christiansborg Palace to see the Royal Reception Rooms, the Royal Kitchen, the Ruins, the Royal Stables, and the Palace Chapel. Or, you can skip the grand tour and just go up in “The Tower” for a great city view.
- Amalienborg Palace: The official residence of the Danish royal family, Amalienborg Palace offers ample opportunities to explore the royal life. Catch the changing of the guards or take a tour of one of the four palaces in the complex: Christian VII’s Palace, Frederik VIII’s Palace, Christian IX’s Palace, and Christian VIII’s Palace.
- Rosenborg Castle: This castle – also known as Rosenborg Slot – was originally the summer home of the king. Make sure to visit the Knights’ Hall and the Treasury.
- Hermitage Palace: This hunting castle is another castle to visit in Copenhagen. It’s able to be visited on a guided tour June to August and private group tours from April to October.
Visit the Castles near Copenhagen
As you’ll hit many of the Copenhagen castles during your time in the city, you’ll also want to plan a day to see some of the impressive castles outside of Copenhagen. These are some of the most famous castles in Denmark – many with very rich histories to match their stunning physical beauty.
So how do you visit three Danish castles in one day? I’m going to break down it down for you, and it will really wow you!
- Step one: Target castles
- Step two: Determine how in the world to get there.
- Step three: Go!
Ground-breaking stuff, right? Fortunately, I have done the leg-work for you, and can make it really simple for you to visit the castles near Copenhagen in one epic day trip. The three castles you’ll be visiting are:
- Frederiksborg Castle and Gardens in Hillerød
- Fredensborg Palace and Gardens in Fredensborg
- Kronborg Castle in Helsingør
We’ll learn more about each of them as we discuss the day trip itinerary from Copenhagen in detail.
Interested in doing an organized day trip tour from Copenhagen to the castles?
Check out this day trip to Frederiksborg Castle and Kronborg Castle.
Day Trip from Copenhagen to the Castles
The easy part of planning a day trip from Copenhagen to these three castles is messing with the train maps to figure out how to get to each city. The fun part is finding the “slot”, aka castle, from the train station with no maps and GPS. Fortunately, in most cases there are signs if you keep your eyes peeled.
1. Frederiksborg Castle
One of the most famous castles in Denmark is Frederiksborg Castle – also known as Frederiksborg Slot as slot means castle in Danish.
Originally built back in the 17th century by King Christian IV, it is the largest Renaissance castle in Scandinavia to this day. While it was once the royal residence, today it is mostly used to appoint Danish kings and queens.
Getting from Copenhagen to Frederiksborg Castle
Buy a 24 hour train pass to all zones for cost efficiency and hopped on the E line to go from København H to Hillerød. These trains run regularly, about every 10 min. Ride the 40 minutes to destination one, Frederiksborg Castle.
From the train station, there are a few signs through town that will lead the way. Suddenly, right in front of you, rising above the lake, is the castle. It’s absolutely breathtaking.
Exploring Frederiksborg Castle
Frederiksborg Castle is everything a castle should be. Big, stunning, and feels just like home (kidding). The baroque gardens are well kept and beautiful to visit, although if you visit in summer you’ll get to see the fountains full. Additionally, the inside of the castle is elaborately decorated and quite expansive with over 55 rooms open to tour.
You won’t want to miss the Chapel and the Great Hall at Frederiksborg Castle. The Chapel is in fact, the only original part of the castle as the rest was destroyed in a fire in 1859. It will give you a feel for how grandiose the castle was when it was first built.
Frederiksborg Castle is also home of the Museum of National History so expect to learn more about Denmark’s history in the Great Hall and beyond.
Even if you don’t have time to explore all three castles in a day trip, it is well worth the 40 minute train ride from Copenhagen to explore Frederiksborg Castle. It’s a quick trip, simple to navigate, and mostly affordable.
Details about Visiting Frederiksborg Castle
Frederiksborg Castle is open every day throughout the year:
- November – March: 11:00 am – 3:00 pm
- April – October: 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
Ticket prices are as follows (currently):
- Adults: DKK 90
- Children (0-5 years): Free
- Children (6-15 years): DKK 25
- Students: DKK 70
- Seniors (65+): DKK 80
- Family ticket (2 adults + 3 children): DKK 180
- Group ticket (min. 10 people): DKK 70 per person
The ticket is valid for the whole day.
For full details and the latest information, visit the Frederiksborg Castle website.
Want more options to visit Frederiksborg Castle without the hassle?
Check out this private tour to Frederiksborg Castle.
2. Fredensborg Palace
Originally built in 1719 as a hunting seat for KingFrederik IV, Fredensborg Palace is still the site of many important events in the life of the Danish Royal Family, like weddings, big wedding anniversaries, and birthdays. It is also still used as their spring and autumn residence
Getting from Frederiksborg Castle to Fredensborg Palace
From Hillerød, jump on a local train headed to Helsingør via Fredensborg (not Gilleleje). It comes a couple times per hour and you’ll only need to ride a few stops, about 8 minutes, before disembarking in search of castle number two.
The search for this Danish castle is not long, or even hard, but it does require a few “did I miss a turn?” moments before you’ll see the top of Fredensborg Palace.
Exploring Fredensborg Palace
As Fredensborg Palace is the current residence of the Danish Royal Family, it is not always open to the public. However, even when it is not open to the public, there are still areas you can explore.
For one, the palace gardens cover almost 300 acres. This includes 68 sandstone figures of farmers and fisherman in the “Valley of the Norsemen”.
One shocking discovery that varies greatly from the U.S. are the security measures, or lack there of. You can walk straight up to the palace. Just follow the “no admittance” areas and “no walking” signs to stay out of trouble.
There was not a single guard, fence, or security measure to be seen! Once you have admired the front, walk around back to the gardens. They are open for your enjoyment, and then you can see the back of the palace too!
Details about Visiting Fredensborg Castle
The Palace Gardens, the Baroque Gardens and the Valley of the Norsemen are open all year around and are free to visit, 24 hours a day.
But, as this is the current residence of the Danish Royal Family, the palace and the private gardens are only open on select days in July and August through guided tour. This tour has a fee associated.
For more details, visit the Danish castle website.
3. Kronborg Castle
The real question is, can you place Kronborg Castle? It’s Hamlet’s Castle!
That’s right, Shakespeare selected Kronborg Castle as his setting for Hamlet. Unfortunately, during the guided introductory tour, they will kill any hopes and dreams as to why this is Hamlet’s Castle as Shakespeare was never on record of having visited the castle himself. Huge disappointment.
But, Shakespeare was rather good friends with the Queen of England who had been a regular guest at Kronborg Castle. Therefore, some traditions mentioned in Hamlet are indeed based on fact.
Getting from Fredensborg Palace to Kronborg Castle
From Fredensborg, hop back on the local train and continue to Helsingør, about 25 minutes away. With just a few twists and turns you will see the next castle sitting majestically on the seafront: Kronborg Castle.
Exploring Kronborg Castle
Other than learning about Hamlet, you are able to visit the inside of Kronborg Castle. With a history of turmoil from a fire to being rampaged by the Swedes to being used by the army, the once grandiose interior is now quite stark, and in my opinion, unimpressive.
This is quite likely also influenced by the sheer beauty Frederiksborg Castle graces you with earlier in the day.
Details about Visiting Kronborg Castle
Kronborg Castle is open year-round but the hours vary by season.
- January – April: Tuesday – Sunday 11:00 – 16:00
- May- September: Daily 10:00 – 17:00
- October – December: Tuesday – Sunday 11:00 – 16:00
- Exceptions: During the school holidays opening times may be different.
- Closed days: The castle is closed January 1st and December 24th, 25th, and 31st.
Ticket prices also vary based on the season. Find the latest ticket prices on the Kronborg castle website.
Getting from Kronborg Castle back to Copenhagen
After getting your fill of the three castles, make your way back to the train and take the metro line from Helsingør back to København H. It comes every 10-20 minutes and takes 45 minutes.
This day trip from Copenhagen to three castles results in a very busy day…. but well worth it.
Want to go to Kronborg Castle without dealing with the logistics?
Check out this private tour to Hamlet’s Castle or this day trip from Copenhagen to Kronborg Castle and Malmo, Sweden.
Explore More of Denmark
Having visited three castles near Copenhagen in just one day, it’s time to plan more of your trip! Read on to find more helpful resources.
- How to Spend 3 Days in Copenhagen: Itinerary for First Timers
- How to Visit 3 Castles from Copenhagen: Day Trip Itinerary
- 20 Useful and Fun Facts about Denmark
Or, if you’re visiting neighboring countries, there are plenty of additional resources on Sweden and Germany to help you plan your adventure!
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