NORTH OF COPENHAGEN RUNGSTED – VEDBÆK If you head up the coast north of Copenhagen, you will experience Denmark’s most affluent areas with beautiful coastal stretches and sandy beaches lined with magnifi- cent villas overlooking the strait to Sweden. With its popu- lar beaches, first-class inns, and active nightlife, many call it the “Danish Riviera.” Rungstedlund is situated by the coast of Øresund and is the house in which famous author, Karen Blixen, was born. Her childhood home is open to the public, and the
Karen Blixen Museet. Photo: Anne Mette Kuhlmann Mette Anne Photo: Museet. Blixen Karen rooms are left as Karen Blixen decorated and arranged them, giving a vivid impression of the writer's day-to-day surroundings. Behind the house itself there is 40 acres of land – garden, meadow and grove. In accordance with Karen Blixen's wishes, the area is preserved as a bird sanctuary. Further up the coast, you will find the Louisiana Mu- seum of Modern Art with a panoramic view of Øresund. The museum – one of the world’s finest – frames the in- teraction between art, nature and architecture in quite a unique way.
Kronborg. Photo: Thomas Rahbek Thomas Photo: Kronborg. Seek inland and explore the fertile North Zealand, which reveals idyllic landscapes mixed with impressive forests and large lakes. Danish monarchs shared a love for North Zealand, an enticing destination and a favourite hunting ground. In fact, there is no other area in Denmark where royal castles and palaces have been built so close togeth- er. Any self-respecting Danish monarch built a castle as evidence of royal power, honour and wealth. The castles were used as royal residences and official state venues for wedding receptions, and occasionally, as secret love Photo: Colourbox Photo: nests. Frederiksborg Castle was built by King Christian IV around 1600 and is an impressive mix of a manor and a hunting castle with a towering spire and secret trapdoor entrances. The castle is built on three islands, which are connected by bridges. Today, it is a national histori- cal museum, containing treasures of painting, tapestry, porcelain, silver and furniture. Fredensborg Palace is located in the middle of a lovely park, bordering the idyllic Esrum Lake and is the royal family’s vacation residence. Kronborg Castle, which is on the UNESCO world heri tage list, was chosen as the setting for Shakespeare's “Hamlet”. The castle is a magnificent renaissance castle located by the water in beautiful, old Helsingør. From here, you can catch a 20-minute ferry to Sweden.
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