The Best Sightseeing Places to Visit and Things to Do in Helsingør (Elsinore)

November 3, 2021 Mustafa Natalwala 3738 Views

Helsingør, spelled Elsinore in English, is a city situated on the east coast of Denmark. The name of the city is believed to be derived from the word “Hals” which means neck, as in neck or narrow strait of Oresung. Majority of the places to visit in Helsingør are historical buildings and museums. It developed as one of the most important ports in Denmark and gradually as a major city. It is also blessed with a few wonders of nature close by including lakes, plains and beaches. This opens doors for a variety of outdoor things to do in Helsingør.

The city’s significance in Denmark’s history rose with the introduction of Sound Dues, a tax to be paid by foreign ships passing the Oresound strait. It was introduced in 1429 by Eric of Pomerania. He was also the one who built the Kronborg Castle, which has become one of the most famous among things to see in Helsingør and got its fame through literature. The Kronborg Castle is the setting for one William Shakespeare’s most well known plays, Hamlet. People come to explore this castle and match it with the descriptions in the play. You can even get a guided tour of this castle when you visit Helsingør. There are also few other historical things to do in Elsinore including Frederiksborg Castle, St. Mary’s Church, Carmelite Monastery, St. Olaf’s Church and Fredensborg Palace.

The city also has numerous museums which concern the history of the city as well as that of Denmark. These have become Helsingør attractions in their own right. You can begin your journey with the city’s history museum and then explore the national history museum. This way you get a clear perspective on rest of the Helsingør tourist attractions you visit. The city is also known for its maritime history museum, science and technology museum and most importantly the Ship Handler’s House. It is among the most important stop during Helsingør sightseeing as it talks about the Sound Deus. This tax was one of the most important source of revenue for the entire nation. The museum also has one of the finest collection of period furniture and interior decor items.

Helsingør travel is full of cultural and historical explorations, but you can also enjoy sailing, hiking, swimming, kayaking, fishing, beach leisure and more at the lakes and coastal areas close to the city.

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Table of Contents

14 Famous Tourist Places to visit in Helsingør

1. Helsingør City Museum (Helsingør Bymuseum)

This is one of the very first places to visit in Helsingør that one should explore. It tells the story of the city with several historical, cultural and political artifacts. You will need about an hour to explore this museum.

2. Kronborg Castle

This castle is one of the most popular things to see in Helsingør. It is popular as the setting for Shakespeare’s famous play Hamlet. The castle was first built in 1420 under Eric of Pomerania. You will need 2 to 3 hours for this UNESCO World Heritage site when you visit Helsingør.

3. M/S Maritime Museum of Denmark (M/S Museet for Søfart)

This museum tells the story of the seafaring adventures of Denmark. The museum also talks about the various naval conquest of the country in several continents. Owing to the prominence of Danish navy in world history, this museum is also among popular Helsingør attractions. It will take you about an hour to explore it.

4. The Culture Yard (Kulturværftet)

This spot is one of the highlights of Helsingør sightseeing if you want explore local happenings. The place holds several events and exhibits of various kind to enjoy. You will need 30 to 45 minutes to explore it.

5. Danish Museum of Science and Technology

This museum explores the technological advancements made by the country in several fields. This museum holds a special place among Helsingør attractions for innovations which were first, not only in Denmark but in the world.. Innovations in transport, communication, aviation, electronics and more can be seen at this museum. You will need 1 hour for this museum.

6. Stengaden Street

This street is especially popular for shopping. You can find all sorts of local and international items while roaming these street. Keep 30 to 45 minutes for this street during Helsingør sightseeing.

7. Frederiksborg Castle (Frederiksborg Slot)

This 17th century castle sits on the islands in Frederiksborg Lake. It is known for its Dutch Renaissance architecture and is one of the most pleasing sights to behold during Helsingør travel. The castle is also home to Danish Museum of National History. It will take 2 to 3 hours to explore this museum.

8. St. Olaf’s Church (Sankt Olai Kirke)

The castle was first built in 1559 and is named after Norwegian King Olav. The church is well known among Helsingør attractions for its romanesque architectures and artistic interior. You will need 30 to 45 minutes for this church.

9. Lake Esrum (Esrum Sø)

This is the second largest lake in Denmark and is popular for a variety of outdoor things to do in Elsinore. People come here for hiking, picnics, sailing, kayaking, fishing and more. You can easily spend half a day around this lake.

10. Dronningmølle Strand

This beach is close enough to be accommodated in Helsingør travel. It is a pristine beach with beautiful coastal views. You can easily spend half a day at this beach.

11. Carmelite Priory (Vor Frue Kloster) & St. Mary’s Church (Sankt Mariæ Kirke)

This church and monastery was built in the center of old Helsingør. It is well known for its grand interior and wonderful organ. The Carmelite monastery is one of the best preserved monasteries in Scandinavia. You will need an hour or so for the monastery and the church during Helsingør travel.

12. The Ship Handler’s House (Skibsklarerergaarden)

Historically, a ship handler would manage paperwork for the customs and collection of sound duty. It was one of the most important aspects of financial history of the country. The ground floor of the museum exhibits oldest surviving shop interior of Denmark, which itself is among the most interesting things to see in Helsingør. You will need an hour for this museum.

13. Fredensborg Palace (Fredensborg Slot)

This palace was built between 1719 and 1722 and presently serves as seasonal residence of the Royal Family. It is among the most beautiful things to see in Helsingør with its classical facade in Italian baroque style. You will need 2 hours to explore this palace.

14. Axeltorv Street

One of the finest streets for fun things to do in Helsingør, you can come here for sightseeing, shopping, dining, street food and nightlife. There are a variety of markets held on this street depending on the day and season, which you should definitely check out when you visit Helsingør. You would need an hour or so explore this street.

If you are looking for more places to visit in Helsingør, check out the section below.

Things to do in Helsingør

Monuments, Museums & Historical Places to Visit in Helsingør

Kronborg Slot Castle
Danish Museum of Science and Technology
M/S Maritime Museum
Helsingør City Museum
Elsinore Public Museums
Skibsklarerergaarden Museum
Holger Danske
Carmelite Priory and St. Mary’s Church
Han Statue
Shipyard Museum
Saint Olaf’s Church
Herakles og Hydraen Sculpture
Flynderupgard Museum
Dancer Fountain
Gurre Slotsruin

Nature & Wildlife Tourist Spots in Helsingør

Gummistranden
Egebasvang
Gurre Lake
Bonde Dammen
Bogeholm So
Horserod Hegn

Entertainment & Leisure Tourist Spots in Helsingør

Oresund Aquarium
The Culture Yard
Casino Marienlyst
Bakken Amusement Park

Shopping in Helsingør

Helsingør Bycenter

Beaches in Helsingør

Dronningmole Strand
Gummistranden
Julebak Strand

Offbeat Places, Tours, & Adventure in Helsingør

Hiking
Trekking

Sightseeing in Helsingør

Helsingør Havn Port
Kingo Houses

Food, Dining, Restaurants, & Street Food in Helsingør

Castua
Jellyfish
Ciao Ciao
Marienlyst
Radmand David Hus
Den Glade Tallerken
Amici Miei
Kaj
Cafe Hyacinth
Strejf
La Dolce Vita
Cafe Olai
Bistro Francophile
Borgerkroen
Cafe Karisma
Cafe Kaiser
Cafe Chaplin
Cafe Vivaldi

Where to Stay in Helsingør?

Here we have listed Top Rated Luxurious, Mid-Range and Budget Hotels in Helsingør. You can check below listed hotels for your perfect stay in Helsingør.

Luxurious Hotels

Mid-Range Hotels

Budget Hotels

Custom Tours Package in Helsingør

How to Reach Helsingør?

By Air

The closest airport for Helsingør travel is the Copenhagen Kastrup Airport. The airport is situated about 60 kms from the city. This airport receives direct flights from several cities including Singapore, Bornholm, Newark, Vilnius, Aalborg, San Francisco, Stockholm, Oslo, Bergen, Helsinki, Luxembourg, Riga, Dusseldorf, Berlin, Bucharest, Zurich, Paris, Vienna, Amsterdam and many more. You will have to get to the Copenhagen train station or central bus station to find a travel options to visit Helsingør.

By Road

The railway network is one of the fastest options for places to visit in Helsingør. Trains connect you to several cities like Copenhagen, Fredensborg, Hillerod and other towns in Denmark. The bus network is more widespread as it connects directly or through change of busses to almost everywhere in the country. Though if you are planning to travel by road yourself, you should consider route E47 or route 6 which are the only two major expressway connecting to the city. You can also pick from routes 205, 237 or 152 to visit Helsingør.

By Water

Helsingør is connected to Helsingbørg via ferry services. The ferries leave every hour and run all day. The journey takes about 20 minutes. You can make reservations before hand, but these ferries are hardly crowded and there are enough of them to manage the crowd. You can go there without any reservation and still be on board by purchasing tickets from the docks.

Image Reference

Helsingør City Museum (Helsingør Bymuseum) – Antony-22 / Wikimedia Commons
Kronborg Castle – Olivier Bruchez / Flickr
M/S Maritime Museum of Denmark (M/S Museet for Søfart) – Guillaume Baviere / Flickr
The Culture Yard (Kulturværftet) – News Oresund / Flickr
Danish Museum of Science and Technology – Johnny Comstedt / Flickr
Stengaden Street – Own work / Wikimedia Commons
Frederiksborg Castle (Frederiksborg Slot) – Dennis Jarvis / Flickr
St. Olaf’s Church (Sankt Olai Kirke) – Leif Jørgensen / Wikimedia Commons
Lake Esrum (Esrum Sø) – Guillaume Baviere / Flickr
Dronningmølle Strand – Jens Schott Knudsen / Flickr
Carmelite Priory (Vor Frue Kloster) & St. Mary’s Church (Sankt Mariæ Kirke) – Nico / Nils Jepsen / Wikimedia Commons
The Ship Handler’s House (Skibsklarerergaarden) – Antony-22 / Wikimedia Commons
Fredensborg Palace (Fredensborg Slot) – Dennis Jarvis / Flickr
Axeltorv Street – Toxophilus / Wikimedia Commons