Denmark: Hovedstaden – Frederiksborg Castle

August 8, 2024
Hovedstaden
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About the Frederiksborg Castle
Frederiksborg Castle was built as a royal residence for King Christian IV of Denmark-Norway in the early 17th century, replacing an older castle acquired by Frederick II and becoming the largest Renaissance residence in Scandinavia. On three islets in the Slotssøen (castle lake), it is adjoined by a large formal garden in the Baroque style. After a serious fire in 1859, the castle was rebuilt using old plans and paintings. Thanks to public support and the brewer J. C. Jacobsen, its apartments were fully restored and reopened to the public as the Danish Museum of National History in 1882.

The Chapel
Once inside it was easy to navigate around the castle as there was a set route. The first place our tour took us was into the chapel, which was large and incredibly beautiful. It was a sunny morning so light filled the chapel. The decorations were made largely from carved wood much of which was painted in bright colours or adorned with gold leaf. We had entered the chapel via the gallery, so we had a view down on the aisle, which gave us a lofty perspective.

The first floor
From the chapel we toured through several of the first-floor salons and bedrooms, which were more tastefully decorated, in our opinion, than those we’d seen in the last Renaissance castle we’d been to, Rosenborg in Copenhagen. We were particularly taken by some of the ornate clocks on display and the furniture, which was decorated with delicate carvings, or in some cases exquisite marquetery.

The second floor
A spiral staircase took us to the second floor, after passing through some more salons we entered a larger room which was used as a gathering area before entering the Great Hall. The wonderful Great Hall is located on the 2nd floor above the Castle Chapel. The Great Hall is a replica of the hall in the time of King Christian IV, equipped with all the magnificence the King had at his disposal. In addition to the hall, which is impressive in itself, visitors can see beautiful tapestries and portraits of the members of the House of Glücksburg.

The third floor
The third floor of the castle is used as an exhibition gallery of painting and photographs. We were not so interested in the paintings, but there was a temporary photography exhibit by the Danish Photojournalist Marie Hald called ‘Exposed’. These photos were very dramatic portraits of individuals from socially stigmatised groups such as people who were overweight, anorexic, suffering from mental illness, sex workers or women who had breast cancer and had their breasts removed. It was an incredibly powerful experience to see these images.

Having explored the inside of the castle we headed outside to have a look at the formal Baroque Gardens, which didn’t impress us too much. But it was an opportunity to take some photographs of the castle from across the lake.

Planning your visit to Frederiksborg Castle

Train

To get to Frederiksborg Castle easily and flexibly, you can take the train to Hillerød Station. The S-train line A runs directly from central Copenhagen S-train stations to Hillerød Station. From the station, there are two obvious walking and cycling routes to Frederiksborg Castle:

You can walk along the path by the Castle Lake (Slotssøen) and experience the beautiful nature of North Zealand.
You can walk along Slotsgade and experience the vibrant heart of Hillerød with its cozy cafes and shops.

Both routes offer enjoyable ways to reach Frederiksborg Castle.

Bus

Alternatively, you can take bus 301 or 302 from Hillerød Station, which will drop you off just a stone’s throw away from the castle.

Whether you are travelling by bus from a distant location to Hillerød Station or if you wish to transfer from the train to the bus, you can find your journey details on publictransport.dk. It will provide you with the necessary information for your trip.

Car

How to get here by car

Enter ‘Frederiksborg Castle’ or ‘Møntportvejen’ on your GPS.
Show on map

Parking

It is possible to park in a paid car park at Annaborg, within walking distance of the museum. The museum does not own the space and is not involved in the operation of the car park. All questions and complaints should be directed to Europark.

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The best time to visit Copenhagen

Reflecting its geographical position in Northern Europe, the city of Copenhagen aligns near-perfect with the Cfb Köppen climate classification, which implies a Marine west coast climate with warm summers. This designation characterizes areas where moderate temperatures prevail throughout the year, with no month dipping below -3°C (26.6°F), to balance the warmest month sitting below 22°C (71.6°F).

The best time to visit Copenhagen
The finest time to visit Copenhagen would be between May and August. This period boasts the highest average temperatures, from 15.5°C (59.9°F) to 21°C (69.8°F), alongside appreciable hours of daylight, from 16.3 hours in May to 16.9 hours in July. These months also provide suitable conditions for outdoor pursuits with relative humidity averaging 72-73% and the sea temperature comfortably exceeding 14.9°C (58.8°F). Even though June and July are admittedly on the wetter end of the spectrum, with rainfall measures of 50mm (1.97″) and 51mm (2.01″), it is counterbalanced with longer daylight hours and higher temperatures.

The worst time to visit Copenhagen
The least attractive time to visit Copenhagen is arguably the winter months, from December to February. During this phase, the city grapples with bitter cold temperatures, plummeting between -1.7°C (28.9°F) and 2.8°C (37°F). Adding to the chilly conditions, Copenhagen sees decreased daylight hours, from 7.1 hours in December to 9.6 hours in February, and an increase in snowfall days with 5.9 in December and 4.4 in January. Moreover, the harsh marine influence is felt with sea temperatures dropping to as low as 2.3°C (36.1°F) in February.

stay

Where to stay in Copenhagen

Indre By (Inner City)

Indre By is the historic and tourist heart of the city (with prices to match), and it’s a great place to stay. Nyhavn’s colourful harbour is an inevitable first stop; then take in the National Museum and its Viking treasures, the refreshed Designmuseum Danmark, and Glyptoteket, a museum of marble sculptures with a divine winter garden. With the culture box ticked, you can relax at one of the area’s harbourside bars, including Apollo Bar, a chic spot in the Charlottenborg Art Gallery, Ruby, one of the city’s coolest cocktail bars, and wine bar Ved Stranden. You’re spoilt for choice in terms of restaurants too: Høst and Vækst offer a taste of Nordic cuisine, or dine at Selma for one of the most beautiful sandwiches of your life.

Vesterbro

Copenhagen’s reformed red light district, Vesterbro is lively and central with plenty going on. Boutique hotels abound, including Grand Joanne, Coco and newcomer Hotel Bella Grande. The area’s Meatpacking District is a key foodie centre, an area still used by the food industry during the day, with bustling restaurants such as Paté Paté, Magasasa and Kødbyens Fiskebar and nightclubs including Jolene in the evening. Tip: Ismageriet, its newest ice cream parlour, is worth the trip. Tivoli Gardens sits between Vesterbro and Indre By and is the city’s amusement park, full of surprisingly good restaurants as well as rollercoasters, and is the area’s must-visit.

Nørrebro

One of Time Out’s former Coolest Neighbourhoods in the World, Nørrebro fuses urban cool with pop-up restaurants and bars, the city’s best nightlife, and unique shopping opportunities, particularly down the independent mecca Jægersborggade, with its consignment stores, coffee shops and fantastic off licence Den Sidste Dråbe. The dining scene changes fast in this part of town, but current hot picks would be Italian trattoria Paesano, and the Guldbergsgade triangle of bar Brus, pizza joint Bæst and another Italian, Mirabelle Spiseria. Look out too, for a rising trend in plant-based food, led by bistro Baka d’Busk.

Christianshavn

If you find somewhere to stay in grand old Christianshavn, book it fast! This desirable, central, history-rich neighbourhood is lined by marinas and canals, with cobbled streets, coloured buildings and an array of independent shops to trawl, Ganni Postmodern included. It’s also an easy walk from a few harbourside areas with limited accommodation options, namely Holmen, Refshaleøen and freetown Christiania. Take a dip at Islands Brygge swimming pool, stroll the new Opera Park gardens, or grab a Go Boat and explore the waterfront by solar-powered boat.

1. Luxury – Copenhagen Admiral Hotel

Set in a heritage-listed 1780s building, this waterfront hotel is next to Amalienborg Royal Palace and opposite Copenhagen Opera House. It offers a gourmet restaurant, breakfast buffet with organic foods, plus in-room tea/coffee facilities.

Two hundred-year-old Pomeranian pine beams, brickwork and archways add a distinct charm to Copenhagen Admiral. Most rooms include exposed wooden beams in their design. All rooms have a seating area, mini-bar and multi-channel TV.

The elegant, 5-star Hotel H15 Francuski Old Town – Destigo Hotels is located only 400 metres from the Main Market Square in Kraków. It offers stylish rooms with free internet, tea and coffee-making facilities and a minibar.

All rooms at the Francuski are decorated in Art Nouveau style with period details and furniture. Each comes with satellite TV and a bathroom with a bathtub or shower, toiletries and a hairdryer.

A buffet breakfast is served every morning in the hotel restaurant. The bar is a great place to relax with a drink. The hotel also has a restaurant serving French cuisine, as well as completely gluten-free dishes.

2. Mid-Range – Go Hotel Ansgar

This cozy hotel is just a 3 minute walk from Central Station and is found close to Copenhagen’s main street, Strøget. It offers a furnished courtyard and free Wi-Fi.

Housed in an impressive 1880s building, Go Hotel Ansgar today provides neatly presented guest rooms with modern comforts.

All rooms have a fresh bathroom with a shower, as well as a work desk and a flat-screen TV.

The fashionable Vesterbro quarter is on Ansgar’s doorstep and offers an excellent mix of shopping, restaurants, nightlife and cultural attractions.

3. Budget – Steel House Copenhagen

Steel House Copenhagen is a fresh and modern hostel, located 5 minutes’ walk from Tivoli Gardens and Copenhagen Central Station. It offers a café, bar and indoor pool. Free WiFi is available throughout the property.

Steel House offers private rooms and dormitory rooms. Dormitory rooms come with lockers and convenient power sockets by each bed, and has access to shared bathroom facilities. The private rooms has its own bathroom with a shower.

You will find a 24-hour front desk at the property. Guests can also make use of a shared kitchen, and rent a bicycle to explore Copenhagen.