The day starts agriculturally because it goes to the idyllic old SMIDSTRUP FARM where the girls can get up close to the domestic animals in a small varied population, pet them and experience how they live under the best conditions. Also at BEDSTEMOR ANN´S FARM, they enjoy the morning among a lot of cute animals. Then pay a visit to GRANDMA ANN at her visiting farm. The V-GUIDES feed the horses, pigs, rabbits, chickens, and cats.
Then the friends discover a former artist’s home beautifully situated next to Oresund, MUNKERUPHUS, the exhibition site for art, architecture, and design. Through the park and its sculptures, it goes over the DRONNINGEKLØFTEN to other sculptures in DRONNINGMØLLE. Because here is a visit to the RUDOLPH TEGNER’S MUSEUM & STATUE PARK and the surrounding area, which as RUSLAND | A HILLY HEATHLAND is known.
The adventure journey continues to ESRUM where the girls tour the 12th Century ESRUM ABBEY AND MILL. In THE MILL CAFÉ AT ESRUM MONASTERY, the girls have a special culinary experience, and the new playground is tested by the childish adults. The friends then relax a bit at LAKE ESRUM before enjoying the view of FREDENSBORG CASTLE and CASTLE GARDEN on one shore and Gribskov on the other on a ride on THE LITTLE FERRY AT ESRUM LAKE.
This is how the V-GUIDES get to HORNBÆK, where the sporty girls first explore the area with STAND UP PADDLE BY SUPSPOT. Back in port, the hungry adventurers try a delicious homemade crab salad and probably the best homemade fish cakes ever at the FISH SHOP IN HORNBÆK. Together with the local YOGA trainers, the girls head to HORNBÆK BEACH, where they cool off with fun water games after a sweaty yoga session.
So refreshed, it’s off to GALLERIET HORNBÆK (WWW.RISOM.DK) in the heart of Hornbæk, where the girls learn more about art and culture again. At ILSE JACOBSEN HORNBÆK they browse the range of shoes for the city and the beach before enjoying delicious food at street food place DET FEDTEDE HJØRNE.
The journey continues because in HELLEBÆK the HAMMERMØLLEN (The Hammermill) from 1765 is waiting to be discovered. In CAFÉ HAMMERMØLLEN, the V-GUIDES learn more about the history of the mill and the region from the locals. With this knowledge, they then explore a part of FLYNDERUPGÅRD, the nature-culture trail.
So, the group arrives at the world-famous HELSINGØR, where literary and world history merge, because here it is, the actual castle that Shakespeare set Hamlet in, KRONBORG CASTLE. There are many mysteries surrounding Shakespeare and whether or not he ever visited KRONBORG CASTLE is one of them. In Hamlet, Shakespeare called Kronborg Castle Elsinore. This has become the English name for Helsingør. The V-GUIDES explore the castle and are even allowed to look behind the scenes of the house here and there. This is also the case in Frederik ll’s original KRONBORG CASTLE CHURCH from 1582 (SERVICES IN KRONBORG CASTLE CHURCH // KRONBORG CASTLE in ELSINORE).
The group uses the possibility of the guided city tour ELSINORE WALK – A CULTURAL PROMENADE. So, they discover Elsinore’s 800 years of history, from the time of the first church that was built in a small fishing village, through its heyday with the Øresund Dues and Kronborg Castle, which inspired Shakespeare to write Hamlet.
The girls then also explore the KRONBORG CULTURE HARBOUR (Kulturhavn Kronborg) and the interactive exhibitions in the M/S MARITIME MUSEUM OF DENMARK. Here, they finally learn that Denmark is surrounded by three different seas, its coastline stretches a total of 5,440 miles, and wherever the girls were in Denmark, they were never more than 52 km from the sea. So, the group also finds Elsinore municipality’s biggest library, THE CULTURE YARD LIBRARY. At KULTURVÆRFTETS SPISEHUS they enjoy a snack again. Maybe later the girls at THE CULTURE YARD (Kulturværftet) experience a film, theater, or event. In any case, they enjoy the view over the harbor, Kronborg Castle, and the coast of Sweden.
Anyway, now it’s off to EGEVÆRK where the girls learn more about how furniture is made in relation to our modern lifestyle. Then, they visit THE CARMELITE MONASTERY and SCT. MARIÆ CHURCH. The friends explore the monastery which was founded in 1430 when Eric of Pomerania invited Carmelite monks, the so-called white brothers, to Elsinore. They also learn that the Church’s organ was played by the famous composer Dietrich Buxtehude when he was the church’s organ player around 1660.
Again and again, the V-GUIDES come across artistically high-quality sculptures, such as the DANSERINDEBRØNDEN at the corner of ALLEGADE and KRONBORGVEJ or HAN (in English He). In that way, it gets to the ELSINORE TOWN MUSEUM and its real gem, the 1:300 scale model of Elsinore as it was in 1801. The V-GUIDES learn that the oldest part of the museum was built by the Carmelite monks in 1516 as an infirmary for “sick foreign sailors”.
After a snack, THE DANISH MUSEUM OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY awaits the girls thirsty for knowledge. Here, the girls use all their senses while testing old and modern technology (WWW.TEKNISKMUSEUM.DK). In the cozy ØRESUND AQUARIUM, the girls meet sea creatures and become more aware of the mysterious life under the sea. They even can touch them.
The group experiences that Kronborg is not the only castle here when visiting MARIENLYST PALACE from 1588, just north of Helsingør with a unique view of the Øresund. It was also built by Frederik II. Here, the girls enjoy peace and tranquility like the royals before. In the park behind Marienlyst Castle, they find a large granite stone that is shaped like a sarcophagus, the monument HAMLET’S GRAVE. The girls heard that it was erected in connection with Helsingør’s 500 years jubilee in 1926.
They visit HELSINGØR CATHEDRAL SKT. OLAI and THE SHIPYARD MUSEUM, which tells the story of a bygone era when the shipyard whistle controlled the life of the town. The team is also interested in SKIBSKLARERERGÅRDEN (THE SHIPPING AGENT’S HOUSE) because here, they step 200 years back in time. A stop at the STREET FOOD MARKET IN ELSINORE (Værftets Madmarked) in rustic, maritime surroundings allows the friendly girls to get to know many locals again.
In the beautiful MARIENLYST BEACH SPA, the V-GUIDES dive into the paradise of well-being. The girls enjoy the 20 different spa facilities and experiences – both inside and outside. Including HOT TUBS, WHIRLPOOL BATHS, BEACH SAUNAS with direct access to the Øresund, SALT THERAPY, YOGA, FITNESS, LOUNGE AREAS, VIEW TERRACES, and a lovely SPA CAFE. Of course, they also enjoy atmospheric fragrances and unique treatments with quality products from KARMAMEJU offered by the spa team (MARIENLYST.DK).
Deeply relaxed, it’s off to the hotel, where the group gets ready for the evening (try on, hauls) before they dine well and transform themselves into a BOND GIRLS at CASINO MARIENLYST IN ELSINORE and their luck at Black Jack, American Roulette, Texas Hold’em, and many slot machines. The girls then spend the night at the BEACH HOTEL MARIENLYST right by Oresund.
© VALEUR MEDIA 2023