Helsingør (or if we are going to be a bit Shakespearian, Elsinore), Denmark is home to the castle setting of Hamlet – Kronborg.

Despite the Shakespearian claim to fame, there is very little tourist gimmicks referencing Hamlet.  Considering the long history of the castle, the fact that it is on the UNESCO World Heritage List, and the well preserved artwork, furniture, and architecture, Hamlet can fall by the wayside.

Just across the water from Helsingborg, Sweden and Kärnan, Kronborg castle draws hundreds of thousands of visitors every year.  And with good reason.  The Renaissance castle is incredible and gives you access to several different areas, including the chapel, the bedrooms, a shipping museum, and even the roof.

Because of the different choices available, there are a myriad of ticket options.  To be perfectly honest, if you are short on time, skip the Maritime Museum.  Unless you’re a big maritime historian, the museum just gets to be a bit too detailed.  The Royal Apartments, the chapel, the rooftop, everything else is well worth a visit.

While wandering around one of the bedrooms, I was suckered into a guided tour.  And by suckered, I mean the tour guide was so very charming I couldn’t say no.  Plus it was free.  So I stuck around and listened and learned quite a bit.  Unfortunately, the tour was incredibly long.  While I enjoy educational and engaging tours, I was getting hungry and had not eaten lunch.  If you do plan on taking one of the free English language tours, be sure to plan ahead and grab a delicious Danish hot dog beforehand.

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