Itinerary Input for Copenhagen/Sweden Trip with Car
 

We are trying to book a trip to Scandinavia for May/June 2006. We plan on flying into Gothenburg, Sweden and picking up a new Volvo. We tentatively have 6-7 nights (excluding the night flight over there from the US). Any input on our tentative itinerary?

Day 1 Gothenburg
Day 2 Pick up Car and travel leisurely to Copenhagen
Day 3 Copenhagen
Day 4 Copenhagen – Daytrip to Fredensborg Palace, Frederiksborg Palace, Kronborg Castle, Roskilde Cathedral and Vikings Ship Museum (too much? We won’t necessarily go in all of them)
Day 5 Copenhagen
Day 6 Drive to Malmo, Lund and end in Gothenburg
Day 7 Depart

Copenhagen Sites on our list:
The Little Mermaid
Tivoli Gardens at night
Rosenborg Palace
Amalienborg Palace
Christiansborg Palace
Strøget/Shopping (any other shopping recommendations?)
Nyhaven
Canal Tour
Carlsberg Brewery Tour

If you could add another day, what would you recommend?
Are we spending too much or too little time in Copenhagen?
Any other places between Gothenburg and Copenhagen we should see?

Thanks!

Certainly not too little time. The weather can by iffy at that time, so you want to have at least one day there with full sun. If you are a wooden roller coaster kind of person, you might want to add Bakken to the list.

For shopping, Stroget is the main drag, but as you head up the street (i.e. away from Radhuspladsen) you will come to Kobmagergade, another pedestrian street with more shops and outside cafes.

The best people watching is Nyhaven on a sunny day.

Day 4 sounds wild. You could move Kronborg Castle to Day 2 by taking the ferry from Helsingborg in Sweden to Helsingor in Denmark along with all the Swedes looking to fill their vans with cases of less expensive beer and liquor from Denmark. The ferry is a very short ride and much less expensive than the bridge between Malmo and Copenhagen, which I imagine you are planning to use to return to Sweden on Day 6.

While in Copenhagen you can use the hop-on and off canal boats (look at the information for the waterbus at http://www.canal-tours.dk/english/)to see several of the sights on your list, including Nyhavn, Stroget, and the Little Mermaid.

ttt- I'm planning a trip to Scandinavia too.

Thanks Surfergirl and Nikki for the input. Nikki - Your recommendation to go from Helsingborg to Helsingor on the way to Copenhagen is a great idea. I will also check out the ideas you both have suggested.

I was reading Rick Steves Scandanavia and he only has 2 days for Copenhagen. That seems short, but it is hard for me to tell. I have to book our flight soon, so I am primarily trying to land on the number of nights. Any other input is appreciated!

ttt

Both Fredensborg and Fredriksborg castles are outside of Copenhagen, and each can be a day trip to itself. I would stick to sights in the city - Rosenborg, the Carlsber Glyptotek Museum, etc. Visit Tivoli in the evening, when the lights make the atmosphere magical!

One more thing on Tivoli -- Weds. and Sat. nights are usually fireworks night, although I think they do the river light show every night, which in my opinion, is way better than the fireworks.

worth a quick trip on the suburban rail to Louisiana in Humelbaek (sp)...20 minutes...amazing museum and grounds...don't miss. The Danish Resistance Museum is a worhgtwhile visit, too. A uniquely interesting eatery is Klimt (yes, the artists..his works abund)...we went there twice on a recent visit.
Stu

Tweeter..P.S....while strolling Nyhaven, you should consider one of the harbor boat trips..quite lovely and encompassing..although the come-on sign at the boat dock in Nyhavn might turn you off..it reads: "Havner-und-Fart". last word means "trip"..so there!
If you're looking for a wonderful Hotel experience in Copenhagen..try Ibsen's..nice part of town, easy walk to the Stroget...owned and managed by all women! Excellent restaurant..ask for room on the top floor..large rooms, spotless, elevator, full breakfast, eat either inside or outside. And don't miss Louisiana as I mentioned above....by the way it was named for a queen whose named was Louise.
Stu

I'd drive to CPH via the Oresund bridge/tunnel either going or coming and take the ferry between Helsingor/Helsingborg going or coming. So you're making a loop. I'd trim down day 4. Skip the Little Mermaid, it's small and insignificant. Make a side trip to Ven via ferry from Landskrona. It's where Tyco Brahe had his planetarium. Beautiful little island. Also, see Dragor out near Kastrup(CPH airport).

Wow, thanks for all the input! I still have several months to plan so I will check out all the options you have mentioned. Can anyone comment on the length of time we have planned? (The itinerary is a first draft, but I will definately change day 4.) Thanks! Tweeter

A week to me isn't much time. I'm barely over the jetlag after a week. If you're like me you might want to go as you feel--slowly, that is. A very nice new beach is being contructed just outside CPH called the Amagerstrand. If the weather is good I'd hang out there and relax for awhile. Or relax on Ven. Don't take the car to Ven; park it and rent a bike on the island. It's tiny and you can see it all in a few hours.

We did Fredricksborg and Kronborg both in the same day, but just barely. They are both well worth seeing. As I recall, we made it back to CPH in time to have dinner and see Tivoli by night. And if you ARE a roller coaster enthusiast, the oldest continuously-operating roller coaster in the world is at Tivoli. Can't remember the name of it, but it is the one with the little engine at the front of the train.

Hello All,

We are planning a trip to Copenhagen for Christmas and the tips you've all listed here have been really helpful. Thank you! Do any of you have suggestions as to winter activities in December, specifically Christmas weekend, in and around Copenhagen? We would like to find something fun to do to celebrate Christmas eve and/or Christmas day.
Thanks again for all of the info,
d

You are in luck in one respect. Tivoli is OPEN in December, or it least that was what I heard a couple of years ago. From what I understand, they have a sort of Christmas fair or marketplace going on at that time. I don't remember the details, but be sure to go to Tivoli while you are there.

Day 4 -- If I was driving my new Volvo, I'd have no problem making that loop twice!! Someone suggested taking the ferry from Helsingborg to Helsingor to see Kronborg Castle on the way to Copenhagen. That's a great idea.

If you see Little Mermaid by walking from Gefion Fountain it'll take quite a bit of time. Park near the Kastellet and the Little Mermaid is close.

Changing of the guard starts around noon at Amalienborg Palace.

If you REALLY enjoy the Carlsberg Brewery tour, go to 90 Vin Stue at 90 Gammel Kongevej for the BEST draft beer known to man.

First of all , bring an umbrella but hopefully you will not need it. Nordic summers are just very unpredictable.
Keep the Little Mermaid on the DK list.
Ny Glytotek Museum has one of the best ancient exhibits outside of the London Museum. Put it on your list. Just walking into the Conservatory is worth it. Be prepared for alot of scuptures and stories of women in Denmark.It is not male one-sided. Most museums in Copenhagen are usually closed on Monday so plan around that.
The Resistance Museum is also a must.
The Rundtarn or Round Tower is a must. One would not believe the inside from the outside and the view from the top is wonderful.
Eat a Danish polser (hot dog) with onions from a stand. They are very good.
The beach is also a good idea .
Yes. Take the new Oresund bridge.
Yes, go to the old town of Dragor, near the DK side of the bridge.
If you go outside of CPH, go to Lejre. It is a re-creation of a Danish medieval village past Roskilde. I loved it. There is a wonderful and very reasonable and traditional place to eat just before the entrance. Ask them how to eat the food or just use your knife and fork on the sandwich!
And definitely take the canal boat ride in Copenhagen. It is wonderful.
If you go to Frediksborg enjoy the grounds which are magnificent but you can pass on the inside of the castle.
If I had a mimimal list it would be Tivoli at dusk and evening, the RundTarn and the canal boat ride. And enjoy your Volvo!

Thanks for all the additional advice! I am sure as our trip gets closer I will have more questions!