Helsingborg Sweden advice

[evoni]

We'll on the Constellation on Thursday, June 29th when it docks at Helsingborg, Sweden, arriving at 8am and departing at 5pm. I've read some older threads on Helsingborg but would be interested in hearing tips from cruisers who have taken one of the ship tours the last couple years or did Helsingborg on their own. I'm also interested in hearing from those of you who might have taken the ferry to Denmark to see a couple of the castles that are nearby. Thanks!

 

Diana

[swdke]

We'll on the Constellation on Thursday, June 29th when it docks at Helsingborg, Sweden, arriving at 8am and departing at 5pm. I've read some older threads on Helsingborg but would be interested in hearing tips from cruisers who have taken one of the ship tours the last couple years or did Helsingborg on their own. I'm also interested in hearing from those of you who might have taken the ferry to Denmark to see a couple of the castles that are nearby. Thanks!

 

Diana

 

Diana, with regards to the ferries to Denmark, I believe there may be two ferrie companies who provide frequent service to Helsingor, which is the Danish city across the channel, which obviously is spelled and sounds very simular to Helsingborg in Sweden. Anyhow, there is an opportunity to visit two castles, Krongorg which is the one in Helsingor, Denmark, and visible as you take the ferrie because the castle is on the edge of the coast. From the train station, you can walk to Kronborg, or take a taxi. It can't cost too much for a taxi as it's not that far from the ferrie station. If you walk, it may take 20 min, maybe less depending upon your pace, but I think the walk would be closer to 20 min. once your outside the ferrie port. Also, in a small pedestrian street next to the train station, there is an ice cream store, very small, but has Denmark's best ice cream cones. The train station I mentioned is right next to the ferry station. I believe there's even an enclosed walkway from the ferry port to the train station.

 

From this train station, there is a train to Hillerod. In Hillerod, there is Frederiksborg castle. Again, you can walk there to Frederiksborg from the train station in Hillerod. This castle in my opinion is the most beautiful in all of Denmark.

 

With your schedule, you should have plenty of time to visit these sights in Denmark. Your cruise company may even offer these tours as an option. However, it's very easy to do on your own, and far cheaper. No busses, no crowds, and you can come and go when you want. However, the good thing with a tour is the history lecture they provide. At any rate, visiting Helsingor and Hillerod to visit Kronborg and Frederiskborg castles is definately a worthy option to consider for your day.

 

Steve

[dbh62ark]

I think I started one of the threads that you read from the 2005 Baltics season. Not many ships call at this port, and we loved it. The locals were so very glad to see us, and young girls passed out roses and cheek kisses to all the lady passengers. Very sweet, and there was a big send-off too (local high school band, etc.).

 

After I checked all the train schedules and investigated all the connection times, etc., we found that we did not have time to go to Hillerod in a port stop that was exactly as long as the one you have scheduled. Also, please note that Celebrity has us listed as docked in Helsingborg, but we tendered in, and that takes extra time too. You'll have to line up for a tender, walk to the ferry, ride the ferry over, take the train, take a bus, etc., and it just seemed we would spend our whole day in transit back and forth while there were other things to do. So while Fredriksborg Castle looked wonderful, we had to save that option for another trip.

 

As noted by Steve, after you arrive on the dock, the ferry stations are a 20-30 minute walk to the right (it's a lot further than it looks!). We enjoyed the ferry ride over, and the entry sailing in to Helsingor is very nice. After we arrived in Helsingor, there was a tourist information office right in the square as you exit the ferry terminal next to the flower market. The tourist office had a walking tour map, and we enjoyed that a lot. The buildings are lovely and very quaint. We also walked around the shopping district (several stores such as Ecco shoes) and thoroughly enjoyed that small village. We were so glad that we went on our own because we ran into hordes of ship's passengers in their large groups, while we felt like we had the town to ourselves. We are not that interested in Shakespeare and passed on Kronborg so that we could go back on the ferry to go to Fredriksdal.

 

The other highlight of the day for us was a visit to Fredriksdal open air museum in Helsingborg. It was easy to get there, and some of the locals directed us to the correct bus in the harbor area. We enjoyed the windmills, livestock, the gardens, and the old buildings. It was so much fun, and we were also treated like tourist royalty there too; I think we were some of the few from our ship that went there, and it was a shame because it's a great attraction, especially if the weather is great like it was for us.

 

We also talked to some passengers from our dinner table that had just shopped in Helsingborg, and they said that although it doesn't look like there's much to the town, they really enjoyed it after they started walking around.

 

Sofeiro Castle is an option in this port, but we didn't talk to anyone who went there. From my research, it looked like the rododendron (sp?) gardens are spectacular in the spring, but we were there in late August so chose Fredriksdal instead.

 

One note--we did need both Danish and Swedish currency in this port, and you can spend any that you have left over on the goods on the ferry (duty free shopping), if needed.

 

My husband did go to the Danish Technical Museum while we were in port in Copenhagen (our 3rd visit to Copenhagen, and I went to Christiansborg while he was at the museum), and he liked it, but be warned that it is a lengthy and expensive taxi ride out of Helsingor to the museum.

 

So as you can see, there are many options for this port, and I hope you enjoy it as much as we did.

 

Have a great trip,

Donna

[evoni]

Hi Steve and Donna,

 

Thanks for the replies, I appreciate the information. We're going to take the train when we are in Copenhagen and go to Hillerod to visit Frederiksborg castle. Might not leave us too much time to see Copenhagen but I guess we can get a feel for it during the evening hours. Donna, I think we'll try to repeat what you did last year. Thanks!

 

Diana

[SF]

If our ship will be in Helsingborg from 10am-5PM will we have enough time to go to Helsingor and Hillerod to visit Kronborg and Frederiskborg castles? Is it worth the trip in that amnt. of time or should we just stay in Helsingborg and view the Fredriksdal open air museum and/or Sofeiro Castle?

[swdke]

If our ship will be in Helsingborg from 10am-5PM will we have enough time to go to Helsingor and Hillerod to visit Kronborg and Frederiskborg castles? Is it worth the trip in that amnt. of time or should we just stay in Helsingborg and view the Fredriksdal open air museum and/or Sofeiro Castle?

 

Visiting Frederiksborg castle in Hillerod, and Kronborg castle in Helsingor are definately worth visiting. But, with you time schedule between 10-5, I wonder if you'll have time. Granted, it really doesn't take long to visit both castles, but, you have the transportation between the two cities, including crossing via ferry between the contries. Also, as mentioned in a reply above, you may have to be tendered to shore in Helsingborg. Waiting to get off via tender could take time. If you're on the first tender, it might be possible, pending the train schedule between Helsingor and Hillerod. What is the date you'll be in Helsinborg. I recommend checking the train schedule on line, or I'l check it for you if you give me your date. It could be possible, so I wouldn't discount going there, but due to your arrival time, and taking a tender, it could be tough. But, it's possible, then I'd definately do it, but again, I would need know more information to do more research.

[SF]

Steve,

 

Thank you so much for replying to my questions. Forgot that our itinerary said we would be tendering in Helsingborg (thanks for reminding me) so I doubt we'll have time to take the ferry over to Helsingor. I don't like feeling rushed and knowing me I'd probably be worried we wouldn't make it back in time to catch the ship and therefore wouldn't enjoy the time there. Since we haven't been to that port before we'll probably just visit Fredriksdal and walking around town. Thanks for your suggestions.:)

[swdke]

Steve,

 

Thank you so much for replying to my questions. Forgot that our itinerary said we would be tendering in Helsingborg (thanks for reminding me) so I doubt we'll have time to take the ferry over to Helsingor. I don't like feeling rushed and knowing me I'd probably be worried we wouldn't make it back in time to catch the ship and therefore wouldn't enjoy the time there. Since we haven't been to that port before we'll probably just visit Fredriksdal and walking around town. Thanks for your suggestions.:)

 

If you don't have time to visit Hillerod, maybe you'll have time to cross the channel and visit Kronborg castle. That's the setting for Shakespear's Hamlet. Also, in Hillerod, right across from the train station, which is located across from the ferry station, in a small narrow alley, is a small ice cream shoppe, but the ice cream is very good. Make sure you get the cream put on top with the strawberry preserve and the chocolate covered cream ball. My favorite ice cream there was always nougant.

 

If you don't make it to cross the channel, I am sure you'll have a great stay and visit with what ever you do. Have fun.

[SF]

Steve,

 

How long do you think it would take overall to get to and see Kronborg castle? Do you happen to know what the difference between that castle and Sofeiro Castle is?

[swdke]

Steve,

 

How long do you think it would take overall to get to and see Kronborg castle? Do you happen to know what the difference between that castle and Sofeiro Castle is?

 

Hi SF,

 

Unfortunately, I am not familiar with Sofeiro Castle.

 

To visit Kronborg itself might just take an hour. For tickets to Kronborg, the have it broken up into different options, why I have not idea. So, there is the Castle it self ticket, then a ticket for the chapel, a ticket for the casemates which I always find cool, and there's also a maritime museum. Although it's not really all that confusing as I think you can get a ticket or pass to see it all. Again, I find it odd that tickets are sold seperately for the different parts of the castle, but fortunately it's not a big deal. The inside of the castle is more sparce, not as many things inside due to fires in the old days. But the chapel seems to have been untouched. The casemates is the dungeon, it's dark and not well lighted, but I think that made it more fun in interesting to get an idea of what it was like in the old times.

 

Kronborg castle was more of a fort, used to force passing ships to pay a fee, or kind of toll. So, it was not really a royal Danish castle. But, it does have somewhat of an interesting architecture, and famous due to Shakespeare.

 

To get to Kronborg from the Danish side of the ferry could be a 20 min. walk, or there might be a taxi to save you time. Granted, Taxi as everything in Denmark is expensive, but since it's a short ride, it can't cost all that much, and they take credit cards.

 

For the ice cream shoppe I mentioned, you'll probably need Danish Kroner for that which could be a problem, unless you got some currency from the ship, or a bank in Helsingor, Denmark.

 

Hopefully you might have time to visit Sofeiro Castle and Hillerod too. But, I am not famliar with Sofeiro so I don't know the time you might have available after visiting there.

 

What ever you find yourself doing, you will have a great visit in this part of Scandanavia. Have fun.

[SF]

Thanks again Steve for all your help and suggestions.:)

[dbh62ark]

Steve,

 

Thank you so much for replying to my questions. Forgot that our itinerary said we would be tendering in Helsingborg (thanks for reminding me) so I doubt we'll have time to take the ferry over to Helsingor.

I was in that port last year on a Celebrity Baltics cruise and agree with Steve. While I doubt that you would have time to go by train to Fredriksborg in Hillerod (I checked the schedules, and it just didn't work for us), you would have plenty of time to take the ferry across so that you could experience both Helsinborg and Helsingor.

 

Have a great trip,

Donna

[SF]

Thanks Donna.