A North Zealand castles tour links three royal castles within 30 minutes of each other: Kronborg in Helsingør (Hamlet’s castle, UNESCO), Frederiksborg in Hillerød (a Renaissance palace on a lake, with the Museum of National History) and Fredensborg (the royal family’s spring and autumn residence, with gardens open in summer). By car, all three fit into an 8-hour day from Copenhagen.
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Most visitors see one castle and head back to the city. That’s a shame, because the triangle of Helsingør, Hillerød and Fredensborg is compact and very different from Copenhagen: lakes, beech forests and royal parks. Public transport links each castle to Copenhagen but not so well to each other. That’s where a car earns its keep.
The route
| Leg | Drive | Time at stop |
|---|---|---|
| Copenhagen → Kronborg (via Strandvejen) | 60–70 min | 2 h |
| Kronborg → Fredensborg | ~25 min | 45 min–1 h (gardens; palace in summer) |
| Fredensborg → Frederiksborg (Hillerød) | ~15 min | 2 h |
| Hillerød → Copenhagen | ~40 min | — |
Kronborg Castle
A fortress-palace at the narrowest point of the Øresund, inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List. Explore the royal apartments, the great ballroom, the chapel and the dark casemates beneath, where the statue of Holger Danske sleeps. In summer, Shakespeare performances bring Hamlet to Elsinore. Opening hours are on the Royal Danish Palaces website.
Fredensborg Palace
A working royal residence in an 18th-century baroque park. The palace itself opens for guided tours only in summer, but the palace gardens are open most of the year and are a beautiful stop for a walk. If the royal family is in residence, you may see the changing of the guard.
Frederiksborg Castle
Built by King Christian IV on three islands in a lake, Frederiksborg is the grandest Renaissance building in Scandinavia. It houses the Museum of National History and has a magnificent chapel and baroque gardens. See the Museum of National History at Frederiksborg for tickets.
Sample day with a chauffeur
- 09:00: hotel pickup; drive north along Strandvejen.
- 10:00–12:00: Kronborg.
- 12:00–13:00: lunch in Helsingør.
- 13:30–14:15: Fredensborg gardens.
- 14:30–16:30: Frederiksborg Castle and gardens.
- 17:15: back in Copenhagen.
With hourly chauffeur hire, an 8-hour day costs about €960 in a Mercedes EQS or €1,000 in a 7-seat V-Class for the whole car. Add Louisiana instead of Fredensborg for art lovers. See Louisiana day trip.
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More ideas: the 10 best day trips from Copenhagen, Copenhagen to Helsingør and private sightseeing tours.
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Frequently asked questions
Can you visit Kronborg and Frederiksborg in one day?
Yes. They’re about 30 minutes apart, and by car both fit easily into a day from Copenhagen, with time for Fredensborg’s gardens too.
How far is Frederiksborg Castle from Copenhagen?
About 40 minutes by car to Hillerød.
Can you go inside Fredensborg Palace?
Fredensborg Palace opens for guided tours in summer only. The palace gardens are open for most of the year.
What is the best order to visit the North Zealand castles?
Drive up the coast to Kronborg first, then Fredensborg, then Frederiksborg, and return to Copenhagen on the motorway from Hillerød.
How much is a private castles tour from Copenhagen?
With a chauffeur, an 8-hour day costs about €960 in a Mercedes EQS or €1,000 in a 7-seat V-Class, excluding entrance tickets.
Header photo: Frederiksborg Castle, Hillerød (historic photochrom). Photo: Photochrom Print Collection / Wikimedia Commons, Public domain, cropped
Photo: Fredensborg Palace from the garden. Photo: Glån / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
