Heritage, Harbours and Hygge – a weekend in Copenhagen
About the tour
Copenhagen is the epitome of Nordic chic; a city of constant visual pleasure, where an everyday walk provides a sense of quiet wonder. This compact, easy-to-navigate city is effortlessly stylish in an understated, clean edged way. This capital of hygge* is also one of the world’s most liveable cities with eco-design around every corner and welcoming and courteous citizens who are the epitome of Scandi cool.
With more Michelin starred restaurants than any other Scandinavian capital, Copenhagen also provides a wide range of exciting new eateries plating produce from local greenhouses, gardens and farms. Filled with art and culture, stunning modernist architecture, beautifully preserved historic quarters and fine dining, Copenhagen is a delight to explore over a weekend.
* In essence, hygge means creating a warm atmosphere and enjoying the good things in life with good people. Hygge's natural home is the cosy depths of winter. The warm glow of candlelight is hygge. Cosying up with a loved one for a movie is hygge. And there's nothing more hygge than sitting around with friends and family, discussing the big and small things in life. Hygge didn't originate in the Danish language but in old Norwegian, where it meant something like "well-being." It first appeared in Danish writing around the end of the 18th Century and the Danes have embraced it ever since. Hygge can be applied anywhere, and Danes allocate it generously to everything commonplace; which might be the reason why they are one of the happiest nations in the world.
Download our brochure Heritage, Harbours and Hygge – a weekend in Copenhagen
Your tour leader
Natasha McEnroe
Natasha McEnroe is the Keeper of Medicine at the Science Museum in South Kensington, London. Her previous post was Director of the Florence Nightingale Museum, and prior to this was Museum Manager of the Grant Museum of Zoology and Comparative Anatomy and Curator of the Galton Collection at University College London. From 1997 – 2007, she was Curator of Dr Johnson’s House in London’s Fleet Street, and has also worked for the National Trust and the Victoria & Albert Museum. Natasha was co-editor of The Hospital in the Oatfield – The Art of Nursing in the First World War (2014); The Tyranny of Treatment: Samuel Johnson, His Friends and Georgian Medicine (2003); and editor of Medicine: An Imperfect Science(2019) and co-editor of The Medicine Cabinet(2019). Her research interests focus on 18th and 19th-century medical humanities. Natasha is a Freeman of The Worshipful Company of Barbers.
Need more information?
- Tel: (Toll Free) 1-8777-398-764
- Mon-Fri: 9am-5pm
Itinerary at a glance
- Day 1: Copenhagen (Thursday, 24 Feb) Arrive and check in to the waterfront Copenhagen Strand Hotel. Optional airport transfer and orientation tour of Copenhagen, visiting the Little Mermaid statue, Gefion Fountain, the Opera House, Amalienborg Palace and the Marble Church. Welcome dinner at a local restaurant.
- Day 2: Copenhagen (Friday, 25 Feb) Take the bus to the city and a short walk to Frederiksborg Castle for a guided tour. It is a splendid 16th century Renaissance castle (the biggest Renaissance building in Scandinavia). It was originally built by the Danish King Christian IV and rebuilt by the founder of the Carlsberg Brewery after a 19th century fire. The Museum of National History showcases 500 years of Danish history in paintings and furniture. Enjoy lunch next to the castle. Continue to Elsinore (Helsingør), including a short outdoor visit to Fredensborg Palace. This is Queen Margrethe II’s favourite palace, where she spends every spring and autumn. Onto Kronborg Castle, also known as ‘Hamlet’s castle’ as it inspired Shakespeare to write his famous play. Kronborg has been UNESCO World Heritage listed since 2000 as it is a unique example of Renaissance architecture in the Nordic countries. For hundreds of years Kronborg was an important castle for Danish kings who wanted to control the traffic by ship to and from the Baltic Sea. Stop for a coffee or tea at café in one of the old hutments next to the castle. Return to Copenhagen along the scenic Strandvejen (the coastal road) with a fine view to Sweden – and some of the most expensive homes in Denmark.
- Day 3: Copenhagen (Saturday, 26 Feb) Morning sightseeing by bus combined with a little walking in the medieval district, including the Cathedral, Holmen’s Church and the old stock exchange. Visit Conditori La Glace and the oldest patisserie in Denmark, La Glace (est. 1870), for coffee or tea and cake (they are famous for their layer cake). Visit Christiansborg Palace on a guided tour, including the Queen's Royal Reception Rooms and the halls where the Queen signs laws, receives state visits, and holds banquets and receptions. See the colourful modern tapestries full of tales from 1,100 years of royal Danish history. At leisure. Options to visit Museums including the Museum of Danish Resistance, the art museum Glyptoteket or Medical Museion dating from 1787, situated in the former Royal Academy of Surgeons.Take a guided canal cruise to see the Copenhagen Light Festival, where unique light installations light up the city, followed by dinner.
- Day 4: Copenhagen (Sunday, 27 Feb) At leisure. Depart for airport. Optional transfer available.
Tour cost
The cost of the tour is £884 per person sharing.