Surroundings — Malmö, Louisiana & North Zealand
Malmö — Two Countries in One Day
The Öresund Bridge (opened in 2000) connects Copenhagen and Malmö over 16 kilometers of bridge and tunnel — making a day trip to Sweden a breeze. In 35 minutes, you're in another country by train, with a different language, different currency, and (somewhat) cheaper food.
What Malmö Offers
- Turning Torso: The 190-meter high twisted skyscraper is Malmö's landmark — designed by Santiago Calatrava, inspired by a twisting sculpture. Impressive from the outside, interior visits only with a tour.
- Gamla Staden (Old Town): The medieval core around the Stortorget (Great Market) with the town hall (16th century) and half-timbered houses. Small, pretty, and very Swedish.
- Lilla Torg: The "Little Market" — Malmö's most charming square with cobblestones, half-timbered houses, and cafés. In summer, it's one big terrace.
- Malmöhus Slott: The 15th-century castle houses several museums: Art Museum, Natural History Museum, City Museum. A combo ticket for all: 45 SEK (€4).
- Västra Hamnen (Western Harbour): The former shipyard area is a showcase district of sustainable urban planning: Turning Torso, waterfront promenades, swimming spots, and waterfront restaurants.
- Falafel at Möllevångstorget: Malmö has Sweden's best falafel — at the multicultural marketplace Möllevången, falafel is available for 40–50 SEK (€4–5). Cheaper than anything in Copenhagen.
Tipp
Train ticket Copenhagen–Malmö: from 100 DKK (€13) one-way with the Øresundståg. Departures every 20 minutes from the main station (Københavns Hovedbanegård). The ride over the bridge is spectacular — sit by the window! Sweden uses SEK (Swedish Krona), but card payment works everywhere.
Louisiana Museum of Modern Art
The Louisiana Museum of Modern Art in Humlebæk, 35 kilometers north of Copenhagen, is one of the most beautiful art museums in the world — and it's not just because of the art, but the way architecture, nature, and art blend together.
The Museum
Louisiana was founded in 1958 by Knud W. Jensen and consists of a series of wings that wind like a ribbon through an old park on the Öresund. Through the floor-to-ceiling windows, you can see a Giacometti sculpture and the sea, a Calder and the Swedish coast at the same time. The architecture (Vilhelm Wohlert and Jørgen Bo) is a masterpiece of integrating indoors and outdoors.
The Collection
Over 4,000 works from the post-war period to today: Giacometti, Warhol, Lichtenstein, Kusama, Olafur Eliasson, Anish Kapoor, Georg Baselitz. The changing exhibitions are always top-notch. In the sculpture park, works by Henry Moore, Alexander Calder, Max Ernst, and Jean Arp stand among trees by the sea.
Practical Information
- Getting There: Train from Copenhagen's main station to Humlebæk (35 minutes, regional train). From the station, a 10-minute walk through the woods.
- Admission: 145 DKK (€19), free for under 18s. Included in the Copenhagen Card!
- Café: The Louisiana Café has a terrace with a sea view — one of the most beautiful museum cafés in the world.
- Tip: Plan for 3–4 hours. The sculpture park by the sea is magical in sunshine.
Tipp
Louisiana is a perfect half-day trip: Go in the morning (train 35 min.), 3–4 hours in the museum and park, lunch at the café with a sea view, return in the afternoon. With the Copenhagen Card, admission plus train is included!
North Zealand — Castles & Coast
North Zealand (Nordsjælland) is the green lung north of Copenhagen: forests, lakes, coast, and three impressive castles, all conveniently accessible as a day trip by train.
Kronborg Castle — Hamlet's Castle
The Kronborg Slot in Helsingør (45 minutes by train) is Denmark's most famous castle — and Shakespeare's Elsinore: Hamlet takes place here. The Renaissance castle on the Öresund (UNESCO World Heritage) towers over the strait to Sweden — strategically impregnable. The casemates (underground passages) are impressively dark, and the statue of the sleeping hero Holger Danske is said to awaken when Denmark is in danger. In summer, Hamlet is performed in the castle courtyard. Admission: 165 DKK (€22).
Frederiksborg Castle — Denmark's Versailles
Frederiksborg Slot in Hillerød (40 minutes by train) is Scandinavia's most magnificent Renaissance castle: built by Christian IV in the early 17th century, located on three islands in a lake. Inside: the Museum of National History — portraits, furniture, suits of armor, and the magnificently restored castle church. The baroque gardens are geometrically perfect and delightful for strolling. Admission: 100 DKK (€13).
Helsingør — More than Hamlet
The port city of Helsingør has more to offer than Kronborg: a medieval old town with half-timbered houses, the M/S Museet for Søfart (Maritime Museum, designed by BIG, in an underground dry dock — architecturally brilliant, 130 DKK) and the ferry to Helsingborg (Sweden, 20 minutes, from 36 DKK / €5). Two countries in one day — once again!
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