CPH Post Supplement - Autumn Holiday 2021

PIXABAY

Enjoy the beauty of the Season at the world-famous Louisiana Museum. New shows, sculpture park and fun for children and families.

INTRODUCTION

FALLING OVER YOURSELF TO PLEASE

FACEBOOK/ DEN DANSKE SOMMERSKOLE

Children’s Autumn Holiday Oct 15-24; various venues in Copenhagen and beyond

By Ben Hamilton Adults readily assume they know what children will like.

Take us, for example. Here’s a supplement full of children’s activities for the autumn holiday.

We’ve made a selection based on what we think they might like best. But did we consult any children? No ....

you’re tiny, large things are enormous. Combine with animals, another safe bet, and you’ve hit the jackpot.

Stock up on cake, chocolate, crisps/ chips and cola and they’ll be putty in your hands. Just make sure you have an activity lined up that will stay ahead of the sugar rush.

But often, we’re mind-blowingly off-track. Last year’s must-have has become this year’s pariah, particularly if last year’s Disney queen has become this year’s mean teen.

So see how quickly they thumb their way through it (who are we kidding: kids don’t read newspapers, but you get the point).

The biggest mistake is probably assuming all children like childish things. Many of them don’t. What they like are children’s versions of adult things.

Supersized and sweet I’m sure there’s a science to what children like. Size, for example: that must be a safe bet. When

So if you can’t see the appeal, then they probably won’t be able to either.

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AUTUMN HOLIDAY 2021 GUIDE

Classic combos The Hermès in the Making exhibition (page 3) is a good example, as it combines things that both adults and children will enjoy doing together – a little like a Pixar film, it’s a different experience depending on the perspective.

A trip to Louisiana (page 4) is the same, although you’ll be in different rooms. The theme will be the same, though: while the grown-ups visit the exhibition, the youngsters get to make art inspired by it. Sounds like a winwin.

The National History Museum similarly offers up its ‘King of Dinosaurs’ exhibition (for Dad most probably) and the ‘Dino Lab’ workshop (pages 5 and 9), while Culture Night (page 9) has a wide array of events suitable for all ages.

If that sounds like a risk, we have some old favourites: from Tivoli, Bakken and Copenhill to Experimentarium, Blue Planet and Copenhagen Zoo, they’re all destinations that have solid track records in entertaining the entire family (pages 6-8).

And there are plenty of options outside the city: from the Mountain Tower and the Hidden Giants to Knuthenborg Safaripark and Kronborg Castle (page 10-11).

Ah yes, the castle: if they don’t like it, you can always lock them up in the dungeon.

Publisher: CPH POST • Editor: Hans Hermansen • Journalists: Lena Hunter, Marius Rolland, Mariesa Brahms, Maria El Youssif Layout: CPH POST • Info: hans@ cphpost.dk • Tel: +45 2420 2411

PICK OF THE WEEK HERMÈS IN THE MAKING Oct 15-24, open Fri-Wed By Ben Hamilton 10:00-18:00, Thu 10:00-21:00; Danish Architecture Center, Bryghusgade 10, Cph K; free adm; dac.dk Many adults know that feeling when they’re suddenly hit by a scent that takes them straight back to their childhood. More often, it’s related to the weather and the flora and, just like that, you’re back in the 1970s.

Never underestimate the important role the sense of smell plays in our development: good and bad.

From the delicious aromas wafting out of Mum’s kitchen to the putridness of a rotten egg you hid in a cupboard to avoid, they shape our memories and who we are.

They help to broaden our knowledge of the world around us from an early age and often they’re a great leveller, as the sense of smell knows no age disparity.

Complete culmination So imagine how excited your children might get if you challenged them to make their own fragrance.

SCENT OF A WINNER

Their whole life will flash before them as they furiously try to recall all their favourite whiffs, from erasers that smell of citrus, to flowers picked up on halcyon summer days in the countryside, with a dollop of Roald Dahl thrown in for good measure.

Well, the French fashion house Hermès is doing exactly that during the autumn holiday at the Danish Architecture Center Its pop-up exhibition ‘Hèrmes in the Making’, which is aimed at children and free to attend, lifts the lid on all matters design.

If your children play their cards right, they can leave with their own fragrance and a whole load of personalised stuff: notebook, design badges, keyrings, you name it!

Home of design DAC is a fitting venue, as Hèrmes

is basically an architecture firm, but on a small scale.

good materials, and the long hours that went into their craft.

Its exhibition will be brimful with smiths, artisans and stylists, designing all manner of household goods and accessories, engraving, hand-stitching and bejewelling. It’s all about the details!

There will be interactive installations and sensory experiences for both adults and children: a chance to test your creativity and dexterity.

Watch them work and listen to them talk about their craft: the know-how, the importance of

Who knows, maybe one of your family will discover a talent they didn’t know they had. (BH)

EXHIBITION KING OF DINOSAURS 19 JUNE 2020 31 DECEMBER 2021

After 66 million years, the king of dinosaurs has arrived in Denmark.

Experience one of the most complete T. rex skeletons in the world.

BUY TICKETS AT TRISTAN-OTTO.DK

CHILDREN’S ART VISIT DENMARK/ ANNE-SOPHIE ROSENVINGE

DISCOVER YOUR KID’S INNER It needn’t cost the earth either, as many museum workshops for children are completely free

By Marius Rolland Forget about the Golden Age you learn about in the history books because the Danish autumn delivers every year.

From the leaves on the ground, to the landscapes that greet you in the capital’s green spaces, our vision is a constant source of inspiration.

Express yourself!

Accordingly, museums in the capital region host workshops to bring concrete expression to childlike imagination.

Painting, drawing, sculpture and ceramics are all catered to, along with advice, tips and guidance to enable children of all ages to enjoy artistic fulfillment.

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Amazingly, some of these courses are completely free for under-18s, provided that you have yourself bought a ticket for the museum.

LOUISIANA open Tue-Sun 11:00-17:30, until Dec 30; Gl Strandvej 13, Humlebæk; free adm for under-18s; louisiana.dk There is no better place to drop off your children while you top up on some extraordinary art than the Children’s Wing at Louisiana.

The classes, which welcome children aged 4-16, are always inspired by current exhibitions.

Kids get to try all sorts: from drawing and painting to sculpture and ceramics.

Challenging the kids The children are challenged to discover, analyse and

AUTUMN HOLIDAY 2021 GUIDE

produce their own versions of productions that are highlighted in the cultural centre, so they can “explore the working methods of artists, architects and designers”.

The aim is to popularise complex, mature and deep art forms, and make it accessible for the younger generation in order to raise awareness.

Always something current This autumn half-term, children will be able to take ownership of Mamma Andersson’s painting techniques, shapes, colours and representation of nature by reproducing thought-provoking elements: whether it is a waving cat, a stack of dusty books, a skull, a vase.

They will also be able to enter US artist Arthur Jafa’s world by participating in a collage workshop and creating their own story, cutting, folding, gluing until it pleases.

Let them run wild!

Other courses are dedicated to learning skills, genres and other exhibited artists such as Yayoi Kusama, Mika Rottenberg, Pia Arke, Dr M Meets, Jorn Meets Jorn and Jens Adolf Jerichau, as well as masterpieces from the collection at Giacometti Gallery.

Construction and clay workshops are also organised to get a new way of understanding Louisiana as a hybrid space: wild like its vegetation and reliefs, and modern like its architecture and statues.

CHILDREN’S ART STATENS MUSEUM FOR KUNST Oct 16-24, 10:00-16:00; Sølvgade 48-50 Cph K; free adm for under-18s; smk.dk This autumn holiday, SMK invites all prospective artists to attend its daily Børnenes værksted sessions. The children will have plaster, fabric, paint, clay, crayons and glue guns at their disposal to activate their senses and creativity. “We fuel the flames burning inside of us: the fire that is all about the joy of working creatively with the imagination.

Here, the imagination is allowed to beat out the reason for a change,” explained Michael Hansen, the head of the workshop for more than 20 years.

ARKEN Oct 19-23; 13:00-14:30; Skovvej 100, Ishøj; workshop: 40kr, admission to museum is free to under-18s; arken.dk Primarily aimed at kids aged 8-12, the ‘Kreativ’ workshops this autumn are inspired by the flower - most noticeably the works of Rune Bosse and Emilia Bergmark. The children are encouraged to draw and paint, and also to fashion their own flower out of the different materials.

GAMMEL STRAND Oct 19, 11:00-14:00; Gammel Strand 48, Cph K; free adm; glstrand.dk Gammel Strand modern art gallery is opening its doors to families for a playful workshop at which children get to tell their own stories by making colours explode. Inspired by the exhibition ‘GNIST’ featuring Danish artists JF Willumsen, Olivia Holm-Møller and Asger Jorn, don’t miss this exploration of the expressive, energetic qualities of colour.

NATIONAL HISTORY MUSEUM

ABSALON FOLKEHUSET Oct 16 & 23, 10:00-12:00; Sønder Boulevard 73, Cph V; children: 100kr, adults: 150kr; absaloncph.dk On October 16 and 23, families are invited to learn everything you need to know about producing your own ceramics.

Over the course of the ‘Keramik: FamilieVærksted’ class, children get to shape characters, animals, cups, flowers, whatever they want, as their imagination runs free. Absalon’s potters will teach, guide, give advice, lend materials, and take care of the firing and glazing. However, in order to make it to the kiln, the ceramics will need to meet a certain standard. Find the classes on the third floor; no onlookers!

ends Dec 31, open Thu-Tue 10:00-17:00, Wed 10:0021:00; Øster Voldgade 5-7, Cph K; free adm with museum entry of 50kr (ages 3-18); snm.ku.dk Running concurrently with the ‘King of Dinosaurs’ exhibition until the end of the year, the ‘Dino Lab’ takes participating children on a dinosaur hunt, enabling them to dive into interactive stories about the ancient predators and study fossils of their gigantic claws under a microscope. Children discover that art is also science.

And it’s also a jurassic lark.

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OLD FAVOURITES

PEOPLE SAY WE MONKEY AROUND! Roskildevej 32, Frederiksberg; open daily 09:00-17:00; over-12s: 195 kr, under-12s: 105kr, zoo.dk Just last month, Tourscanner named Copenhagen Zoo as the 33rd best on the planet, drawing particular attention to its Elephant House, which was designed by famous British architect Norman Foster.

That isn’t the only must-see enclosure at the famous zoo - or one built by a celebrity architect for that matter - which is located a little outside the city centre, at the top of one of the steepest hills in the whole capital, where it overlooks the wonderful Frederiksberg Have park.

The panda house is designed by the famous Bjarke Ingels Group in the shape of a Yin-Yang symbol.

The pressure is mounting on resident pandas Xing Er and Mao Sun to mate, now fully three and a half years since they moved to the new premises.

CPH ZOO

COPENHAGEN ZOO

One of them managed a walkabout in 2020, suggesting they’re maybe not happy with the company!

Petting is compulsory!

The hippo pool is also highly recommended. Boasting breathtaking underwater views, you’ll never forget the first time one of the giant beasts emerges from the cloudy water to stare right into your face.

Tigers, lions, monkeys and polar bears also await – in total there are over 3,000 animals – but often the biggest draw with children is the area where they can get up close and personal.

In the Children’s Zoo section it is

possible to pet African dwarf goats and meet the farm animals. Here young ones can also experience the horses being trained and pet them while they are being fed at the grooming stations.

Copenhagen Zoo will be open for the entire autumn break and offer

many special activities, such as meeting a zookeeper, watching shows and many other offers!

And as always, you can be present during feeding sessions with penguins, black-capped squirrel monkeys, birds, otters and other eccentric creatures. (BH)

I GOT CHILLS, THEY’RE TERRIFYING HALLOWEEN AT TIVOLI

There’s an orange hue to the Tivoli trees in autumn, and in recent years the fallen foliage and close to 2,000 straw bales have perfectly complemented the numerous pumpkins, transforming the themepark into the ultimate destination to enjoy Halloween.

Who knew this Irish-American celebration would penetrate the mindset of the Danes so quickly, but every autumn holiday thousands descend on Tivoli for seasonal comfort food, thrills and sheer terror.

Terrific for toddlers But don’t worry: whilst most of the budget is spent terrifying the teens and tweens, there’s plenty for all age groups to enjoy, starting with regular visitor Rasmus Klump.

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TIVOLI

Vesterbrogade 3, Cph V; open Oct 14-Nov 7, Fri-Sat 11:0023:00, Sun-Thu 11:00-22:00; entry: 135kr, entry with unlimited rides: 380kr; tivoli.dk

Along with his faithful gardener Flora and the Pumpkin Man, he’s on stage every day during the Tivoli Halloween season, while his playground is a godsend for playful tots who like to explore, boasting suspension bridges, crawler pipes and lookout towers galore.

Elsewhere there are plenty of age-suitable rides, from the Little Ghost Train and Halloweendecorated Vintage Cars to the Witch Carousel. And look out for the monsters’ parade, as all the ghouls walk past - on their best behaviour in anticipation of the evening ahead.

All of that malarkey will make them hungry, and fortunately they’re well catered for with Halloween waffles, roasted almonds and spooky cream buns. It will beat any feast Gryffindor devoured after winning the Hogwarts Cup. Terrifying for teens Slightly older children are entrusted with knives, but no, we haven’t got to the grizzly bit yet. At the foot of the Mill on the Lawn, it’s

AUTUMN HOLIDAY 2021 GUIDE

time to unleash your creativity and cut your own jack-o’-lantern.

Let’s hope there aren’t any accidents, as we wouldn’t recommend ‘The Haunted’, Tivoli’s very own makeship hospital, which can be found in the caves under the rollercoaster.

Of course, we blame Lars von Trier for this nation’s unholy obsession with spooky hospitals,

and a visit to ‘The Haunted’ is like encountering the afterlife: restless souls of operations and experiments gone wrong await.

But if Villa Vendetta sounds like the holiday retreat you’ll need after that, forget it. The former/ current residents of the haunted mansion will greet you in the dark and only let you leave once you’ve been probably terrified. (BH)

OLD FAVOURITES

A DAY IN THE LIFE YOU WON’T FORGET Tuborg Havnevej 7, Hellerup; open Mon-Fri 09:30-17:00, Sat-Sun 09:30-17:00; over11s 195kr, under-12s 115kr, under-3s free adm; experimentarium.dk.dk

and testing their reactions, strength and agility in every way possible. And we’re not even finished on the first floor.

Restaurant at 1 looking more likely now.”

09:31: ”Hi darling, just wanted to let you know that we got here at 09:30 as planned – easy to find from Hellerup Station. I don’t think we’ll be much longer than an hour, so we’ll see you at 11 for coffee!”

13:13: “We’re still on the first floor, I’m afraid. Once Jasper found out about the hopping, cycling and the rest, he wanted to try them all, and the others didn’t seem to mind. We’ll get something at the canteen.

Seriously, 3 o’clock for coffee – I’ll drag ‘em out if I need to.”

10:47: “We’re not going to make coffee. Young Jasper took one look at the ball-bearings on a rail contraption and he was off. I’ve never seen him look so excited. He’s still there now, scoring points for all the balls he can collect. At least he seems to understand the rules. And Tom and Sarah have been cycling, hopping, playing stepping stones

14:55: “I’ve never seen the kids so fascinated. Even Jasper is reading most of the scientific explanations. Every time I suggest it’s time to move on, we find something that everyone wants to do – yeah … me included. Like did you know I have an amazing heartbeat recovery time, and the fitness of somebody aged 32! Next up is a

EXPERIMENTARIUM

EXPERIMENTARIUM

team challenge on observation skills.”

16:55: “We’re on the roof! Games galore up here and what a view!

The place closes in five minutes, so I guess this is finally it.

Although I hear they’re opening

a luxury cinema up here so next year we can stay even longer.

The kids are tired as hell, but they’re already talking about coming back! And Jasper says he wants to be a nuclear physicist.

Time to head down the insane spiral stairway.” (BH)

YEARS OF THE CLOWN AUTUMN HOLIDAY AT BAKKEN

Did you know that the Dyrehavsbakken theme park, which is more commonly referred to as Bakken, opened in 1583, making it the world’s oldest themepark?

This means it could quite legitimately have been mentioned in a Shakespeare play (but not Hamlet, as that’s set in around 1400), or had its opening day painted by a young Rubens.

Clown after our hearts Its clown Pierrot is similarly ancient. He was born in 1800 and for over 200 summers he has been delighting the children of Denmark with his antics: these days between 15:00 and 16:00 in front of his little greenhouse.

Bakken is something of a gardener, and he’s just got the harvest in, so expect copious bales

“Pierrot, Pierrot come out now,” the children shout, and a few adults too, and his storytelling never fails to disappoint them.

“I feel like a part of Bakken’s heart,” Pierrot says.

BAKKEN

Dyrehavevej 62, Klampenborg; open Oct 16-24, 11:0024:00; free adm; wristband for under-13s: 139kr, wristband for over-13s: 229kr; bakken.dk

of straw for him to fall over to universal hilarity.

Rides don’t get more rickety If that’s true, let’s hope Onkel Reje doesn’t cut it out because he’s a pirate. Aimed at slightly older kids, his shows are pretty riotous.

Pierrot hasn’t got a monopoly on the straw either, as Friluftsscene is a huge maze built out of the stuff. Families are challenged to negotiate their way out of it in the quickest time possible. The tip is to remind them of the 200 kroner two-course meal on offer at selected restaurants.

Almost as old as the clown are some of Bakken’s rides, such as its famous wooden rollercoaster ‘Rutschebanen’. You might suspect the rickety ride dates back to the 1580s, but it was in fact opened in 1932.

Until very recently, brakemen used to ride the coasters, responsible for reducing its speed around corners. But while that thrill has been discontinued, lots

of new rides have been added over the last 20 years to bring Bakken kicking and screaming into yet another century. (BH)

AUTUMN HOLIDAY 2021 GUIDE

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OLD FAVOURITES

GUNNING DOWN THAT HILL COPENHILL Vindmøllevej 6C, Cph S; open Mon-Fri 12:00-20:00, Sat 10:00-20:00, Sun 10:0018:00; children: 105kr per hour, adults: 150kr per hour; copenhill.dk

The slope awaits And then move on to the main event: a chance to ski and snowboard down the huge slope, which is divided into different levels to enable support for a wide range of abilities.

The centre also includes the largest climbing wall in the world.

At 85 metres tall and 10 metres wide, it’s a challenge: both to climb and to convince anyone to give it a go.

Times at Copenhill should be booked online in advance on its website.

By Maria El Youssif An architecturally unique destination for an active family, Copenhill calls itself “Copenhagen’s epicentre of urban mountain sports” – and for good reason.

COPENHILL

Start your visit by taking the hiking route through an exciting green landscape that lends itself to activities, but remember to take in the view.

At an altitude of 85 metres towering above the Øresund, you don’t need any further confirmation the height is above sea level.

BRAVE NEW PLANET ON AMAGER BLUE PLANET

VISIT DENMARK/ VIGGO LUNDBERG

Jacob Fortlingsvej 1, Kastrup; open Mon 10:00-21:00, Tue-Sun 10:00-17:00; under12s: 100kr, over-12s: 185kr; denblaaplanet.dk

By Maria El Youssif Is your child still searching for Nemo? Well, they might just find him here at Blue Planet, northern Europe’s largest aquarium.

Visit Copenhagen’s internationalclass attraction and experience a world cruise under the sea for children and adults, on which you can get up close and personal with thousands of fish and sea animals.

In total there are 48 aquariums containing over 7 million litres of water.

Delightful in all seasons When it rains, enjoy the fact that on the Blue Planet you can be dry and have a fun day surrounded by water and sea animals.

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The sun meanwhile brings out the best in the aquarium. On clear days enjoy the sea view and look past the Øresund Bridge to Sweden.

AUTUMN HOLIDAY 2021 GUIDE

Or turn around and admire the aquarium’s unique and distinctive architecture, which has become an important landmark in Denmark, winning

several prizes, including a RIBA EU Award and the World Architecture Festival’s Display Award.

BIG EVENTS

CULTURE VULTURES AND NIGHT OWLS Friday Oct 15, from 18:00; city-wide; under-12s: free adm to all events, over-12s: 95kr pass grants access to all events, purchase via kulturnatten.dk, all 7-Elevens, museums and libraries

By Lena Hunter After a brief corona-imposed hiatus, Copenhagen Culture Night is back. Now in its 27th year, the celebration will see more than 250 museums, theatres, libraries, churches, ministries, parks and squares lay on special events for the public in the city’s largest annual one-day event.

There’s a veritable smorgasbord of happenings, from the inner city to Valby, Frederiksberg, Østerbro, Vesterbro, Nørrebro, Nordvest, Islands Brygge, Amagerbro and Christianshavn.

Different perspectives Take guided tours of Parliament, the Supreme Court, or the home of media giant DR.

KULTURNATTEN

CULTURE NIGHT

Visit the iconic Copenhagen Opera House for a peek backstage, the State Museum of Art for workshops, screenings and talks, or Cisternerne in Søndermarken, where you can row on a darkened, underground lake surrounded by floating art installations in Thomas Saraceno’s latest exhibition, ‘Event Horizon’.

Or would you rather unwind with something a little more … introspective? How about a fivehour meditation accompanied by ambient electronic music at Brorsons Kirke in Nørrebro?

‘ChurChill’ has you covered.

One pass to rule them all Without exaggerating, there’s truly something for everyone

and a ‘Culture Pass’ – like a onenight skeleton key – gets you access to the whole lot.

But whatever your plans are, navigating the hordes will take some foresight – expect fullybooked restaurants city-wide

and sardine-can public transport rides (the Culture Pass gets you free bus, train and Metro rides from 16:00-04:00 too).

Go exploring. Dig through the offerings and pick up a Culture Pass at kulturnatten.dk.

KING OF DINOSAURS ongoing, ends Dec 31; Natural History Museum of Denmark, Oster Voldgade 5-7, Cph K; 50-105 kroner, snm.ku.dk

By Mariesa Brahms Since vacating his residency at the Museum of Naturkunde in Berlin, where he had been the guest of honour for four years, the world’s best preserved Tyrannosaurus Rex fossil has been at the Danish Natural History Museum for several months now.

But don’t take him for granted.

Visit Tristan Otto before he departs for feeding grounds new on December 31.

NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM OF DENMARK

GET IT ON WITH T REX nightmarish mood that stays with you through dark corridors until you finally come face-a-face with Tristan Otto.

As you make way to the 3.60 metre-high fossil, you learn about the rivals and prey of Tristan Otto, often materialising as exhibits or projections that include fully-preserved skeletons, claws and other contemporary witnesses.

One-on-one time with Mr Rex It is undoubtedly an experience unlike most exhibitions you have visited before – however, you might want to freshen up on your background knowledge about the Cretaceous Age to get the most out of the experience.

Standout projections All visitors to the museum are greeted with an audio-visual reception that takes them into a densely-wooded area, located in what is now the US state of Montana, where Tristan Otto’s skeleton was discovered in 2012.

When you book a ticket you also choose a timeslot to meet Tristan Otto – it’s a date you won’t forget in a hurry, and if he asks you to buy the drinks, don’t hesitate for a second. After all, they can sense fear, can’t they?

Projected coniferous imagery creates a mysterious, almost

Mine’s a double … and the drinks are on you.

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OUTSIDE THE CAPITAL

GIANT TREASURE HUNT Secret locations in Rødovre, Hvidovre, Vallensbæk, Ishøj, Albertslund and Høje Taastrup; trollmap.com

By Lena Hunter Autumn is upon us, and so too is the usual harem of insufferable Instagram days out, ranging from posing in a field of pumpkins to braying about pumpkin spice to… actually, never mind – they’re all pumpkin-related. When did we become so uncreative? Anyway, thank god there’s more to life than decorative gourds.

Fee-fi-fo-fum!

Right on your doorstep is an alternative autumn activity, sans squash, which still smacks of fairy-tale adventure. ‘The Six Forgotten Giants’ is a sculpture treasure-hunt hidden in naturespots in six of Copenhagen’s western municipalities.

The timber giants, each up to five metres tall, are built from scrap wood with the help of local volunteers and form the first ‘chapter’ of an ongoing art-narrative entitled ‘The Great Story Of The Little People and The Giant Trolls’.

THOMAS DAMBO

THE HIDDEN GIANTS

Off the beaten track The artist behind the work is Thomas Dambo, whose mission objective is to get urbanites off the beaten track and into local green areas. “I find trash in the street and turn it into something new,” he says.

His outdoor troll installations – which have now popped up in Chicago, Pyongyang and Culebra in Puerto Rico too – are, in his words, an “ever-growing recycled sculpture fairytale.”

On your doorstep But you won’t have to catch a flight or climb a beanstalk to

find Dambo’s giants. The trolls are hidden in local forests, on hills and on the banks of lakes, and each hunt requires a little off-road rambling and googlemapping – perfect on a breezy autumn day.

Go to Dambo’s website, trollmap. com, for clues to help you hunt down the six secret spots in Rødovre, Hvidovre, Vallensbæk, Ishøj, Albertslund and Høje Taastrup.

TOWERING OVER THE FOREST CANOPY FOREST TOWER

CAMP ADVENTURE

Skovtårnsvej 1, 4683 Rønnede; open daily 10:0018:00; under-3s free adm; under-7s 65kr, over-7s 150kr, climbing park 150-350kr; campadventure.dk It looked like something out of a fairy-tale when it was announced several years ago, but Camp Adventure’s 45 metrehigh forest tower, complete with a spiral walkway, quickly became a reality when it opened, welcoming 2,500 people on its first day.

Set in the beautiful Gisselfeld Klosters forest, 95 metres above sea level and some 70 km away from Copenhagen, on a good day you can see much further from above the forest canopy – to Sweden and beyond!

Like Phileas Fogg In fact, at the top of the tower, the direction and distance of many, many famous cities is marked, as you take a 360

10

degree tour around the world.

Nearer to the tower, which costs 150 kroner to climb and is open from 10:00 every day, enjoy an awe-inspiring view of hills, meadows, lakes, wetlands and streams.

AUTUMN HOLIDAY 2021 GUIDE

Climb like Spiderman And if climbing the tower isn’t enough – the distance of the walk, from the camp entrance, up the tower and back again, is a healthy 3.2 km – there’s also a challenging climbing park within the forest.

To get there by car, take the E20 and E47 from Copenhagen, or via rail, take a regional train to Næstved Station, from where the 630R bus will take you to within a kilometre.

OUTSIDE THE CAPITAL

AT HOLGER AND HAMLET’S HOOD Helsingør; open daily 10:0017:00 until Oct 24, closed Oct 25, from Oct 26: open Tue-Sun 11:00-16:00; under-18s: free adm, over-18s: 125kr adults

By Lena Hunter It’s easy to spot Kronborg Castle once you’re in Helsingør. Its dreamlike turquoise spires and sandstone columns tower over the narrow promontory separating Denmark and Sweden.

Here, at the closest point, the Swedish coast is just 4km away.

A rich history to explore In the 1500s, international relations were a little frostier than today, and the Swedishfacing side of Kronborg was bristling with artillery.

Nevertheless, in 1658 the Swedes invaded Kronborg, ransacking it of art and other valuables. In response, the very-pissed-off Danes built huge new ramparts and a more advanced line of defence – which can still be seen today – and Kronborg became the strongest fortress in Europe.

The site has done various stints as a prison, royal residence and military base. It’s about as majestic as classic Danish architecture gets and is well worth a day-trip as one of the three (technically five, but two are in Greenland) UNESCO world heritage sites in Denmark.

To be or not to be Incidentally, it’s also the setting of Shakespeare’s Hamlet, though Horatio’s description of the view from Kronborg – which “puts toys of desperation into every brain that looks so many fathoms to the sea and hears it roar beneath”

KRONBORG CASTLE

KRONBORG CASTLE

– paints a bleaker picture than modern visitors can expect.

furnishings, and wander the windbattered military grounds.

Today, the castle is home to special exhibitions, the latest being ‘Jim Lyngvild’s Royal History at Kronborg Castle’, which runs until November 14. Visitors can catch the royal retrospective, explore the rooms, complete with original

If you dare, descend below the castle into its network of gloomy tunnels that house the famous statue of sleeping warrior, ‘Holger Dansk’. Legend has it he will awaken when his country needs him.

ON SAFARI IN THE SAVANNAH KNUTHENBORG SAFARIPARK

KNUTHENBORG SAFARIPARK

Knuthenborg Alle 1, Maribo; open daily 10:00-17:00; under-12s: 99-149kr, over-12s: 159-239kr, under-3s free adm (more expensive at weekends); knuthenborg.dk Open since 1969, Knuthenborg Safaripark is the largest of its kind in northern Europe, spreading over an area of 660 hectares.

Up close with tigers Along with the large areas in which the 1,000+ different species of animals stroll around freely, the site also has a large amusement park, an old manor house, a castle, informative exhibitions and activities.

Top tip: don’t miss the tiger area where you can see them up close and personal!

Among the beasts Dinosaurs and other prehistoric beasts are also a focus – in fact, there is even a Dinosaur Park. But don’t worry, an eccentric millionaire’s not going

to accidentally release the velociraptors.

Nevertheless, if the thrill of mixing with the wildlife appeals to you, you can book an overnight stay in a tent on an

elevated terrace two metres above ground-level, from where you can observe animals walking around below you.

Feeling hungry?

If all that livestock whets your

appetite, why not enjoy a delicious gourmet meal with a view of the savannah.

Tickets, including family passes, can be bought online.

AUTUMN HOLIDAY 2021 GUIDE

11

The Viking Ship Museum in Roskilde

SHIPS, WAR AND ROYAL POWER

Autumn holiday activities 16th to 24th of October 2021

Under the age of 18 years:

Free admission Family Ticket

(2 adults + children 0-17 y.)

280,-

Listen to history - Audioguide for children and adults

The boatbuilders are working on a new Viking ship

Bake Viking bread over open fire

Solve ’The MuseumMystery’ Digital game for kids

Build your own boat workshop

Board the Viking longship ‘The Sea Stallion from Glendalough’

Join the daily family tours and fight as a Viking

Find the full program at www.vikingeskibsmuseet.dk