North Zealand

It comprises (at least) the municipalities of Allerød, Egedal, Fredensborg, Frederikssund, Furesø, Gribskov, Halsnæs, Helsingør, Hillerød, Hørsholm, Lyngby-Taarbæk and Rudersdal.[5]

The largest urban centres in the region are Helsingør (population 61,519), Hørsholm (46,229), Hillerød (31,181), Birkerød (20,041), Farum (18,335), Frederikssund (15,725) and Frederiksværk (12,029). The historic city of Roskilde (48,721) in the southwest is often included in North Zealand, especially in guide books.[2]

Frederikssund, known for its Viking Games held each summer, is also adjacent to the Hornsherred peninsula with opportunities for walking, cycling and sailing.[6] Jægerspris Castle with a history dating back to the 13th century is now a historic house museum.[7]

Frederiksværk owes its existence to its industrial past including its cannon factory established in 1761 by Johan Frederik Classen in accordance with the wishes of King Frederik V. Gjethuset, part of the old factory, has now been converted into a cultural centre. Another attraction is the open-air Gunpowder Museum (Krudtværksmuseet).[8]

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  Jægerspris Castle
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  Viking hut, Frederikssund
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  Gjethuset, Frederiksværk
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  Roskilde Cathedral

One of the major attractions in the area is the UNESCO-listed Kronborg Castle in Helsingør to the north-east. It is not only the site of William Shakespeare's play Hamlet but is one of the most important Renaissance castles in northern Europe.[13] The lively city of Helsingør also has a cathedral church built in the 16th century. Its redeveloped harbour area known as Kulturhavn Kronborg now houses the Danish Maritime Museum while Kulturværftet is a large venue for concerts and exhibitions.[9][14]

The second largest city Hillerød, in the centre of the region, is famous for Frederiksborg Palace built in the Renaissance style for Christian IV in the early 17th century. The city is not only a tourist attraction but a thriving industrial centre thanks to a number of recently established firms in the biotechnology sector.[15]

Fredensborg Palace, another royal castle, was built by Frederick IV in 1722 in the Baroque style and was extended later in the 18th century. As the palace is one of the royal family's official residences, it is not open to the public. The palace gardens may however be visited.[16]

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  Kronborg, Helsingør (UNESCO-listed)
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  Frederiksborg, Hillerød
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  Fredensborg Palace

The Louisiana Museum of Modern Art in Humlebæk to the south of Helsingør is Denmark's most popular art museum. Created in 1958, it has a large permanent collection of paintings and sculptures from the mid-20th century to the present.[17] Rungstedlund, also known at the Karen Blixen Museum, is a country house on the east coast which has been preserved to present the house in which the renowned Danish writer Karen Blixen, author of Out of Africa, lived until her death in 1962. It opened as a museum in 1991.[18]

The Danish Museum of Science and Technology (Danmarks Tekniske Museum) in Helsingør has a wide variety of attractions for both adults and children including steam engines, veteran cars and electricity.[19] The J.F. Willumsens Museum in Frederikssund to the southwest is an art museum dedicated to the works of the Symbolist artist Jens Ferdinand Willumsen (1863-1958) which was opened in 1957.[20] The remaining buildings of 12th-century Esrum Abbey near Hillerød were listed as a heritage site in 1992. After restoration, one of the buildings was opened as a museum in 1997 with a permanent collection as well as facilities for temporary exhibitions and events such as concerts and presentations.[21] The Rudolph Tegner Museum in Dronningmølle on the north coast presents the works of the Symbolist sculptor Rudolph Tegner (1873-1950) in an unusual concrete, bunker-like building with an octagonal gallery 11 metres in height. The surrounding park displays 14 statues created by Tegner.[22]

The Danish Museum of Hunting and Forestry in Hørsholm hosted an exhibition about the UNESCO-listed Par force hunting landscape in North Zealand heritage site. A special exhibition was devoted to the listing in October 2015.[23] However, after the Danish Museum of Hunting and Forestry closed on January 1, 2017 the management of the heritage site moved to Museum North Zealand.

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  Louisiana Museum
• 
  Rungstedlund
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  J.F. Willumsen Museum
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  Esrum Abbey
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  Rudolph Tegner Museum

All around the North Zealand coast there are interesting fishing villages, many of which have developed as seaside resorts with facilities for tourists.[24] One of the most popular is Hornbæk, 12 km northwest of Helsingør, with its large sandy beaches, marina, cafés and restaurants, and a large area devoted to summer houses.[25][26] Helsingør and Hornbæk in particular have a number of notable hotels including the 158-room Hotel & Casino Marienlyst[27] and 28-room townhouse Hotel Skandia in Helsingør, and the Havreholm Slot and Sauntehus Slotshotel palacial hotels in the municipality of Hornbæk, the latter of which was built as a home by a wealthy corn merchant in 1914.[28]

Some 12 km to the northwest is Gilleleje, Zealand's most northernmost point, which has grown from a little village in 1900 to a popular coastal resort with sandy beaches, an active fishing harbour and several museums.[29][30] The beach at Dronningmølle between Hornbæk and Gilleleje has also led to a large summer house district stretching 2 km inland.[31] The Rudolph Tegner Museum displaying the artist's modern sculptural works is nearby.[32]

Rågeleje, 10 km southwest of Gilleleje, is a little fishing village with a history dating back to the 16th century. There are two sandy beaches, one on each side of the stream that runs through the village.[33][34] Tisvilde, 9 km southwest of Rågeleje, is a small town which since the Second World War has grown into another popular location for summer houses, thanks to its sandy beach at Tisvildeleje to the south and its chalk cliffs to the north.[35][36] The heathery hills of Tibirke Bakker to the south of Tisvilde offer excellent views of the surroundings from a height of 57 m (187 ft). Further south, the last resort on the northwest coast is Liseleje, some 8 km north of Frederiksværk. It has also developed into a large summer house area. The recently completed natural playground Havtyren, with a variety of open-air challenges, is a popular attraction for children.[37]

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  Hornbæk Marina
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  Gilleleje
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  Rågeleje Beach
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  Tisvildeleje

Strandvejen, also Kystvejen, is the coast road along the Øresund connecting Hellerup in the south to Helsingør in the north. It passes through several former fishing villages with exclusive villas built by Copenhagen's more prosperous inhabitants.[38] The development of the coastal villages into residential areas was mainly a result of the inauguration of the Kystbanen railway in 1897.[39]

Bellevue Beach on the northern outskirts of Copenhagen not only has a long sandy beach but is famous for the Bellavista housing estate, the Bellevue Theatre and bathing cabins designed by the Danish architect and designer Arne Jacobsen in the early 1930s.[40] Other places of interest on the road to Helsingør include: Rungsted with exclusive villas, a marina and Karen Blixen's Rungstedlund;[41] Nivå with a coastal park, small harbour and the Nivaagaard art gallery;[42] Humlebæk, an old fishing village now famous for the modern art museum Louisiana;[43] and, just south of Helsingør, Snekkersten with its harbour and hotels.[44]

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  Bellevue Beach
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  Rungsted Marina
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  Nivå Harbour
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  Coast near Humlebæk
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  Snekkersten

The region's major rail connections are the Coast Line (Kystbanen) between Copenhagen and Helsingør and three radials of the S-train network. Part of the Oresundtrain network, Coast Line trains with frequencies of up to once every ten minutes serve Klampenborg, Skodsborg, Vedbæk, Rungsted Kyst, Kokkedal, Nivå, Humlebæk, Espergærde, Snekkersten and Helsingør.[54] The Hillerød radial serve Lyngby, Holte, Birkerød, Allerød and Hillerød. The Farum radial between Copenhagen and Farum and Frederikssund radial between Copenhagen and Frederikssund serve the southwestern portion of North Zealand, includings Værløse and Ølstykke–Stenløse.

The railway company Lokaltog operates local train services on the Hornbæk Line between Helsingør and Gilleleje, the Little North Line between Helsingør and Hillerød via Fredensborg, and the Gribskov Line which runs from Hillerød to both Tisvildeleje and Gilleleje. Lokaltog also operates services between Hillerød and Hundested in the northwest.[55] There are also frequent S-trains on the North Line between Copenhagen and Hillerød with stops at Jægersborg, Lyngby, Sorgenfri, Virum, Holte, Birkerød, Høvelte and Allerød.[56]

The Helsingør Motorway, part of European route E47, connects Copenhagen to Helsingør with exits at Espergærde, Humlebæk, Nivå, Kokkedal, Hørsholm, Vedbæk, Gl. Holte, Nærum, Lundtofte and Lyngby.[57] The Hillerød Motorway (Hillerødmotorvejen) covers the first 19 km (12 mi) of Route 16 between Copenhagen and Hillerød via Farum, continuing as an expressway.[58]

Frequent ferry services operate between Helsingør and Helsingborg in Sweden. The terminal in Helsingør is within walking distance of the railway station. The crossing takes about 20 minutes.[59] A small vehicle ferry operates regularly between Hundested and Rørvig in Odsherred across the channel leading into the Isefjord Roskilde Fjord.[60] In summer, another ferry operates between Sølager (now part of Hundested) and Kulhuse on the tip of the Hornsherred peninsula.[61]

As elsewhere in Denmark, cycling is popular in North Zealand with several signposted cycle routes.[62] A number of cycle routes and downloadable maps are available from Hillerød Municipality.[63] The North Coast Track (Nordkyststien) from Helsingør to Hundested is also a popular route.[64]