Shakespeare is a given when it comes to Helsingor, home of Hamlet and Hundested



Sunday, June 5, 2016 - 20:11 by ce-press

This year the world celebrates the 400th anniversary of the death of the great bard William Shakespeare. Denmark’s Kronborg Castle in Elsinore/Helsingor is where Shakespeare placed his Danish prince Hamlet inspired by the real-life Prince Amlet. There was indeed “something rotten going on in the state of Denmark” at the time.

Passengers can now fully immerse themselves in a new visitor attraction at Kronborg Castle. Hamlet Live is a total theatre experience never seen before in Denmark. Ten to 15 actors dressed as characters in Shakespeare's plays will greet and integrate with visitors on their way round the castle. It takes place daily from June to August between 1000 and 1700.

This year The Hamlet Stage is also celebrating an anniversary. The oldest theatre company to put on Hamlet reaches 200 years. From next year the theatre will be repositioned from the castle courtyard which will make it more accessible to cruiselines during daytime and with performances onboard the ship.

Birgitte Bergman, head of Cruise North Copenhagen, commented: “This is a destination that wants to have people not just watching but taking part in it.” Passengers could, for example, take part in a Renaissance Ball at the castle where they would dress up in period costume, eat food of the time and listen and dance to music of the era.

And for those not choosing the play there are tailormade tours to Gilleleje which was one of the channels to Sweden that saved the lives of many of the Danish Jews. As the northernmost point in Zealand, Gilleleje was a natural escape hatch. Refugees were hidden in many places in the area, from summer houses to the attic of the town’s small church. On the evening of October 6, 1943, 80 refugees were discovered in the church attic. Only one escaped. The local priest tells this emotional story.

Being only 40 minutes by road from Copenhagen, there is a possibility that the cruiseship could depart Helsingor to the capital city with the passengers following after the ball. Helsingor has five calls scheduled for 2017.

This year Hundested had its first ever call on one of Fred Olsen Cruise Lines’ mystery cruises with two other lines calling in May and August. Once past the Viking ship in the fjord, fearless fighters will welcome passengers at the quay. Ornamented jewellery and handicrafts can be found at the nearby market and a glass of mead taken at the local brewery.
Shakespeare is a given when it comes to Helsingor, home of Hamlet and Hundested
Hamlet at Kronborg Castle (c) Cruise North Copenhagen





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