After the Helsingborg Marathon: Helsingør

The Route: Helsingborg → Helsingør → Copenhagen Airport Logistics: Ferry across the sound, a flat walk in town, then a regional train south to the airport. Easy with luggage. Marathon Month: September Duration: 1 night

Helsingborg ──(about 20 mins, ferry)──> Helsingør ──(1 night)──> train south ──> Copenhagen Airport (CPH)

A one-night stay in Helsingør is the quietest way to turn a Swedish marathon weekend into a Danish one. The race finishes on Saturday. Take Sunday morning at your own speed, cross the sound at lunchtime and spend the afternoon and evening in a town that has not changed much in the lifetimes of its houses. Fly home from Copenhagen on the Monday.

September in Helsingør. The ferry runs from 00:10 to 23:40 on the latest listing, so the crossing is not the problem. The sound is breezy and the evenings begin to cool. Early September light is still long enough for an after-dinner walk along the harbour.

Night one: the old town and the castle

Stay in or near the old town, within walking distance of the harbour. Search a booking site for cancellable rooms and compare Helsingør prices with Helsingborg's, since the Danish side is sometimes cheaper on a race weekend. Ask about breakfast times and luggage storage.

The flat walk to start with is the harbour front, which connects the ferry terminal, the old town and the castle on level paving, with the water on one side. Kronborg Castle is open daily from 10:00 to 17:00 on the latest listing, and online tickets were DKK 150 for adults and DKK 135 for concessions at the time of writing. Check the castle website before you go. Allow two hours inside. The royal apartments and chapel are the easy part. The casemates below are cold, uneven and dim.

Shakespeare's Hamlet is set in Elsinore, the English spelling of Helsingør, though the castle's own site says he probably never visited. If you read the play on the ferry, the walk along the ramparts afterwards takes on a certain flavour.

The museum

The Maritime Museum of Denmark sits in a dry dock beside the castle. The galleries are below ground level and the floors are level, with seating, which suits the day after a marathon. Opening days and prices vary, so check the museum website for your date.

Night one: dinner

Helsingør has a number of restaurants around the harbour and in the old town centre. Book ahead for Sunday evening, since many Danish kitchens close early and some are shut on Mondays.

Day two and onward

The regional train from Helsingør runs south along the coast to Copenhagen. Check the journey time and the Sunday and Monday timetables on the Danish rail website, and whether your ticket covers the airport. Allow a generous margin for an international flight, and check bag-drop times with your airline.

Getting home