The Renaissance fortress Shakespeare immortalized as Elsinore rises from the narrowest point of the Øresund Sound — one of the great castle settings in northern Europe, its casemates, great hall, and maritime museum entirely within reach of the festival.
What to see
• The castle itself (UNESCO) — a Renaissance fortress of 1585 built by Frederick II on the narrowest point of the Øresund sound
• The Great Hall — at 62 meters, the longest hall in northern Europe at the time of construction, used for royal banquets, tournaments, and the court entertainments that Shakespeare's Danish sources described
• The casemates — a labyrinth of vaulted underground passages beneath the castle where the legendary Holger Danske (Ogier the Dane) is said to sleep
What to eat
• Stegt flæsk med persillesovs (crispy fried pork belly with parsley sauce and potatoes — Denmark's national dish) at one of the restaurants in Helsingør's old town near the castle