Rosenborg Castle

If you are in Copenhagen I would recommend going to Rosenborg Castle. You not only get a self guided tour of the castle but you also have access to the Treasury where the Crown Jewels are stored. During the summer lines to buy tickets can be long. If you have a smartphone there is an app where you can buy your tickets online for a specific entry window. I would suggest you do that as it will save you a lot of time. There are signs posted with instructions.

The castle and grounds are beautiful. Take your time in each room. The treasury itself is worth the price. One side has the Crown Jewels and the other displays gifts from other country. For you Americans you will see a pistol set from Abraham Lincoln.  As you can understand, security is very tight. Please be aware of your surroundings.

Throne Room

Kronborg Castle, Denmark

I have been going to Denmark for years and I always like giving a tour of Copenhagen and the surrounding area to friends that have never been there before. This year I was able to meet my cousin Sandy and Don in Copenhagen to introduce them to our Danish relatives.

I was able to take them to Kronborg Castle where we had a pleasant surprise. Kronborg Castle is also known as Hamlet's Castle as Shakespeare used the castle as his location for his play, Hamlet. In August the tour of the castle also includes actors playing roles from the play in the room it was intended to be in. As you are walking around you may find yourself watching a scene from Hamlet in a bedroom, grand hall or in the courtyard. It was a great experience so if you are in Denmark in August make sure you visit the castle.

The castle itself is built in Helsingor and is at the narrowest part of the straight between Denmark and Sweden. Denmark used to make ships passing through the straight pay a tax. You not only get a tour of a real working castle but also an incredible view of Helsingor and Sweden on the other side of the straight. Go to the top of the tower for the best view.

Also, you can tour under the castle where the soldiers lived. It wouldn't be the most pleasant place to live as it is very dark and damp. This is also where Holger Danske lives. Holger is the protector of Denmark and whenever Denmark needs him he will come to life to  protect the country.

The castle opens at 10 am and you can make it a day touring the castle and grounds or you can tour the nearby Frederiksborg Castle about a half hour away by car.

Bucharest

In Romania my base was out of Bucharest. I had no idea what to expect there but it couldn't have turned out better. Your money goes a long way in Romania and hotels are inexpensive. You can stay at a high end hotel chain for the price of a mid-range hotel here. All of the best worldwide chains have hotels in Bucharest. My advice when picking a hotel is to make location your top priority. I saw some of the best hotels in areas where I wouldn't want to go out at night. I guess they were closer to the business districts. I decided on the Hotel Europa Royal in the Old City Area and I was happy I did. Just steps outside the hotel was the Old City. There I founds streets in all directions full of restaurants, pubs, and nightclubs. The nightlife goes on all night with people enjoying food or a drink sitting outside where there is a lot to see. If I had picked another more known hotel I may not have experienced what Bucharest had to offer.

Brasov, Romania

The third leg of my castle tour in Romania was the medieval city of Brasov. Brasov is located between Peles and Bran in Transylvania. The city is known for it's huge square and the Black Church. The Square was our first stop and where we had lunch. Your money goes a long way in Romania and I was able to have goulash, chicken schnitzel, and a pint of local beer for under $10.

Next up was a tour of the city and which included the Black Church. The Black Church got it's name from a fire in the city that changed it's white stone to black. Inside the church there was a statue of the Virgin Mary that also turned black. Attempts have been made to clean it but they can't get the black off. The church was once a Catholic Church but now it is a Lutheran Church. Unfortunately the inside of the church was closed.

This may have warranted an overnight stay but not this time as the entire tour was one day.  

Black Church

Black Church

Peles Castle Romania

King Carol I and Peles Castle

In my post about Bran Castle I mentioned the tour I took was 12 hours long and included two castles. I actually found Peles Castle to be more interesting and one of the best castle tours I have been on. Bucharest City Tours did a great job and for Peles Castle our tour guide gave us a private tour and we learned a lot more than if we had been on our own.

When Romania gained it's independence in the 1800's the Ottoman Empire would only accept a ruler of royal blood. Romania found a German prince willing to accept the role. King Carol I was Romania's first ruler and as it turned out was the most beloved Romanian king of all time. King Carol I found a beautiful piece of land in the Carpathian mountains that reminded him of his native Germany. On this site Peles Castle was built.

King Carol I wanted everything symmetrical so if you saw a spiral staircase on one side of a room there would be a false staircase on the other side. In every room he also had the four seasons displayed until the death of their daughter that happened in the winter. After that any new rooms were missing winter. The castle also was far advanced for it's time. There was electricity in every room, central heat which meant the fireplaces were mainly for show since they weren't needed, and a central vacuum system that is still being used.

As for the art in the castle, the ceilings had paintings and they installed mirrors so that you wouldn't have to look straight up to view. There are some pieces that look like they were painted but they are actually made up of different pieces of wood and the  different colors made the piece of art.

King Carol I was also a collector of weapons and he has one of the best collections anywhere in the world from Africa, Persia, Europe and Asia.

This is one of the most beautiful castles I have been in. With the Venetian Mirrors, artwork, woodwork, and technology it is a must see.

Peles Castle

Weapon Collection

Miniature Cannon

African Shield

King Carol's wife and daughter

No paint, all from different color of wood

Dining room

Venetian Mirror

Movie theatre