Copenhagen's Coastal Line

Experimentarium has been Denmark’s leading science centre and museum for over thirty years. Its clear mission is to educate on scientific and technological methods and research, past and present, through play and activity. That’s why everything is designed to be touched or interacted with. Founded in 1991 as a non-profit foundation, Experimentarium is housed in the former soft drinks bottling facility of the world-famous Danish brewery Tuborg. Its 28-tonne aluminium facade is appropriately made partly of recycled beer and aluminium cans.

In the city of Gentofte, just 16 minutes by train from Hellerup, you’ll find the three Michelin-starred Restaurant Jordnær inside the renovated Gentofte Hotel with a history dating back to the 16th century. The name of Restaurant Jordnær means ‘down to earth’, and their focus is on sustainability, using local ingredients with an emphasis on fish and shellfish in their tasting menu. The head chef, Eric Vildgaard, has three years of experience from noma. In 2017, Eric Vildgaard founded Jordnær with his wife Tina, who oversees the service. 10 months after opening, they received their first star; in 2020, they received their second star; and in 2024, they received their third star.

The Samuel is a sophisticated but down-to-earth restaurant set in a historical apothecary’s villa that dates back to 1891. It received a star in the Nordic Michelin guide only four months after fully opening. The food at The Samuel is classic, mostly French, Spanish, and Italian. While not too experimental, all meals are still served with a twist of imagination. Most of the seafood, game, and vegetables are locally sourced in Denmark, but the restaurant is not restricted by its own or any other region.

Atelier September is a vegetarian and plant-based café known for its beautiful blend of Scandinavian minimalism and culinary expertise. The café serves breakfast, lunch, and cakes, and you will always find classic Atelier September dishes, such as their buttermilk pancakes and seasonal dishes. Chef and restaurateur Frederik Bille Brahe are behind the café, who is also known for the popular museum cafés and restaurants Cafeteria at The National Gallery of Denmark and Apollo at Kunsthal Charlottenborg.

The Park Lane Copenhagen Hotel at Strandvejen in Hellerup has teamed up with Michelin chef Yves Le Lay as their culinary partner for their hotel restaurant Yves at Park Lane to create a restaurant for every occasion. Yves Le Lay is behind the critically acclaimed French restaurant à terre in Copenhagen. At Yves at Park Lane, the food mirrors Yve's signature style with a focus on classical French cuisine and traditional flavours combined with modern twists, creating new dimensions to well-known dishes.

Park Lane Copenhagen is a luxurious boutique hotel in Hellerup located on Strandvejen right next to Øregårdsparken and offers stays in both rooms, suites, and apartments. The hotel building dates back to the 20th century, when the premises of Park Lane Copenhagen were home to the local cinema, Strand Teatret, and later a local hotel. The restoration of the hotel has been restored with the historic preservation in mind, retaining original features throughout the hotel.

The Deer Park (Dyrehaven) is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that covers 1,100 hectares of nature with lush forests, small lakes, and wide, open landscapes that have been untouched since the ice age. As the name reveals, The Deer Park is renowned for the more than 2000 free-range deer that inhabit the park. The park was initially made for parforce hunting and established by the King in 1669 why you; in the middle of the park, will find the Hermitage Castle, which, to this day, is still used by the royal family. The Deer Park also works as the setting for the annual Hermitage Run and Hurbetus Hunt.

The Deer Park is an obvious area to experience on two wheels. Located right by Klampenborg Station, you can find Café Parforce, which, besides being a café, also offers bike rentals and arranges guided bike tours of the park.

Ordrupgaard is an art museum located in Ordrup, right at the edge of the Deer Park. The museum has a main emphasis on French impressionism, but its collections also consist of international art, Danish art, and changing special exhibitions. The museum used to be a private mansion, built in 1918, and has, with their two architectural extensions by respective Zaha Hadid and Snøhetta, stressed their architectural, contemporary profile. Ordrupgaard Museum also includes the private house of the functionalistic furniture designer and architect Finn Juhl.

Right by the coast at Klampenborg Station, you will find the area called Bellevue, which is an area synonymous with the Danish world-renowned functionalist architect Arne Jacobsen. The area also goes by the name the white town and includes Arne Jacobsen's Bellavista estate and the 700-meter-long sandy beach, where Arne Jacobsen has designed site-specific architecture from the iconic lifeguard towers to fixtures and lamps. It is possible to get guided architectural tours of the area by Slow Tours Copenhagen.

The Bellevue Theatre is one of the cornerstones of Arne Jacobsen's Bellevue. The theatre contains numerous details and is a unique architectural experience.Here, the roof of the theatre can be drawn aside, revealing the sky above. This was an effect created by Arne Jacobsen to let the smell of the surrounding forest and beach into the theatre. The Bellevue Theatre was created as a summer theatre, but today, it offers performances, dance, and shows throughout the year.

Besides building the Bellevue area, Arne Jacobsen was also commissioned by the American oil brand Texaco Group back in the 1930s to design gas and service stations for the company. It was intended that many gas stations were to be built, but only this one in Skovshoved ended up being realized. The gas station is located right by Skovshoved Harbour and is inspired by the shape of Arne Jacobsen’s chair, Myren (The Ant), and the building is nicknamed Paddehatten (The Mushroom) due to the elliptical roof construction. Today, the petrol pumps are still in use, while the building is home to an ice cream parlour and burger bar called Olivers Garage.

In the middle of The Deer Park, you’ll find Bakken, the oldest amusement park in the world, which was established as a result of pilgrimages to the supposedly healing spring called Kirsten Piil’s Kilde. The park offers a perfect blend of children’s amusements, with rollercoasters and games for the whole family. While the park dates back to 1583, the oldest ride you can experience today is an 82-year-old wooden rollercoaster. Bakken also runs special seasonal experiences for Harvest Week and Christmas.

Den Gule Cottage is a restaurant overlooking Bellevue Beach and Øresund and is run by the couple Peter Steen and Rikke Kold Black, who also run Den Røde Cottage and Raadvad Kro in Rådvad. With solid experience from some of Denmark’s best restaurants, they have created a versatile menu based on Danish cuisine, focusing on seasonal flavours and daily dishes. The building dates back to the time, when Klampenborg had a bathing establishment, where Den Gule Cottage worked as the porter’s house.

In the middle of the forest on the edge of Øresund and The Deer Park, you will find the restaurant Den Røde Cottage, which was originally built as part of Klampenborg’s exclusive health resort and bathing establishment. Den Røde Cottage offers modern gourmet food and is run by the couple Peter Steen and Rikke Kold Black, who also run Den Gule Cottage and Raadvad Kro in Rådvad. With the philosophy to create dishes containing ingredients from the surrounding nature, the raw ingredients are picked, harvested and preserved when in season so that they can then be used in the restaurant all year round. Both meat and vegetables come from small farms in North Zealand, and the local fisherman also delivers fresh supplies directly from the ocean.

Peter Liep's Hus is an eatery and restaurant with a modern kitchen that embraces the forest and the nearby sea. The kitchen builds its menu on reinterpretations of classic Danish inn dishes while considering the season and the available ingredients. The menu includes everything from herbs, mushrooms, and meat from the animals in The Deer Park to fresh fish from Danish waters. The restaurant is located in The Deer Park and originates from the time when the house belonged to the Deer Park's forester, Peter Liep, who ran the first inn until the end of the 19th century.

In the depths of The Deer Park's forest, you will find Kilden I Skoven, which in Danish means the spring in the forest. The place derives from the time when there allegedly should have been a healing spring, discovered by a woman named Kirsten Piil. Today the place is a modern eatery and wine bar. At Kilden i Skoven, getting dishes for both small and large appetites is possible whether you're in the mood for a chicken burger or the bread of the day with whipped brown butter and browned salt.

Batting Bakery is a family-run bakery on Ordrupvej in the city of Charlottelund and a favourite among local residents. The bakery has an in-house bakery, where owner Lars Batting grinds his own sieve flour from Øland wheat. All products used in the bakery are organic and biodynamic, and most of the bread is naturally fermented, which impacts the rising time, resulting in some bread that must rise for up to 20 hours.

In Klampenborg, you can find Cranks & Coffee, a café that specialises in cycling, where it is possible to come and tell tall tales from rides on The Coastal Line. They also organise cycling training sessions where no level is too high or too low. On the Cranks & Coffee website, it's also possible to buy cycling clothing and equipment. The accompanying café serves pastries and coffee, allowing bike riders to refuel after their bike ride.

Located right by the shore of Øresund, you will find Kurhotel Skodsborg - a spa and wellness hotel dating back to 1898. The hotel builds on Nordic traditions and offers 16 warm and cooling bathing experiences, the Nordic sauna experience sauna gus, and direct access to the sea from the beach and their private jetty. The hotel also features Brasserie Carl, which serves vegetarian and classic brasserie dishes rooted in seasonal and local produce.

Søllerød Kro is a Michelin-awarded restaurant and is recognised both nationally and internationally as one of Denmark’s absolute best restaurants. It is located in the city of Søllerød, surrounded by a forest, church, and castle, and can be reached by bus from Skodsborg Station. The restaurant is run by head chef Brian Mark Hansen, the winner of Bocuse d'Or 2023. Søllerød Kro offers French-inspired gourmet cuisine with a matching wine list. Søllerød Kro was awarded its first Michelin star in 1987, and Søllerød Kro has been a fixture in the coveted French guide since 2007. Søllerød Kro restaurant first opened its doors to guests in 1677, when the local vicar was granted permission to run an establishment for locals and travellers alike and quickly became an important part of the local area and a favourite excursion destination.

Søly is a café and bakery located on Vedbæk’s beach. The couple Gustav and Helle opened Søly after moving from Copenhagen to Vedbæk, where they started to miss the food and flavours they had gotten used to in Copenhagen. Søly serves seasonal food, shareable lunch dishes, high-quality coffee, and baked goods. From early morning every day, Søly also sells baked goods like sourdough bread and pastries from their hatch facing the road.

The Rudersdal Route is a 42,195 km (the official marathon distance) coherent trail that goes through Danish landscapes and past cultural sights from Vedbæk to Birkerød, such as Bøllemosen, a peat bog with unique flora and fauna. The trail is suitable for hiking, cycling or running and ensures experiences all year round. The trail runs through different landscapes and terrains, from forests to open fields. The trail is well-marked with pictograms showing the direction. You are always close to a city on the route, meaning you can always connect to the trail.

Right by Rungsted's coast is the Karen Blixen Museum—Rungstedlund, a combined author home, museum, and Bird Sanctuary. The house was purchased by Karen Blixen's father, Wilhelm Dinesen, in 1879, making it her childhood home and later her own from 1931-1962, where Karen Blixen also established the Bird Sanctuary, becoming a first mover in terms of promoting biodiversity. Today, the museum invites guests to visit Karen Blixen’s original rooms and presents special exhibitions. The 15-hectare Bird Sanctuary surrounds the museum and has a direct trail to the train station. It is also possible to embark on the 16 km hiking trail BLIXENRUTEN. On the museum’s ground floor, opening towards the garden, you will also find their bistro, Madam Carlsen.

On Rungsted Beach, you can find the small shop Oddies, which serves coffee, sandwiches, wine and other treats that can be enjoyed on the beach. Besides being a bar on land, Oddies also offers experiences on the water. Here, it is possible to rent a paddleboard to try your hand at SUP. It also offers boat trips to the idyllic island of Hven, sailing daily in high season.

The 250-year-old Kokkedal Castle offers a blend of historic charm and modern luxury. It welcomes guests to its 62 luxury rooms and suites, and includes facilities for meetings, conferences, and seminars. Beneath the main building, an underground tunnel leads to a luxurious wellness oasis, where guests can indulge in various treatments in three private rooms. In the cellar, you will also find the restaurant Slotskælderen, serving seasonal country cuisine. On request, guests can also enjoy access to the neighbouring 18-hole golf course.

At the narrowest point of the Øresund, you’ll find the UNESCO World Heritage Listed Kronborg Castle. The impressive Renaissance building, built between 1574-1585, used to be the headquarters for Sound Dues, making Elsinore a wealthy trading city. Today, the castle is most famous for being the setting of Shakespeare’s Hamlet. In 1816, amateur actors started performing Shakespeare’s Hamlet for the first time at Kronborg Castle, and from 1937, the performances became a recurring event in the surroundings of the castle, which today is known as The Shakespeare Festival. It is also in Kronborg’s cellar you will find the mythical figure of Holger the Dane, who will wake up the day Denmark is in real trouble. The 27 canons that are present around the castle are today only used for special occasions such as royal birthdays.

In between the cultural centre Culture Yard and Kronborg Castle, a ship-shaped dock from 1882 has been turned into the award-winning underground museum M/S Maritime Museum of Denmark, which is the work of the Danish architecture firm Bjarke Ingels Group. With its innovative exploitation of the depth of the underground, M/S Maritime Museum is the tallest museum in Denmark, even though you can barely see it from the outside. The museum covers Denmark’s maritime history from the 1400s until today. Inside the museum, you will find permanent and temporary exhibitions, ship models, the architectural history of the old doc, tales about the shipping industry and the warships of World War I and World War II.

At the Øresund Aquarium, you can meet and touch the many marine animals living in the sea of Øresund, becoming more aware of the mysterious life under the sea. The Øresund Aquarium works actively to protect the Sound, a nickname for Øresund, and preserve the unique marine’s rich fish-, animal-, and plant life by educating school children. The museum also arranges private safaris on the Sound to experience Denmark’s smallest whale, the porpoise, or the Atlantic tuna.

The story of Marienlyst Beach Hotel includes 155 years of non-stop hotel-keeping, royal regulars and a fantastic view over Øresund, Sweden and Kronborg Castle. Marienlyst has direct access to the sea and features a luxurious spa of 1,600kvm with 10 customized spa treatments which cover both indoor and outdoor wellness experiences. The hotel also includes three restaurants: 1861, Restaurant Isabell, and Rory Bistro and Bar. Each of these offers different gastronomic experiences.

Elsinore is an 800-year-old market town and is one of the best well-preserved medieval cities in Denmark, which you can experience in its old town filled with cobblestoned streets, colourful houses, old shops such as Brostræde Is, the oldest ice cream parlour in Elsinore, and restaurants and cafés. 

In the historic area of Elsinore, the café Patio is located in one of its charming cobblestone courtyards with an outdoor service open all year round. Combining Nordic simplicity with a touch of modern gastronomy, Patio serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner dishes as well as coffee and pastries.