Ferry to Sweden
Less than an hour from our hotel, we arrived in lovely Helsingborg, Sweden by way of train and ferry!
Today has been a much more restful day for your heroic travelers. We slept in until 8:30 before waking up and heading out on the day’s journey. We packed our bags and checked out of our hotel before making our way back along yesterday’s day-trip route to Helsingør. We definitely recommend the Zleep hotel in Hillerød! We enjoyed our stay here very much! From the train station, we easily found the double doors to the ferry services (ForSea) to take us to Helsingborg, Sweden. The tickets were dispensed from a self-service machine on the second floor and the signboard told us we had about 10 minutes to catch the ferry. We scanned our tickets and were let aboard with no further passport / ticket checks. 20 minutes later, here we were wandering the streets of a new country!
We had decided to pay for an early check-in to our hotel, so we enjoyed a lingering visit to the local Espresso House (yes, we’re obsessed. They are awesome!), while we waited for the clock to chime noon. From the ferry terminal, we had a beautiful view of the sound and the Helsingborg City Hall. Finally, it was time to check-in! Folks, this is the splurge hotel of the trip. Our room has a sea view, overlooking the Øresund (the sound that separates Denmark from Sweden). From our room, we have not one but two balconies. The primary balcony is furnished with a table and chairs for sitting outside and enjoying the view. In clear skies, we can see Kronborg (Halmet castle!) easily across the sound.
After checking into our hotel, the plan for the day was simple - go to Sofiero Palace, a place billed in tourist booklets as “The Most Beautiful Park in Europe.” Folks, it did not disappoint! We rented “Ryde” scooters and rode 2.5 miles of the journey along beautiful beaches with sweeping views of the Øresund and the castle off to our left. When the scooters let us know we had left the “allowed geo-fenced area” we parked them and walked the remaining mile on foot on a beautiful shared bike/pedestrian path. Sofiero itself (the palace) is quite modest in comparison to the grandeur we’ve seen in Denmark. However, you don’t go to the palace to visit the building. You go to visit the grounds! They are immaculate and words will not explain just how beautiful the place is.
Sofiero Palace is a 19th century construction built as a Royal residence. It was gifted to the town of Helsingborg by King Gustaf VI upon his death and is now managed as a public park for the benefit of the Swedish people. This palace was his favorite place in the world, and he wanted his fellow citizens to be able to experience it. His wife, Louise was a Mountbatten with ties to the British throne. Her British heritage influenced the gardens as they grew and developed. Gustaf also installed a rhododendron garden and a beautiful scenic path through it on the property. The dahlia garden was in full bloom, and everywhere around us it seemed that ripened apples and pears were falling from the orchard that weaves its way through the gardens. In fact, one almost hit Jessi in the head, while we took a break on one of the garden benches! Truly a “Isaac Newton moment!” The pears and apples had a sweet and acidic smell that rose softly above the magnificent smell of all the flowers in bloom.
There is a tiny fee to enter - around $30 USD for two adults. Families are encouraged to bring picnic lunches and eat anywhere on the lawns, benches or tables set up for their enjoyment. If you prefer, however, there is a restaurant overlooking Øresund and there are small vendors that sell ice cream or other small treats throughout. We, fortunately, were prepared for a picnic lunch. We had purchased pre-made sandwiches and a bag of chips along our journey. We spread out on a bench and took in the glorious views of the palace building itself before exploring the grounds by foot. We walked through a hedge maze and thoroughly enjoyed the special exhibit of around 15 different varieties of Dahlias. When our feet started to hurt from the wandering, we decided to wander back to our hotel.
We retraced our steps to the scooters and then rode back to the hotel. This blog is being written from the 8th floor rooftop bar where we are enjoying a beer while watching the sun set over the sound. What a beautiful day! Tomorrow we will explore what the rest of Helsingborg has to offer, including touring the historic tower.
