We were staying in Southern Sweden for a few days before heading up north. Looking for a nice…read moredaytrip we stumbled upon this charming little town, which was well worth the two-hour drive. The harbour/waterfront is the heart of it along with the Storgatan which runs down to the harbour. Pretty buildings, a quiet and picturesque harbourfront and some nice little restaurants and shops makes this small town a real gem. Easy to walk and only a few minutes away is a real nice sandy beach. Park right at the harbour (3 hour limit) or park a bit further away at the camping/beach where you can get up to 6 hours free parking. Besides the cafés and restaurants there's a real good Grill/Seafood Kiosk at the harbour (Hamngrillen), with good fish items on the menu for little money. Tables out as well. One of the most charming small towns we've visited this summer in Sweden. Loved it.

It's been a few months, but I'm hoping that all my pictures from the beautiful afternoon spent here…read moreattach to this review. They say in so many images what I just couldn't in words. Ales Stenar, or "Ale's Stones," is a monolithic stone ship that dates back to the Nordic Iron Age. Located in Skåne (or Scania) on the Southern Swedish coast, Ales Stenar is oval in shape, and consists of many different sized standing stones that are also different in color. The bright pink one was my favorite. I had the absolute privilege of visiting them with an archaeologist, and it was one of the best days of my life. We stopped at several points of historic interest along the breathtaking coast during my trip. I also walked inside a stone circle leading into a caved in Stone Age tomb (a few days later in the trip I was able to actually walk all the way inside a tomb!!!), explored petroglyph sites, hiked to a burial site on the beach, and put my toes into the Baltic Sea, all on the same day!! You can't drive up to the site, but there is a gravel parking area in town with a map and friendly greeter kitty that will show you the way. If you walk toward the beach you need only keep right and follow the trail up to the stones. I recommend using Googlemaps if you don't have a Swedish friend with you. ;-) Yes you can actually touch the stones. Unlike that other stone monument... Please please PLEASE leave them as you left them and pack out what you pack in. May 2019, the best birthday month a girl could ask for. I apologize if my facts are not as accurate as they could be.

We visited this place, just because we stayed in the South of Sweden for a few days. Even I knew…read moreand read about it, I didn't expect much. But then it started at the (free) parking lot, which was quite huge, a lot bigger than expected. Then I knew this is not just a roadside attraction. There's an easy stroll up to the Ales Stenar. But be aware: For some parts it's a bit difficult if you have a stroller and nearly impossible if you rely on a wheelchair. The Megalith formation lies on top of this small hill, offering wonderful views of the surrounding coast. And for that only it's already worth to visit. The Megalith formation consists of 59 stones, circled up in an oval (ship) formation. And it's quite an impressive sight. It's not as big or as impressive as Stonehenge (which DOES hold up to the hype btw), but it's quite a sight nonetheless. There's no entrance fee, no fences or anything. Which is quite surprising. I only wished that people (not only kids) wouldn't climb around on these stones so much. Can't be good on the long run. We loved it. Was pretty busy on this morning, but still quite alright. We were also happy that dogs are allowed (on leash). Enjoy it as long as it lasts as it is. I quite believe fees and further restrictions will come up one day.

Venice has the Venetian Lagoon, Greece has the Aegean Sea, Spain has Port Vell and Denmark has…read moreNyhavn. Nyhavn is a beautiful waterfront adorned with restaurants, canal tours, and connection to the fairytale writer Hans Christian Andersen, who lived in several of its houses. The vibrant colors of the houses were spectacular. "Nyhavn is a historic 17th-century canal district in Copenhagen, Denmark, famous for its colorful 17th-century townhouses, historic ships, and vibrant atmosphere." I made it a point to pass by daily because the beauty of the waterfront was a great way to start my day. It was a joy to see the shopkeepers get their restaurants ready for business, customers lining up for the canal tours and getting a peek at the Kissing Bridge. My visit in December was special due to the Christmas spirit at Nyhavn, where the iconic harbour is lined with festive stalls selling Christmas decorations, traditional Danish Christmas treats and steaming cups of gløgg (mulled wine). There are numerous restaurants offering fine dining to casual eating, especially the famous open faced sandwich, Smorrebrod. Nyhavn is close to the Royal Opera House, Royal Danish Theater and the Broen Food Market. It is a must see in Copenhagen.

It a must to visit in Copenhagen for sure. The history m, the landmarks, the foods, the camels,…read morethe bars, the theatres, the restaurants, the boats, the sunsets....all are simply beautiful and not to miss, especially in the evening or better yet, during the Christmas period. Just stunning and magical.

Our visit to Hammershus was perhaps the highlight of Gayle's and my short 1-day visit (off a Viking…read moreCruise Ship) to Bornholm. Bornholm was on of Viking's consolation ports, after their Baltic Cruise dropped Helsinki, Tallin, and St. Petersburg off the itinerary thanks to Russia's invasion of the Ukraine. Actually, Bornholm is a cool little island, that is full of great scenery, and with a reputation of good food, accomplished artists, and popular cultural events. However, Viking forgot to mention in their post-Putin literature that except for a few restaurants and sights (like Hammershus), Bornholm is basically closed on Sunday. Our experience involved a long but scenic (in spots) bus ride to Hammershus and the trip back. We saw places we'd love to stop, but unfortunately we were on the express bus. The Hammershus stop was a welcome one for a break from the bus, the tour guide's monotone, the chance for a comfort break, and the opportunity to walk around and enjoy the castle ruins. Hammershus is the oldest castle ruin in Northern Europe and dates back to many battles among the Danes, Swedes, Kings, and even the Church. I didn't dig too deep into the history as it's hard to focus after seeing so many churches, castle ruins, etc. within a European trip. Yet, itt was fun to see, walk around, and enjoy the ocean view. The Visitor's center is also nice, which includes a gift shop and a Cafe.

Visiting Hammarshus Castle was like spending a day on the great ice wall in Westeros. It was an…read moreincredible experience. This is the oldest castle ruin in Northern Europe, overlooking the plunging cliffs of the northern coast of the Danish island of Bornholm. It dates back to at least the year 1200, occupied at various times by Danish Vikings, Kings, and Swedish invaders. Having visited many castles, I can say this is a unique one. It lacks the ornate design of many German castles, but makes up for this by being a truly functional medieval fortress, complete with drawbridge and a partial moat. It is also a botanical gem, with a unique flora built up by centuries of collecting plants from abroad. The signs are in Danish with English summaries, so you can understand what each structure was used for. The new visitor center was under construction when I visited, though the architectural drawings on display indicate that it will be incredible. The site is easily accessible by bus once you arrive in Rønne, and the bus drivers on Bornholm were all very helpful. Totally worth the trip, I highly recommend it!

Like everyone else, The Knotted Gun is a lot smaller than anticipated. In fact we walked right by…read moreit on the way from the Malmö Central Station to the Malmö Castle. On the way back I specifically looked for it and still took some time to find exactly where it was. It is fairly close to the train station. From the train station walking along Norra Vallgatan Street towards Slottsgatan look to your left while on the bridge. To your right across the street you will see a lighthouse in the back. The knotted barrel of the gun is pointing towards the direction of the lighthouse. The handle of the gun points towards the direction of Lilla Torg. The Knotted Gun, also known as Non-Violence, was created made by Carl Fredrik Reuterswärd. It isn't your ordinary image of a gun, as the end of its barrel twists into a knot. On the other side of the road, you can see its companion, a large square sculpture with a hole in it. Reuterswärd was inspired to create this giant bronze depiction of a Colt Python .357 Magnum revolver after John Lennon was murdered. His artwork is both a symbol of and call for peace and non-violence. Now, the image is the symbol of the Non-Violence Project, which is a nonprofit that is dedicated to changing the world through peaceful means. There are various knotted guns scattered throughout the world. The most famous and most visited version stands outside the United Nations headquarters in New York City.

So I found a link to an itinerary for a walking tour of Malmö and The Knotted Gun was part of the…read moretour. Trying to find this gun was kind of hard as the photos make it look like it's a huge statue. It's quite the opposite! It's quite small and on a large pedestal. But it is quite close to the train station just west of it, across the bridge. If you blink you may just miss it. We were lucky enough to use our resources and eventually found it. It is small but a powerful message. If not anything, it'll be a good activity to try to find it. I know it was quite an adventure for us.

This building is kind of a strange structure to write a review about. Why? Because it's not a…read morelocation where you can actually go into. This structure is made up of apartments. Yes, you can take a virtual tour. But, people live here. So, though it is a very interesting structure, and has a very unique architectural design, all you can do is look at it from the outside. This being said, it is one of the most recognizable buildings in all of Malmö. You can pretty much see it from all areas of the city. This structure is very close to the shoreline in Malmö. So, it's a nice place to walk to either when you're coming from the ocean or going to the Malmö shoreline. Overall, it is what it is, an interesting structure, and one of the defining factors of Malmö, Sweden.

Cool building and structure & worth it to see up close although it is visible from many spots in…read moreMalmö. Although a residential building, looks like there is a restaurant and some shops. The area (Västra Hamnen) is nice with the Ribersborgs beach only a few steps away and a few restaurants and cafes in this trendy neighborhood. On a beautiful day, worth the 20 minute walk from Central station!

Dragør is the perfect tourist spot to take you back to historic Denmark. Located in Kastrup, just…read morebeyond the CPH Airport, Dragør is one of the more unknown tourist spots in CPH. Boasting 76+ pristine historic buildings from the 1700 and 1800s, Dragør creates a picture perfect fishing village. The village is very well preserved, from the thatched roofed buildings to the narrow cobble stone streets. You almost feel like you're in an amusement park until you peer through the windows of the local buildings and discover that these are actual homes still being lived in today. Getting to the village and the harbor is relatively easy. You can't directly get there by train but there are plenty of buses that will take you directly there. But be prepared for a long bus ride if you're coming from anywhere in central CPH. There is also a parking lot near the harbor but it seemed to be consistently full, especially if the weather is nice. On a beautiful sunny day, the harbor beyond the village is the perfect place to grab an ice cream from one of the many local shops or grab a coffee and walk along the boat pier. Most locals like to soak up the sun by the harbor and enjoy the nice sea breeze. You can even view the bridge to Sweden and if you're really lucky, maybe Sweden itself. But don't limit yourself on visiting only during nice weather. Apparently, they have a ton of events during the winter and go all out for Christmas. I definitely plan to revisit Dragør this winter to see it turned into a quaint Christmas Village.

Came here on the way back home. It was a rainy day and the castle was closed. But we didn't plan on…read moregoing in anyways. We just wanted to walk the grounds around it and take some pics. And it is a nice little stroll. The castle sitting there surrounded by the castle moat makes an impressive sight. The castle was the base of kings before and for that it is actually a quite unusual castle, judging by its architecture. But different isn't bad in this case. I was surprised that pretty much nobody was there this morning for a walk or to come look at the castle. We liked it. Parking was close-by (and free), the surrounding ground are pretty and so is the nearby park. Bathrooms are also just by the castle (and free).