DAY TRIP: ROSKILDE

If you drive 30 to 45 minutes from Copenhagen, you will find yourself in a city rich with Viking history and breathtaking harbor views. I’m talking about Roskilde, which was Denmark’s capital from the 11th century until 1443.

We parked right in front of the harbour on a perfectly bright blue day. It was so cool to see the juxtaposition between the modern sailboats in the port on one side, and Viking ships belonging to Roskilde’s Viking Ship Museum on the other side.

The builders at this museum work on recreations of Viking ships and other traditional wooden boats, which can be seen outside in the boatyard during the summer months! Staying true to traditional boat building techniques, you can see that the builders use faithful copies of archaeological finds of Viking tools.   

While the ships in the museum shipyard are recreations, the museum was built around five original Viking ships from Skuldelev. In the 1960s, these five vessels were rescued from the bottom of Roskilde Fjord, and give us great insight into Viking Age shipbuilding and seafaring. They can be seen in the Viking Ship Hall as you explore the museum by yourself, or with a guided tour, which is included in the price of admission.

After soaking up all of the nautical information that the Viking Ship Museum has to offer, take a walk to Roskilde Cathedral. This UNESCO World Heritage Site was built in the 12th and 13th centuries, and was Scandinavia’s first Gothic cathedral to be built of brick. Through the 19th century, various structures were added, allowing viewers to see the development of European religious architecture over time.

As you head back to your car, take a bucolic stroll through Byparken, a public park in central Roskilde. There was not a soul in sight (save for a cheeky cat that kept following us). It was the perfect way to close out our time in Roskilde!