Helsingør tourism is gaining new international visibility after the British newspaper The Times recommended the North Zealand coastal city as a quieter alternative to Copenhagen, highlighting its history, food scene and position on the Øresund.
The article, published on 30 June, described Helsingør as “Copenhagen without the crowds” and presented the city as a weekend destination less than an hour from the Danish capital. The recommendation comes as Helsingør marks its 600th anniversary as a market town and as local tourism actors continue efforts to attract more foreign visitors beyond Copenhagen.
Helsingør tourism enters the British travel spotlight
The Times guide, written by travel journalist Mike MacEacheran, placed Helsingør among Denmark’s most accessible cultural destinations for international visitors. The newspaper highlighted Kronborg Castle, the old town, the M/S Maritime Museum of Denmark (M/S Museet for Søfart), harbour restaurants and seasonal experiences such as tuna safaris in the Øresund.
According to TV 2 Kosmopol, the visit was arranged by Wonderful Copenhagen, the official tourism organisation for the Capital Region of Denmark. The organisation has worked in recent years to increase international awareness of Helsingør and other destinations outside central Copenhagen.
That detail is relevant because the article is not only a travel recommendation. It also reflects a wider tourism strategy: using Copenhagen’s global appeal to draw visitors into the surrounding region, particularly along the North Zealand coast.
A Danish coastal city built on history and culture
Helsingør’s appeal rests heavily on its historical position at the entrance to the Øresund, the narrow waterway between Denmark and Sweden. In 1426, King Erik VII of Pomerania granted the city market town rights, helping establish it as a major trading hub.
For centuries, ships passing through the strait had to stop near Helsingør and pay the Sound Dues to the Danish Crown. That maritime history remains central to the city’s identity and is now part of its cultural offer for visitors.
The most visible landmark is Kronborg Castle, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Denmark’s most internationally recognisable monuments. The castle is known globally as Shakespeare’s Elsinore in Hamlet, but its historical importance goes beyond literature. UNESCO describes Kronborg as a strategic site that played a key role in Northern European history from the 16th to the 18th century.
Nearby, the M/S Maritime Museum of Denmark adds a contemporary architectural element to the harbour area. The museum, designed by Bjarke Ingels Group, is built around a former dry dock and explores Denmark’s maritime history from trade and navigation to global shipping.
International attention follows a rise in visitors
The recommendation comes after several years of growth in Helsingør’s tourism sector. TV 2 Kosmopol reported that the number of overnight guests rose from about 520,000 to 555,000 between 2020 and 2025. Local coverage described the increase as around ten percent.
Wonderful Copenhagen has linked this growth to targeted work with international media. The organisation has promoted Helsingør as part of a broader regional travel experience, rather than as a secondary stop after Copenhagen.
This strategy fits a wider trend in European tourism. Major capitals face pressure from overtourism, while smaller cities nearby are trying to position themselves as more manageable and locally rooted alternatives. Helsingør’s advantage is that it can offer cultural heritage, seaside hotels, public transport links and access to Copenhagen without relying entirely on the capital’s image.
Helsingør marks 600 years as a market town
The timing of the international coverage is also favourable for the city. In 2026, Helsingør is celebrating 600 years as a market town with events throughout the year. Wonderful Copenhagen describes the anniversary as a celebration of both the city’s history and its future.
The official anniversary day was 2 June, with concerts, communal events and public activities. Other events include maritime gatherings, street theatre, sailing activities and cultural festivals.
The anniversary strengthens Helsingør’s positioning as a destination with a distinct identity. It is not only marketed as a quieter Copenhagen, but as a coastal city shaped by trade, maritime culture and its location between Denmark and Sweden.
A regional tourism model beyond Copenhagen
The Times article may help Helsingør reach more British and international travellers, but it also shows how Denmark is promoting tourism outside its best-known urban centre.
For the Capital Region, this approach can spread visitor flows more evenly and support local businesses in smaller cities. For Helsingør, the challenge will be to convert international attention into sustainable tourism without losing the qualities that make the city attractive: walkability, cultural depth and a less crowded atmosphere.
As Copenhagen continues to dominate Denmark’s global tourism image, Helsingør’s growing profile suggests a possible model for the wider Nordic region: using well-known capitals as gateways, while giving nearby coastal and cultural cities a stronger place in international travel narratives.
