Ålborg Walking Tour (and Carnival!)

This morning, we docked in Ålborg, a city with the best-preserved Renaissance architecture in all of Denmark. It was a fun and festive day, but not the day we were expecting when we originally booked our excursion.

Tim and I had selected the West Coast and Rubjerg Knude Lighthouse tour when we were booking excursions in March. I had been looking forward to viewing “a sweeping landscape of dramatic scenery and charming villages.” Early this month before we began our cruise, I discovered that we would be in Ålborg on the day of the Ålborg Carnival. From what I read, I learned that the parade attracts 80,000 participants and 100,000 spectators and is the largest carnival in Scandinavia. At least one of the parade routes appeared to pass very near where our ship would be berthed. I wondered if Viking was aware of this.

Trying to imagine how we would get out of town on a bus through such a crowd made me decide to cancel our tour. I was even hesitant to book the included walking tour, not knowing how the guide would deal with the crowds. The more I thought about it, I realized the best excursion might actually be watching the parade from the comfort of our ship. It certainly could be a once-in-a-lifetime event!

In the end, Tim and I did decide to take the walking tour, and it was fun to pass parade goers dressed in costume. I guess Viking also concluded that bus tours might not be the best idea, since most were cancelled.

Our guide had a bit of a challenge, as the original tour route had to be modified due to the Carnival activities. Several of the sites that we were scheduled to visit were also closed. Still, he did a great job.

Ålborg's Main Square

We started our tour in Ålborg’s main square, which features Denmark’s first musical fountain. We admired the half-timbered Jørgen Olufsen House, said to be Denmark’s best preserved merchant's mansion in Renaissance style, as we walked through the streets of Old Town. We then arrived at the Monastery of the Holy Ghost, the oldest social institution in Denmark. During World War II, with Denmark occupied by Nazi Germany, the monastery served as the base for the famous resistance group, the Churchill Club.

Jørgen Olufsen House

Commercial Streets of Old Town Ålborg 

Monastery of the Holy Ghost

We were able to visit the interior of the Church of Our Lady, and our guide explained the history of many of the other significant landmarks in Ålborg. I especially enjoyed strolling the tiny cobblestone alleyways in the Hjelmerstald neighborhood.

Church of Our Lady

Landmarks in Ålborg 

Charming Neighborhood Streets

Our guide saved Ålborg’s real treasure, Jens Bang’s stone house, until the end of our tour. Bang was famously snubbed by the town’s government, and his statuesque home, built in 1624, was never approved by the local gentry. He, in turn, made a statement of his own – one of the many sculpted faces located above the windows is Bang's face, with his tongue sticking out! True or not, the house is said to be the finest privately owned Renaissance building in the country.

Jens Bang House

Faces on the Jens Bang House

From here, Tim and I started to make our way back to the ship, passing throngs of parade goers along the way. We never saw the parade itself, but we certainly enjoyed watching many of the participants. Our most memorable moment came when we began talking with two young women. They were so earnest and wanted us to know how proud they were to be Danish. It really made an impression on me.

Carnival Goers

Our New Friends

Tim and I reboarded our ship and continued to watch the festivities from our balcony. We set sail for Oslo at 2:00 pm and passed by two of Ålborg’s incredible modern landmarks located along the waterfront. The Utzon Center is an experimental culture and knowledge center and was designed by Jørn Utzon, the same Danish architect who designed the Sydney Opera House. Just down the way is the House of Music, a combined school and concert hall. I’m so glad that we were able to see both buildings.

Utzon Center

House of Music

Copenhagen by Foot

Today, Tim and I had booked a walking tour in Copenhagen. We had to take a shuttle to our starting point and made our obligatory first stop at the Little Mermaid statue. Like everyone warns you, she is very small!

The Little Mermaid

As we walked along the harbor front promenade, our guide talked about the history of Copenhagen. We passed numerous statues and monuments before turning into Amaliehaven, a small park with a fountain between the Amalienborg Palace and the waterfront.

Monuments and Statues of Copenhagen

Amaliehaven

We wandered around the courtyard at the eighteenth-century palace, which is the winter residence of the Queen of Denmark, the sovereign of one of the world’s oldest monarchies. The royal rococo buildings are certainly impressive. An equestrian statue of Frederik V marks the center of the courtyard.

Amalienborg Palace 

Amalienborg Palace 

We kept walking to view the Marble Church with its stunning dome and then made our way through the neighborhood of Nyboder, a historic district of former naval barracks. These row houses were so distinctive with their orange colors.

Marble Church

Nyboder

Next up was the Kastellet, or Citadel, a seventeenth century earthen fortress. The best-preserved fortress of its type remaining in Northern Europe, the Citadel is surrounded by eight moats, tall ramparts, and cannon bastions. Although the interior still houses various military activities, the area mostly functions as a park with beautiful natural features.

The Citadel

The Citadel

Our final stop in the Citadel was the Monument for Denmark's International Effort Since 1948. The monument consists of three spaces, defined by granite-covered walls.

Monument for Denmark's International Effort Since 1948

One of the things that surprised me on our walk was the number of modern landmark buildings that we could see across the water on the Christianshavn harbor front. Of course, the most recognizable was the Copenhagen Opera House, but we also saw interesting apartment buildings and a waste-to-energy plant.

Modern Landmarks in Copenhagen

Sarah and Tim and the Copenhagen Opera House

Tim and I decided to take the shuttle back to the ship for lunch, and I then planned to come back to the Old City to wander around. I have wanted to visit Copenhagen for some time because of my interest in Danish modern design. Unfortunately, it was starting to rain, and the wind had picked up, and I just couldn’t muster the energy to face the weather. I kept telling myself that a real visit to Copenhagen should take several days, not several hours. Some justification!

The only bright spot was a rainbow that I saw from our balcony. That didn’t make up for not visiting the city, but it was a nice end to the day.

A Full Rainbow in Stormy Skies and then a Clearing

Lübeck and Wismar – Part II

Wismar is another beautifully preserved medieval town, and it too has been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Wismar was a flourishing Hanseatic town during the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, with important woolen factories.

The towers of Wismar’s impressive churches, huge warehouses, imposing brick Gothic architecture, and medieval walls reflect the influence of the Hanseatic League. I was surprised to learn that in 1648, Wismar passed to Sweden, and from 1653 it was the seat of the highest court for that part of Sweden. In 1903, Sweden finally renounced its claims, but there are Swedish influences throughout the city.

We began our tour in the center of Wismar’s old town at St. Mary’s Church, one of the city’s oldest buildings. Built in the thirteenth century, the church was destroyed during World War II. Today, all that remains is the bell tower, although the plaza attempts to recreate the footprint of the nave.

St. Mary's Church

Around St. Mary's Church

We made our way next to St. George’s Church, where we visited the interior. This medieval, brick Gothic structure was also badly damaged in World War II but was rebuilt in 1990 and reopened in 2010. I was glad to see that fragments of the original wall paintings had been preserved in place.

St. George's Church

St Nicholas, along with St. Mary's and St. George's, is the third of the three great churches that dominate the skyline of the city of Wismar and is the only one to survive World War II intact. The flying buttresses caught my attention.

St. Nicholas Church

We spent much of our time in Wismar’s market square, one of largest in northern Germany. The square exhibits a wealth of architectural styles, with gabled houses from different eras framing the space. The dominant building here is the neoclassical town hall. I was most intrigued by the Wasserkunst, one of the landmarks of Wismar. This pavilion-like structure was built in 1595-1602 and is a wellhouse above an underground reservoir. It supplied drinking water to the city until 1897.

Around Market Square

Town Hall

The Wasserkunst

As in Lübeck. I simply enjoyed wandering the streets and enjoying the architecture. I think my favorites were the buildings fronting the narrow canals that wove their way through the city.

Buildings of Wismar

Some of our fellow passengers were disappointed that the shops were closed due to Ascension Day. Tim and I aren’t shoppers, so we didn’t mind.

The Viking Venus was almost empty when we arrived back around 6:00 pm, since the folks traveling to Berlin were not due back until much later. Later, when I heard some commotion outside our window, I looked and saw most of the Viking staff assembling on the pier and having a great time. Even the captain was dancing! The staff was there to personally welcome everyone back to the ship after their very long day. What a nice Viking touch!

A Viking Welcome Back

Lübeck and Wismar - Part I

This morning we arrived in the port of Warnemünde, Germany, the hopping off point for excursions to Berlin, which most of the passengers on our ship signed up for. Tim and I had debated whether or not to join this excursion since neither of had ever visited Berlin. In the end, we decided to pass. After traveling three hours on a train each way, we would have only six hours in the city. Six hours is a good amount of time, but a 12+ hour day was just too much for us.

Instead, we selected an excursion to Lübeck and Wismar, said to be two of Germany’s most beautiful seaside cities and each a powerful part of the medieval Hanseatic League. That description proved to be true.

We first drove to Lübeck, once the capital of the league. At one time, Lübeck was the most important mercantile town in the Baltic, and it is the largest German port on the Baltic Sea. Today, it is one of the best-preserved medieval towns in northern Germany and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Old Town Lübeck is an island enclosed by the Trave River, and it houses a wealth of culture and history that is simply enchanting. We entered the city through the impressive Holsten Gate, one of two remaining gates into Old Town and the landmark of Lübeck. We even met the two lions guarding the steps to the Holsten Gate.  One of them was actually guarding the steps – the other, not so much!

Holsten Gate

The "Guard" Lions

We admired the buildings along the river and then began our walking tour, which led us through the city’s alleyways, courtyards, and cobblestone streets to the main square.

Along the Waterfront

The Main Square

Tim at the Main Square

Lübeck is the city of the seven spires. Five Gothic brick churches form part of the impressive skyline, and we were able to see most of them. We also visited the Hospital of the Holy Spirit, one of the oldest social institutions still in existence.

Some of the Seven Spires

Hospital of the Holy Spirit

My favorite activity was simply wandering the streets and marveling at the architecture. What an incredible collection of preserved buildings.

The Architecture of Lübeck 

We ended our visit in Lübeck with lunch at the Café Niederegger, where marzipan was perfected, and we were given a box of these delicacies to take with us.  Next, it was back on the bus for the drive to Wismar.

Scenic Bornholm

Happy Birthday to me! Cruising on the Viking Venus is a great way to celebrate another year!

Today we docked at Bornholm on a picture postcard day. That should not have been a surprise since we had been told this Danish island is nicknamed solskinsøen (Sunshine Island) for its weather. Bornholm was the second of the new ports on our revised itinerary.

Tim and I set out on a Scenic Bornholm tour, and scenic it was. My first impression of Bornholm was color – vibrant greens and brilliant yellows. We learned that yellow takes over Denmark in May, and it is an incredible sight. Vast green fields give way to oceans of yellow rapeseed fields. Just gorgeous!

Field After Field of Yellow Rapeseed

Vibrant Green Fields

I Couldn't Get Over the Colors

Yellow and Green - Fond Memories of Bornholm

We stopped to explore Hammerhus, Northern Europe’s largest castle ruin. Likely dating to the twelfth century, the castle sits on a steep, rocky prominence with a magnificent view of the Baltic Sea. The castle was impressive, but I happened to be distracted by the sheep that seemed to call the area home.

Hammerhus

Another Photo Op!

I Love Sheep!

Driving around Bornholm confirmed what a picturesque island it is, with its rocky coast and quaint buildings. Perhaps that was why I was so surprised when we rounded a corner, and I caught a glimpse of a modern, Buckminster Fuller-inspired dome structure.

The Dome in Allinge

Our bus dropped us off back at the port, where we wandered along the harbor into the town of Rønne. Overlooking the harbor is St. Nicolai Church, dedicated to the patron saint of seafarers. Inside the church, we encountered our first replica of a sailing vessel hanging in the church sanctuary, a custom widespread in Denmark Some ships may commemorate loved ones lost to the waves, while others may celebrate a safe return from a voyage.

Along the Harbor

St. Nicolai Church

Replica of a Sailing Vessel Hanging in the Sanctuary

From the church, we began our exploration of the old part of Rønne where we admired beautiful half-timbered houses. We learned that the red and yellow brick houses in between these historic homes are more recent “bomb houses,” which were built as replacements for the ones destroyed by the Russian bombing in May 1945.  Rønne is a often referred to as a garden town, and we tried to catch a peek of the gardens behind brick walls. We enjoyed the lilacs and other flowers that were blooming on this spring day.

Houses of Rønne 

Gardens of Rønne 

We eventually found our way to St. Tory, the central marketplace in Rønne. Our guide had told us about the famous Bornholm licorice, the only handmade boiled licorice in the world, and we stopped in a grocery store to look for some. We weren’t successful despite the assistance offered by a store employee and a very helpful patron.

St. Tory, Rønne's Central Marketplace

When we returned to the ship, I was surprised by a lovely birthday cake prepared by the Viking chefs, as well as a bottle of sparkling wine. How thoughtful!

Happy Birthday!

Cheers!