Suggested Itinerary for Fairytales and Vikings

Day 1 - Embark the MS Dana Sirena at Harwich, which will take you overnight to the Danish city of Esbjerg.

Day 2 - Ribe & Hans Christian Andersen’s House
Disembark at midday and drive to pretty riverside Ribe, Denmark’s oldest town and a great introduction to the country. After a brief stop continue to Odense and Hans Christian Andersen’s childhood home, now a museum which offers a fascinating insight into the life of the boy and how he became the world’s most famous writer of children’s stories. Check in to your hotel.

Day 3 - Vikings, Monarchy & Copenhagen
This morning travel across the Great Belt Bridge, the second longest suspension bridge in the world. Meet your guide in Roskilde, who will take you round the cathedral, the burial place of the Danish Royal Family since the 15th century, followed by the Viking Ship Museum, on the beautiful Roskilde Fjord. Among other exhibits there are five ships dating from the 11th century. Continue to Copenhagen where your guide will give you a short tour to familiarise you with the city before arriving at your hotel.

Day 4 - Copenhagen
Today is at leisure in this beautiful waterside city, both quaint and grand in its character. Highlights include the Amelionborg Palace where you may see the changing of the guard, the famous Little Mermaid statue looking out to the Øresund River and the exquisite quarter of Nyhavn, where old colourful bars and cafés line the canal.

Day 5 - Frederiksborg Castle & the Castle of Hamlet
After breakfast drive north along the coast road, admiring the views across to Sweden as you go. Stop in the pretty harbour town of Helsingør, where you will see the Kronborg Castle, immortalised by Shakespeare as the setting for Hamlet. Continue to Denmark’s most beautiful castle, the Frederiksborg Slot where the formal gardens and red towers reflect the decadent past of its former residents. This evening we have included a dinner in Tivoli Gardens, a must see attraction with Chinese gardens, bars, stalls and fairground rides, making this a fabulous last evening in Copenhagen.

Day 6 - Lübeck and Hamburg
Travel to the most southern point of Denmark, where you join a ferry to Germany. Stop for lunch in the beautiful town of Lübeck, where a moat and red brick wall borders the historic centre. Don’t forget to try some marzipan, a local speciality! Continue to Hamburg.

Day 7 - Hamburg
Today is at leisure in Hamburg, Germany's second largest city and also one of the greenest. Spend the day shopping and sightseeing from the medieval old quarter to the grand city hall, finishing at the Alster Lake in the heart of the city to rest a while or stop at a bar or restaurant.

Day 8 - Bremen
Visit Bremen this morning. The city has a lot to offer but its highlight is the medieval “Chnoor” Quarter, formerly home to artisans and traders back in the 12th century and now home to cosy pubs and exclusive boutiques. Arrive late this afternoon at the Amsterdam port for your ferry crossing home to Newcastle.

Day 9 - Enjoy breakfast before disembarking and starting the journey home.