Copenhagen: Art and Architecture in a Northern Light

Morning flight from London to Copenhagen. Coach transfer to the city centre, followed by an introductory walk, including Christiansborg, site of the 12th century castle of the city's founder, bishop Absalon of Roskilde, and now seat of the Danish parliament. We take a boat trip through Copenhagen's canals before returning to our hotel for an included dinner.

We start the day with a guided walk through Copenhagen, taking in the churches of Vor Frue, Copenhagen's cathedral of Our Lady, Marmokirken, the focal point of Frederiksstaden district, and Amalienborg Slot, the official residence for the Danish royal family. Copenhagen Town Hall is considered as a classic of the National Romantic style and was designed by architect Martin Nyrop, who was inspired by the town halls of Italy. We spend a full afternoon at the Statens Kunst Museum where we will focus on paintings from the era of Romantic Nationalism, the Danish Golden Age.

By coach to Hillerød, for a visit to Frederiksborg Castle, built for King Christian IV - the largest Renaissance Castle in Scandinavia, surrounded by a moat and overlooking formal Baroque gardens. A tour through the stately home leads through centuries of Danish history, lavishly illustrated with portraits, history paintings, furniture and decorative arts from the 16th century to the present day. Continue to Roskilde whose long history reaches back to the pre-Christian Viking Age. Its UNESCO-listed Gothic cathedral, now housing 39 tombs of Danish monarchs, was completed in 1275. A short walk will take us to the southern end of the Roskilde Fjord, site of the Viking Ship Museum, whose main exhibits are the remains of five Viking vessels dating to the 11th century.

We leave the hotel on foot to visit Ny Carlsberg Glyptoteket. Our visit will focus on the museum’s wonderful collection of French Impressionist art. The modern part of the collection contains French sculpture from the 19th century, including a significant collection of works by Auguste Rodin, French painting from 1800-1950 with Impressionism and Paul Gauguin as absolute focal points, as well as a collection of Danish Golden Age art. Then, a coach to Ordrupgaard, where we will visit a fine collection of French Impressionist art and Danish paintings from the Golden Age.

Walk to Rosenborg Castle, Christian IV's favourite residence, now home of the Danish crown jewels and starting point of a daily Royal Guard parade which marches down to Amalienborg, winter home of the Royal family. Walk to the Hirschsprung Collection, a unique presentation of Danish art from the 19th and early 20th centuries, spanning the period from the Danish Golden Age to the Skagen painters and the Modern Breakthrough. After an independent lunch, visit the Thorvaldsens Museum, Denmark's first public museum building which opened in 1848 to exhibit the extensive life's work of the Neoclassical sculptor Bertel Thorvaldsen (1770-1844).

By coach to the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, located directly on the shore of the Øresund where painting and sculpture - including major works by artists such as Picasso, Giacometti, Moore and Kiefer - blend beautifully with land and sea. After a group lunch at the museum café, continue to the airport for our return flight to London.