June 21st – Not getting up when the alarm first rings can be a mistake but fortunately we are quite quick in the morning. The extra hour sleep didn’t seem to deter us from getting to the bus on time for our first tour. The tour took us on an countryside excursion through farmland and small villages to tour some of Roskilde’s most prominent attractions. Roskilde was originally the capital of Denmark but fell out of favour because Copenhagen had a better harbour. Of course, Denmark is the home of the Vikings who raided and traded in these parts from about the 8th century to the late 11th century. In the 1950s the inhabitants of Roskilde noticed that parts from old ships were being washed ashore. Upon further investigation five Viking ships were found and plans to recover them, rebuild them and house them in a museum were begun. The work was finally completed in 1969. The museum includes a film which tells the story of how the ships were found and recovered, the remains of the five ships, and the stories of how the various ships were built and used over a thousand years ago. Also included is an educational boat building workshop where the various tradesmen display the art of building a Viking ship.

Our next stop was the Roskilde Cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Built in the twelfth century, the twin-spired structure is the burial place of more than 40 Danish monarchs and was the first cathedral to be built from brick. This inspired the spread of brick Gothic architecture throughout Northern Europe.

On return to the hotel, we had a brief rest before heading off to the Botanical Gardens. Its main feature is the Palm House which dates back to 1874. This is a huge greenhouse complex which we found closed for renovations unfortunately. All we could do was peek in the windows! Outside there was a good display of perennials and plants from all around the world. It certainly would have been a more pleasant afternoon had the sun been shining.

Dinner tonight was at one of the oldest restaurants in Copenhagen. Det Lille Apotek occupies the same spot as it did when it first opened in 1720. The interior has not been altered in over 150 years and contains the same petroleum lamps, painted windows and pictures that were there when writers like Hans Christian Andersen called it their local pub. Dinner included roast duck with potatoes and red cabbage for me, wiener schnitzel with potatoes and peas for George and a selection of cheeses and home-made crackers shared for dessert. Again – a lovely spot and great recommendation from one of our guides.