Day 3 Explore Copenhagen Embark ship

Breakfast: Served from 6:30am-8:30am at the hotel, with international options available.

Morning: Following breakfast, you'll have some time to relax before discovering Copenhagen. A local guide will join you and your Trip Experience Leader on your tour to provide an expert perspective on the city's past and present.

Around 9am, board a motorcoach headed for the city center. After around 15 minutes of driving, we'll arrive at our first stop, the Gefion Fountain. Here, you'll have a chance to get off the motorcoach to see the massive fountain on the harbor that depicts the legendary Norse goddess Gefion. A touchstone of the Norse mythology, Gefjon is referenced in many poems and epics throughout the centuries as the "mother" of Denmark, Sweden, and Norway. The statue at the fountain's center depicts Gefion and the creation of Zealand, the island on which Denmark was founded, as she plows through the earth with her oxen.

Next, at around 9:30am, we'll go for a 20-minute walk through the public gardens to see the city's signature attraction - the Little Mermaid monument. Unveiled in 1913, the Little Mermaid was designed from bronze and granite by Edvard Eriksen and given as a gift to the city from Danish brewer Carl Jacobsen of Carlsberg Breweries. The statue marks the influence of fairy tale writer Hans Christian Andersen, who was born in Copenhagen. Andersen published the original story in 1837 in a collection of children's stories, and since then, the journey of a young mermaid willing to risk everything for a human soul has been retold and adapted again and again. A small, but intricately sculpted statue, the Little Mermaid has guarded Copenhagen's harbor for over a century. In 2013, a celebration of the statue's 100th year took place throughout the city.

We'll reboard the motorcoach around 10am and begin our drive to Rosenborg Castle, built by Christian IV in the early 1600s in the iconic Renaissance architectural style. Rosenborg provides a more complete picture of Danish royal history, which you learned about in brief during your orientation walk around Amalienborg Palace. Rosenborg Castle chronicles over four centuries of Danish royal history, and even houses the monarchy's royal jewels. You'll get the chance to stop here briefly at around 10:45am, walking around the grounds as your local guide discusses the massive castle's elaborate history.

At around 11am, we'll depart on an approximate 20-minute drive for Christiansborg. Once we arrive, we'll walk to the Royal Library and tour the picturesque gardens. Nestled between the Palace and the Royal Library itself, the Library Garden is considered one of the most peaceful places in Copenhagen, a reprieve from the fast pace of city life. We'll gather for a discussion outside of the Library's Old Galley House, which has been home to the Danish Jewish Museum since 2004. This sobering museum chronicles the stories of Danish Jews who were helped by non-Jewish Danes to escape the Nazis in October 1943.

We'll continue our tour of Copenhagen around noon, driving through the city's vibrant modern neighborhoods. The tour will end in bustling Stroget, one of Europe's longest pedestrian shopping streets.

Lunch: As your tour wraps up, walk with your Trip Experience Leader into the heart of Stroget where you can shop and have lunch at one of the many restaurants and cafès on your own. Perhaps you'll try a traditional favorite among Danish locals, smorrebrod (an open-faced sandwich), commonly topped with shrimp, meat, egg, or vegetables.

Afternoon: We'll depart Stroget en route to our small ship around 3pm, our home for the next 10 nights. Our ship docks close to Copenhagen's city center for privacy and convenience, where most larger ships are unable to dock. Upon arrival at the dock around 3:15pm, we'll begin the embarkation process.

Meet the Captain and crew in the lounge, participate in a safety briefing, and take some time to relax and explore the ship beginning at around 3:45pm. Throughout your adventure, you'll experience a family-like atmosphere onboard that will make you feel right at home - many crew members will likely know you by name come dinner time.

You'll also have time to get acquainted with the ship's inviting common areas. The lounge is equipped with couches and chairs and a specialty coffee-maker available at all hours, and the adjacent bar serves complimentary house beer, house wine, and soft drinks throughout the day. A topside Sun Deck features ample deck chairs for admiring the scenery. Complimentary wireless Internet is available in all cabins and common areas - the front desk staff will be happy to provide you with an access code.

Around 6:30pm, you'll meet with your Trip Experience Leader onboard for a Port Talk on Bornholm - your next destination. These informative conversations will give you an overview of the following day's itinerary, and prepare you for the discoveries ahead.

Dinner: Around 7pm, dinner is served onboard in the ship's dining room. Dinners onboard include a three-course meal with a choice of meat, fish, and vegetarian options available. As with all the dinners during your cruise, the atmosphere is relaxed, the dress code is smart casual, and you are free to sit at whichever table you please.

Evening: You have the freedom to spend the rest of your evening as you wish as the ship sets sail for Bornholm. Perhaps you'll enjoy live music in the bar area around 8:45pm.

7/1/22

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