Scenic town outside of Copenhagen?

If you are into the Vikings, Roskilde will blow your socks off. The Viking Ship Museum is a must see: http://www.vikingeskibsmuseet.dk/en/ It's not cheesy or superficial at all - and the ships are just amazing. You can imagine yourself tossing on the rough, frigid sea making a perilous journey to... who knows where? Not sure how far afield you want to go, but if you like Vikings, you should check out Ribe. It's the oldest town in Denmark - about a 5 hour train trip from Copenhagen, on the west coast of Jutland. Ribe is a little inland, but you are about hollering distance from the coastline there. It's got a cathedral, cobbled streets, lots of little shops and cute cafes, and... not just a Viking Museum (http://www.ribesvikinger.dk/English.aspx), but a Viking Center, too! (http://ribevikingecenter.dk/da/forside.aspx) The Viking Center is sort of like Denmark's Colonial Williamsburg, with employees costumed as Vikings. But it's better than Williamsburg because - Vikings! You could stay overnight in Odense if you wanted to break up the train trip. St. Canute's Cathedral (Sankt Knuds Kirke) is in Odense - it was rebuilt in the 14th century. The Funen Village is a cute open air museum with old timber-framed cottages... not Viking age, but 18th and 19th century. Also costumed workers. Also adorable. Well, that's Denmark for you. They manage Vikings AND adorable, in one tiny package!

Are you looking for someplace to break up a long journey? Because none of those destinations are far apart. Denmark is very compact! If you're starting in Copenhagen and your first stop is Roskilde, well... Roskilde itself is wall-to-wall scenic and only 25 miles from the city. It's great for an overnight stay. Lovely city, very friendly, some cool places to eat. Hillerod is also only about 25 miles from Copenhagen. And if you mean Helsingør, DK (Helsingborg is in Sweden), that's also only about 25 miles away from Copenhagen! Hørsholm is about halfway to Helsingør, and the Karen Blixen Museum is there. It's cute, if not exactly quaint.

Kira, thanks for your post and information! We're purchasing the 5 day Copenhagen card and staying in Copenhagen for 4 days, but we want to use the free train transporation with the card to see some of the countryside. I've inquired about a B&B in Roskilde, but also curious if there's any other options. Thanks! Ken

Kira, I forgot to mention that we're particularly interested in a coastal town that has alot of Danish/Viking character. We decided not to rent a car and drive to Aero as suggested by RS. Perhaps Roskilde will be it. Thanks

Kira, thanks for the recommendation, but the Copenhagen Card allows free train travel in east Zealand. So, I'd prefer to stay overnight somewhere within the 30 mile radius of Copenhagen. http://www.copenhagencard.com/sites/default/files/images/Nordsjaelland-daekning.pdf

Oh - DUH. I got so excited recommending Ribe to someone that I completely failed to notice that detail. :-) That said, I officially re-recommend Roskilde. Roskilde rocks. It's got the Viking ship museum, the cathedral (I encourage you to pay attention to the décor on the high iron gates and the tombs - WAY Gothic!) where most of the Kings and Queens of Denmark are buried, much cobbled street charm, and a super friendly vibe. Have a great time!

Kira, thanks again for your recommendation and I've sent an inquiry to a B&B in Rosklide! We leave in 1 hour, so it's good to have this information. Thanks, Ken

Perhaps I'm weighing in too late, but while I like the sites in Roskilde, the town istelf I found to be rather ordinary and modern. Helsingor was much more quiant and has a lively and historic downtown.