Vikings and heritage in historical Roskilde

Once the capital of Denmark, Roskilde oozes of history and is a must for anyone with a knack for Vikings. With its picturesque location by the fjord and its rich historical heritage, Roskilde is a perfect day trip from Copenhagen only 30 minutes away.

As the only place in the world, you can conquer the waters like a viking aboard a viking ship. The annual Viking Festival is another way to travel back a thousand years. But the ancient city also offers plenty of top-class contemporary culture with its world-renowned music festival, its museum for pop, rock and youth culture and much more.

Learn more

Wonderful Copenhagen

1/6

The Vikingship Museum in Roskilde near Copenhagen

Wonderful Copenhagen

2/6

Skjoldungernes Land national park outside Roskilde

Wonderful Copenhagen

3/6

Wonderful Copenhagen

4/6

Roskilde Cathedral - a royal and historic landmark in Denmark

Wonderful Copenhagen

5/6

Wonderful Copenhagen

6/6

A palette of history and culture

Easily reachable from Copenhagen, Roskilde offers plenty of reasons to go. To music enthusiasts and party people, Roskilde Festival – one of Europe’s biggest is a must.

But Roskilde is perhaps even more famous for its Viking legacy and UNESCO-listed cathedral, the final resting place for Denmark’s kings and queens since 986. Today, it majestically overlooks the hilly city, the fjord and neighbouring national park with visible traces from the Viking Age.

Sail a Viking ship in Roskilde | Visitcopenhagen

9 things you need to do in Roskilde

The historic city by the scenic fjord has much more on the menu than vikings and royals. We've collected a couple of must-dos.

6 ways to live like a Viking

Located just west of Copenhagen is Roskilde, a historical city which also happens to be home to The Viking Ship Museum - and the only place in the world where you can go sailing in an actual Viking ship.