Viking days

Is this a real Viking ship sailing towards us? If you are looking out from the south coast in July, you might very well be right, particularly if you are in the Portsmouth area. But don’t worry, this ship is on its way home to Denmark.

The 30 meter long Sea Stallion is the world’s biggest reconstruction of a Viking longship. Longships were the most precious and beautifully decorated of all vessels, built for speed and effective transport of warriors. Decorated to impress and frighten everyone who was so bold as to put up any resistance. These were the ships sung about in Viking sagas.

The reconstruction was carried out over four years in Roskilde, Denmark, at the boatyard attached to the Viking Museum. The shipbuilders used the same materials, tools and techniques as were used to build the original ship. Around 300 oak trees were used in the construction with more than 7,000 nails, rivets and spikes.

The Sea Stallion left Roskilde in July last year and headed via Scotland to Dublin. That journey took around 6 weeks. Having spent the winter at the National Museum in Dublin, it is now time to sail home. The ship and its crew of 61 men and women from all over the world will leave Dublin 29 June, visiting Portsmouth around 15h July (tbc) and expects to be back in Roskilde 9 August.

If you want to find out more about the Viking past, and present for that matter, why not be in Roskilde to witness their homecoming. It is sure to be a great Viking Party to remember. Roskilde is home to the Viking Ship Museum, just 30 minutes by train from Copenhagen. The museum has a collection of some 40 vessels including reconstructions of five Viking ships. A 10-minute film in English is shown it its auditorium which gives an inspirational start to a great day of exploring the ships and the epic history of the Vikings. A great day out for the entire family. Seastallion.dk and Vikingeskibsmuseet.dk

Roskilde is the ancient capital of Denmark and has a splendid cathedral which is the final resting place for Danish royalty. If you are interested in history, a trip to Roskilde will be very interesting this year.

It is precisely 350 years since the treaty of Roskilde and this is commemorated in a special exhibition at the Roskilde Museum as well as at other institutions in the Oresund Region. This treaty meant that the provinces of Skane, Blekinge and Halland were again Swedish territory.

South Sweden has at times been Swedish then Danish then back again – but those days are long forgotten and today it is only friendship between the nations, so much so that the region promotes itself internationally as Oresund. In 2000 the new Oresund Bridge linked the two nations, and today it takes just 25 minutes to cross the Oresund Strait by train or car.

Discover two Viking countries on one holiday

Cross the spectacular Oresund Bridge into Southern Sweden and you can continue to trace Viking history at the Museum of Foteviken near Malmo. Set on the Bay of Holleviken, the museum features a Viking village with a variety of buildings including the Valhalla great feast hall. The museum holds handicraft workshops and exhibits about Viking life and Norse mythology. For a few days each summer, this year 27-29 June, the museum holds the biggest Viking market in Scandinavia selling high quality handicrafts, more than 600 Vikings from all over the world turn up. Foteviken.se

Southern Sweden boasts beautiful countryside and a drive to Kaseberga, near Ystad, to see the Ales Stenar (Ales Stones) offers the chance to see some of the country and to enjoy magnificent views of the Baltic.

Ales Stenar is Sweden’s largest tumulus featuring 58 standing stones in the shape of a ship. The stones present a mystery as no-one is certain of their original purpose with suggested explanations including a solar calendar, a memorial to the dead or a ritual meeting place.

Malmo, Sweden’s third largest city, is a great place to round off a trip. Head for Lilla Torg square for a farewell drink or meal. Soak up views of the some of the city’s oldest buildings in the cobblestone square famous for its outdoor cafes, pubs, trendy bars and nightclubs. Malmo.se/turist

Flights from the UK are short and convenient and in less than 2 hours you can be there. SAS flies from London Heathrow and City Airports, Birmingham, Manchester and Aberdeen. Flysas.co.uk

For further information go to:

visitoresund.info
skane.com
visitcopenhagen.com
visitdenmark.com