Various bits have been destroyed and rebuilt since, but it remains a grand air, enhanced immeasurably by its setting and with an interior, particularly the royal chapel, that is spectacularly ornate though appreciation is hampered by the steady flow of tourists. Crowds are less of a problem in the laby rinthine cellars, which can be seen on a halfhourly guided tour (departing from the cellar entrance). The guide delivers the details then lets visitors wind their way around the cold, damp corridors, dimly lit by oil lamps. The body of Holger Danske, a mythical hero from the legends of Charlemagne, is said to lie beneath the castle, ready to wake again when Denmark needs him; although the tacky Vikingstyle statue, which marks the legend, is well out of synch with the cellars' authentic decay. The castle also houses the national Maritime Museum, an uninteresting collection of model ships and nautical knickknacks. Away from Kronborg and the harbour area, Helsingor has a wellpreserved medieval quarter worth taking a walk through. Stengade is the main pedestrianised street, linked by a number of narrow alleyways to Axeltorv, the town's small market square and usually a good spot to linger over a beer for an ice cream, stroll into nearby Brostreede, long famous for the oldfashioned ingredients and immense size of the ices sold along it. Near the comer of Stengade and Skt Annagade, the spired Skt Olai's Югке is connected to the Karmeliter Юosteret, which was built by monks as a hospital, became the local poorhouse in 1630, and now contains the Town Museum (daily noon4pm; free). ¦V\Tiile a hospital, the place prided itself on brain operations, and the unnerving tools of this craft are still here, together with diagrams of the corrective insertions made into patients' heads. These, combined with various dark remnants from the poor house times, evoke a sadness not entirely alleviated by the more upbeat memories from the town's prosperous days. If after this you feel the need to lighten your mood, seek out the oddball Journeymen's Club (Naverhulen), in a nearby courtyard, cluttered with souvenirs of world travel, such as crab puppets and armadillo lampshades. Act interested and you might get a free guided tour. HELSING0RI87 Practicalities... and on to Sweden You can pick up a free map and information on Helsinger from the tourist office at Havnepladsen 3 Qune, July & Aug MonSat 9am7pm, Sun 9amnoon; Sept May MonFri 9am5pm, Sat 9amlpm; =49211333), across Strandgade from the train station, or from the tourist counter in the station itself. Due to the tourist trade, however, the closest thing to a cheap hotel in the town is Skandia Hotel, Bramstraede 1 (=49210902; ®), which is decent and clean. For much more money, sample the "Hamlet" or "Ophelia" suites offered at Hotel Hamlet, Bramstraede 5 (®49210591; ®). More affordably, there is a youth hostel («49 211640; FebNov) literally on the beach, a twentyminute walk to the north along the coastal road (Ndr.