Welcome to the Danish home of Cinderella!

It is a crisp, autumn day. One of those when the cold cuts the air like a sword, yet the sun dazzles you with its endless charm. The summer ended far too soon this year and even though we have just said goodbye to September only a few days ago, the temperatures have taken a quick drop to single digits. The weather gods behave like they are in a stock exchange playing random games with the seasons.

It is not a Windows desktop background, just a typical scene from a Danish countryside

Oh but the sun, that glorious fireball of joy, it is shining so beautifully today spreading its soft rays in the sky deep blue like the ocean waters. Perfect for a little road trip down south into the charming Danish countryside.

Days like this makes you fall in love with Denmark all over again

Gisselfeld Kloster says the destination on our GPS. It wasn’t even on the agenda for the day, yet it turned out to be the absolute highlight of the trip. The road leading to it is straight out of a Danish countryside dream – rolling farm fields, wind turbines, deep forests and chirping birds. Now take it all and throw in a splash of autumn colours accentuated in the sunset glow and you have got yourself a beautiful postcard.

Colours of autumn

Tucked away in the south of Sjælland, an hour drive away from København, Gisselfeld castle is fortunately not on the major tourist radar at least not for now. Reaching there as the sun was about to set, we got the entire castle grounds to ourselves. I read somewhere that H.C. Andersen got his inspiration for the Ugly Duckling fairytale while a guest in the castle grounds. Who can blame him?

This path is made up of dreams. It makes you want to put on your princess gown and run down the path towards your prince charming 

A small unassuming wooden gate guards the treasure that lies inside. Carefully opening the tiny gate you walk straight into a fairytale. Deserted castle grounds, surrounded by immaculate gardens, moats clear as mirrors, sun touching the surfaces softly, casting a golden glow on everything it touches, swans gliding gracefully on the tranquil waters, and not a single soul in sight, but one lonely fisherman navigating the lake in his small boat.

Gisselfeld Kloster – straight out of a fairytale

Can this scene get any more romantic? Pinch me – this is not a dream.

I see you, pretty ball of joy

It feels like the Cinderella carriage will roll onto the cobblestones any minute now

This window though – can it get any dreamier

The Ugly Duckling navigating the castle grounds

Every single element in this castle makes you feel like you have stepped right into a fairytale

Take my hand and walk into the fairytale <3

Photos © Ani Movsisyan & Andreas Eriksen