My partner Michelle and I don’t really exchange gifts for Christmas. After so many years of being on this planet, there isn’t much we really need. Rather than wasting money on gifts, we buy experiences for each other instead. In 2023, we travelled to Denmark, and while we were there, we missed Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen because the park was closed during our stay. Having heard it was meant to be quite magical, especially around Christmas, we decided to go back to Denmark, visit our friends, and experience the world-famous Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen. Sounds good, right? Denmark has some incredible car-oriented attractions, so it would be rude not to check out some car-based experiences while we were there.
When we visited in 2023, I came across a car collection with an exciting mix of vehicles, including my favourites: Ferrari. When talking to our contact on the ground, Will, I learned there were only select open days, and unfortunately, none aligned with our visit. Fast forward to 2024, while planning our return trip to Denmark, I asked Will if there was anything new to see. He mentioned there might be an open day at Strøjer Samlingen. Sadly, it had been the month before, but I thought it wouldn’t hurt to reach out. “I’m writing a book about Ferrari and will be visiting in December—can I visit?” Within no time, I received a response: “Yes, you can.” The excitement was at Christmas-morning levels!
Living in Bournemouth makes traveling a bit tricky. Our airport only offers the worst flight times—leave on Friday at 9:30 pm, arrive back in the UK at 9:30 am on Saturday. So, our only option is the London airports. To get to Billund, we needed to leave from Stansted, which, on a good run, is just shy of 3 hours away. With our flight at 6:20 am, we had no choice but to stay at a Travelodge the night before. With the alarm ringing and about 3 hours of sleep under our belts, we headed to Stansted Long Stay. By the time we landed in Denmark at 9 am, we had already been up for 6 hours and still had a full day ahead. Fuelled by caffeine and a brain that felt like a hamster on a spinning wheel screaming "CARS!", I gathered the energy, and off we went to the Strøjer Collection.
Heading from Vejle, we crossed one of Denmark’s massive superstructure bridges and ventured into the Danish countryside. Outside the cities, Denmark is a vast expanse of grass fields, trees, and scattered houses. I would call it the middle of nowhere, though I’m sure they would call it “crowded”. As we pulled onto the road leading to Strøjer Samlingen, we saw their famous branding—the side profile of a Ferrari 250 GTO on a white background. Located alongside Jørgen’s brick company is a purpose-built area for events, maintenance, and storage of cars. The entrance is a bit disorienting, with an inverted front that gives the feeling you’re falling backward—quite trippy. Through the main glass entrance, you can peer into the collection and spot some of the cars on display.
Upon stepping through the main glass doorway, we were greeted by a brace of Alfa race cars and Bugatti road cars. Waiting for our host Søren, we eagerly stood at the entrance, trying to take in as much as we could without venturing in too far. Søren entered the room shortly and greeted us. Hospitable from the start, he kindly set us up with coffee and tea before showing us around.
We started at the entrance and quickly moved into a large, tall room where cars and memorabilia wrapped around the walls, with an assortment of cars in the middle. Facing forward, we saw a classic Bugatti Type 59, Ferrari F40, Mercedes-Benz SSK, Aston Martin DBR9, and a newer Aston Martin Vanquish. Working our way counter clockwise, we saw a replica of the 722, a Gullwing, and a 300 SLR Cabriolet, followed by an SLR and an SLR Cabriolet. Adjacent to these was an impressive collection of Aston Martins. Regrettably, I’m not a patriotic Brit, I’m not a fan of 007 or Aston Martins. I’m sure many would suggest I should be hanged, drawn, and quartered! They’re tremendously pretty, but not for me.
In the top left-hand corner of the room sat the Le Mans-style racers, including a BMW M1 URD, Ford GT40 '93, Aston DBR1, Jaguar C-Type, and Bentley Speed Six. Finishing off the room were a Bugatti Veyron, Koenigsegg CC8S, Zenvo ST1, Porsche Carrera GT, and Porsche 964 Turbo.
We then moved through a back corridor, where the “ladies in red” were displayed. This room featured the second-gen Ferrari 365 Daytona, BB512, 365 GTC/4, and Super America. With artwork and models adorning the walls, the room had a vibe reminiscent of the Pagani presentation hall. Above the Super America’s parking spot was a homage to Le Mans’ famous Dunlop Bridge. The Ferrari section expanded to include two super cool, matching cars: the Ferrari 599 GTO and Ferrari 599 SA Aperta. These were not identical, but they were incredibly close. Not only is the GTO amazingly rare, with only 599 produced, but it was displayed alongside the SA Aperta—one of only 80 ever made! That’s like finding the Holy Grail next to the Fountain of Youth. For me, these two cars alone were worth the trip. Keeping with the 12-cylinder theme, we also saw an 812 and a Testarossa with a rare painted front valance.
Back in the main room, there were three distinct themes: the Danish royal family, Ferrari’s hot V8s, and Lamborghinis. I’m not big on classic Bentleys or Rolls-Royces, but they are certainly impressive to look at, just like the Lamborghinis. However, for me, the Hot V8 Ferraris were the highlight. From left to right were a 360 Challenge Stradale, 458 Speciale, 488 Pista Piloti, and F430 16M. With the Piloti sitting about 3 feet off the ground, we wondered how it got up there. With a smile on his face, Søren pressed a button on his phone, and the platform sank back down to earth. Now familiar with the layout and collection, we were left to explore on our own.
I headed straight back to the 599 SA Aperta and started snapping away. Using a technique called light painting, we turned off the room’s lights so I could illuminate my subject. After a short while, Søren asked if I’d like to take some photos of the F40. “We just need to move a Bugatti Type 59 out of the way.” With my hands on one of only 12 cars ever made, we carefully pushed the 59 aside so I could photograph the F40. That’s certainly one way to get the shot! The F40 was incredibly quick to photograph, but I couldn’t pass up the other options in the room, including the assortment of SLRs and the Veyron/CC8S combo.
Now finished and in the back corridor, I was working on the Daytona when Søren mentioned that bread was ready. Thinking he just meant bread and butter, I was surprised to find a table full of delicious Danish bread and toppings, allowing us to make our own smørrebrød. Now, if that isn’t great hosting, I don’t know what is!
As we enjoyed the spread and discussed our shared passion for cars, Søren mentioned there was more storage to see. “More storage, you say?” After lunch, we headed through their workshop and across to an adjacent building housing even more cars—an eclectic mix of classics, modern cars, race cars, cruisers, and even an F1 car! For more details on this area, please watch my YouTube video.
With time running out, we headed back inside where Jørgen, the owner, had appeared. Continuing the conversation with the man himself, our time ran out. Being the great hosts they were, Søren offered me the opportunity to return.
After a Sunday in Copenhagen, we headed back to Strøjer Samlingen on Monday. With about two hours to spare, I was able to go over the Super America, 365 GTC/4, and 365 Daytona. If I had infinite time there, I would have happily spent hours over every car, but you must treat situations like this as assignments. You need to get the shots, and personal affinity towards a certain car can’t take over, or you’ll miss what you need. Thanking Søren, I left feeling satisfied with what I had captured and grateful for another amazing memory created in Denmark.
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