Aarhus, Denmark's second city, the port city on the north coast of Jutland, a city that offers endless possibilities. As you already hear in this city there is plenty to do! Aarhus is Denmark's second-largest city and is located in the center of the Aarhus region. Within this region you can experience everything, would you like to discover a beautiful landscape, reach the atmosphere in the city, or just have an active vacation, it is all possible in Aarhus. And if you love creativity, Aarhus is also definitely a good city, as there is beautiful architecture, museums, and photo highlights. By continuing to read this blog, you will learn more about the best things to do and how to travel there.
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What not to miss?
Den Gamle By (The Old Town)
Den Gamle By is an open-air museum showing Denmark's urban history and culture over three centuries.
The museum consists of all historical houses that have been moved from all over Denmark to the museum's location. Currently, there are as many as 75 historic houses.
The open-air museum consists not only of a museum but also stores, a theater, a school, a post office, a pharmacy, a jazz bar, and much more.
The theater hosts various musical performances, such as music concerts, opera performances, and festivals.
From Easter to New Year, a show is organized that incorporates historical items, costumes, and activities from that period to tell the story of that time. This is called Living History.
ARoS Aarhus Art Museum
ARoS is one of the largest museums in Northern Europe and the most important art museum in Aarhus.
Within this art museum, special exhibitions are held with nationally and internationally renowned artists. The art museum consists of four galleries in which these exhibitions are held.
In the downstairs gallery, the major exhibitions take place. On the upper floor are the in-house art collections. These art collections consist of collections from the 19th century to the present. On the roof of the art museum, you can visit the rainbow panorama.
While visiting this museum, you can also grab a nice bite to eat or something to drink at ARoS' café and orangery.
In 2023, the museum will expand even further with "The Next Level," which will feature the giant artwork "The Dome.
Moesgård Museum
The Moesgård Museum has a beautiful architectural design. The museum offers a cultural history exhibition with archaeological and ethnographic exhibits.
Within these exhibits, the past comes back to life. The people in the exhibits give visitors a better understanding of the past and tell their stories.
The evolutionary staircase leads to the museum's various exhibits. Through this staircase, you can see where we come from. The staircase consists of seven humanoids, they all belong to the tribe "Hominini" which means "human species. It is also a beautiful staircase based on architecture.
Aarhus Cathedral
Aarhus Cathedral was built in the 12th century in the Romanesque style. The cathedral is dedicated to St. Clement, the Roman pope. Also called the patron saint of sailors.
How the cathedral looks in the present day is due to a radical renovation in Gothic style. In the process, the somber building was transformed into a Gothic cathedral.
Aarhus Cathedral is the longest church in Denmark. It has a length of 93 meters and can hold around 1,200 people.
The cathedral is sometimes used for concerts, but also just for normal services. On Sundays, the cathedral is open only for actual churchgoers.
Viking Museum and Festival
A unique experience at the Viking Museum, with a look at the Viking city behind the ramparts. Among other things, you can learn about the time of Harald Bluetooth, which involved trade, numerous attacks, and buried well houses. In other words, when you explore this unique exhibition, you can see what Aarhus looked like more than 1,000 years ago.
The Viking Museum is located in the center of Aarhus three meters below street level. At the museum, you can take a historical journey through the Viking era. Here you will learn more about the lifestyle of the Vikings.
Inside the museum are exhibits about what Aarhus looked like at that time. Here we are talking about more than 1,000 years ago.
The festival consists of 5 days and is an annual event. Within this festival, there are performances about the history of the Viking Age.
At the Viking Ship Harbor, the festival takes place. At this place, there is the boathouse and Viking tents and it is surrounded by beautiful surroundings.
Within the festival, there are all Vikings, markets, performances, concerts, mock battles, and competitions. So there is plenty to do!
What else to visit
Aarhus Botanical Gardens
The Botanical Garden is a green oasis in the center of Aarhus. The garden is open all year round.
There are a huge number of plants to see in the garden area. The different plants are placed in groups, so you can easily see where what is growing. In the middle is a rock garden. This rock garden displays plants from mountain areas all over the world. There is also a section where medicinal plants grow.
Resting or picnicking in between is also easy in the garden. There are tables and benches everywhere in the garden.
There is also a possibility to visit the Tropical Houses. Here you will find subtropical and tropical plants.
Tivoli Friheden
Tivoli Friheden is a theme park in the center of Aarhus. In the park, you will find four roller coasters, rides, stalls, games, and playgrounds.
In the summer, the park organizes a flower festival. There are concept gardens and activities for everyone.
In the park, there is a 65-meter-high freefall tower called the Hjertekig freefall tower. It is the tallest freefall tower in Denmark.
Also in the park is the Sky Tower. This is a 40-meter-high tower from which you can jump and end up in a net at the bottom. A real challenger!
In between, you can also eat delicious food at various restaurants. There are also barbecue and dining areas if you prefer to bring your food.
Marselisborg Palace and Park
Marselisborg Palace is the summer and Christmas residence of the Danish royal family.
The palace grounds of Marselisborg Palace can be visited by the public when the royal family is not there. The palace grounds have a beautiful rose garden.
The palace was given by the people of Denmark to Crown Prince Christian and his princess as a wedding gift.
Aarhus City Hall
Aarhus City Hall is more than 75 years old. It is a modern building located in the Municipality of Aarhus.
The city hall organizes major events. You can also participate in guided tours of the city hall. The guide will show you around the city hall and you will get to know more about the beautiful interior and the "hidden" rooms.
The Church of Our Lady
The church of our lady is located in a monastery founded by Dominican monks. In the south wing of the monastery lies the church.
The church consists of three auditoriums, namely the main nave, the chapel, and the abbey church.
You can take a tour of the church, for this you must contact the church office.
Aarhus City Guide, Marina
If you go to Aarhus, it is also possible to see all these sights by booking a tour with a Tour Operator. With a tour, you also get explanations about the sights, how nice is that!
We recommend Marina's tour operator Aarhus City Guide! You can find her on Instagram by clicking this link marinafamme! She offers Walking tours and Memorable Aarhus experiences!
If you want to hear the best stories of Aarhus, book the tour by Marina now!
For more information about the tours and for booking a tour, we direct you to the website. Here is the link http://www.aarhuscityguide.info/.
How to travel there?
Denmark is a peninsula in northern Europe, so from any northern European country, you can easily get there by car or train. It is easy to reach Aarhus from here.
By plane
There are two airports to reach Aarhus.
Aarhus Airport is the local airport for the entire region around Aarhus. From here it is only a 35-minute drive to Aarhus.
The other airport is recommended for people flying from a European country. The Billund Airport is connected to more than 55 European airports. From this airport, however, it is still about an hour and a half's drive to Aarhus.
By train and bus
Aarhus central station is located in the middle of the city. So if you travel here by train or bus you are directly in the center of Aarhus.
If you are traveling from southern or central Europe, you can take the train from Hamburg to Aarhus. This trip takes about 5 hours. If you are traveling from Eastern Europe or Scandinavia, you can take the train to Aarhus from Copenhagen station. This trip takes about 3.5 hours.
If you like to travel by bus, there are intercity bus services in Denmark, namely Flixbus and Kombardo. Prices here depend on location and time of day.
By car
You can also reach Aarhus by car. It is easy to reach from European cities because Aarhus has direct connections to the European road network.
The road network in Denmark itself is also easy to reach, except for ferries and bridges.
The drive to Aarhus from Hamburg is about 4 hours by car and from Copenhagen, the drive is about 3 hours by car.
When to travel there?
It is quite cold in Aarhus, as in the rest of Denmark. The temperatures of July and August are the warmest, but in these months the rain is already returning. It is around 15 degrees in both months.
Because of this, the warmest months without rain are May and June. It will be around 12 degrees in May and around 14 degrees in June. This is still not warm, but it is usually dry during these months.
So the best time to visit Aarhus is around May and June. Here it is not too cold and it stays dry if all goes well.
Average costs
How expensive a trip to Aarhus is of course depends on how long you go and how crazy you want to make it.
A 1-day trip based on normal spending costs around 64 euros.
A 3-day trip based on normal expenses costs around 191 euros.
And a 7-day trip based on normal spending costs around 445 euros.
A 1-day trip based on luxury spending costs around 196 euros.
A 3-day trip based on luxury spending costs around 589 euros.
And a 7-day trip based on luxury spending costs around 1300 euros.
So it depends on how long you go and how lux you make it yourself.
What to eat?
Aarhus has many delicious restaurants and an extensive choice of different culinary experiences. Most places are not only places to eat, but they are also meeting places.
Below come some recommended places to eat.
Aarhus Street Food
This is an old garage that houses more than 30 permanent stalls. These stalls have influences from all over the world. You can eat dishes from all over the world and it is also very affordable. Recommended!
Central Food Market
Like Aarhus Street Food, Aarhus' Central Food Market consists of all small markets that offer different food. It is a busy place to grab a bite to eat or relax with a cup of coffee. It is ideal to visit in between shopping and sightseeing.
Frederiksgade 42
Frederiksgade is a street where you will come across many restaurants. Frederiksgade 42 is a restaurant where 80% of the menu consists of vegetables. It's all about the environment and sustainability here. The food is served in small dishes so that people can eat together. This creates an atmosphere of people coming together.
Events
Aarhus Jazz Festival
This is a festival that lasts a total of 8 days. At this jazz festival, you can attend more than 300 concerts at 30 different venues.
The Aarhus Jazz Festival is free to the public during the day. You can enjoy jazz for children, brunch, and concerts by jazz musicians.
Smukfest
The Smukfest is also called Denmark's most beautiful festival. The festival takes place every summer in the beautiful beech forest.
A variety of music is played and there are many delicious food stalls. It is truly a place of conviviality and celebration, connecting all people.
Flower Festival in Tivoli Friheden
This is the largest flower festival in Denmark. There are activities and events every day in the park in July.
The flowers are the center of this festival. The activities are for all ages so it is suitable for everyone!
This is the end of the Aarhus guide. We believe that this article will you help by planning your trip. Aarhus is a beautiful city and we are sure you will be amazed by it. We also have other places for you to explore, see our guides to Bruges, Berlin, and Edinburgh! Do not forget to follow us @thewalkingparrot to be always updated on the new releases.