One weekend in Aarhus, Denmark
Aarhus is a beautiful city, offering cultural delights and hidden sights to excite even the most hardened scandiphile.
Having lived and worked as a tour guide in Aarhus for 4 years, I know first-hand the delights of the ‘City of Smiles’.
I’d like to list whole books of info on all the places to check out in the city, but I want to be realistic. Most people who visit the city as tourists do so for a weekend only, so please read on to discover my condensed city guide to a weekend in Denmark’s second city, Aarhus.
I’ve assumed you will arrive on a Friday evening and leave on a Sunday afternoon, but please adapt the schedule and recommendations to your needs.
Arriving in Aarhus
Arriving by train takes you to Aarhus Hovedbanegard, right in the middle of the city. Similarly, travelling by bus from the local airport or Copenhagen will deposit you at the central bus terminal, a stone’s throw from the train station.
Once you have arrived and got your bearings, I recommend checking out the nearby Town Hall. Designed by the famous Danish architect Arne Jacobsen and built in 1941, the building is a monument to Danish modernist architecture, clad in beautiful Norwegian marble and bedecked with its characteristic minimalism clocktower.
If you arrive during opening hours (10-16), have a look at the amazing interiors, where ancient moss oak from nearby Silkeborg is used by Jacobsen to create exquisite halls and antechambers for the Aarhus city council.
As well as the exterior and floors, Jacobsen designed the entire building, right down to the light fittings, lamps and desks.
If you need to satiate your hunger then head directly from the station down Ny Banegårdsgade towards the bus station, where an old tram hall has been converted into a ‘Street Food’ market called Aarhus Street Food. Old shipping containers host each kitchen, with cuisine from all across the world on offer - from Tibetan curries to Carribean jerk chicken, with some great beers and classic Danish cuisine like tarteletter and boller i karry also on offer.
Exploring some Aarhus nightlife
From Aarhus station, I’d recommend heading along Rysgade, which is a pedestrianised shopping street, leading directly from the station in an almost straight line to the old city centre. The route will cross the river at Åboulevarden (meaning ‘River Boulevard’) and its here that you will find a gathering of cafes, bars and restaurants at the side of the canal.
Interestingly, during the 20th century the river was covered up entirely, so that a busy motorway could run from the edge of town directly to the dockside without having to cross the river. Thankfully, in the 90s the council saw sense and uncovered the river again, and have now creating this picturesque riverside pedestrian area.
Keep heading along Søndergade to reach the cathedral (Domkirke), a large brick cathedral built in the Scandinavian Gothic style, and one of the largest of its kind in Denmark behind only Roskilde cathedral. This central area hosts the old market square on Stor Torv which originally stood within the city walls, and the smaller market square outside the city walls on Lille Torv.
It’s in this area where you can find plenty of hotel and hostel options, as well as bars, clubs and great restaurants like Sct. Oluf on Mejlgade and Madklubben, which is situated right on the waterside in the old toll house. For evening drinks visit Mig og Ølsnedkeren for beers and the hidden bar Gedulgt for great cocktails.
The beautiful cottages of Møllestein in central Aarhus.
Olafur Eliasson’s ‘My Rainbow Panorama’ which sits atop the ARoS art gallery.
Your first day in Aarhus
All good days start with a hearty brunch, so here a few choices to get your break in Aarhus going off with a bang:
Juliette - Jægergårdsgade 54
Juliette serves amazing French breakfast classics such as oeuf en cocotte, croque madame, croissants and brunch menus, plus excellent coffee
Cafe Frida - Mejlgade 14
Cafe Frida is a socio-economic café, where the food is delicious, vegan and organic.Grød - Graven 24
Delicious oatmeal and smoothie bowls breakfasts topped with all kind of goodies from homemade Nutella to butterscotch sauce.
Next, head over to the Latin Quarter (Latinerkvarter), where old cobbled streets showcase independent clothing shops, cafes (like the excellent La Cabra coffee) and music stores. This area was named after the Latin Quarter in Paris, where bohemians and artists roamed among picturesque streets, sipping coffee. Aarhus’ version may be a little colder than Paris, but it has succeeded in bringing culture and beauty to the oldest neighbourhood in the city. Make sure you explore the streets of Volden and Graven (the names refer to the old ditch and ramparts of the Viking walls), and head down Skolegade and Mejlgade if you have time.
Your morning stroll could also take in Vore Frue Kirke (The Church of Our Lady), a former catholic monastery which originally stood outside the city walls. The first version was burned to the ground by the invading Norwegians in 1060, led by the fearsome King Harold Hardraade. The rebuilt was done in brick during the 11th century and has stood the test of time. Venture inside to see medieval wall paintings and a beautiful subterranean chapel, the largest of its kind in the Nordics. The Åby crucifix hangs inside (a replica of the original which is in the National Museum in Copenhagen), and depicts Christ dressed in the clothes of a Viking chieftain. Harold Bluetooth introduced Christianity to Denmark in the 9th century, and artefacts like this show how the mythologies of the Norse religion were intermingled with Christian belief to make the new religion more palatable for the general populace.
Now head down to the picturesque Møllestien (above, left). This road once had a reputation for gambling dens, drugs and prostitution, but now boasts some of the most beautiful (and most expensive) houses in the city. You’ll emerge in Møllepark (The Mill Park) where, yes, a mill once stood. Chances are that your eye will be drawn to the impressive ARoS art gallery on the hill above Møllepark, a brick cube built in 2004 and topped by Eliasson’s Rainbow Panorama in 2009. It’s one of the largest public art galleries in northern Europe and attracts around 900 000 visitors every year. As well as an impressive collection of Danish and international artworks, the gallery hosts a great cafe and restaurant if you need a quick pitstop on your busy day of sightseeing!
At this point you can chose to explore the nearby Rådhusparken (Town Hall Park) where you’ll see Jacobsen’s eyecatching architectural masterpiece (mentioned above).
At the beginning of the last century, this park lay at the edge of the town and was home to the town cemetery, as well as a military training academy - the vestiges of which can be seen in the 19th century brick buildings of the Musikskolen and Ridehuset.
Check out the Musikhuset at the edge of the park, a multiple-venue building hosting regular concerts, events and standup shows, as well as hosting the Danish National Opera and the Aarhus Symphony Orchestra. Built in 1982, the building welcomes 500 000 guests every year and has hosted concerts from the likes of Bob Dylan, The Beach Boys and Mumford and Sons.
From here, head to Den Gamle By, which name means The Old Town in Danish. This open-air museum is perfect for a sedate wander, with period piece buildings taken from around Denmark and rebuild brick by brick in Aarhus. Beginning life in the 20th century as a museum dedicated to the former house of the major, the collection gradually expanded, until today where there are over 70 houses ranging from the 16th to the 20th centuries. Check out the half-timbered buildings of the old market square, and explore the shops, bakeries and sweet shops. If you are visiting around Christmas time, Den Gamle By is a must-see as it hosts a fantastically ‘hyggelig’ Christmas market complete with Gløgg and genuine æbleskiver.
Godsbanen is the last place to recommend for you to visit on your first day. The old goods-station has been transformed into a cultural hub, now housing a theatre, music venue, nightclub, restaurant, music school and workshops. Over at the neighbouring Institut for X, Land that was once left empty after the closure of the goods trains has been reused with shipping containers housing startup companies and amazing apartments. It is well worth a visit for a chance to explore the quirky side of Aarhus.
By now you might be starting to run out of energy, so read on to discover some eating spots, as well as some bigger journeys outside of the Aarhus city centre.
Heading out of the city centre
Aarhus is situated in a beautiful part of Denmark, with islands like Samsø and Tunø just a boat ride away, and national parks around Mols Bjerg and Himmelberg a short distance. For an afternoon trip though, I would recommend somewhere a little closer to hand.
Consider hiring bikes and heading south of the centre, following the coastal road until you reach Marselisborg Palace.
This is one of the royal residences of Queen Margrethe, which she visits throughout the year, including Christmas and Easter. If the family isn’t in residence you can walk around the grounds of the beautiful palace. If it’s closed, make sure you pay a visit to the Mindeparken nearby, with its panoramic views of the sea, looking out east into the Kattegat.
A little further south and you’ll reach the deer park (pictured, above), an enclosed area which houses a herd of tame deer. Throughout the year, you can see the deer and stags up close, and many families bring carrots to feed them from their hands. If you are bringing small children I would just warn you to keep an eye on them when inside the deer park, particularly when the stags are rutting and aggressive!
Now follow the coast road further south to the beautiful woodlands of Moesgaard. Hidden in a clearing here is the fantastic Moesgaard Museum, a history and archaeological treasure trove for any culture enthusiast. Despite its super modern, concrete form, Moesgaard’s fits right into the forested landscape thanks to a sloping, grass-covered roof. Inside is one of Denmark’s best museums, tracing the human history of Denmark and beyond, with innovative and engaging exhibitions. I could genuinely spend an entire day browsing the exhibits here, especially the temporary exhibitions which are often anthropologically-themed and offer beautiful and touching insights into human life across the globe.
See my guide to the best Viking sites in Denmark here:
Dining in Aarhus
Despite living in the city for over 4 years, I must admit that my culinary experiences of the city are somewhat limited. Turns out student wages weren’t quite paying for much eating out at that time, but I’ll try and avoid recommending pizza take-aways or kebab places which were within my budget at that time!
Bardok - One place I have eaten at a number of times is the fantastic restaurant Bardok. A restaurant that defies definitions, it describes itself as cooking food from in and outside the European Union, from Sicily to Stepanakert. When I have been there before we have had Georgian dishes paired with Hungarian starters and Russian drinks, so you never know what you will get! …but it will be delicious.
Restaurant Ombord - I love the concept of this restaurant, where the guests share different Nordic dishes - tapas style - around the table. The dishes are creative, tasty and affordable.
If you have a higher budget than myself, Aarhus boasts a number of incredible Michelin starred restaurants. Several of these specialise in the Nordic Cuisine introduced by NoMa in Copenhagen, and the list includes Substans, Domestic and Gastrome.
Sunday
Start the day off with a brisk walk north to Risskov, a beautiful forest situated just outside the centre of the city. Down at the coast here is the Bellevue beach, including the concrete bathhouse, where you will find swimmers braving the chills of the Kattegat all year long.
No trip to Aarhus would be complete without a visit to Aarhus Ø, an artificial island build to house a brand new neighbourhood. Here, the brightest and best architects have put their heads together to design an area with the best housing, communal areas, outdoor spaces, schools and shops.
I know the idea of an ultra-modern island of the wealthiest citizens sounds a little like a dystopian nightmare but bear with me! During my time in Aarhus the area was transformed from a vast building site populated by a few sparse highrise buildings, to a thriving centre for outdoor dining, water sports and relaxation.
Possibly the most iconic building in this area is Isbjerget, or the Iceberg - but stroll around the whole of Aarhus Ø if you are interested in modern architecture. If you are feeling peckish after a morning swim at Bellevue, head to the island’s Strandbaren, a street-food-themed area with reused shipping containers housing cafes, bars and even a spot where you can sign up to try wakeboarding and SUP.
Before finishing up my list of recommendations, no trip to Aarhus would be complete without a visit to Dokk1 - an incredible library complex on the city’s harbourside. I had the pleasure of working in this building in 2017 when Aarhus was the European Capital of Culture. It’s a fantastic space, hosting not only a vast archive of books and music, but also offices, concert halls, study spaces and indoor and outdoor play areas.
The perfect spot for when you have a few hours to chill, take a stroll to the floor above the entrance, where you can curl up in one of the comfy chairs with a book and watch the boats coming into Aarhus harbour - one of the busiest shipping harbours in the Nordics.
If you are in need of refreshment or a snack, I’d recommend Dokk1’s own cafe or the nearby Jumbo Bakery, which offers a delicious range of Danish pastries and excellent coffee.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this whistle-stop tour of Denmark’s second city! If you have any questions or things to add, please do get in touch with me.
Below, you’ll find a quick overview of some seasonal events in Aarhus to put in your calendar if you are visiting during that time, plus a look at how to get to Aarhus.
Special events in Aarhus
Royal Run (May) - An annual event where, over the space of one day, the crown prince Frederik and his wife Marie take parts in runs in Aalborg, Aarhus, Kolding, Næstved, Copenhagen / Frederiksberg and on Bornholm. It’s cool just to be a spectator, with music and food stalls set up, but if you want to participate you can chose the distance you want to run - just remember to sign up well in advance!
Kapsejlesen (May) - Northern Europe’s largest student event with 30 000 attending every year. 12 university institutes (e.g. psychology, engineering, medicine) are represented each year with each team consisting of 5 participants. The competition involves crossing the uni lake in an inflatable device, drinking a beer and spinning around 10 times before the participant has to cross the lake again and tag his next teammate. It kind of has to be seen to be believed!
Grønconcert (July) - An annual music festival which takes a lineup of predominantly Danish artists across the country to cities including Aarhus, Valby and Kolding.
Northside (June) - A three-day music festival held every year in June. It has three stages with rotating artists and several sideshow events and happenings, and attracts some big artists like Foals, Stormzy and The Prodigy.
Aarhus Volume (June) - An annual festival specialising in hip hop and RnB. I attended this festival several times during my time in Aarhus and loved it. I recommend the Under Gaden festival which runs concurrently as a smaller part of Volume and is held under the Ringgade Bridge. Here you can explore the culture of Godsbanen and Institut for (X) and see 40 concerts arranged by young artists and up-and-comiong entrepreneurs.
Festugen (August - September) - Aarhus Festuge is a 10-day arts and culture festival in late August to early September. Hundreds of events from music, dance, food & drink tasting, comedy and jazz to everything in between. Expect big parties and happy people out on the streets until late. See the full lineup and more details on Aarhus Festuge here.
Getting to Aarhus
By train
Aarhus lies at one of the most important railway junctions in Denmark. There are hourly departures to the north, south and west. From Southern and Central Europe, the connections are via Hamburg/Flensburg. Travel time from Hamburg to Aarhus is approximately five hours. From Eastern European countries train connections to Aarhus go via Poland and Copenhagen. Aarhus has hourly services to and from Copenhagen. There are several daily connections to Sweden, Germany and the rest of Europe.
By ferry + bus
The Kombardo express is a bus service driving frequently between Aarhus and Copenhagen on the Molslinjen ferry which connects Zealand with Jutland. Check the Molslinjen website for current timetables for ferries to Zealand (Aarhus-Odden).
By plane
The Aarhus airport Tirstrup is located 40 km north of the city and offers direct international flights to a number of European destinations, including Oslo, Stockholm, Gothenburg, Manchester, London (Stansted and Gatwick), Berlin, Munich, Nice and Rome.