Why go?

Wonderful Copenhagen may be but when it comes to Nordic charm Aarhus ticks all the boxes. Perhaps it’s the lingering Viking legacy or the ubiquity of smørrebrød, those delightful open-faced sandwiches, or the quaint half-timbered houses, but this city manages to feel more Danish than the capital. With the atmosphere of a small town, Aarhus is great for walking and there is always a friendly local willing to point you in the direction of a fantastic boutique or neighbourhood restaurant. Visit in summer to take advantage of the long Scandinavian days where the sun rises early over the glimmering port waters and never quite seems to set.

What to do

The Latin Quarter, the oldest preserved and restored part of the city, is its most archetypal; neoclassical merchant houses and 16th-century aldermen’s homes point to the city’s prosperous past as a trading port. Narrow streets full of gabled homes now hold boutique shops and gallleries. By the water, in the 1850s city hall, The Women’s Museum (kvindemuseet.dk) is one of the best museums anywhere on its topic. Cross the river Å, which gives the city its name, past the cafés that line its banks; and wander up the pedestrianised street of Søndergade. Then go west towards ARoS (aros.dk) the new modern art museum. The rainbow installation on its roof cuts a unique figure across the skyline; you can walk inside to get a multi-hued view of the city or stick to the quirky exhibits of the building’s interior. To the northwest, Den Gamle By (http://dengamleby.dk) is the city’s main attraction. An open-air museum of 75 historic homes and shops from around Denmark, it is staffed with actors in period costumes. While it sounds a bit tacky, it is actually very well done and you can easily spend the better part of a day wandering through the park. South of the train station, the pretty, residential Frederiksbjerg quarter boasts specialist food shops and delis. About 15-minutes drive from the centre, the Moesgård Museum (moesmus.dk) has a fascinating Viking-era collection, including the Grauballe Man, a 2,000-year-old preserved bog body.

Where to stay

In the thick of the old city centre, Hotel Royal (00 45 86 12 00 11, hotelroyal.dk) was built in 1902 and has long been considered Aarhus’s top establishment. It defines the term faded grandeur but is charming nonetheless. The Scandic Plaza (00 45 87 32 01 00, scandichotels.com) is located very near the central train station, where the airport shuttle starts and ends.

Where to eat and drink

What’s more Danish than smørrebrød, the elaborate open-faced rye bread sandwiches, topped with everything from herring to chopped egg? Strictly a lunchtime affair, there are a number of no-frills cafés dotted around the city from which you can take away as many as you’d like. For something a bit more refined, head to Kahler Spisesalon (00 45 86 12 20 53, spisesalon.dk), a stylish café owned by the Danish home design brand; not only does it serve smørrebrød at dinner too, but is also has many other Danish seasonal favourites and there is a good Scandinavian beer offering. If beer is really your thing, however, pop into Sct Clemens brewery (00 45 86 13 80 00, bryggeriet.dk) to sample the beer-braised ribs, washed down with home-brewed ale. Should your stomach start rumbling while at ARoS, the museum has a restaurant and café with good lunch options, including a ‘black dog’, a venison hot dog with dark rye bread, honey mustard and beetroot.

Time running out?

On weekends on Ingerslevs Boulevard, you’ll find the city’s biggest food and veg market, which has 60 stalls hawking fish, meat, veg, and locally-made cheese and honey.

Travel Information

Travel Information

Currency is the Danish krone (DKK). Aarhus is one hour ahead of GMT, and is a one-hour-40-minute flight from London.

Getting There

Ryanair (ryanair.com) flies directly to Aarhus from London Stansted.
SAS (flysas.com) operates regular flights to Aarhus via Copenhagen.

Resources

Visit Denmark (visitdenmark.com) and Visit Aarhus (visitaarhus.com) offer information on visiting the city.