Aarhus is the second-largest city in Denmark, and though many people outside of Denmark aren't aware of its existence, its rich cultural heritage makes it a standout on its own
About Aarhus
Aarhus’ origin is unknown, although traces of a Viking settlement have been found near the outflow of the now-covered Aarhus stream. The oldest existing charter for the town (1441) refers to a still-earlier charter. Aarhus became a bishopric in 948 and prospered during the European Middle Ages, having many religious institutions at that time, but the city declined after the Reformation. Beginning in the 19th century, industrialization, the extension of the Danish railway system, and the expansion of its harbour stimulated the city’s growth to the point that Århus is now Jutland’s foremost city and the second-largest city in Denmark. It is a busy port and is the centre of commerce and industry in Jutland. Århus’ manufactures include metals, chemicals, machinery, beer, and tobacco products, and there are shipbuilding facilities.
Things to do
Den Gamle By – The Old Town Museum
Den Gamle By (lit. “The Old Town”) is an open-air town museum located in the Aarhus Botanical Gardens, in central Aarhus, Denmark. In 1914, the museum opened as the world’s first open-air museum of its kind, concentrating on town culture rather than village culture, and to this day it remains one of just a few top-rated Danish museums outside Copenhagen, serving more than 400,000 visitors per year.
ARoS Aarhus Art Museum
ARoS Aarhus Art Museum is one of Northern Europe’s largest art museums and one of the most visited art museums in Scandinavia. Here you can experience Your rainbow panorama, a spectacular artwork by Olafur Eliasson.
Tivoli Friheden
Enjoy an unforgettable journey to Tivoli Friheden, nestled in the heart of Aarhus in the centre of Denmark. Here you will find an amusement park with roller coasters, a beautiful Ferris wheel, and lots of fun, cosiness and excitement for the whole family!
Moesgaard Museum
The past is brought to fascinating life at the Moesgaard Museum in Aarhus. The exhibits are based on the latest research and technology and aim at giving you an insight into prehistory and anthropology in an entertaining and surprising way.
Salling Rooftop
We would not normally put a department store on our places to visit but the Salling store in Søndergade in Aarhus is an exception. This is not for the store itself but the rooftop.
On the roof, there is an extensive common space with secret gardens, cafes and seating – plus great views of the city. We loved the quaint van selling ice cream!
Another popular feature is a platform that stretches out from the roof over Søndergade below. A fun place to visit!
Walk the streets of Aarhus
We spent some time walking the streets of Aarhus. There are some lovely cobbled streets in the old town, with nice boutique shops, restaurants and cafes.
Beyond the old town there are streets where you can do some serious retail therapy.
Aarhus Cathedral
The building of Aarhus Cathedral was started in the last decades of the 12th Century. The exact year is not known for certain. Peter Vognsen of a famous aristocratic family, Hviderne, from Zeeland, was the one, who really got the building going. He was ordained as a Bishop in 1191. The Cathedral – a magnificent Romanesque basilica – was a gigantic project, not finished until about 1350. Red bricks were used, a kind of material not otherwise used in Denmark before approx. 1160. The outer walls of this Cathedral and the beautiful chapels along the eastern wall of the transept are the only surviving Romanesque elements today.
The Cathedral, as it otherwise stands today, is the result of radical rebuilding in the Gothic style, undertaken from 1449 till about 1500, transforming the heavy and sombre building into a Gothic cathedral, inspired by the great contemporary churches in the Hanseatic towns around the Baltic Sea. Considerable height completed with cross- and star vaulting was added to the nave as well as to the aisles and the transept. The culmination however was the altogether reconstructed and enlarged chancel, now with three naves of the same height, an ambulatory and 13 high, pointed windows throwing cascades of light into this bright space.
With a length of 93 metres, Aarhus Cathedral is the longest church in Denmark, and it seats approx. 1200 people. From the beginning, it was dedicated to St Clement, the patron saint of sailors.
Getting to Aarhus
Car
Aarhus is located close to E45 motorway, it has direct connections to the great European network of motorways, making it easy to get to most European cities. Hamburg can be reached within roughly four hours. There are also excellent roads to most places in Denmark. For more information, please check location on the map
If you prefer to drive from Copenhagen the journey down through Zealand, across the island of Funen and up through eastern Jutland to Aarhus, is approximately 300 kilometres and takes about three hours. You need to follow the E20 motorway from Copenhagen to Jutland where it connects to the E45 motorway up to Aarhus.
Your road trip to Aarhus by car will include crossing two of Denmark’s impressive suspension bridges, spanning the Great Belt and the Little Belt straits on each side of the island of Funen.
Along the way you will have to pay a toll of 245 DKK (one way) for crossing the Great Belt Bridge though the Little Belt Bridge between Funen and Jutland is free.
Train
Aarhus lies at one of the most important railway intersections 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 5 hours. From Eastern European countries train connections to Aarhus go via Poland and Copenhagen.
Aarhus has hourly services to and from Copenhagen. The trip takes three and a half hours. There are several daily connections to Sweden, Germany and the rest of Europe.
Ferry
Ferry terminal in Aarhus is located bait away from the center of the city and reachable only by vehicles. The ferry service Molslinien can get you across the water on the modern and fast catamaran. This service is useful if you going by bus or car as you won’t need to pay for driving across the bridges and it helps to make a shortcut across the sea of Kattegat saving you 100 km drive. Check the Molslinjen website for current timetables for ferries to Zealand (Aarhus-Odde).
BY FERRY AND BUS FROM COPENHAGEN
You can catch the Kombardo Expressen bus (with free WiFi) from Ingerslevsgade near Copenhagen Central Station.
The bus takes you west across Zealand to the tip of Sjællands Odde, where it boards a fast Molslinjen ferry to Aarhus harbour before arriving at its final destination, Aarhus Rutebilstation in central Aarhus. The ferry trip takes 75 minutes and it’s a 3 hour 30 minutes journey in total by road and sea.
Tickets start at 99 DKK (single one-way ticket, including the ferry).
CAR AND FERRY
Alternatively, you can take your car on the ferry to Aarhus (see above). The drive from central Copenhagen to the harbour at Sjællands Odde is approximately 115 km. The ferry fare for a normal-sized car (up to 6 metres) including driver starts at 199 DKK.
Flying
The Aarhus airport Tirstrup is located 40 km north of the city. It is under big expansion and currently has direct connections to 24 destinations ( depending on winter and summer timetables) and offers direct international flights to a number of European destinations, for instance, Oslo, Stockholm, Gothenburg, Manchester, London (Stansted and Gatwick), Berlin, Munich, Nice, Rome and Cyprus. Please visit their website for information on flight arrival/departure times.
Travelling to/from Aarhus airport
There is an airport shuttle bus 925X from Aarhus airport with departures every 20 minutes after each flight arrival. It departs from just outside the main entrance. A single ticket to Aarhus will cost you 115 DKK. It takes about 40 minutes drive to reach downtown Aarhus. You can purchase ticket in advance
Buses
Getting to Aarhus by bus is the cheapest option. The central bus station in Aarhus is called Aarhus Rutebilstation. The bus services run less frequently than the train and sells out fast during busy periods but they are cheaper than trains if you are going last minute.
Ticket prices to/from Copenhagen start from 99 DKK for a single one-way trip.
Check out buses from these companies:
Flixbus
Kombardo Expressen
The best time to visit Aarhus
The city of Aarhus, located in Denmark, falls within the Köppen climate classification of Cfb. This classification represents a marine west coast climate with warm summers. Throughout the year, temperatures fluctuate between a low of 0.3ºC to a high of 20.2ºC. The level of atmospheric moisture, indicated by relative humidity, ranges from 75% to 87%. This high level of humidity contributes to the noticeable amount of rainfall experienced every month.
The best time to visit Aarhus
From the perspective of a visitor aiming for moderate to warm temperatures, fewer rainy days and maximum daylight exposure, the best time to visit Aarhus is from late spring to early autumn, specifically between the months of May and September. During these months, the temperatures maintain a pleasant range from 10.6ºC to 20.2ºC. The rainfall during this period slightly increases, but it is counterbalanced by the long daylight duration varying from 14.2 hours in April to a maximum of 17.6 hours in June.
The worst time to visit Aarhus
Contrarily, the period from November to March is least preferable for a visit to Aarhus. During these months, the city experiences the chilliest conditions with the temperature dropping to as low as 0.3ºC. Aarhus also experiences increased snowfall during December and January, adding to the cold environment. These months have short daylight durations, dropping to an annual low of 7 hours in December and January, and causing limited visibility for outdoor activities.
Where to stay in Aarhus
1. Luxury – Hotel Royal
This luxury hotel is set in an elegant, Neoclassical building built in 1838. It offers a casino. ARoS Art Museum is 15 minutes’ walk away.
Hotel Royal’s impressive interior features stained glass windows, 300 art pieces and glass chandeliers. All rooms have antique furniture, a flat-screen TV and tea/coffee facilities.
2. Mid-Range – Hotel GUESTapart
Featuring inner courtyard views, Hotel GUESTapart in Aarhus features accommodations, a fitness center, a bar, and a shared lounge. A sauna and a bicycle rental service are available for guests. There’s a terrace and guests can make use of free Wifi, free private parking, and an electric vehicle charging station.
At the condo hotel, each unit includes a seating area, a flat-screen TV with streaming services, a kitchen, a dining area, a safety deposit box, and a private bathroom with a walk-in shower, a hair dryer, and free toiletries. At the condo hotel, all units are allergy-free and soundproof. At the condo hotel, all units come with bed linen and towels.
3. Budget – Danhostel Aarhus
Located in Aarhus, 1.4 miles from Den Permanente Beach, Danhostel Aarhus provides accommodations with a garden, free private parking, a shared lounge and a terrace. Featuring family rooms, this property also provides guests with a playground. Free WiFi and a shared kitchen are provided.
At the hostel, rooms contain a desk. Danhostel Aarhus has certain rooms with garden views; each room has a patio. Guest rooms at the accommodation are equipped with a seating area.