Aarhus • Legoland • Jelling
Jutland (Jylland—pronounced “YEW-lan”—in Danish) is the part of Denmark that juts up from Germany. It’s a land of windswept sandy beaches, inviting lakes, Lego toys, moated manor houses, and fortified old towns. In Aarhus, the lively and student-filled capital of Jutland, you can ogle the artwork in one of Denmark’s best art museums, experience centuries-old Danish town life in its open-air folk museum, and meet a boggy prehistoric man. After you wander the pedestrian street, settle in for a drink along the canalside people zone. This region is particularly family-friendly. Make a pilgrimage to the most famous land in all of Jutland: the pint-sized kids’ paradise, Legoland. The nearby village of Jelling is worth a quick stop to see the ancient rune stones known as “Denmark’s birth certificate.”
Aarhus makes a natural stop for drivers connecting Kristiansand, Norway and Hirtshals, Denmark by ferry. Trains also link Aarhus to Hirtshals, as well as to points south, such as Odense and Copenhagen. Allow one day and an overnight to enjoy this busy port town.
Families will likely want a whole day at Legoland (near the town of Billund), while historians might consider a brief detour to Jelling, just 10 minutes off the main Billund-Vejle road. Both are best by car but doable by public transportation.
Aarhus (OAR-hoos, sometimes spelled Århus), Denmark’s second-largest city, has a population of 310,000 and calls itself the “World’s Smallest Big City.” I’d argue it’s more like the world’s biggest little town: easy to handle and easy to like. Aarhus is Jutland’s capital and cultural hub. Its Viking founders settled here—where a river hit the sea—in the eighth century, calling their town Aros. Today, modern Aarhus bustles with an important university, an inviting café-lined canal, a bursting-with-life pedestrian boulevard (Strøget), a collection of top-notch museums (modern art, open-air folk, and prehistory/ethnography), and an adorable “Latin Quarter” filled with people living very, very well. Aarhus, a pleasant three-hour train ride from Copenhagen, is well worth a stop.
Aarhus lines up along its tranquil canal—formerly a busy highway—called Åboulevarden, which runs through the middle of town. The cathedral and lively Latin Quarter are directly north of the canal, while the train station is about five blocks to the south (along the main pedestrianized shopping street—the Strøget). The main museums are scattered far and wide: The ARoS Art Museum is at the western edge of downtown, the Den Gamle By open-air folk museum is a bit farther to the northwest, and the Moesgård Museum (prehistory and ethnography) is in the countryside far to the south.
Someone on the Aarhus tourist board thinks a warm and personal welcome is a waste of money, so the Aarhus TI is entirely virtual outside of peak season. From June through September, however, you will find shipping-container-type information booths parked on the main square (Lille Torv), near the train station, and near the bus station on Fredensgade. For the rest of the year, you can call the TI or visit their website (tel. 87 31 50 10, www.visitaarhus.com). Computer kiosks that access the TI website are set up in various hotel lobbies around town. For more direct assistance, try asking your hotelier or other helpful locals.
At Aarhus’ user-friendly train station, all tracks feed into a concourse, with ticket offices (billetsalg; open Mon-Fri 7:00-18:00, Sat-Sun 10:15-17:00) and a waiting room between tracks 2-3 and 4-5. A side entrance (marked Bruun’s Galleri) takes you directly into a shopping mall; the other entrance (under the clock) leads into the blocky main terminal hall, with pay lockers, fast food, and ticket machines. Near the main doors, screens show departure times for upcoming city and regional buses.
To get into town, it’s a pleasant 10-minute walk: Exit straight ahead, cross the street, and proceed up the wide, traffic-free shopping street known as the Strøget, which takes you directly to the canal, cathedral, and start of my “Aarhus Walk.”
The sights mentioned in my self-guided walk, along with the ARoS Art Museum, are all within a 15-minute walk; the Den Gamle By open-air folk museum is a few minutes farther, but still walkable. The Moesgård Museum and Tivoli Friheden amusement park are best reached by bus.
You can buy bus tickets from the coin-op machines on board the bus (a 20-kr, 2-zone ticket covers any of my recommended sights, and is good for 2 hours). Bus drivers are friendly and speak English.
A few local buses leave from in front of the train station, but most depart around the corner, along Park Allé in front of the Town Hall. Bus #3A to the Den Gamle By open-air folk museum leaves from a stop across the street from the station. Other buses leave from in front of the Town Hall, about two blocks away: Cross the street in front of the station, turn left and walk to the first major corner, then turn right up Park Allé; the stops are in front of the blocky Town Hall (with the boxy tower, on the left). From here, buses #4A, #11, #15, and #19 go to Den Gamle By; bus #16 goes to the Tivoli Friheden amusement park; and bus #18 goes to the Moesgård Museum. To find your bus stop, look for the handy diagram at the start of the Strøget.
Taxis are easy to flag down but pricey (45-kr drop fee).
Sightseeing Pass: Hotels sell the Aarhus Card, which provides small discounts on major sights and free entry to some minor sights, and includes public transportation. This can be a money-saver for busy sightseers (129 kr/24 hours, 179 kr/48 hours).
Festival: The 10-day Aarhus Festival, which takes place in late summer (Aug-Sept), fills the city’s streets and venues with music, dance, food, kids’ activities, and much more (www.aarhusfestuge.dk).
Laundry: An unstaffed, coin-op launderette (mønt-vask) is four short blocks south of the train station, on the square in front of St. Paul’s Church (daily 7:00-21:00, bring lots of coins—30 kr to wash, about 25 kr to dry, 5 kr for soap, M.P. Bruunsgade 64).
This quick little self-guided walk acquaints you with the historic center, covering everything of sightseeing importance except the three big museums (modern art, prehistory, and open-air folk). You’ll begin at the cathedral, check out the modest sights in its vicinity, wander the cute Latin Quarter, take a stroll down the “most beautiful street” in Aarhus, and end at the canal. After touring the impressive cathedral, the rest of the walk should take about an hour.
• Start by touring Aarhus Cathedral.
While Scandinavia’s biggest church (330 feet long and tall) is typically stark-white inside, it also comes with some vivid decorations dating from before the Reformation.
Cost and Hours: Free entry; May-Sept Mon-Sat 9:30-16:00; Oct-April Mon-Sat 10:00-15:00; closed Sun except for services at 12:00 and 17:00; www.aarhus-domkirke.dk.
Visiting the Cathedral: The cathedral was finished in 1520 in all its Catholic glory. Imagine it with 55 side chapels, each dedicated to a different saint and wallpapered with colorful frescoes. Bad timing. Just 16 years later, in 1536, the Reformation hit and Protestants cleaned out the church—side altars gone, paintings whitewashed over—and added a pulpit mid-nave so parishioners could hear the sermon. The front pews were even turned away from the altar to face the pulpit (a problem for weddings today).
Ironically, that Lutheran whitewash protected the fine 16th-century Catholic art. When it was peeled back in the 1920s, the frescoes were found perfectly preserved. In 1998, the surrounding whitewash was redone, making the old original paintings, which have never been restored, pop. Noble tombs that once lined the floor (worn smooth by years of traffic) now decorate the walls. The fancy text-filled wall medallions are epitaphs, originally paired with tombs. Ships hang from the ceilings of many Danish churches (you’ll find a fine example in the left transept)—in this nation of seafarers, there were invariably women praying for the safe return of their sailors.
Step into the enclosed choir area at the front of the church. The main altarpiece, dating from 1479, features the 12 apostles flanking St. Clement (the patron saint of Aarhus and sailors—his symbol is the anchor), St. Anne, and John the Baptist. On top, Jesus is crowning Mary in heaven.
Head down the stairs to the apse area behind the altar. Find the model of the altarpiece, which demonstrates how the polyptych (many-paneled altarpiece) you just saw can be flipped to different scenes throughout the church year.
Also in this area, look for the fresco in the aisle (right of altar, facing windows) that shows a three-part universe: heaven, earth (at Mass), and—under the thick black line—purgatory...an ugly land with angels and devils fighting over souls. The kid on the gallows illustrates how the medieval Church threatened even little children with ugly damnation. Notice the angels trying desperately to save the damned. Just a little more money to the Church and...I...think...we...can...pull...Grandpa...OUT.
An earlier Romanesque church—just as huge—once stood on this spot. As you exit, notice the tiny, pointy-topped window in the back-right. It survives with its circa-1320 fresco from that earlier church. Even back then—when the city had a population of 1,000—the church seated 1,200. Imagine the entire community (and their dogs) assembled here to pray and worship their way through the darkness and uncertainty of medieval life.
• Then, standing at the cathedral door, survey the...
The long, triangular square is roughly the shape of the original Viking town from A.D. 770. Aarhus is the Viking word for “mouth of river.” The river flows to your left to the beach, which—before modern land reclamation—was just behind the church. The green spire peeking over the buildings dead ahead is the Church of Our Lady (which we’ll visit later on this walk). Fifty yards to the right, the nubile caryatids by local artist Hans Krull decorate the entry to the Hotel Royal and town casino. (Krull’s wildly decorated bar is just beyond, down the stairs at the corner.) Also nearby (around the corner from the cathedral) is the fine Occupation Museum 1940-1945, about the Danish resistance during World War II (described later, under “Sights in Aarhus”).
• Fifty yards to the left of the church (as you face the square), in the basement of the Nordea Bank, is the tiny...
When excavating the site for the bank building in 1960, remains of Viking Aarhus were uncovered. Today you can ride an escalator down to the little bank-sponsored museum showing a surviving bit of the town’s original boardwalk in situ (where it was found), Viking artifacts, and a murder victim (missing his head)—all well-described in English.
Cost and Hours: Free, open bank hours: Mon-Fri 10:15-16:00, Thu until 17:00, closed Sat-Sun.
• Leaving the bank, walk straight ahead along the substantial length of the cathedral (brides have plenty of time to reconsider things during their procession) to the fancy building opposite.
This ornate facade, with its flowery stained glass, is Danish Art Nouveau from around 1900. Under the tiny balcony is the town seal, featuring towers, the river, St. Clement with his anchor, and St. Paul with his sword. High above, on the roofline, crouches the devil. The local bishop made a stink when this “house of sin” was allowed to be built facing the cathedral. The theater builders had the last say, finishing their structure with this smart-aleck devil triumphing (this was a hit with the secular, modern locals).
• Return to the square in front of the cathedral.
The higgledy-piggledy old town encompasses the six or eight square blocks in front of the cathedral and to the right. Latin was never spoken here—the area was named in the 1960s after the cute, boutique-ish, and similarly touristy zone in Paris. Though Aarhus’ canal strip is the new trendy spot, the Latin Quarter is still great for shopping, cafés, and strolling. Explore these streets: Volden (named for the rampart), Graven (moat), and Badstuegade (“Bath Street”). In the days when fires routinely decimated towns, bathhouses—with their open fires necessary to heat the water—were located outside the walls. Back in the 15th century, finer people bathed monthly, while everyday riff-raff took their “Christmas bath” once a year.
• Back at the far end of Cathedral Square, side-trip away from the cathedral to the green spire of the...
The smart brick building you see today is in the Dutch Renaissance style from the early 16th century, but this local “Notre-Dame” is the oldest church in town. After Christianity came to Viking Denmark in 965, a tiny wooden church was built here. Step down into the crypt of today’s church (below the main altar). This evocative arcaded space (c. 1060) was originally an 11th-century stone rebuild of the first church (and only discovered in 1955). Four rune stones were also discovered on this site. Back upstairs, find the graphic crucifix, with its tangled thieves flanking Christ, which was carved and painted by a Lübeck artist in 1530. As at Aarhus Cathedral, the church’s whitewashed walls are covered with fine epitaph medallions with family portraits. Step through the low door behind the rear pew (on the right with your back to the altar) into the peaceful cloister. With the Reformation, this became a hospital. Today, it’s a retirement home for lucky seniors.
Cost and Hours: Free; May-Sept Mon-Fri 10:00-16:00, Sat 10:00-14:00; Oct-April Mon-Fri 10:00-14:00, Sat 10:00-12:00; closed Sun year-round, www.aarhusvorfrue.dk.
• Walk west on Vestergade to the next street, Grønnegade. Turn left, then take the next right onto...
Locals call this quiet little cobbled lane the “most beautiful street in Aarhus.” The small, pastel cottages—draped in climbing roses and hollyhock in summer—date from the 18th century. Notice the small mirrors on one of the windows. Known as “street spies,” they allow people inside to inconspicuously watch what’s going on outside.
• At the end of the lane, head left toward the canal. The park on your right, Mølleparken, is a good spot for a picnic. The big, boxy building with the rainbow ring on top is the ARoS Art Museum (described below)—consider visiting it now, or backtrack here when the walk is over.
When you reach the canal, turn left and walk about four blocks toward the cathedral spire until you get to the concrete pedestrian bridge.
You’re standing on the site of the original Viking bridge. The open sea was dead ahead. A protective harbor was behind you. When the town was attacked, the bridge on this spot was raised, ships were tucked safely away, and townsmen stood here to defend their fleet. Given the choice, they’d let the town burn and save their ships.
In the 1930s, the Aarhus River was covered over to make a new road—an event marked by much celebration. In the 1980s, locals reconsidered the change, deciding that the road cut a boring, people-mean swath through the center of their town. They removed the road, artfully canalized the river, and created a trendy new people zone—the town’s place to see and be seen. This strip of modern restaurants ensures the street stays as lively as possible even after the short summer.
• Your walk is over. Retreating back up the canal takes you to ARoS Art Museum, then to Den Gamle By open-air folk museum. Following the canal ahead takes you past the best of the Aarhus canal zone. Crossing the canal bridge and going straight (with a one-block jog left) gets you to the Strøget pedestrian boulevard, which leads all the way to the train station (where you can catch a bus—either at the station or the Town Hall nearby—to Tivoli Friheden amusement park, the Den Gamle By open-air folk museum, or the Moesgård Museum). All of these sights are described in the next section.
The Aarhus Art Museum is a must-see sight, both for the building’s architecture and for its knack for making cutting-edge art accessible and fun. Everything is described in English. Square and unassuming from the outside, the bright white interior—with its spiral staircase winding up the museum’s eight floors—is surprising. The building has two sections, one for the exhibits and one for administration. The halves are divided by a vast atrium, which is free to enter if you just want to peek at the building itself (or to visit the gift shop or café). But to see any of the items described below, you’ll have to buy a ticket. In addition to the permanent collections that I’ve described, the museum displays an impressive range of temporary exhibits—be sure to find out what’s on during your visit.
Cost and Hours: 110 kr; Tue-Sun 10:00-17:00, Wed until 22:00; closed Mon, ARoS Allé 2, tel. 87 30 66 00, www.aros.dk.
Cuisine Art: The lunch café on the museum’s ground floor serves 60-125-kr light meals, while the fancier restaurant on the top floor serves 190-kr lunch specials.
Visiting the Museum: After entering at the fourth-floor lobby, buy your ticket, pick up a museum floor plan, and walk two floors down the spiral staircase (to Floor 2) to find one of the museum’s prized pieces: the squatting sculpture called Boy (by Australian artist Ron Mueck)—15 feet high, yet astonishingly realistic, from the wrinkly skin on his elbows to the stitching on his shorts.
Next, head down to the lowest level. Here, amid black walls, artists from around the world (including Tony Oursler and James Turrell) exhibit their immersive works of light and sound in each of nine spaces (De 9 Rum). In this unique space, you’re plunged into the imagination of the artist.
Now ride the elevator all the way to the top floor (Floor 8), then climb up the stairs (or ride a different elevator) to the rooftop. Here you can enjoy the museum’s icon: Olafur Eliasson’s Your Rainbow Panorama, a 150-yard-long, 52-yard-diameter circular walkway enclosed in glass that gradually incorporates all the different colors of the spectrum. The piece provides 360-degree views over the city, while you’re immersed in mind-bending, highly saturated hues. (It’s “your” panorama because you are experiencing the colors.) It’s a striking contrast to the mostly dark and claustrophobic works you’ve just seen in the nine spaces down below—yet, like those, it’s all about playing with light. It’s also practical—from a distance, it can be used by locals throughout the city as a giant compass (provided they know which color corresponds with which direction).
Back on Floor 8, stroll through the manageable permanent collection of works from 1770 to 1930. Paintings dating from the Danish Golden Age (1800-1850) are evocative of the dewy-eyed Romanticism that swept Europe during that era: pastoral scenes of flat Danish countryside and seascapes, slices of peasant life, aristocratic portraits, “postcards” from travels to the Mediterranean world, and poignant scenes of departures and arrivals at Danish seaports. The Danish Modernist section, next, mostly feels derivative of big-name artists (you’ll see the Danish answers to Picasso, Matisse, Modigliani, and others).
Continue down the spiral staircase, past various temporary exhibits. On Floor 5, take a spin through the contemporary art gallery, featuring temporary art and multimedia installations. Like the rest of this museum, these high-concept, navel-gazing works are well-presented and very accessible.
“The Old Town” open-air folk museum has 75 half-timbered houses and craft shops. Unlike other Scandinavian open-air museums that focus on rural folk life, Den Gamle By is designed to give you the best possible look at Danish urban life in centuries past. A fine botanical garden is next door.
Cost and Hours: Because peak-season days offer more activities, the cost depends on the time of year: July-Aug 135 kr, mid-April-June and Sept-mid-Nov 110 kr; Jan-mid-April 60 kr; mid-Nov-Dec: special Christmas-themed events and prices. Open daily mid-April-Aug 10:00-17:00, until 18:00 in July-mid-Aug; shorter hours off-season; after hours, the buildings are locked, but the peaceful park is open. Tel. 86 12 31 88, www.dengamleby.dk.
Getting There: Stroll 20 minutes up the canal from downtown, or catch a bus from near the train station: Bus #3A departs directly across the street from the station, while others (#4A, #11, #15, and #19) depart across the street from the Town Hall, on Park Allé.
Eating: This is a perfect place to enjoy a picnic lunch (bring your own, or order a lunch packet at the reception desk by the ticket booth)—outdoor and indoor tables are scattered around the grounds. The only eatery in the park open year-round is the cheery indoor/outdoor Simonsens Have, an inviting cafeteria serving affordable light meals (35-kr sandwiches, three smørrebrød for 65 kr). In peak season, you’ll have many other options, including pølse and other snack stands, a café next to the ticket kiosk, and Wineke’s Cellar, an 18th-century public house serving beer, wine, and sandwiches (in the basement of the Mintmaster’s Mansion).
Visiting the Museum: At the ticket desk, pick up the free map of the grounds; also pick up the flier listing what’s on (and plan your time around those options). Though each building is described with a plaque, and there are maps throughout the park, the 50-kr guidebooklet is a worthwhile investment and a nice souvenir.
The grounds reward an adventurous spirit. They’re designed to be explored, so don’t be too shy to open doors or poke into seemingly abandoned courtyards—you may find a chatty docent inside, telling their story, answering questions, or demonstrating an old-timey handicraft. Follow sounds and smells to discover a whole world beyond the main streets.
The main part of the exhibit focuses on the 18th and 19th centuries. You’ll start by heading up Navnløs, then hanging a right at Vestergade (passing a row house and a flower garden with samples for sale) to the canal. Head straight over the bridge and hike up the cute street lined with market stalls, shops, and a bakery until you pop out on the main square, Torvet. The building on the left side of Torvet, the Mayor’s House (from 1597), contains a museum upstairs featuring home interiors from 1600 to 1850, including many with gorgeously painted walls. At the top of Torvet is the Mintmaster’s Mansion, the residence of a Copenhagen noble (from 1683). Enter around back to tour the boldly colorful, 18th-century Baroque rooms. Under the heavy timbers of the attic is an exhibit about the history of this restored building.
Continuing out the far end of Torvet on Søndergade, you enter the 20th century. The streets and shops here evoke the year 1927, including a hardware store and (down Havbogade) a brewery where you can often buy samples (in the courtyard behind). At the end of Søndergade (on the left) is the Legetoj toy museum, with two floors of long hallways crammed with nostalgic playthings.
Walking into the next zone, you come to a street scene from 1974, including a hi-fi record shop and the Udstillinger building, which houses the Danish Poster Museum (a delightful collection of retro posters) and the Gallery of Decorative Arts (porcelain, clocks, and silverware).
The area under construction on the right is where they are re-creating a harborfront area from the 1970s (due to be completed by 2017). Continue down along the construction zone, cross the canal, and turn right (back toward the entrance). You’ll pass idyllic pond scenery and the Simonsens Have cafeteria, before winding up at the bridge you crossed earlier.
Nazi occupiers used Aarhus’ police station as their Gestapo headquarters throughout World War II. It was the scene of tortures and executions. Today, it’s a fine exhibit telling the story of the resistance and what it was like to live here under Nazi rule. You’ll learn of heroic acts of sabotage, find out how guns were dropped out of British airplanes in the night, and see underground newspapers that kept occupied Danes connected and in the know. Sadly, much of the exhibit is without English descriptions (though free loaner English info sheets are available).
Cost and Hours: 30 kr; June-Aug Tue-Sun 11:00-16:00, closed Mon; Sept-May Sat-Sun and Tue 11:00-16:00, closed Mon and Wed-Fri; facing the cathedral, it’s around to the left, just off Cathedral Square at Mathilde Fibigers Have 2; tel. 86 18 42 77, www.besaettelsesmuseet.dk.
This museum, dedicated to prehistory and ethnography, is housed in a new, state-of-the art venue, south of Aarhus in the suburb of Højbjerg. Reopened in 2014, it juts dramatically from a hill, with grass growing on a sloping roof that visitors can walk on.
Cost and Hours: 110 kr; Tue-Sun 10:00-17:00, Wed until 21:00, closed Mon except in July-Sept, when it’s open 10:00-17:00; café, tel. 87 16 10 16, www.moesmus.dk.
Getting There: The museum is located outside Aarhus at Moesgård Allé 15 in Højbjerg, in a lush, wooded park sprawling down to the sea. It’s a pricey 200-kr taxi trip or easy 20-kr bus ride: Bus #18 leaves Aarhus from directly in front of the Town Hall on Park Allé (around the corner from the train station). On weekdays, the bus runs twice hourly during the museum’s opening times (1-2/hour on Sat, hourly on Sun, ride 20 minutes to end of line, covered by 20-kr bus ticket that includes zone 2). Once at the museum, carefully check what time the return bus departs (posted at the bus stop, or ask at the ticket desk).
Visiting the Museum: Divided into three main periods—the Bronze Age (1800 to 500 B.C.), Iron Age (500 B.C. to A.D. 800), and Viking Age (A.D. 700 to 1050), the prehistory section features lots of real artifacts (primitive tools and pottery, plenty of spearheads and arrowheads), all well-described in English, along with an impressive collection of rune stones.
But the highlight is the well-preserved body of an Iron Age man. Believing that the gods dwelled in the bogs, prehistoric people threw offerings (such as spearheads) into the thick peat. The peat did a remarkable job of preserving these artifacts, many of which are now on display in the museum. The prehistoric people also sacrificed humans to the bog gods—resulting in the incredibly intact Grauballe Man, the world’s best-preserved “bog-corpse.” Reclining in his stately glass tomb, the more than 2,000-year-old “bog man” looks like a fellow half his age. He still has his skin, nails, hair, and even the slit in his throat he got at the sacrificial banquet (back in 300 B.C.). Spend some time with this visitor from the past. The story of his discovery (in a Jutland peat bog in 1952) and conservation is also interesting.
The Grounds: The museum sits on the pleasant grounds of the Moesgård Manor; while the manor itself is closed to the public, its grounds are fun to explore. Behind the museum, a two-mile-long circular trail stretches down to a fine beach. This “Prehistoric Trackway” runs past a few model Viking buildings, including a 12th-century stave church.
The local Tivoli, about a mile south of the Aarhus train station, offers great fun for the family.
Cost and Hours: 90-110 kr for entry only, 200-220 kr includes rides; daily early July-early Aug 11:30-20:00, longer hours in late July, May-early July and early Aug-Sept weekends only and shorter hours, closed Oct-April except for special events; bus #16 from Park Allé near Town Hall, tel. 86 14 73 00, www.friheden.dk.
My recommendations include the following: two charming hotels with personality; two larger hotels facing the train station with rates that flex with demand; a stripped-down, functional, Motel 6-type place; and two backpacker/student-friendly hostels.
$$$ Villa Provence, named for owners Steen and Annette’s favorite vacation destination, is a petit taste of France in the center of Aarhus, and makes a very cozy and convenient home base. Its 40 fun-yet-tasteful rooms, decorated with antique furniture and old French movie posters, surround a quiet courtyard (the pub across the street can get noisy on weekends, so ask for a room facing away from the street). Prices vary depending on the size and elegance of the room (Sb-1,195-2,300 kr, Db-1,395-3,000 kr, Wi-Fi, parking-126 kr/day, 10-minute walk from station, near Åboulevarden at the end of Fredensgade, Fredens Torv 12, tel. 86 18 24 00, www.villaprovence.dk, hotel@villaprovence.dk).
$$$ Hotel Guldsmeden (“Dragonfly”) is a small, welcoming, and clean hotel with 27 rooms, fluffy comforters, a delightful stay-awhile garden, and a young, disarmingly friendly staff. A steep staircase takes you to the best rooms (Sb-1,250 kr, Db-1,395 kr), while the cheaper rooms (five rooms sharing two bathrooms) are in a ground-floor annex behind the garden (S-795 kr, D-995 kr; extra bed-300 kr, 10 percent off rooms with private bath with this book based on availability, Wi-Fi, 15-minute walk or 100-kr taxi from the station, in Aarhus’ quiet Latin Quarter at Guldsmedgade 40, tel. 86 13 45 50, www.guldsmedenhotels.com, aarhus@guldsmedenhotels.com).
$$$ Hotel Ritz, across the street from the station, offers 67 clean, bright rooms done in Art Deco style (Sb-795-1,095 kr, Db-1,045-1,145 kr, bigger “superior” Db-1,095-1,245 kr, lower rates are for weekends and July-Aug, elevator, Wi-Fi, Banegårdspladsen 12, tel. 86 13 44 44, www.hotelritz.dk, mail@hotelritz.dk).
$$$ The Mayor Hotel rents 160 sleek, well-furnished, business-class rooms 100 yards from the station (Sb-1,095 kr, Db-1,295 kr, lower rates on weekends and in off-season, check website for best deals, elevator, guest computer, Wi-Fi, free fitness room, parking-99 kr/day, Banegårdspladsen 14, tel. 87 32 01 00, www.themayor.dk, hotel@themayor.dk).
$$ Cab-Inn, overlooking the atmospheric Åboulevarden canal, is extremely practical. Rooms are minimalist yet comfy, and service is no-nonsense (Sb-495-545 kr, Db-625-805 kr, Tb-805 kr, Qb-935 kr, breakfast-70 kr, Wi-Fi, parking-80 kr/day—reserve ahead, rooms overlook boisterous canal or quieter courtyard, at Kannikegade 14 but main entrance on the canal at Åboulevarden 38, tel. 86 75 70 00, www.cabinn.dk, aarhus@cabinn.dk).
$ Danhostel Aarhus, an official HI hostel with six-bed dorms and plenty of two- and four-bed rooms, is near the water two miles out of town (dorm bed-250 kr, S/D-550 kr, Sb/Db-720 kr, lower prices off-season, 10 percent discount with membership card, sheets-45 kr, towels-10 kr, adult breakfast-64 kr, kids breakfast-32 kr, Wi-Fi, laundry, served by several buses from the train station—see website for details, Marienlundsvej 10, tel. 86 21 21 20, www.aarhus-danhostel.dk, info@aarhus-danhostel.dk).
$ City Sleep In, a creative independent hostel, has a shared kitchen, fun living and games room, laundry service, and lockers. It’s on a busy road facing the harbor (with thin windows—expect some street noise), a 15-minute hike from the station. It’s pretty grungy, but is the only centrally located budget option in town (180 kr/bunk in 4- to 6-bed dorms, D-450 kr, Db-500 kr, extra bed-130 kr, sheets-50 kr, towel-20 kr, organic breakfast-70 kr, elevator, guest computer, Wi-Fi, no curfew; reception open daily 8:00-11:00 & 16:00-21:00, Fri-Sat until 23:00; Havnegade 20, tel. 86 19 20 55, www.citysleep-in.dk, sleep-in@citysleep-in.dk).
Affluent Aarhus has plenty of great little restaurants. All of these are in the old town, within a few minutes’ stroll from the cathedral.
The streets of the Latin Quarter are teeming with hardworking and popular eateries. The street called Mejlgade, along the eastern edge of downtown, has a smattering of youthful, trendy restaurants that are just far enough off the tourist trail to feel local.
Lecoq is a pricey favorite. Chef/owner Troels Thomsen and his youthful gang (proud alums from a prestigious Danish cooking school) serve up a fresh twist on traditional French cuisine in a single Paris-pleasant yet unassuming 10-table room. They pride themselves on their finely crafted presentation. Reservations are smart (245-300-kr three-course meals, 200-250-kr main courses, 85-135-kr starters, daily 11:30-15:00 & 17:30-21:30, Graven 16, tel. 86 19 50 74, www.cafe-lecoq.dk).
Den Rustikke is a French-style brasserie offering affordable, mostly French dishes, either in the rollicking interior or outside, under a cozy colonnade (45-85-kr lunches, 185-215-kr three-course dinners, daily 12:00-15:00 & 17:00-late, Mejlgade 20, tel. 86 12 00 95).
Pilhkjær is a bit more sedate, filling a cellar with elegantly casual atmosphere. The menu, which changes daily and can include fish, meat, or vegetarian offerings, is available only as a full-course meal—there’s no ordering à la carte (260-275-kr two-course meal, 300-kr three-course meal; Tue-Thu 17:30-22:30, Fri-Sat 17:30-23:30, closed Sun-Mon; at the end of a long courtyard at Mejlgade 28, tel. 86 18 23 30, www.pihlkjaer-restaurant.dk).
Cheap Eats: Jacob’s Pita Bar is a popular spot for pita sandwiches that are a cut above the average shawarma. Choose from grilled beef, chicken, lamb, ground beef, or turkey and melted cheese, plus your choice of a wide selection of sauces. These sandwiches are great for an inexpensive, quick meal: Sit at the counter, or get your order to go and find a spot to sit on the nearby square, along the canal, or Møllerparken (46-kr pita sandwiches, “menu” with fries and a drink-78 kr, daily 11:00-21:00, later on Fri-Sat, Vestergade 3, tel. 87 32 24 20). The pita bar is part of the adjacent, decent but overpriced steak house, Jacob’s BarBQ (nightly until the wee hours).
Sushi: A few short blocks farther from the action (past the Church of Our Lady), Sota is a local favorite for sushi. This split-level sushi bar, in a half-timbered old house, is a sleek Tokyo-Scandinavian hybrid (80-100-kr rolls, 120-200-kr combo meals, pricier splurges available, Mon-Sat 12:00-22:00, Fri-Sat until 23:00, Sun 16:00-22:00, Vestergade 47, tel. 86 47 47 88).
Carlton Brasserie, facing a pretty square, is a solid bet for good Danish and international food in classy (verging on stuffy) surroundings. The restaurant has tables on the square, with more formal seating in back (inviting menu, 115-235-kr plates, 320-kr formal three-course dinner, Mon-Sat from 12:00, closed Sun, Rosensgade 23, tel. 86 20 21 22).
The canal running through town is lined with trendy eateries—all overpriced unless you value making the scene with the locals (and all open daily until late). They have indoor and canalside seating with heaters and blankets, so diners can eat outdoors even when it’s cold. Before settling in, cruise the entire strip, giving special consideration to Cross Café (with red awnings, right at main bridge) and Ziggy, both of which are popular for salads, sandwiches, burgers, and drinks; and Grappa, a classy Italian place with 135-kr pastas and pizzas, as well as pricier plates. Several places along here serve basic 40-60-kr breakfast buffets, which are popular with students for brunch.
These places, while a bit past their prime and touristy, are convenient and central.
A Hereford Beefstouw, in the St. Clement’s Brewery building facing the cathedral, is a bright, convivial, fun-loving, and woody land of happy eaters and drinkers. Choose from a hearty menu and eat amid shiny copper beer vats. If you’re dropping by for a brew, they have enticing 15-35-kr beer snacks and little spicy ølpølse sausages (100-120-kr lunch and light meals; 185-385-kr hearty dinners such as steak, ribs, burgers, and fish; Mon-Sat 12:00-22:00, Sun 17:30-21:30, Kannikegade 10, tel. 86 13 53 25, www.beefstouw.com/aarhus).
Teater Bodega is the venerable best bet for traditional Danish—where local men go for “food their wives won’t cook.” While a bit tired and old-fashioned for Aarhus’ trendy young student population, it’s a sentimental favorite for old-timers. Facing the theater and cathedral, it’s dressy and draped in theater memorabilia (130-270-kr main courses, 65-125-kr open-face sandwiches at lunch only, Mon-Sat 11:30-21:30, closed Sun, Skolegade 7, tel. 86 12 19 17, www.teaterbodega.dk).
From Aarhus by Train to: Odense (2/hour, 1.5 hours), Copenhagen (2/hour, 3 hours), Ærøskøbing (6-7/day, transfer to ferry in Svendborg, allow 4 hours total), Billund/Legoland (3/hour; 45-minute train to Vejle, then transfer to bus; allow 2 hours total), Hamburg, Germany (2 direct/day, more with transfers, 5 hours).
You can take the train from Aarhus to Hirtshals, where you can catch the ferry to Norway. Trains depart Aarhus hourly and take about 2.5 hours (to meet the Color Line ferry, transfer at Hjørring and continue to Hirtshals Havn; note that rail passes don’t cover the Hjørring-Hirtshals train—www.rejseplanen.com—but do give a 50 percent discount; buy your ticket in Hjørring or on board).
Only a dozen or so ships a season (mostly Princess ships) choose to stop in Aarhus (mostly to break up the long sail from Oslo to Warnemünde in Germany). Though the pier is buried in an industrial-container wasteland, passengers are often greeted by a high school marching band. For security reasons, you aren’t allowed to walk into town on your own—instead, a free and easy shuttle bus zips you to a welcome tent with a TI, services including currency exchange and possibly bike rental, and Danish handicrafts for sale. From there, red dots lead you on a five-minute walk into the town center (set your sights on the slender green cathedral spire). Use the big smokestacks (along with the red dots) as landmarks—when it’s time to return to your ship, they’ll help you find your way back to the shuttle bus, stress free.
From the Ferry Dock at Hirtshals to Jutland Destinations: From the dock in Hirtshals, drive south (signs to Hjørring, Ålborg). It’s about 2.5 hours to Aarhus. (To skip Aarhus, skirt the center and follow E-45 south.) To get to downtown Aarhus, follow signs to the center, then Domkirke. Park in the pay lot across from the cathedral. Signs all over town direct you to Den Gamle By open-air folk museum. From Aarhus, it’s 60 miles to Billund/Legoland (go south on Skanderborg Road and get on E-45; follow signs to Vejle, Kolding). For Jelling, take the Vejle N exit and follow signs to Vejle, then veer right on the ring road (following signs to Skovgade), then follow Route 442 north. For Legoland, take the Vejle S exit for Billund (after Vejle N—it’s the first exit after the dramatic Vejlefjord bridge).
Legoland is Scandinavia’s top kids’ sight. If you have a child (or are a child at heart), it’s a fun stop. This huge park is a happy combination of rides, restaurants, trees, smiles, and 33 million Lego bricks creatively arranged into such wonders as Mount Rushmore, the Parthenon, “Mad” King Ludwig’s castle, and the Statue of Liberty. It’s a Lego world here, as everything is cleverly related to this popular toy. If your time in Denmark is short, or if your family has already visited a similar Legoland park in California, England, or Germany, consider skipping the trip. But if you’re in the neighborhood, a visit to the mothership of all things Lego will be a hit with kids ages two through the pre-teens.
Legoland, located in the town of Billund, is easiest to visit by car, but doable by public transportation. The nearest train station to Billund is Vejle. Trains arrive at Vejle from Copenhagen (2/hour, 2-2.5 hours), Odense (2/hour, 50 minutes), and Aarhus (3/hour, 45 minutes). At Vejle, catch the bus (generally #43, #143, #166, or #179) to travel the remaining 25 miles to Billund (30-45 minutes). For train and bus details, see www.rejseplanen.dk.
Cost: 309 kr for adults, 289 kr for kids ages 3-12 and those over 65. Legoland generally doesn’t charge in the evening (free after 19:30 in July and late Aug, otherwise after 17:30).
Hours: Generally April-Oct daily 10:00-18:00, later on weekends and for much of July-Aug, closed Nov-March and Wed-Thu in Sept-mid-Oct. Activities close an hour before the park, but it’s basically the same place after dinner as during the day, with fewer tour groups. Confirm exact hours before heading out (tel. 75 33 13 33, www.legoland.dk).
Crowd-Beating Tips: Legoland is crowded during the Danish summer school vacation, from early July through mid-August. To bypass the ticket line, purchase tickets in advance (simply scan them at the entry turnstile). Advance tickets, often available at a discount, are sold online at www.legoland.dk (reduced-price family tickets also available), and at many Danish locations (at stores, hotels, and TIs), including the Dagli’ Brugsen store in Vandel, just west of Billund.
Money-Saving Deals: If a one-day visit is not enough, you can pay an extra 99 kr (once at the park) to cover the following day’s admission. If you hate waiting in lines, consider shelling out for the Express Pass add-on, which allows holders to skip to the front of the (often long) lines for up to 10 rides. The cost is based on the user’s height—99 kr for kids 100-119 cm tall (3'3"-3'11"), and 179 kr for those 120 cm (3'11") and taller.
Eating: Surprisingly, the park’s restaurants don’t serve Lego-lamb, but there are plenty of other food choices. Prices are high, so consider bringing a picnic to enjoy at one of the several spots set aside for bring-it-yourselfers.
Lego began in 1932 in the workshop of a local carpenter who named his wooden toys after the Danish phrase leg godt (“play well”). In 1949, the company started making the plastic interlocking building bricks for which they are world famous. Since then, Lego has continued to expand its lineup and now produces everything from Ninjago ninja warriors to motorized models, Clikits jewelry, board games, video games—many based on popular movies (Lego Star Wars, Lego Harry Potter, etc.)—making kids drool in languages all around the world. The Lego Movie, an animated feature, was one of the top-grossing films of 2014. According to the company, each person on this planet has, on average, 62 Lego blocks.
Legoland is divided into eight different “worlds” with fun themes such as Adventure Land, Pirate Land, and Knight’s Kingdom. Pick up a brochure at the entrance and make a plan using the colorful 3-D map. You can see it all in a day, but you’ll be exhausted. The Legoredo section (filled with Wild West clichés Europeans will enjoy more than Americans) merits just a quick look, though your five-year-old might enjoy roasting a biscuit-on-a-stick around the fire with a tall, blond park employee wearing a Native American headdress.
A highlight for young and old alike is Miniland (near the entrance), where landscaped gardens are filled with carefully constructed Lego landscapes and cityscapes. Anyone who has ever picked up a Lego block will marvel at seeing representations of the world’s famous sights, including Danish monuments, Dutch windmills, German castles, and an amazing version of the Norwegian harbor of Bergen. Children joyfully watch as tiny Lego boats ply the waters and Lego trains chug merrily along the tracks. Nearby, kids can go on mellow rides in child-size cars, trains, and boats. A highlight of Miniland is the Traffic School, where young drivers (ages 7-13) learn the rules of the road and get a souvenir license. (If interested in this popular attraction, make a reservation upon arrival.)
More rides are scattered throughout the park. While the rides aren’t thrilling by Disneyland standards, most kids will find something to enjoy (parents should check the brochure for strictly enforced height restrictions). The Falck Fire Brigade ride in Lego City invites family participation as you team up to put out a (fake) fire. The Temple is an Indiana Jones-esque Egyptian-themed treasure hunt/shoot-’em-up, and the Dragon roller coaster takes you in and around a medieval castle. Note that on a few rides (including the Pirate Splash Battle), you’ll definitely get wet. Special walk-in, human-sized dryers help you warm up and dry off.
The indoor museum features company history, high-tech Lego creations, a great doll collection, and a toy exhibit full of mechanical wonders from the early 1900s, many ready to jump into action with the push of a button. A Lego playroom encourages hands-on fun, and a campground is across the street if your kids refuse to move on.
Nearby: Those looking for water fun with a tropical theme can check out the Aquadome (one of Europe’s largest water parks), located outside Legoland in Billund at the family resort of Lalandia (www.lalandia.dk).
$$$ Legoland Hotel adjoins Legoland (Sb-1,600 kr, Db-2,500 kr, special family deals: 3,000 kr for room big enough for 2 adults and 2 kids, some room prices include 2-day admission to park, prices slightly lower Sept-May or for 2 or more nights, Wi-Fi, tel. 75 33 12 44, www.hotellegoland.dk, hotel@legoland.dk).
$$$ Hotel Svanen is close by, in Billund (standard Sb-1,095 kr, standard Db-1,195 kr, fancier rooms cost more, extra child’s bed-200 kr, Wi-Fi, Nordmarksvej 8, tel. 75 33 28 33, www.hotelsvanen.dk, billund@hotelsvanen.dk).
$$ Legoland Village is a family hostel-type place offering inexpensive rooms that sleep one to five people (Db-720-1,100 kr, Tb-730-1,100 kr, Qb-1,200-1,600 kr, Quint/b-860-1,265 kr, higher prices are for mid-May-late Sept, sheets and towels extra, Ellehammers Allé 2, tel. 75 33 27 77, www.legoland-village.dk, info@legoland-village.dk).
Private Rooms: Private rooms are key to a budget visit here. In a forest just outside of Billund, Erik and Mary Sort run $ Gregersminde, with a great setup: six double rooms, plus a cottage that sleeps up to six people. Their guests enjoy a huge living room, a kitchen, lots of Lego toys, and a kid-friendly yard (S-210-400 kr, Sb-270-450 kr, D-330-450 kr, Db-390-550 kr, cottage-670-850 kr—towels and sheets extra, higher prices are for June-Sept, breakfast-50-60 kr, cash only, 10 percent cheaper for 2 nights or more, Wi-Fi, rental bikes-25 kr, cash only, leave Billund on Grindsted Road, turn right on Stilbjergvej, go a half-mile to Stilbjergvej 4B, tel. 61 27 33 23, www.gregersminde.dk, info@gregersminde.dk).
On your way to or from Legoland, consider a short side-trip to the tiny village of Jelling (pronounced “YELL-ing”), a place of immense importance in Danish history. Here you’ll find two rune stones, set next to a 900-year-old church that’s flanked by two enormous, man-made burial mounds. The two stones are often called “Denmark’s birth certificate”—the first written record of Denmark’s status as a nation-state. An excellent (and free) museum lies just across the street.
Two hours is ample for a visit. If pressed for time, an hour is enough to see the stones and take a quick look at the museum. Note that the museum is closed on Monday.
Jelling is too small for a TI, but the museum staff can answer most questions. If you’re here around lunchtime, Jelling is a great spot for a picnic. There are several central eateries and a café and WC inside the museum, and another WC in the parking lot near the North Mound.
Getting There: Drivers can easily find Jelling, just 10 minutes off the main Vejle-Billund road. Train travelers coming from Copenhagen or Aarhus must change in Vejle, which is connected to Jelling by hourly trains (direction: Herning) and bus #211.
Denmark is proud of being Europe’s oldest monarchy and of the fact that Queen Margrethe II, the country’s current ruler, can trace her lineage back 1,300 years to Jelling. This short, self-guided walk explores this sacred place.
• Begin your visit at the...
Kongernes Jelling Museum: Inside this modern, light-filled building you’ll find informative exhibits, historical models of the area, and replicas of the rune stones. Kids will love the room in the back on the ground level where they can write their name in the runic alphabet—and the gift shop bristling with wooden swords and Viking garb (free, June-Aug Tue-Sun 10:00-17:00, Sept-May Tue-Sun 12:00-16:00, closed between Christmas and New Year’s and on Mon year-round, café, tel. 75 87 23 50, http://natmus.dk/kongernes-jelling).
• Cross the street and walk through the graveyard to examine the actual...
Rune Stones: The stones stand just south of the church. The modern bronze-and-glass structure is designed to protect the stones from the elements while allowing easy viewing.
The smaller stone was erected by King Gorm the Old (a.k.a. Gorm the Sleepy), who ruled Denmark for 40 years in the ninth century. You probably don’t read runic so I’ll translate: “King Gorm made this monument in memory of Thyra, his wife, Denmark’s salvation.” These are the oldest recorded words of a Danish king, and the first time that the name Denmark is used to describe a country and not just the region.
The larger stone was erected by Gorm’s son, Harald Bluetooth, to honor his parents, commemorate the conquering of Denmark and Norway, and mark the conversion of the Danes to Christianity. (Today’s Bluetooth wireless technology takes its name from Harald, who created the decidedly nonwireless connection between the Danish and Norwegian peoples.)
Harald was a shrewd politician who had practical reasons for being baptized. He knew that if he declared Denmark to be a Christian land, he could save it from possible attack by the predatory German bishops to the south. The inscription reads: “King Harald ordered this monument made in memory of Gorm, his father, and in memory of Thyra, his mother; that Harald who won for himself all of Denmark and Norway and made the Danes Christian.”
This large stone has three sides. One side reveals an image of Jesus and a cross, while the other has a serpent wrapped around a lion. This is important imagery that speaks to the transition from Nordic paganism to Christianity. These designs carved into the rock were once brightly painted.
• Go around the back of the church and climb the steps to the 35-foot-high, grass-covered...
North Mound: According to tradition, Gorm was buried in a chamber inside this mound, with his queen Thyra interred in the smaller mound to the south. But excavations in the 1940s turned up no royal remains in either mound. (In the 1970s, what is believed to be Gorm’s body was discovered below the church.) Scan the horizon and mentally remove the trees. Imagine the commanding view this site had in the past. Look north to stones that trace the outline of a ship. Below you lies a graveyard with typically Danish well-manicured plots.
• Now descend the stairs to the...
Church: Within the sparse interior, note the ship model hanging from the ceiling, a holdover from a pre-Christian tradition seeking a safe journey for ship and crew. The church, which dates from around 1100, is decorated with restored frescoes. A zigzag motif is repeated in the modern windows and the inlaid floor. The metal “Z” in the floor marks the spot where Gorm’s body lies.
If you’re connecting the Billund and Jelling area with Aarhus, consider this slower but more scenic route north through the idyllic Danish Lake District. (With less time, return to Vejle and take the E-45 motorway.)
Himmelbjerget, best seen by car, lies in the middle of Jutland near the town of Silkeborg. Both are about an hour northeast of Billund (22 miles west of Aarhus). Silkeborg is accessible by train from Aarhus with a change in Skanderborg.
Denmark’s landscape is vertically challenged when compared to its mountainous neighbors Norway and Sweden. If you have a hankering to ascend to one of the country’s highest points, consider a visit to the 482-foot-tall Himmelbjerget, which translates loftily as “The Heaven Mountain.” That may be overstating it, but by Danish standards the view’s not bad. One can literally drive to the top, where a short trail leads to an 80-foot-tall brick tower. Climb the tower (small admission fee, April-Oct daily 10:00-17:00, longer hours July-mid-Sept) for a commanding view. Clouds roll by above a patchwork of green and gold fields while boats ply the blue waters of the lake below. You may see the vintage paddle steamers make the hour-long trip between Himmelbjerget and Silkeborg in season (the dock is accessed by a short hike from the tower down to the lake).
Silkeborg, in the center of the Danish Lake District, has an excellent freshwater aquarium/exhibit/nature park called AQUA that’s worth a visit, especially if you’re traveling with kids (adults-140 kr, kids ages 3-11-75 kr, free for kids 2 and under; Mon-Fri 10:00-16:00, Sat-Sun 10:00-17:00, longer hours in summer, closed most of Dec; tel. 89 21 21 89, www.visitaqua.dk). Also in Silkeborg, modern-art lovers will enjoy the Museum Jorn Silkeborg, featuring colorful abstract works by Asger Jorn—a prominent member of the 1960s’ COBRA movement—plus other Danish and foreign art (80 kr, free for kids 17 and under, April-Oct Tue-Sun 10:00-17:00, closed Mon, shorter hours off-season, tel. 86 82 53 88, www.museumjorn.dk).
A Viking port 1,000 years ago, Ribe, located about 30 miles southwest of Billund, is the oldest, and possibly the loveliest, town in Denmark. It’s an entertaining mix of cobbled lanes and leaning medieval houses, with a fine cathedral boasting modern paintings under Romanesque arches (free entry, tower-10 kr). The TI is on the main square (Torvet 3, tel. 75 42 15 00, www.visitribe.dk). $ Weis Stue, a smoky, low-ceilinged, atmospheric inn across from the church, rents primitive rooms and serves good meals (S-395 kr, D-495 kr, no breakfast, tel. 75 42 07 00, www.weis-stue.dk). Take the free Night Watchman tour (daily May-mid-Oct at 22:00, additional tour at 20:00 June-Aug).