Last September I visited Denmark for the very first time. No, I did not go to Copenhagen, but instead visited another vibrant city in the northeast. And since my cousin lives here I had the best guide to show me around. Here’s a small city guide to Denmark’s second largest city, Aarhus.
Aarhus’ old town
I’d recommend going to Den Gamle By if you’re looking for some authentic Danish vibes. It translates to ‘the old town’ and represents life in Denmark before the 1900s up until the 1970s. With actors walking around the town and shops selling vintage goodies, you might just think you travelled back in time.
Department store secrets
When walking through the main shopping street, don’t forget to look up once in a while, since a hidden gem can be found on top of the Salling department store. There’s a 360° rooftop terrace overlooking the city with a viewpoint made out of glass. An amazing spot for pictures, when you’re not afraid of heights that is, obviously.
Pit stop at Aarhus Streetfood
You’re gonna get hungry when discovering this vibrant city, so Aarhus Streetfood is your go-to place! Tastes of the world are being brought together at this market, which makes it the perfect place to try out something new or to just stick to what you love.
All about art in ARoS
One of the most popular things to do in Aarhus and definitely worth a visit is ARoS. This museum displays a different exhibition on every floor and gives off major Guggenheim vibes through its inside architecture. But the absolute highlight of ARoS is the rainbow skywalk on the top floor which gives you a colourful view over the city of Aarhus.
Waterside architecture
Since Aarhus is located at Denmark’s eastcoast, water makes off an important part of this city. There’s some newly developed areas around the water that provide you with some architectural masterpieces. Standing out is the so-called Iceberg project, a series of apartment buildings shaped like icebergs, hence its name.
Hygge in the city
Hygge is the Danish word for everything cosy and covers a wide range of things. Lots of small shops, flowers sold at almost every corner or just drinking a coffee inside, Aarhus has hygge written all over. And I think that might just be my absolute favorite thing about it.
As you can probably tell, I absolutely loved my stay in Aarhus and would definitely recommend stopping by this city when visiting Denmark. If you want to soak up some more Aarhus vibes, check out the TikTok I made!
ELLE. 