Aarhus, Denmark cruises
Aarhus port guide
Founded by Vikings over 1,300 years ago, vibrant Aarhus is often affectionately referred to as the world’s smallest big city. It’s compact with a walkable city centre, yet this friendly, welcoming city holds a treasure trove of delights to discover.
Although often over-shadowed by her larger sister city Copenhagen, Aarhus is fast gaining the recognition it deserves. As Denmark’s arts and culture hub, it’s brimming with museums, parks, cafes, and entertainment venues.
Top landmarks and sights in Aarhus
Aarhus combines the best of charming traditional buildings with more striking, contemporary feats of architecture. The city’s beautiful cathedral, Aarhus Domkirke, is Denmark’s longest and tallest church. Its construction began back in the 12th century, and today the building is home to a collection of exquisite century-old frescoes.
The marble-clad walls of the modern, functionalistic Aarhus City Hall, or Aarhus Rudhus, meanwhile, hide a magnificent interior and illustrate Danish architecture at its best. Other cutting-edge structures include the Iceberg building, the turf-roofed Moesgaard Museum, and the colourful spectacle of the Your Rainbow Panorama walkway at the Museum of Modern Art. From here you’ll see breath-taking panoramas across the city through rainbow-coloured glass, 160 feet above the streets.
Wander through Den Gamle By, the unique open-air museum, where you can enjoy a taste of life in Denmark throughout the years. See more than 75 picturesque timbered houses that have been relocated from all over the country, as well as shops, a pharmacy, a school, a post office, and a jazz bar, all making it easy to picture locals living in a bygone era.
Things to do in Aarhus
Time spent in Aarhus can be as tranquil or as active as you like. With redevelopment and repurposing bringing life to past glories, you’ll find hidden bars, urban gardens, and leafy promenades abounding.
Strolling the atmospheric cobbled streets of the Latin Quarter, or Latinerkvarteret, takes you past a charming collection of well-preserved half-timber buildings – many of which have been converted into art ships, galleries, and cafes. It’s easy to spend a few hours or an afternoon here people-watching over a tasty Danish pastry and a cup of coffee.
Should you prefer to venture further out, Aarhus is surrounded by postcard-perfect landscapes filled with dense woods and sandy beaches that await your exploration. Get closer to nature on a gentle walk or hike, or perhaps take time out to simply sit and enjoy the views.
For a day with a slightly faster pace, the original Legoland is just over an hour’s drive away from Aarhus. Always a hit with children and the young at heart, discover a world of fun as well as a glimpse into the history of LEGO, which was founded here in the 1930s.
Eating and drinking in Aarhus
Aarhus offers a broad selection of cuisine, including international favourites as well as Nordic dishes. You’ll find everything from complex plates at high-end Michelin-starred restaurants to simple dishes at the street-food market. Find opportunities to try authentic Danish meals including roast pork sandwiches and dumplings in curry sauce, perhaps finishing it off with a delicious, crisp local beer.
Danish dishes comprise a wonderful blend of hearty substance and delicate layers of flavour. Many eateries showcase local and seasonal produce, such as lingonberries, pickled roots, cod with cabbage, cured herring, and fermented gooseberries. Not forgetting smørrebrod, a traditional open sandwich that’s usually made with dark rye bread smothered with all kinds of toppings.
Shopping in Aarhus
Enjoy a wonderful variety of shopping opportunities in Aarhus, whether you’re looking for eye-catching Danish furniture, local handicrafts and trinkets, or simply to browse some mainstream stores.
Each unique city quarter has its own offering. Pop into designer clothing boutiques on the Latin Quarter’s cobblestone streets, choose from stunning collections of handmade jewellery and ceramics in Frederiksbjerg, and explore well-known brands in Strøget.
Bazar Vest in Aarhus brings a chance to discover more about local life, as you wander along lanes filled to the brim with stalls selling colourful, local produce as well as imported goods. It’s truly a haven of tempting scents, bright colours, spices, and cultures.
Getting around: Aarhus transport
Depending on how long you’ll be in port, it might be worth getting an AarhusCARD. These are available to purchase for 24 hours, 48 hours, 72 hours, or 120 hours, and can be used on public transport throughout the Central Denmark Region, including buses and the Aarhus Letbane light rail system. It’s also possible to buy single tickets to use public transport, and taxis are readily available.
Aarhus port facilities
The Aarhus cruise port offers several helpful facilities. These include a tourist information desk which has maps, leaflets, plus staff prepared to give advice to visitors. There is also Wi-Fi, a small souvenir stall, and toilets. The port is around 1km from the city centre, which is roughly a 10-minute walk.
Top tips for Aarhus
Currency
The currency used throughout Denmark is the Danish krone (DKK), and ATMs can be found throughout the city. Most well-established shops, cafes, and restaurants accept card payments however it can be useful to carry cash if you’ll be going to small food stalls or markets.
Tipping
Tipping is not compulsory, or even expected, in Denmark however some people choose to round up their bill if they feel the service was especially good in cafes, restaurants, or taxis.
Weather
The weather in Aarhus can be quite changeable. The winter months of November to March usually see temperatures of between 2 and 5 degrees Celsius, and the warmest month is usually August, when temperatures reach 17 degrees Celsius. It’s known to be overcast quite often, with rain or drizzle seen frequently.