By rail
Aarhus station, ~3 h from Copenhagen
Europe · Denmark
Aarhus, Denmark
Art and a rainbow walkway
Getting there
By air
Aarhus (AAR), ~40 km
Best time to visit
May to September — summer
Don't miss
ARoS
Den Gamle By
The Moesgaard Museum
Aarhus Cathedral
Things to do
ARoS and its rainbow panorama
Den Gamle By
The Latin Quarter
Where to eat
Sources: Photo: SmartDrones Aarhus · CC0
What to pack
Layers
A quieter corner
The Infinite Bridge by the sea
Questions travellers ask
How do I get to Aarhus from Copenhagen?
The train to Aarhus station takes about 3 h. If you fly, Aarhus airport (AAR) is about 40 km out.
What are the highlights of Aarhus?
ARoS and its rainbow panorama, Den Gamle By, the Moesgaard Museum and Aarhus Cathedral. Then wander the Latin Quarter.
When is a good time to visit Aarhus?
Any time from May to September, in the summer. Bring layers.
Is there a quiet spot by the water in Aarhus?
The Infinite Bridge, by the sea. Afterwards, try smørrebrød or some new Nordic cooking.
About Aarhus
- Coastal
Where it is
Aarhus is Denmark's second-largest city, on the east coast of the Jutland peninsula, where the Aarhus river meets the Bay of Aarhus, with beech woods along the shore to the south.
History
Aarhus was founded in the late 8th century as a harbour settlement at the mouth of the river, and its name comes from Old Norse words meaning river mouth. It was a bishop's seat by the 10th century, grew with trade and the railway in the 19th century, gained Jutland's first university in 1928, and was a European Capital of Culture in 2017.
People
Aarhus's people speak Danish, and with its universities and many students it has one of the youngest populations in Denmark. The Aarhus Festuge festival each late summer and a busy music scene are highlights of the cultural year.
Known for
- ARoS and its rainbow panorama walkway
- Den Gamle By open-air museum
- The Moesgaard Museum
- The Latin Quarter
- Aarhus Cathedral
Did you know?
The Grauballe Man, one of the best-preserved Iron Age bog bodies ever found, was discovered in a peat bog in 1952 and is displayed at the Moesgaard Museum.
We haven't written a guide for this place yet — you can still plan a trip here.