Aarhus, Denmark cruises
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 center, 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, cafés, and a myriad of entertainment venues. It’s no wonder this tiny gem was crowned European Capital of Culture in 2017.
Strolling the atmospheric cobbled streets of the Latin Quarter takes you past a charming collection of well-preserved half-timber buildings, many of which have been converted into art shops, galleries, and cafés. In the unique open-air Den Gamle By museum, you can get a taste of life in Denmark hundreds of years ago.
The city’s beautiful cathedral, Aarhus Domkirke, is Denmark’s longest and tallest church and home to a collection of exquisite century-old frescoes. While the marble-clad walls of the modern, functionalistic Aarhus City Hall hide a magnificent interior and illustrate Danish architecture at its best.
With redevelopment and repurposing bringing life to past glories, you’ll find hidden bars, urban gardens, and leafy promenades abounding. Marvel at cutting-edge structures, like the Iceberg building, the turf-roofed Moesgaard Museum and the colorful spectacle of the Your Rainbow Panorama walkway at the Museum of Modern Art – where you’ll view breathtaking panoramas across the city through rainbow-colored glass, 160 feet above the streets.
The city is surrounded by gorgeous landscapes filled with dense woods and sandy beaches to explore. Nearby, you’ll find the original Legoland, which is always a hit with children and the young at heart.