Aarhus

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Århus, (pronounced: Oar-Hus) is the main city on the Jutland peninsula in Denmark. With a population of just over 300,000 people (1,200,000 East Jutland metropolitan area) it also holds the title of Denmark's second largest city.

City Hall
City Hall

[edit] Understand

Århus offers an elegant mix of cosmopolitan city and quaint small town charm, with wonderful pubs, restaurants and romantic places. The average age of its inhabitants is among the lowest in Europe. This is mainly because of the large student population.

The tourist office is located just to the left of the main train station. It's called "Visit Aarhus"[1].

Some interesting facts:

  • There are many plans of skyscrapers in Århus, including the future tallest building in Denmark (Lighthouse -142 meters).
  • Århus is part of the East Jutland Metropolitan area, which has the by far fastest growing population in Denmark.
  • Århus has a big, well known cultural festival week, called "Århus Festuge" (Aarhus Festival) [[2]]

[edit] Talk

The Danes are reserved towards strangers, but friendly towards tourists, and will normally be happy to give you directions and advice in fluent English.

[edit] Get in

[edit] By train

Trains run 1-2 times an hour from Copenhagen (København) to Aarhus and takes about three hours. Adult fare is DKK 311 or 42€. Discounts are available for persons 25 years old or younger (if buying a WildCard at the expense of 180 DKK) or older than 65 years. Also, discounts can be obtained by buying Orange Tickets some weeks in advance. Details on DSB's homepage[3], which typically for DSB's level of service is only available in Danish.

It is also possible to catch a train to any other part of the Jutland peninsula, or occasionally to Hamburg, though connections are usually bad.

Tickets used in trains are also usable in buses, and if you are travelling from Copenhagen, you can use your ticket for the rest of the day to get around Århus at no extra expense.

[edit] By bus

Abildskou [4] operates buses from Copenhagen (Valby Station), Copenhagen Airport, Hamburg Airport and Berlin.

Eurolines [5] operates buses to Hamburg, from where you can continue to any other european city.

[edit] By boat

Mols Linien [6] operates ferries to Odden and Kalundborg

[edit] By plane

Aarhus Airport, Tirstrup[7] is approx. 45 minutes bus-ride away. Airport buses[8] arrive and leave from Banegårdspladsen in front of the railway station, a one-way ticket costs 90 DKK. Tickets are sold on the bus. Accepted currencies are; Norwegian Crowns, US Dollars, Pounds and Euro. Major Credit Cards are also accepted.

Billund Airport[9], with many flight connections, is approx. 90 minutes bus-ride away. Airport buses arrive and leave from Radisson SAS Hotel, a one-way ticket costs 180 DKK. Tickets are sold on the bus. Accepted currencies are; Danish Crowns and Euro. Credit Cards are not accepted.

[edit] Get around

The entire city is clean and well organized, making walking an excellent and enjoyable way to get around.

Rent a bike in Bikes4Rent or use the City Bikes, inserting DKK 20, that you get back, when leaving the bike in another "bike station" (summer only).

You can buy a cheap Aarhus Pass[10] which covers all bus transport and all the museums.

Bus tickets for travel within the city limits (Århus Kommune limits) are 18 DKK, 9 DKK if you are under 16 years of age.[11]

Tickets are also available in 10-trip tickets, that vary in price depending on how far you want to go (115 DKK - 560 DKK (115 - 210 within Århus Limits), cheaper cards are also available for under 16 year olds).

Finally there are tickets that allow you to ride all you want for 30 days, again prices vary depending on how far you want to go.

[edit][add listing] See

Store Torv
Store Torv
Den Gamle By
Den Gamle By
  • Den Gamle By (The Old Town) [12] Collection of 75 original Danish buildings dating from 1597 to 1909 moved to create an open-air museum village; there are shops and restaurants, some true to the period.
  • Aarhus Cathedral [13] The beautiful cathedral is over 800 years old, and the longest in Denmark. Next to it, Aarhus Cathedral School is situated, also over 800 years old and the oldest still existing high-school in the world.
  • Vor Frue Kirke [14] Church with an interesting crypt church in the basement, built about 1060. It is one of the oldest still existing stone churches in Scandinavia, maybe the oldest.
  • ARoS Aarhus Art Museum[15] One of Denmark’s largest museums, be sure to check out the '9 Spaces', a maze of black-walled galleries.
  • Anyone who appreciates seeing European architecture will find many points of interest in the city, not least the Concert Hall ("Musikhuset" from 1982 by Johan Richter), which is located next door to the new art museum ARoS.
  • The Town Hall by the famous architect Arne Jacobsen is one of the highlights of Danish architecture. Don't miss the Grisebrønden statue (the well of the pigs) with the drooling and peeing pigs, located in the Town Hall Square.
  • The University Park by C.F.Møller, Kaj Fisker,(buildings) and C. Th. Sørensen (landscape) is another noteworthy piece of architecture. Here you find the State Library, a Natural History Museum[16] and the Steno Museum[17] with collections on science and medicine.
  • Moesgaard Museum[18] To study Danish prehistory take bus 6 South to visit this museum. The main attractions are two finds from the Iron Age - the Grauballe Man, the only completely preserved bog body, and the impressive sacrifices of weapons from Illerup Ådal.
  • Women's Museum [19]
  • Bymuseet [20] The town museum of Århus placed in a very nice modern building.
  • Århus Kunstbygning [21] Center of contemporary art.
  • Århus Viking Museum [22] Small viking museum located in the basement of the Nordea Bank next to the cathedral. Entrance is free.

[edit][add listing] Do

[edit] Learn

  • There are many colleges and schools of higher education in the city, the biggest of which is Aarhus University[23] (Da. Aarhus Universitet), with around 35.000 students, also including the Aarhus School of Business[24]. This means that the city is crowded with students.
  • Learn Danish in the Universitys Danish Courses or in the LærDansk

[edit] Work

[edit][add listing] Buy

Strøget
Strøget
  • There is a pedestrian shopping street (Strøget), highlighted by upscale Scandinavian clothing shops and Salling and Magasin department stores.
  • Bruun's Galleri [25] Located next to the railway station. The biggest city mall in Denmark with 95 shops and a cinema. (there are plans of expanding Bruun's Galleri over the traintracks running next to it).

[edit][add listing] Eat

There are hundreds of restaurants in Århus, reaching from cheap kebab joints, to high-class dining.

  • Mefisto Volden 28. tel:86131813 [26] A simple cafe with great food. The menu includes seafood, tapas, meat. Mains from DKK 170.
  • Mackies's Cantina / Mackie's Pizza Sct. Clemens Torv 9. tel:86123661 [27] A nice restaurant and café, known for introducing pizza eating without knife and fork, into Århus. Pretty cheap prices.
  • Åen - walk down "the river" in the city center, there are lots of restaurants and cafes with high standard.
  • Skovmøllen[28] Eat your lunch in an old watermill in the forest, then stroll along the stream, running through a beech forest down to the beach.
  • Restaurant KOCH[29] in the harbour has only one menu at DKK 1000. Open thursday and friday night only.

[edit][add listing] Drink

Århus river
Århus river

Aarhus's large student population fuels a lively nightlife. There is a robust nightlife for those who are looking for a night on the town. Århus can deliver everything from big mainstream clubs to small alternative hangouts playing niche music.

Prices for food and drink are higher than in other parts of Europe, especially near the river (Å in Danish). The favorite local beers are Tuborg, Carlsberg and Ceres (which is brewed approximately 1km away from most of the clubs!)

  • Train, Toldbodgade 6. [30] Could be called Århus' main club. Don't miss 'Kupe' [31]next door for the pre-party. Beer 45kr.
  • Essens, Moving to new location, new name, may 2008 [32] Absolutely best cocktails in town - cool and ambient atmosphere. Exceptional dj-lineup playing electronic music every Friday and Saturday.
  • Donnerwetter, Åboulevarden 30. [33]
  • Fidel's[34] Cocktail bar
  • Klubben, Fuglesangs Alle 1. "Probably the best bar in Denmark" - if you can get in. It's only for students from the Business School (It's IN the school), but guest tickets are obtainable. Every Thursday there's a crazy party with beautiful girls, hip music and cheap beer.
  • Social Club, Klostergade 34. [35] Biggest and best student club in Århus. Inside there are two separate discos and a nice arrangement of dance floors. They are very strict on the Student ID so don't forget it. Furthermore, "Happy hour" at Social Club can be very happy indeed - they serve free beer from 23:00-24:00. If you're lucky enough that it's your birthday that night, they will give you a free bottle of vodka and sodas. Beer 40kr (After happy hour), Drinks 45kr for a double.
  • Sams Bar, Klostergade 28. [36] If you don’t get in to Social Club, go to this neighboring club. Beer 40kr.
  • Heidis Bier Bar, Klostergade 34. [37]
  • Herr Bartels, Åboulevarden 46. [38] Longest bar in town, serving the best drinks in town. Nice atmosphere, nice crowd and drinks for 50kr a piece is considered cheap. Recommended.
  • VoxHall, Vester Alle 15. [39] Basically a concert hall, with a good, tightly planned concert schedule. Tickets are usually bought at the door, but if you're going to a major concert, buy before-hand!
  • Gaz station, Åboulevarden 21. [40] Start the night in one of the cafés on the opposite side of the club.
  • Bodega Kurts Mor, Fredens Torv 7. Beer 20kr.
  • Flintstone, Rosenkrantzgade 20. [41] A small but cozy pub not far from the main walking street. Nice and friendly staff! Beer 35kr
  • Bridgewater, Åboulevarden 22. [42] Biggest sports bar in town. Good atmosphere and lots of people even if there's no game. Beer 20kr (More on Saturdays).
  • Castenskiold, Åboulevarden 32. [43] sunny cafe during the day and sizzling bar at night, sleek design and creative cocktails, has become something of a clubhouse for city's design and fashion elite.
  • Musikcaféen, Mejlgade 53. [44]
  • Broen, Nordhavnsgade 20. [45] Club on a boat.
  • Hos Anders, Frederiksgade 25. [46] Beer 20kr.
  • Jacobs, Vestergade 3. [47] Expensive, centrally located, pretty average.
  • Blender [48] Århus' gay club.
  • Waxies, Frederiksgade 16. [49]
  • Römer, Åboulevarden 50. [50] Very good club with blasting tunes. Recommended! Beer 40kr. Drinks 45kr.
  • Sherlock Holmes, Frederiksgade 76. [51] Nice big pub with only-English speaking staff.
  • Den Sidste, Paradisgade 9. [52] Literally "The last one" in Danish. Fills up when other clubs close up. Beer 20kr.
  • Die kleine Bierstube [53] Nice German bar.
  • Thorups Kælder [54] Thorups Kælder is the city’s oldest basement, reputedly built in the 13th century by Cistercian monks. Today you can enjoy a drink or two in this basement bar where you can almost hear the rustling sound of the monks’ habits sweeping across the floor.

[edit][add listing] Sleep

Prices for hotels are higher than in other parts of Europe. There is a youth hostel, but it is not very fancy

[edit] Budget

  • Danhostel The youth hostel is in the forest about 3 km north of town. Can be reached by bus.
  • City Sleep-in Hostel in Havnegade in the center 5 min from the train station. Functional but rather spartan. Dormitory from 18 Euro.
  • Cab Inn Right in the center between the Church and Åen. Rooms go from 71 Euro (single) to 103 Euro (triples). The rooms are quite small but a TV and private shower and toilet are included. Two stars
  • Blommehaven Camping Camp site in the beautiful Marselisborg Forest, 5 km south of the city center. Can be reached with bus number 6 and 19 straight to the site.
  • Århus Camping Camp site, 4 km north of Århus

[edit] Medium to expensive

  • Comfort Hotel Atlantic. The Comfort Hotel Atlantic is set in a modern building with views across the picturesque harbor and the city of Aarhus in Denmark. Three stars.
  • Hotel Mercur. Hotel Mercur in Viby Aarhus occupies a modern tower situated just outside the city center, near the main approach roads to the city, 500 meters from the E45 motorway. Three stars.
  • Hotel Villa Provence A small French oasis bursting with an almost private atmosphere and character, right in the heart of Aarhus. Three stars.
  • Hotel Ritz Best Western hotel, just next to the train station. Three stars
  • Plaza Aarhus Scandic. The Scandic Plaza Aarhus is a modern hotel set in the town's pedestrianised shopping area, two kilometres from the old town. Three stars.
  • Scandic Aarhus. Built in 1989, the Scandic Aarhus is a six-storey hotel, located two kilometres from the Old Town and four kilometres from the city center and train station. Aarhus Tirstrup Airport is 50 kilometres from the hotel, with an approximate driving time of 45 minutes. Three stars.
  • Hotel Oasia Århus newest hotel, opened June 2008, furnitured with Nordic design.
  • Hotel Royal. Luxury hotel situated in the centre of Aarhus. Four stars.
  • Radisson SAS Scandinavia Hotel Arhus. The sleek Radisson SAS Scandinavia Hotel with its minimal brick exterior, is in Aarhus's Margrethepladsen, next to the concert hall and less than one kilometer from the city center. Four stars.
  • Helnan Marselis Hotel. The monumental Helnan Marselis waterfront hotel was designed by Danish architects Friis and Molkte and completed in 1967. Four stars.

[edit] Get out

  • Århus is surrounded by beautiful beech forests; take a walk in Marselisborgskoven or in the deer park.
  • As a coastal city, there are many beaches to walk - just remember warm clothes October through early April. There are history trails from Moesgaard Museum right down to the water, with reconstructed stone age, iron age and viking houses and tombs, rune stones etc.
  • The local soccer team AGF, plays their home games at Atletion[55], which can hold around 21.000 in attendance. If you're a soccer fan, don't miss a home game as the atmosphere is amazing during game night!
  • Djurs Sommerland amusement park has Denmarks largest rollercoaster. Can be reached with buses 121, 122 and 123 in 1h15m. Discount if buying your entrance ticket in the bus (you only pay DKK 20,- extra for the bustrip there and back).
This is a usable article. It has information for getting in as well as some complete entries for restaurants and hotels. An adventurous person could use this article, but please plunge forward and help it grow!

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