Top 3 Cities to Visit in Denmark 2018
Exploring Denmark can be very exciting. If you are on a tight schedule and you have decided that you are going to visit just three cities, you will have to carefully decide exactly which ones you are going to explore. That’s why we are here — to help you make the right decision.
Just remember, if you want to get the best way to get the full Denmark experience and to comfortably travel from destination to destination, simply rent a car in Denmark. Not only will you be able to enjoy a more comfortable trip and the freedom to go anywhere you want to but you will also save enough time to see more of the city in which you have just arrived. So, now that you know this key piece of advice, let’s just move on to the list of the 3 top cities in Denmark which you should definitely visit in 2018.
Copenhagen
It is impossible to discuss a trip to Denmark without paying attention to the country’s capital. Copenhagen is by no means the biggest of the European capitals. In fact, with a population of a little over 700,000, it is not even among the biggest cities on the Old Continent. But it is certainly among the nicest ones. It is located on two islands — the eastern coast of Zealand and a smaller portion on the island of Amager. The Swedish city of Malmo is just across from the strait of Oresund. The origins of Copenhagen can be traced back to the Viking era when the city was actually a fishing village. It grew up to be one of the imperial capitals of the world.
Today, thanks to the Copenhagen Stock Exchange, this city has become the financial centre of Northern Europe, as well as a cultural and administrative hub for one of the most advanced nations in the EU. Tourism is a major part of the local economy. Therefore, if you are visiting the area as part of a holiday, you will not have a hard time finding something to do here. You should definitely check out the Rosenborg Castle in the centre of the city, which has a very beautiful garden-turned-public-park too. The Frederiksberg Gardens, a 32-acre Romantic era landscaped garden is another really popular public park. In general, Copenhagen is divided into several districts, the most touristy among which are:
- Indre By
- Christianshavn
- Vesterbro
- Norrebo
- Osterbo
- Frederiksberg
In every single one of them, you are going to find many nice parks and historic buildings, restaurants and shops that you are going to enjoy.
Major museums in Copenhagen
In terms of museums, we’d recommend that you check out the National Museum, Nationalmuseet, which is dedicated to archaeology and cultural history, the National Gallery, Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek and the Thorvaldsens Museum. Exploring Copenhagen is a time-consuming endeavour so it is always best if you set aside several days for this task.
Aarhus
The next city that we would like to turn your attention to is Aarhus. This is the second largest city in the country and it can be just as enjoyable as Copenhagen, especially if you know where to go and what to do.
Written records point out to the fact that Aarhus began its history as a fortified Viking settlement in the 8th century. At present, Aarhus is experiencing one of the biggest building and expansion booms in the Danish urban history. Former industrial sites are being turned into residential and administrative/commercial developments. The inner urban area currently has a population of 260,000 people which might not sound impressive, but in comparison with previous decades, today the city is bigger than ever before. It is expected that the population of Aarhus will double in the next couple of decades.
Located here are three of Denmark’s most popular tourist attractions — ARoS Art Museum, the Old Town Museum and Tivoli Friheden. They have a combined visitors’ count of 1.4 million. If you are interested in such sort of a thing, you must definitely go down by the Port of Aarhus, which is famed for being the biggest industrial port in northern Europe. Trust us, it is a sight to see, especially on a clear day when you can appreciate its grandeur.
Aalborg
With 136,000 inhabitants, Aalborg is the fourth largest city in Denmark. It is one of the most important cultural hubs in the country too, thanks to the existence of Aalborg Historical Museum and the Aalborg Museum of Modern Art, its celebrated opera company, symphony orchestra, many theatres and performance venues. If you happen to be in Denmark by the end of May, you should definitely check out the Aalborg Carnival — a vibrant and colourful event attended by as many as 100,000 people every year.
On top of everything else, Aalborg has quite a few impressive historic buildings that will appeal to history and architecture buffs alike. Jens Bang’s House, next to the old town hall, is one of them. It is a great example of 17th-century domestic architecture. It is designed in the Dutch Renaissance style. Another curious thing about Jens Bang’s House is the fact that for 300 years it has been home to the oldest pharmacy in the country.
Another merchant’s mansion in the Renaissance style that deserves your attention is the Jørgen Olufsen’s House. The majority of the building was constructed in 1616 out of sandstone which is very well-preserved even to this day. The mid-16th-century Aalborghus Castle is yet another historic building that you should not go and see if you happen to be in Aalborg for more than a day. As a whole, the city has the potential of becoming one of your favourite places in Northern Europe if you give it a chance.
Now that you know which are 2018’s best places to explore in Denmark, go ahead and plan the rest of your trip! Also, you can check out my other article on the most amazing places to visit in Russia. You will love what Mother Russia has to offer to travelers.