DK
Aarhus
Denmark’s young, creative second city, with a rainbow-topped art museum, a living history town and a new harbourfront
Denmark’s young, creative second city, with a rainbow-topped art museum, a living history town and a new harbourfront
One of northern Europe’s largest art museums, crowned by Olafur Eliasson’s Your rainbow panorama, a circular walkway of coloured glass with views over the city.
Photo: Gordon Leggett, CC BY-SA 4.0
An open-air museum of Danish town life, with historic houses moved from across the country and streets recreating different eras, including the 1970s.
Allow at least half a day.
Photo: Simon Burchell, CC BY-SA 4.0
A museum of archaeology and ethnography south of the city, in a striking building with a sloping grass roof. Its highlight is the Grauballe Man, a remarkably preserved Iron Age bog body.
Photo: Nanda Sluijsmans, CC BY-SA 2.0
A new district on the former docks, known for its bold architecture, such as the white and blue Isbjerget (Iceberg) apartments, and a harbour bath.
Photo: Slaunger, CC BY-SA 3.0
Aarhus has a lively food scene, from smørrebrød and bakeries to Michelin-starred restaurants.
Aarhus Street Food, near the bus station, is a good-value place to try many cuisines.
Trains from Copenhagen take about three hours. Aarhus Airport is about 40km north-east of the city, with buses timed to flights, and Billund Airport is about an hour away by bus. A light rail line serves the city and its suburbs.
Denmark is in the EU and the Schengen area. EU citizens need only an ID card; citizens of the UK, US, Canada, Australia and many other countries can visit visa-free for up to 90 days in any 180-day period, with biometric registration under the EU Entry/Exit System. An ETIAS travel authorisation is also due to be introduced. Check current rules before you travel.
Aarhus is a little cheaper than Copenhagen. Denmark uses the Danish krone (DKK), not the euro. Cards and mobile payments are accepted almost everywhere, and some places are card-only.
Art, history and the harbour.
Visit ARoS and walk its rainbow panorama, then spend the afternoon in Den Gamle By and the evening in the Latin Quarter.
Take the bus to Moesgaard Museum and its beach, then explore Aarhus Ø and the harbourfront.
🛂 Entry rules: EES and ETIAS
Denmark is in the Schengen area, which has two EU border systems for non-EU visitors.
EES (in force): since 10 April 2026 the EU’s Entry/Exit System registers non-EU visitors’ passport details, fingerprints and a photo the first time they enter the Schengen area, replacing passport stamps. Allow extra time at the border on your first trip; later crossings are quicker. EU, EEA and Swiss citizens are not registered.
ETIAS (not yet running): a €20 online travel authorisation for visitors who don’t need a visa, such as UK, US, Canadian and Australian citizens. It hasn’t started and no start date has been confirmed, so nobody can apply yet; ignore websites that offer to “pre-register” you for a fee.
Visa-free visitors can stay up to 90 days in any 180-day period across the whole Schengen area, not per country.
Official information: EU: Travel to Europe (EES & ETIAS) · Reviewed September 2026
Cycling is the local way to get around; keep to the right in bike lanes and use hand signals.
The AarhusCARD includes public transport and many museums.
The Riviera south of the city has forests and beaches within easy reach by bus or bike.
Book DSB train tickets in advance for cheaper Orange fares.
Quick answers for planning time in Aarhus.
No. The currency is the Danish krone (DKK), and cards are accepted almost everywhere.
About three hours by train.
Olafur Eliasson’s Your rainbow panorama, a circular walkway of coloured glass on the roof.
An Iron Age bog body about 2,000 years old, displayed at Moesgaard Museum.
Two days is enough for the main museums and the harbour.
Danish is the language; almost everyone speaks good English.
Free
Planning a wider trip? Our Denmark travel guide covers getting there, costs, when to go and more.