Walking. Gossip. Travel.

Tag: Aarhus

Aarhus – Aros (Low Key)

[I originally posted this in April 2018, but I reposted it in November 2024 with the image links fixed]

Located in the Aros museum, this art installation is by the Norwegian artist Dolk, and initially visitors were allowed to scratch whatever they wanted into the used Lamborghini. The notes by the piece said that “it creates a contrast between this transgressive act and the notion of a quiet scene”.

I must admit that this artistic brilliance went straight over my head, it just looked like an easy way to get into the international media. Which was a success, as the exhibit was featured in the Daily Mail, so if art is defined as creating a talking point, then the artist should be pleased. But since I’m neither interested in cars or vandalising them (and visitors are no longer allowed to scratch things into the car anyway) the whole work rather passed me by in terms of its intended message.

November 18, 2024
Aarhus – Aros (Your Rainbow Panorama)

[I originally posted this in April 2018, but have reposted it with the images fixed]

The first in a few blog entries about the Aros art gallery. Although it’s a little expensive to get in there are some interesting displays and the building itself was worth visiting.

The entrance arrangements were a bit inadequate though, as I managed to join a queue of students who were waiting to get in as a group. Another fifteen visitors or so then promptly joined me in the queue, whilst the gallery security team seemed entirely bored and unwilling to actually mention this wasn’t a good idea.

Although the security team itself seemed a bit confused in general, since they didn’t notice a group of four people go in without paying at all. But that group were pleased with their success, but I like queueing so I was happy to wait to buy a ticket.

Anyway, the gallery. I decided to go to the top floor first to find the panorama as I thought that the photos would look better if it wasn’t busy. That planning worked for me, as I was the only person on the panorama and the views are excellent. The colours change as visitors walk around and it’s a really novel way of seeing the city and it’s no surprise that visitor numbers soared when this was added.

November 18, 2024
Aarhus – Viking Museum

[This post is originally from April 2018, but I’ve just updated it to fix some broken image links]

There’s a rather nice little Viking Museum (Vikingemuseet) situated in the cellar of a bank near Aarhus’s cathedral. When they were building the bank there was an archaeological dig in the 1960s which uncovered numerous Viking buildings, bodies and artefacts, so they decided to make a museum of them.

A handy little history guide about how the Vikings around Europe, I knew from museums in York and Dublin about their involvement there, but never knew about the south of Spain.

This skeleton was found in this location and dates to the ninth century, a male around 1.7 metres tall (it said on the wall, I didn’t measure him). He’s missing his head and it is thought that he might have been murdered.

Rather a nice little museum in the cellar, at the level of the original Viking settlement.

A recreation of a Viking house, looks rather like the accommodation Liam and I stayed in at a camp site last week…. There’s not a great deal to see, but it’s free and I now feel more knowledgeable about the Vikings 🙂

November 18, 2024
Aarhus – The View From Salling

[This is an old post from April 2018 that I’ve just corrected the broken image links on]

I’m not usually one for visiting department stores, but Salling has something worth going in for. It has a rather interesting observation deck on its top floor.

The observation deck is reached by going to the top of the escalators (or use the lifts) and then going through the bistro. It’s accessible to all visitors without needing to purchase anything and is clearly signed once inside the store.

There are extensive views over the city from all directions, as well as plenty of seats.

It’s not easy to see through the frosted glass, but it is possible to make out the height.

From a different angle, this shows just how brave I am….

November 14, 2024
Aarhus – Cafe Nero

[This is a repost of a blog post from April 2018 because I’ve needed to fix the broken image links. It’s not part of the Caffe Nero chain….]

This cafe restaurant, located by the city’s cathedral, is well reviewed and it looked modern without feeling too formal. The staff member was busy serving customers when I entered so I tried to stand nonchalantly near a table whilst I waited, although I think I just looked like an idiot.

As prices go in Aarhus, this is a pretty affordable lunch menu. I’d like to think that I was given the Danish menu as I spoke the language so fluently, but since I didn’t speak any Danish I think it was sadly just a mistake.

There was a reasonable drinks menu, lots of wine and several beers. There was nothing exciting and dark in terms of beer, so Peroni it had to be. I managed to resist the temptation of the Newcastle Brown Ale.

The pizza was perfect, it had a slightly blackened base and was thin and crispy. The toppings weren’t overloaded and they had a fresh and clean taste. The service was beautifully efficient, an appropriate check back and prompt clearing of the wooden pizza board.

All rather lovely….

November 13, 2024
Aarhus – Museum Slogan

[This is a repost from April 2018 as I’ve needed to fix the broken image link]

I can’t imagine the Natural History Museum or the National Railway Museum in the UK wanting to steal this slogan….

November 12, 2024
Aarhus – Cabinn

[This is an old post from April 2018, I’ve just reposted it and corrected the broken images]

Aarhus isn’t the cheapest of places to visit, but fortunately there is a hotel operated by the Cabinn chain. The hotel is ridiculously large in size with 401 rooms, which must make it one of the largest in the country. The upside is that it has a modern and clean environment, the downside is that the cost of all this is that the rooms have to be small.

There are numerous seating areas around the hotel, this is just a random one on the ground floor which is located away from the reception area. For a hotel with such limited room sizes it’s a real positive that they’ve been generous with the size of their public areas.

There are some paintings on the walls, a few books on bookshelves and it has a rather relaxing feel to it.

There are also some outdoor areas for those wanting to enjoy the overcast evening weather…. But I’m sure it’s lovely in summer.

There are a lot of these corridors around the hotel, with several wings of rooms located in the large building. The numbering is though clear and the hotel so far seems pretty spotless.

The room is small, but it’s functional and clean. Unusually for a budget hotel there’s also a kettle with coffee and ‘English Earl Grey Tea’ provided, which is a handy touch. The top bunk is rather high, although fortunately I won’t be needing this week, but there is a note on the hotel information that protective bars can be borrowed from reception to “avoid injury”.

For those who do want to brave the higher bunk, there is a handy ladder provided in the room.

The only little downside with this whole arrangement is that the controls for the shower and sink are integrated and they aren’t idiot proof. This has meant that I’ve had to spend ten minutes trying to work out which control works which item, and I still haven’t really worked it out. But it doesn’t matter, the random chance of it working is quite exciting.

The hotel is designed to feel like a cruise ship with a variety of different room sizes. For me this is easier to imagine as I have the canal outside the window, which is producing a rather lovely breeze.

November 12, 2024
Aarhus – Hygge

[This is an old post from 2018 as I’m working through them restoring the broken images, but there wasn’t a broken image on this post so that’s easy. Anyway, this whole concept seems to lure some in with promises of warm socks, flickering candles, and the comforting aroma of cinnamon buns. You whisper sweet nothings about crackling fireplaces, steaming mugs of glögg, and the blissful sound of rain drumming against window panes. But then, reality bites. The fire is stubbornly refusing to light, the glögg has mysteriously gone cold, and the only thing drumming against the window pane is the neighbour’s cat, demanding to be let in. But I’m British, I like seeing the problems with situations. BTW, the image is just one of a burger I had in Aarhus as that was the nearest I could get to the concept from my image library that I have to work with]

It’s all very on-trend to talk about the Danish word ‘hygge’ and I’ve seen some British pubs describe their atmosphere using the word. Frankly though, if you run a pub where the clientele have to dodge glasses being thrown around and the star of the show is Fosters and Carling, then there’s a good chance that the concept isn’t working for you…..

I’ve seen how Denmark is often rated as the happiest country in the world, something which I’ve always been sceptical of. I’m unsure of how a country can be truly happy when it doesn’t have any outlets of Greggs, rather like a wine glass without wine.

But the city of Aarhus seems to be beautifully laid-back. People doesn’t seem hurried or stressed, there’s no yelling after drinking half a pint of Carling and there’s an almost care-free atmosphere. I’m not sure that Denmark is ready for Greggs yet, that burst of culinary energy might make them just too content, the inevitable danger is then that their productivity fades. So, just for now, Greggs for the British only.

November 12, 2024
Aarhus – Going for the Best Rated Burger Restaurant [Burger Shack]

[This is an old post from 2018 that I’ve amended to restore the missing photos. Having checked, the restaurant is still going well in 2024]

As usual, I always try and start a visit to a new location with a trip to their best rated burger restaurant on TripAdvisor, usually places which are on-trend and welcoming.

The top-rated burger restaurant in Aarhus is Burger Shack, located at Frederiksgade 39, 8000. The menu is pretty simple, there’s a standard burger, a chicken burger and a vegetarian burger. They’re served either just as a burger or as a meal, and there’s the option to add bacon.

This keeping it simple makes ordering so much easier, and allows them to focus solely on their core products. The staff member also ensured that the ordering process remained easy and stress free, which is always a relief to avoid looking like an idiot.

The minimal packaging is deliberate, but the presentation is still neat and the food looks appetising. The chips have parmesan and thyme on them to add some colour and the opened out burger reveals its contents.

The burger was served medium and not well-done, which is always a personal preference. It tasted juicy and had a rich and deep flavour, with the chips being rather moreish. The addition of the thyme to the chips lifted the flavours and the interior of them were fluffy, with a crispy exterior.

The restaurant’s excellent rating on TripAdvisor is justified, the quality of the food is high and the environment is clean. It’s a small restaurant but there was a space table inside and a few more outside, but the service was quick and efficient. The strongest point of the restaurant though really was the engagement from the staff who had a positive and enthusiastic nature.

September 5, 2024
Aarhus – Aarhus Theatre

Many of the images on older posts on this blog are missing, a situation which is sub-optimal. Fortunately, I still have them, it’s just going to take a fair while to restore them. But, I understand that my two loyal blog readers demand it, so I will fix the little issue eventually and I’m pleased to note that this page has now been fixed.

The original content of this page is hardly riveting and one of the photos is clearly at a tilt, but it has taken years to fine tune this blog contents to build up my readership of two, so early errors are forgivable. It reminds me of the purpose of this blog though, I’ve nearly entirely forgotten much of my trip to Aarhus and posts like this help me piece it back together…. As an aside, I rather liked the line on their web-site:

“Most performances are aimed at a national audience and performed in Danish. On select days we offer live subtitles in English to your mobile device.”

Maintaining the language whilst still being accessible to foreign speakers (well, English foreign speakers), seems a well thought out compromise.

The city’s grand theatre opened in 1900, replacing a rather tired building on Kannikegade.

There are a variety of decorations on the front of the building, many are in the Jugend style, similar to Art Nouveau.

The stonework was recently restored due to damage from air pollution over the last century.

April 11, 2024