Beautiful Villages in Denmark: 5 Amazing Day Trips from Aarhus!

I spent a month in Aarhus, Denmark, and while I spent a lot of time exploring the town, I also took some day trips around Jutland. There are so many amazing towns in Jutland, and I wish I had time to visit more! If you’re in the area, these are five amazing day trips from Aarhus to see everything from the place where two seas meet to the oldest town in Denmark 🙂

Amazing day trips from Aarhus

Ebeltoft

Ebeltoft was the one town that I didn’t find myself. A Danish classmate of mine recommended it, and I’m so glad he did- insider information is the best! Ebeltoft is a tiny town, and its population increases 10x in the summer because it’s such a beautiful place for a summer vacation. Thankfully, I was there early in the morning, and I had the whole place to myself!

The historic part of Ebelftoft has cobblestone streets and colorful buildings, and if you’re looking for more things to do, there’s a glass museum and the largest wooden ship in the world that you can take a tour of on the marina. You can also go for a swim if you’re brave enough!

Continue reading: Ebeltoft, Denmark: Colorful Cobblestone Streets & a Sunny Harbor

Jelling

If you’re interested in history, Jelling is THE place to go in Denmark because it’s the birthplace of the country of Denmark. I was SO excited to visit Jelling because I’m obsessed with Viking history!

Jelling, Denmark is famous because of the Jelling Stones– probably the most famous runestones from the Viking Age. The smaller one was erected by King Gorm the Old in memory of his wife, Thyra, and the second stone was erected in 965 by King Harald Bluetooth, the son of King Gorm and Thyra. Part of the second stone is in memory of his parents, and the other part celebrates the unification of Denmark AND marks the country’s conversion to Christianity.

The Jelling Stones are important because it’s the first time Denmark is recognized as a unified country, and they’re often referred to as “Denmark’s birth certificate.” They also contributed significantly to the spread of Christianity in the Viking Age. You can visit the Jelling Stones and The Experience Centre at Kongernes Jelling to learn more about the Viking Age. Jelling is a pretty small town, so you just need a few hours to see it all.

Continue reading: Jelling, Denmark: Why You Can’t Miss the Home of the Viking Kings & the Famous Jelling Stones!

The Jelling Stones

Ribe

Ribe is also a great place to visit for history lovers! It’s the oldest town in Denmark, dating back to 854. It was a big port and one of the most important trade cities in Scandinavia during the Viking Age. Ribe is also known for the famous Saint Ansgar. He was the Archbishop of Hamburg-Bremen and one of the first missionaries to Scandinavia. He came to Denmark in 826 and built the church in Ribe in 860.

Ribe has a beautiful cathedral dedicated to Saint Ansgar, there are some beautiful walking streets around it. If you have time to see more attractions, there is a Viking museum, a Viking center, an art museum, an abbey that you can tour, and you can visit the wetlands around the town.

Continue reading: Ribe, Denmark: Visiting the Oldest Town in Denmark and Exploring the Beautiful Walking Streets!

Ribe Cathedral

Silkeborg

I had to visit Silkeborg because of a Parks and Rec episode! Heidi Klum made it sound like an amazing town, and she was right 🙂 I loved walking around the colorful city center, and I found my all time favorite cafe!

Other than walking around the town, Silkeborg is the Outdoor Capital of Denmark because it’s connected to so many waterways, so if you’re looking for a place to go kayaking or just walk along a river, Silkeborg is for you. There’s also a museum with a pretty significant artifact from thousands of years ago that I actually learned about in school a few years ago, so I knew I had to see it in person. I also happened to stumble into a Viking market while I was there!

Continue reading: One Day in Silkeborg, Denmark: 3 Sights You Can’t Miss!

Museum Silkeborg

Skagen

Skagen is the northernmost point in Denmark, and it’s the place where two seas meet! You can actually stand in the water with waves from the two seas crashing from all sides, which was pretty awesome. The beaches are also great, so it’s the perfect place for a beach vacation in Denmark.

Skagen also has Råbjerg Mile, the largest migrating sand dune in Northern Europe, and you can hike up the dunes! The views were pretty incredible, and hiking in the sand was a better workout than I was expecting. The migrating sand dunes have affected the nearby town, and you can see the Sand-Covered Church- a famous church that people had to dig out of the sand every week for decades.

Continue reading: The Town Where Two Seas Meet: Four Amazing Sights to See in Skagen

Råbjerg Mile

The place where two seas meet

The Sand-Covered Church

So if you’re looking for some awesome day trips from Aarhus, I absolutely loved all these beautiful towns I visited! 🙂 I’ve also heard great things about Aalborg, and I would love to hear any other recommendations for the next time I’m in Aarhus!

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