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's-Hertogenbosch

's-Hertogenbosch, commonly known as Den Bosch, is a city in the south of the Netherlands and the capital of the province of North Brabant. Once a stronghold, vital in the protection of the young Dutch nation, Den Bosch has a charming and well-preserved medieval centre. Wander through the winding streets to see Saint John's Cathedral and then pick out a street terrace on the market square to relax with a chilling beer. Take a boat to see part of the unique Binnendieze, a subterranean network of canals under the city, or head to the south part of town where the ancient ramparts still mark the border of the city and the beginning of a natural reserve area. In short: what Den Bosch lacks in fame, it makes up for in charm. A place well worth visiting.

Understand
Located where the rivers Aa and Dommel meet, the city of 's-Hertogenbosch became a city in 1184. It is one of the foremost cities of the historic Duchy of Brabant (1183 - 1794), which roughly consisted of the Dutch province of Noord-Brabant and large pieces of Flanders. Being one of the first cities founded in the Low Countries during the Mediaeval period, the charter which granted Den Bosch its city rights was subsequently used and adapted by a lot of other newly founded cities throughout the Low Countries.

's-Hertogenbosch lends its name to the very Duchy it was once located in, meaning "The Duke's forest". Its shorter name, Den Bosch, is an abbreviation of said name. In other languages of mainland Europe, the name of the city is often translated (German: Herzogenbusch, French: Bois-le-Duc), which is fairly unique with Dutch cities.

The city holds significance for the Netherlands as a whole due to its siege of 1629 being a turning point for the Dutch revolution and the independence war that formed from said revolution. The city until that point had been considered to be impossible to successfully besiege, earning it the nickname De Moerasdraak (The Swamp Dragon). The capitulation of the city after a siege of half a year, gave stadtholder Frederik Hendrik the highest victory of his military career with him thusforth being known as De Stedendwinger (The subjugator of cities), but also led to an exodus of many Catholic citizens and clergy, as a reparation for the siege.

The population of Den Bosch is approximately 151,000 and with that it is reaching its limits, because almost all the ground available for building has been used. This does not mean that the whole area is one big city, as there are several (big) parks. Likewise, the southern edge of city is totally green as this is a protected natural reserve.

Den Bosch can be seen in 9 regions (note: these regions are built up of several neighborhoods):

 * Center includes the whole area inside the city walls. Most sights and places to visit can be found in this area.
 * North is the area between the city center and the A59, which includes the neighborhoods de Rompert, Orthen, Herven and the area around the Prins Hendrik Park.
 * Maaspoort is the area north of the A59. Mostly a residential area with some industry.
 * Hintham is the area around the FC Den Bosch football stadium.
 * South is the area between the city center and the A2 highway to the south. Residential, but with also a large amount of office buildings.
 * West is the area west of the central station. High presence of industry, as well as the residential neighborhoods Kruiskamp and Helftheuvel. The Brabanthallen can be found here.
 * Engelen is the village of Engelen which is going through the development of Haverleij, a combined residential complex on a golf course.
 * Rosmalen, a town to the east of the A2.
 * Empel, small village to the north of Rosmalen.

Most visitor attractions are found in the center, except for the footballstadium and the Sportiom.

By plane

 * Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, the largest airport in the Netherlands and of Europe's most important intercontinental hubs, is roughly 1½ hr away from Den Bosch by train. The cost is  for the complete journey. There are multiple times an hour allowing such connections. Consult e.g. 9292.nl for the most convenient option.
 * Eindhoven Airport, the country's second largest, is in Brabant and is mainly served by low-fare carriers from many European cities, with special emphasis on Eastern Europe and the Mediterranean. Getting to Den Bosch from Eindhoven is as simple as taking one of the many trains shuttling every hour between the cities, taking less than 20 minutes to connect them, but you must get a bus ride from the airport to Eindhoven station first, adding another 20 minutes to the travel time. With some walking and waiting factored it, the total journey time should not be over 50 minutes and will only cost you  in total.
 * Rotterdam The Hague Airport is a smaller, business-focused airport in the city of Rotterdam, which can be used as an alternative to Schiphol from some destinations. The airport also does not have a direct train connection - you need to take the bus to Rotterdam Centraal (20 min) and then a direct Intercity train to 's Hertogenbosch. Total journey time is under two hours and cost is less than.

By train
Den Bosch has a good location within the railway system of the "Nederlandse Spoorwegen" (Dutch Railroads) and almost every city has a direct connection or with a single stopover. Trains depart from Den Bosch main station in city center, which is located at the 'Stationsweg', towards Utrecht-Amsterdam-Haarlem and Utrecht-Schiphol in the north, in the direction of Nijmegen-Arnhem-Zwolle in the east, towards Eindhoven-Maastricht in the south and Tilburg-Breda-Roosendaal in the west.

By car
Den Bosch is accessible via the A2 highway, which was improved in 2016, alleviating the previously chronic traffic jams.

The major highway that passes Den Bosch is the A2, generally seen from Amsterdam to Maastricht. This one of the busiest highways of The Netherlands, and the part along Den Bosch, known as "knooppunt Hintham" and "knooppunt Empel" (intersection Hintham and Rosmalen), is in the top 5 of busiest traffic points in The Netherlands.

The other, less busy, highway passing Den Bosch is the A59, coming from Roosendaal (and the A16) towards Nijmegen. This highway is less busy than the A2, although traffic jams might occur when there is a jam on the A2 as the A59 merges into the A2 for a short part.

Nevertheless, if staying outside the peak hours, which are roughly from 07:00-09:00 and from 16:30–19:30, Den Bosch is easily accessible by car.

By bus
The regional buses, operated by the BBA, link Den Bosch with Tilburg and Eindhoven. As these are the regional buses, they do not go directly between these city but stop at several small villages. Therefore, the fastest and advisable way is using the train.

On foot
Everything within the city center is reachable by foot. Everywhere in the city, so also in the suburbs, are sidewalks. In the city center, most areas are accessible by foot and bicycle only, and traffic within the city is restricted.

By bus
There is a free electric citybus that can take you from the central railroad station to the city centre and back. If you want to go to the suburbs (where there is no reason to, as all points of interest are within the city center), Arriva operates a network of buses throughout the city and places in the vicinity. All buses arrive and depart from the central station, although for some lines it is not a terminus. Travelling on these buses is around per zone, and you have to purchase at least 2 zones. You can either pay cash at the driver, or use an OV-chipkaart.

By car
The city council is trying to get the city center car free, so it is bringing up all kind of measures to deter people from taking the car into the city. Cars can still be parked in the city center, but on Saturdays and Thursday evening these garages are packed. Parking is also available just outside the city center and from there buses are available every 15 minutes for only a few euros including bus trip.

By bike
The best means of transportation is, just as in the rest of the Netherlands, by bicycle. The city is rather flat and bike friendly

Taxi
While taxis are relatively expensive in the Netherlands, they are typically reliable and can be good value if you're a small group. Taxis can be found in front of the train station and are available on call. Companies include  and. They will also offer transportation services to other cities or towns in the region. While they will work by meter for trips inside the city, fixed prices are available for longer trips, e.g. to Eindhoven Airport (around ) or Schiphol (around ).

See
's-Hertogenbosch is a medieval city and among the oldest cities in the Netherlands. As the city center is historically protected there are still a lot of medieval buildings to be found. Wander around and see the traditional building style.

When the Netherlands were still young it was a fortified city that served for the protection of the Netherlands. Especially on the south side of the city, a lot of these fortifications have been saved and over time restored. Start at Bastion Vught and walk northwards via the Parklaan, Spinhuiswal, Zuidwal and Bastion Oranje and Hekellaan until you reach the bridge over the Zuid Willemsvaart. This way you cover the best part of the old fortifications. In 2004, the city was awarded European Fortress of the year.

Hidden below the old city is a canal network called the Binnendieze that once stretched 22 km. It started out as a regular river, the Dommel, running through the city in medieval times but due to lack of space in the city, people started building their houses and roads over the river. In later times it functioned as a sewer and fell into disrepair. The remaining sixth of the old waterway system has been renovated, and it is possible to take several guided subterranean boat trips through it.

Do

 * Take a boat on the Binnendieze, a river that goes below the houses of the center of town, which was used historically as an open sewer, but is now quite a special tour. There are several tours available. It is a popular tour so be aware when booking a time. Tickets can be bought at the Bolwerk which also have a beautiful café and a restroom free of charge.

Buy
Den Bosch is a popular place for shopping, combining a charming historic atmosphere with a wide variety of stores. In the city centre you'll find all the major chains and department stores. For more characteristic speciality stores or small boutiques try the Snellestraat or the so-called Bossche Kwartier, meaning the small streets around the Fonteinstraat. The Verwerstraat, with its large monumental buildings, is the place to go for antiques, fashion and design. The Vughterstraat is another excellent pick, with clothing shops as well as some fine home decoration and furniture places.

Markets are frequently held on the large market square. The main market is on Saturdays (09:00-17:00) and has a wide selection of food and non-food products. On Wednesday the selection is similar, but the market somewhat smaller. On Fridays, there's a biological market (09:00-14:00) with a good selection of high-quality, mostly regional products. There's another regular market on every first Sunday of the month, but it's a lot smaller than the one on Saturday.

Eat
The city centre is packed with small and large restaurants that serve all kinds of crowds. The streets Korte Putstraat and the Lange Putstraat are your best bet if you're looking for a meal, as they have a particularly broad selection of places with nice outdoor terraces in summer. Typically you'll have no problems finding a table somewhere, but if you have a particular establishment in mind or if you want a good table on the terrace it's definitely wise to reserve ahead, as the best places are often full.

Confectionary
The city is famous for a local pastry called "Bossche Bol" or "moorkop", a must-try for any visitor. It's a chocolate ball filled with cream, the size of a tennis ball, typically eaten with a cup of coffee in the afternoon but also for dessert. It makes for a fine sweet treat when you kick back and relax at one of the many cafés, after a day of walking through town.

Drink
Nightlife in Den Bosch is as you might expect from a city of its size: not as extravagant as Amsterdam or Rotterdam, but nice, with a friendly crowd attending and a nice atmosphere. The places most worth visiting:

Connect
Den Bosch uses the area code 073.

Stay safe
Den Bosch is in general a safe city. Even the neighborhoods considered dangerous by the locals are still quite safe during daylight (Hambaken, Graafsewijk and Kruiskamp). If a traveler uses his common sense he will be alright, also during night. The only time the crowd can get a bit rough is during Thursday, Friday and Saturday night. These are the general party nights, so people sometimes drink too much. Watch out to the drunk people that might easily start brawls (especially during the carnival).

Go next
Well connected and at a fairly central location, there are endless options for next destinations when leaving 'sHertogenbosch. Some of the more prominent nearby places are Utrecht, Tilburg, Eindhoven, Breda and Nijmegen. Families will find fun all year round at the Efteling, the country's largest theme park. The Loonse en Drunense Duinen National Park is also a short ride away.

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: 's-Hertogenbosch


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88 Temple Pilgrimage

The 88 Temple Pilgrimage (八十八ヶ所巡り hachijūhakkasho-meguri) is Japan's most famous pilgrimage route, a 1,200-km loop around the island of Shikoku.

Understand
Many of the temples are said to have been founded or restored by the revered monk and scholar Kūkai (空海), better known by his posthumous title Kōbō Daishi (弘法大師). Among his many achievements, he is said to have created the kana syllabary, brought the tantric teachings of Esoteric Buddhism from China, developed it into the uniquely Japanese Shingon sect, and founded Shingon's headquarters on Mount Koya near Osaka.

While most modern-day pilgrims (an estimated 100,000 yearly) travel by tour bus, a small minority still set out the old-fashioned way on foot, a journey which takes about six weeks to complete. Pilgrims, known as o-henro-san (お遍路さん), can be spotted in the temples and roadsides of Shikoku clad in a white jacket emblazoned with the characters Dōgyō Ninin (同行二人), meaning "two traveling together"—the other traveler being the spirit of Kobo Daishi.

Locals will be excited to see someone making the journey on foot, and priests will be relieved that you are not showing up with 100 of your close friends. Make sure that your Japanese is good enough to communicate your feelings to both groups!

Prepare
Completing the course the traditional way on foot is a serious undertaking that demands several weeks. Good physical fitness and stamina are required to endure the stress of constant walking up and down the hills of Shikoku, in the burning sun and the pouring rain.

Many pilgrims choose to dress up in traditional white attire:

 * byakue – the white coat of a pilgrim
 * wagesa – scarf worn around the neck, usually purple, to indicate that you are on a religious pilgrimage
 * sugegasa – conical straw hat
 * kongōtsue – walking stick, and the one indispensable sign that identifies you as a pilgrim

In addition, most pilgrims carry a book called nōkyōchō or shuincho, to collect a red ink stamp (shu-in) by each temple you visit, and hundreds of osame fuda (long slips of paper with your name and explanation of your pilgrimmage, to be left at each temple and given to each person who helps you; for your first trip, the paper should be white). All of these items can be purchased (in a formal sense) at Mount Koya or at Ryozenji, the first temple.

Many pilgrims who begin the pilgrimage on foot do not finish it. Many pilgrims also split up their trips over multiple years. It is common to hear of people giving up in Kochi, traditionally known as "devil's land" because of its hot temperature, intense rain, and infrequent contact with civilization. (This means you must either camp, sleep in a rest stop, or precisely time your journey to only hit towns and be willing to pay up for a hotel room.) Pilgrims who intend to walk the pilgrimage should ensure they have packed adequate supplies, such as rain gear, in addition to pilgrimage gear.

It is also important to factor costs. Costs include larger expenses, such as nightly lodging, as well as frequent smaller expenses, like the small charge at each temple to stamp your record book. Former pilgrims that have walked the Shikoku Pilgrimage have shared cost calculators:

 * Shikoku Henro Trail
 * JPilgrim
 * Following the Arrows

Blog

 * Grace, "Henro 2009" (2009). A walking pilgrim from Singapore
 * Jasbir Sandhu, 「四国八十八ヶ所巡り」   (2011/2015) A walking pilgrim from India.
 * Kat Davis,  "Followingthearrows"  (2013) A walking pilgrim from Australia.
 * 澤村よし,  "A pilgrimage trail to 88 temples in Shikoku, Japan" Useful information for pilgrimage, built by Japanese.
 * Cheng Chen-Hsin, "Cycling in Shikoku Henro" (2015) A cycling pilgrim from Taiwan.
 * Athena Lam, "The Cup and the Road" (2015) A walking pilgrim from Canada.

Get in
It is traditional to prepare by visiting Mount Koya, but the route itself starts at Ryōzenji, near Tokushima, and you have to return here in order to complete your pilgrimage. It is not necessary to start at temple #1 as long as you visit them all, but this is by far the most popular starting point for pilgrims from outside Shikoku, because it is also the closest to people coming from Mt. Koya.

The temples are usually visited in clockwise order, although this too, is just a convention—in practice, as all signs are oriented for pilgrims going clockwise, it's easier to get lost if you try to go against the flow.

Go
Most pilgrims walking on foot average around 25 km daily and complete the trip in five to seven weeks.

The canonical list of temples is as follows:

There are also 20 optional "unnumbered" (番外 bangai) temples.

Sleep

 * There are many small inns that cater to pilgrims traveling either by foot or car. They typically cost between ¥4000-7000 per night, including dinner.

 * Most temples provide lodging for henro, but it can be quite expensive (around ¥8000 per night is average).

 * "Henro houses" are run by families or local businesses, and offer rooms (and sometimes food) to walking henro for a very small fee—or sometimes for free.

 * There are also small free lodgings called zenkonyado and tsuyado that lodge travelers for the night, although these lodgings can be somewhat poor quality and have very limited facilities. (There is a zenkonyado near Zentsuji which is said to be haunted.) These were once the primary lodgings for walking henro; however, the island's culture has changed in the last 50 years, and the number of these lodgings have been reduced to just a handful.

Blogs listing cheap or free pilgrim accommodation:

 * Following the Arrows

Stay safe
Traveling in Shikoku is very safe, especially when you wear the traditional henro robes. People will be very helpful if they recognize you as a pilgrim, and will try to participate in your journey by giving you small gifts (osettai), which you must always accept.

The weather can be perilous at times; even during the optimal seasons of spring and fall, it may rain for days—particularly in the south. Proper preparation and staying up to date with weather reports is a must. You are, however, never far from civilization in case of emergency.

Be careful while walking in Kochi Prefecture, as it is the least populated. The major towns are far apart, and the coast is lined with small fishing towns that tend to shut down by eight or nine in the evening, making it difficult to find accommodations.

Shikoku is home to many snakes, including deadly pit vipers. When walking through brush or grass, stomping or otherwise making noise will divert most snakes from your path.

July and August are very hot, and attempting to walk the pilgrimage at the peak of summer is asking for a bad case of heatstroke. But for the brave, it can mean small crowds and almost guaranteed space at the henro houses. April and October are the best times to go, though accommodations will be particularly crowded.

Go next
In one tradition you aren't done when you reach the 88th temple—some believe you still have to trek back to the 1st to complete your pilgrimage! Another tradition suggests that closing the circle is not necessary and it is better to leave it open ended. However it is more common nowadays to return to the 1st temple.

Also if you've made it this far, it's only good manners to return to Mount Koya to give your thanks to Kobo Daishi.

Other pilgrimage routes in Japan

 * Chugoku 33 Kannon Temple Pilgrimage - If you have the energy, you can easily begin this pilgrimage right after the Shikoku pilgrimage
 * Narrow Road to the Deep North - Trace the steps of the famous poet Matsuo Basho

title: 88 Temple Pilgrimage


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Aachen

Aachen is a historically important city, spa and university centre in North Rhine-Westphalia, situated at the "three lands corner" where the borders of Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands meet. Known as Aix-la-Chapelle in French and Aken in Dutch, the city has played a prominent role in early Medieval Europe, when it became the favoured residence of Charlemagne, the first Holy Roman Emperor who created the Carolingian Empire in the late 8th and early 9th century and built the city's impressive cathedral, where he is now buried along with a succession of later German rulers, many of whom were also crowned in the city.

Apart from its medieval significance and a wealth of preserved artifacts, Aachen is also known for its springs, which have been attracting visitors since the Ancient Roman times and continue to do so today, with a number of historic baths and hotels sprinkled around the city. Contributing to the city's wealth and prominence is also the technical university, which made Aachen a hub for modern technologies and provides a sizeable student population (over 40,000 of the total 250,000 inhabitants in 2020). With all this, Aachen is now a multi-cultural, popular tourist destination.

Historically this spa-town was a prominent city, the place where the German Kings were crowned, and a famously favoured residence of Charlemagne who still lies buried in the impressive cathedral he himself had built. The city is packed with historic sights that remind of those days, including medieval buildings, city gates and beautiful fountains.

Understand
Aachen was the preferred residence of Charlemagne, "Roman" Emperor from 800 to 814 AD and king of an empire covering much of modern-day Italy, France, Germany and the Benelux. Additional information can be found at the Route Charlemagne Aachen website.

As Aachen is a legally recognised spa, it could call itself Bad Aachen, but refuses to do so, as it then would no longer be first in almost all alphabetical lists.

The city lies at the borders of Germany with Belgium and the Netherlands, forming the economic region called the Euregio Maas-Rhein. There are several Euregios in Europe, but regionally speaking just of "the Euregio" is understood to mean the one centred on Aachen.

By plane
Aachen shares its Maastricht-Aachen airport with Maastricht. It is located some 40 km outside the city centre, in the Netherlands. Maastricht-Aachen airport is connected to only a limited number of international destinations and served by budget carriers. Transit to and from the airport via public transportation is only possible via the city of Maastricht.

The nearest major international airports are Düsseldorf and Cologne-Bonn. Both airports can be reached by train (via the Düsseldorf and Cologne central stations respectively) or car in an hour. Another major airport within close proximity is Brussels. It can be reached by train with a change either in Liège, Leuven/Louvain, or Brussels.

Smaller airports within reasonable distance are Weeze in Germany, Eindhoven airport  in the Netherlands, and "Brussels" South Charleroi Airport  in Belgium. All three airports are bases for low-cost airlines. They can be reached by car in roughly 1h30, or by lengthy train journeys with several changes. Also, Liège (Lüttich) airport (( in Belgium is 45min by car and has some charter flights. Finally, https://www.antwerp-airport.com/, also in Belgium, requires a 90-minute car ride. Aachen is probably unique in having 9 airports in 3 countries within 150 km.

If for some reason none of the nearby airports are feasible or affordable, the airport in Frankfurt, Germany's main hub, has a direct ICE connection and offers a number of trains to Aachen with one interchange or less. For some airports the rail&fly programme the German railways offer together with several airlines might be an option. For more on that see rail air alliances.

By train
is the main railway station. Aachen has four other minor stations: Aachen Rothe Erde, Aachen Schanz, Aachen West and Aachen Eilendorf. In case of doubt, Aachen Hauptbahnhof is the most convenient station as it is served by all trains going to and through Aachen regardless of destination and it is closest to the city center.
 * Eurostar and ICE trains directly connect Aachen internationally with Liège, Brussels and Paris. ICE trains also provide direct connections every two hours from Frankfurt via Cologne, and daily connections from Berlin via Hanover and occasional connections to Hamburg.
 * Flixtrain serves the city.
 * There are also local trains from Liège every two hours.
 * Local trains (Regionalexpress) from Siegen via Cologne and Hamm via Düsseldorf run every half hour and take around 55 minutes from Cologne, 85 to 110 minutes from Düsseldorf.
 * Regional trains from Maastricht serve Aachen via Heerlen, Landgraaf and Herzogenrath (1 hr, )
 * Nightjet, the Austrian Railways' sleeper train, runs twice a week from Brussels via Aachen to Vienna, Munich and Innsbruck. It calls at Cologne, Bonn, Koblenz, Frankfurt airport, Würzburg and Nuremberg where the train divides: one portion runs via Linz to Vienna, the other via Munich to Innsbruck.

By bus
Aachen is connected by four bus operators for regional and long distance connections:

The buses call at three different locations depending on the operator:

By car
Being on major routes from the Netherlands and Belgium to Germany, easily reachable via the A4 and A44.

Parking in the town centre costs around per hour. There is also park and ride available around the outskirts of the town.

If you don't have your own vehicle, car-sharing is a possibility. Car-sharing is very common in Germany, but you should of course be cautious when booking a trip nonetheless. blablacar.de and mitfahrgelegenheit.de are good resources for finding rides to Aachen, although you're less likely to be successful if you're looking to book far in advance. Payment is expected.

By hitchhiking
There are several conventient possibilities to hitchhike to and from Aachen. More details and recommendations are available in the Aachen article at hitchwiki.

Get around
The old town is best explored on foot and orientation signs can be found all around. Apart from the centre, Aachen at a whole is a fairly large city.

By bus
Aachen has a city bus system, operated by ASEAG, including a few night bus lines. Most buses run to the central bus station near the city centre. You can get tickets from the bus driver. On arrival in Aachen, it may be worth visiting the ASEAG Customer-Centre opposite the main bus station. Here, you can pick up timetables for all bus routes run by the company and you can of course speak to an adviser as well. There are no timetables available for services run by Veolia, such as the number 50 to Maastricht, or for bus services run by Deutsche Bahn, such as the number 66 to Monschau.

By train
Aachen does not have a tram, U-Bahn or S-Bahn network like many other large German cities. It is still possible to travel through the city by train. The euregio-Bahn is a local line that stops at the stations Aachen West (not far from RWTH Aachen University), Aachen-Schanz, Aachen Hauptbahnhof (the most convenient for the city centre) and Aachen-Rothe Erde. Ticket machines are available at all stations.

By car
The city centre is mostly blocked for car traffic. A car can come in handy in the outskirts. Parking can get expensive, especially in the center of town.

By bike
While being hilly and not the most biker-friendly town in Germany, there are a number of bike routes and getting around on bike is increasingly popular. As in other German cities, some bike thefts have been reported so reasonable caution is adviced. Bike parking with surveillance is possible in "fahrrad station", near the central train station. You can rent a bike at the "fahrrad station", near the central train station.

By e-scooter
Several e-scooter rental systems such as Tier and Voi are active in Aachen in a similar fashion to other German cities.

By taxi
Are readily available on the streets as well as on fixed locations, e.g. near Aachen Hauptbahnhof station, Aachen Rothe Erde station and in Pontstraße. The same conditions as in the rest of Germany apply.

Architecture
RWTH Aachen University (Rheinisch-Westfälische Technische Hochschule Aachen) If you are interested in architecture, you can find all building styles from 1900 till today concentrated at the city-campus around Templergraben with the exception of the Uniklinik requiring a short bus ride.
 * Main building
 * Kármán Auditorium
 * Audimax
 * Mogam
 * Super-C The reception building of the RWTH-Aachen. Build to resemble the letter C. Nicely illuminated at night. The lower half of the C is underground, so the letter looks more like a super Tau т.
 * Reiff Museum
 * Rogowski building
 * Department of mining
 * Semi 90
 * Heizkraftwerk (now lecture halls)

Events
Some of the most popular events are listed below. The city events website and the city magazine Klenkes list other events by calendar.

Learn

Aachen is home to the highly regarded RWTH Aachen University, which is particularly strong in the field of mechanical engineering. While language courses during semester time are only available to students of the university, travellers may be interesting in applying for the Internationaler Sommerkurs (international summer course) which takes place annually in September and is open to students from some partner universities. Alongside an intensive language course, participants can take advantage of the programme of cultural events offered. To apply, one must be at least 18 years old and have prior knowledge of German at level A1 (the lowest level, roughly equivalent of being able to write a post card) on the Common European Framework for Languages or above.

General needs
Large supermarkets, grocery stores and smaller kiosks are available throughout all of the city. German opening hours have a lessened effect in Aachen, as just across the border in the Netherlands, all shops are open in the small town of Vaals, which can be reached by bus lines 25, 33, 35 and 50.

Sweets and baked goods
Aachen is famous for its characteristic local gingerbread called Printen. Characteristic bakeries can be found in many places around the city center. There are also two large factory outlets for sweets.

Eat
Aachen offers many different cuisines, from traditional German food to exotic cuisines. The centre offers restaurants of all categories, prices being relatively cheap in comparison with other German cities. Students prefer the snack bars and light meals offered at Pontstraße.

Splurge

Drink
There's no need to order your drinks at the bar when in Aachen - simply take a seat and a member of staff will come over to take your order. They'll write down what you've ordered on your coaster. When you've finished your drink, someone will soon come along and ask if you'd like to order another. When you're ready to pay, hand over your coaster to a member of staff. It's expected that you leave a small tip when paying; 5-10% is expected, typically by rounding up to the nearest Euro. You should make it clear you want to leave a tip before handing the money over by saying, for example, "I'll pay ".

The Pontstraße begins at Markt facing the historic city hall and ends at the Ponttor, part of the medieval city walls. Pontstraße is the main student hangout and offers a large variety of restaurants and bars, from pizzerias to late night hangout spots and a cinema (Apollo). A special treat are public fiestas happening at Karneval and important football matches. Don't miss it if you have the chance! Reached by a number of bus lines from Bushof; park near University. Nice pubs elsewhere:

Stay safe
Aachen is one of Germany's safer cities on average, and the casual tourist does not have to worry whilst in Aachen. The city center is usually bustling with life, especially during the school year, though pickpockets can take advantage of people taking a drink.

With that said, the areas immediately surrounding the main railway station (Hauptbahnhof) and the local bus station (Bushof) attract hordes of junkies. Furthermore, a lot of neighborhoods south of the city center can come off as sketchy if you are not accustomed to post-industrial towns. Most areas are usually fine.

As a border town, there is a certain amount of drug trafficking, but unless you are directly involved with this activity, you won't be affected.

Religious services
Here's an overview of Christian churches in central Aachen:

Catholic churches:

For Protestant churches in Aachen see also this website.

Other:

Go next

 * Neupré - World War II Ardennes American Cemetery and Memorial, commemorates the American soldiers who died in Northern Europe during WWII
 * Henri-Chapelle - World War II Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery and Memorial. The final resting place for 7,992 American military dead lost during the drive into Germany
 * Dreiländereck- The three-country border of Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium. Just a 10 min drive out of Aachen in the general direction of Vaals (Netherlands). Walk on the soil of three different European countries in just about under a second. Free. This is also the highest point of the Netherlands. There is a watchtower you can climb. You can get there best if you take the bus to Vaals and take Veolia Transport line 149 or walk.
 * Cologne - Germany's fourth largest city, with its striking cathedral, is less than an hour away by train.
 * Zülpich is a small town dating from Roman times on the road to Bonn. It has a newly opened museum focusing on Roman baths and bathing culture. It is also a gateway to the Eifel region.
 * Maastricht in the Netherlands with its beautiful city centre is where the Maastricht Treaty of the European Union was signed in 1992
 * Monschau Nicely preserved medieval town.
 * Nationalpark Eifel The youngest nature preservation area in Germany
 * Ordensburg Vogelsang Huge Nazi-built training centre near Gemünd. Served as Belgian barracks after the war, so they're quite well preserved.
 * Hohes Venn Marshlands between Monschau and Eupen

title: Aachen


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Aakirkeby

Aakirkeby is a city on Bornholm, Denmark.

See

 * Aakirkeby Church

title: Aakirkeby


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Aalborg

Aalborg is the largest city in North Jutland, Denmark. Aalborg is an old town with many preserved buildings and important prehistoric relics, but also thriving cultural life with several institutions of national importance.

Understand
Aalborg is the capital and largest city in the region of North Jutland. A university town and a regional centre for education. The urban area's population, as of 2022, was 144,000, making it the fourth largest in Denmark. It has a long history as an industrial and port town with an international airport that also serves Copenhagen.

The Tourist Information of Aalborg has its headquarters in Nordkraft, a culture centre at the harbourfront.

Orientation
The city of Nørresundby is just across Limfjord, to the north of it.

By bus
Aalborg Busterminal on John F Kennedy Plads (the John F Kennedy square, phone: 98 12 87 13) right by the station is a large regional hub for long distance, regional and local buses. Express buses (XBus) leaves several times per day towards Aarhus (via Hadsund), Løgstør, Holstebro, Viborg (via Silkeborg) and Esbjerg. In addition regional buses (locally known as rutebil) connects to nearly every city of some size in North Eastern Jutland.

Abilskou route 888 to Copenhagen takes 5 hours, kr 250 (kr 430 return).

By train
Aalborg is on the Copenhagen, Roskilde, Odense, Aarhus Line. 4½ hours/DKK 402 to Copenhagen.

By ferry
There are ferries from Norway and Sweden coming to North Jutland (Hirtshals or Frederikshavn). From there you can take bus or train to Aalborg.

By car
From Frederikshavn: Use the E45 southbound to Aalborg.

From Hirtshals: Use the E39 southbound to Aalborg.

From Aarhus: Use the E45 northbound to Aalborg.

A low emission zone is in effect in Aalborg. Diesel-powered vehicles must have a particulate filter or be at least Euro 5 in order to be used legally in the low emission zone. Foreign registered vehicles must register with documentation for the vehicle being fitted with a diesel particulate filter or the Euro standard in order for it to be used legally in the low emission zones. There is a administrative fee kr of 1,000 for not doing so. More about the low emission zones.

Get around
In the centre it easy to walk by foot. To go further, there is a good public bus system (22 kr for 1½ hr if you pay cash), run by the Nordjyllands Trafikselskab company, which tickets can be bought online. The buses don't go at night, and taxis are very expensive. The best way is still to get around by bicycle, you can rent one close to tourist information office or at several other locations using the city-bike system. There is also a city bike scheme where you may borrow a bicycle after giving a 20 kr deposit. For longer stays, a better option is buying one. Police has auctions once per month, you can ask about them in the police station.

Aalborg habourfront
The harbourfront has been renewed and is now centre for culture and education. The entire area offers an inspiring city walk.

Do

 * Bicycle: rent a bicycle and go along the fjord.
 * Football: Aalborg BK ("AaB") were promoted in 2024 and play soccer in Superliga, the top tier. Their home ground is Portland Park (capacity 13,800) 1 km west of city centre.

Buy
Cheapest supermarkets are Netto, Fakta, Aldi, Lidl and Rema 1000. Working hours are 08:00-22:00 all week. Aldi is open 08:00-21:00 all days, with the exception of Christmas and New Years Day and Eve.

Mid-range
There are many other good places to eat. Many such along Jomfru Ane Gade where you can both eat and drink well at an affordable price.

Drink

 * is a short street with 30 restaurants/bars. Drinks are cheap and the bars are open late. You will see signs advertising 20-kr drinks and 20:00-00:00 happy hour.
 * Student house right across the Budolfi church hosts international evenings on Wednesdays, as well as various concerts on Fridays. Very informal.
 * Student house right across the Budolfi church hosts international evenings on Wednesdays, as well as various concerts on Fridays. Very informal.
 * Student house right across the Budolfi church hosts international evenings on Wednesdays, as well as various concerts on Fridays. Very informal.
 * Student house right across the Budolfi church hosts international evenings on Wednesdays, as well as various concerts on Fridays. Very informal.
 * Student house right across the Budolfi church hosts international evenings on Wednesdays, as well as various concerts on Fridays. Very informal.

Aalborg is also the home of De Danske Spritfabrikker which produces a great number of distilled beverages. Their most famous product is the Aalborg Taffel Akvavit, colloquially known as a "Rød Aalborg" (Red Aalborg).

Internet

 * Det nordjyske Landsbibliotek (library), Rendsburggade 2, section Nørregadehjørnet in "Team Natur".

Languages
Almost every Dane speaks English. Most people will respond in English to any question you may have. Many Danes also speak some German, Spanish or French, due to having studied them in school. Most Danes understand the other Scandinavian languages, Swedish and Norwegian. Information on public transport and in government offices is often printed in English. For the most common phrases in Danish, see the Danish phrasebook article.

Currency
The currency is Danish kroner (crowns). Visa and MasterCard are normally accepted in any restaurant, taxi or store. ATMs accept all major credit and debit cards and are available in English language.

Go next
There are lots of beautiful nature around, easily accessible only by car.

 * Bulbjerg
 * Fur island
 * Mors
 * Skagen
 * Frederikshavn
 * Hirtshals
 * Hirtshals

For beach, you can take a bus to Blokhus (around 40 km) or Hals (around 30 km) and walk some 3 km north, or take a less frequent bus that passes Hou, to, e.g., Bisnap strand.

 * Fårup Sommerland. This amusement park can be reached by bus from Aalborg Rutebilstation. The amusement park has many rides and a water park.

title: Aalborg


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Aalst

Aalst is in East Flanders, Belgium. A medium-sized town by Belgian standards, with a population of around 77,000 people. Aalst is between the larger city of Ghent (Gent) and the capital, Brussels.

By train
The is in the centre of the city.
 * Direct connections from Brussels and Ghent. Aalst is 33 minutes away from Brussels, and 30 minutes from Ghent.

By bus
The Flemish national bus company, De Lijn, has lines to Aalst from Dendermonde, Berlare, Geraardsbergen and other neighbouring towns. For more information regarding different timetables (unfortunately only available in Dutch): https://www.delijn.be.

By car
The expressway E40 passes through the city.

Do

Buy
Five shopping streets, all leading to the central market square (Grote Markt), constitute the economic heart of our town. Next to the big chains you’ll also come across many small and trendy boutiques. Most shops are open from Monday to Saturday, from 10:00-18:00. On Sundays and holidays, doors remain closed except on Open Sundays during special shopping weekends.

Some shopping highlights are the “Top Sales day" (first Saturday of May), the Summer Fairs (last weekend before Summer sales), Autumn Shopping (first weekend of October) and the Year-end Shopping Sundays with lively Christmas village and ice-skating rink on the central market square.

Eat
The brown gold of Aalst. There is nothing better with a cup of coffee than a piece of Aalsterse vlaai. They are made of "mastellen" (rock-hard bread with cinnamon, comparable to a bagel). In June 2010, these bakers received an official logo as recognised manufacturers of Aalsterse vlaaien.

Go next

 * The national capital Brussels is only a short drive or train ride away.

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Aarau

Aarau is the German-speaking capital city of the northern Swiss canton of Aargau. It lies south of the German border, east of Berne and Basel, north of Lucerne, and west of Zurich.

By train
The of Aarau lies on major train lines and is thus easily accessible. Direct trains connect to Zurich (25 minutes main station, 45 minutes airport), Basel (35 minutes) and Berne (40 minutes).

By car
Aarau lies on the A1 highway and is accessible from either exit Aarau Ost when coming from Zurich or Aarau West when coming from Berne or Basel.

Get around
The best way to get around is by bus and train. Get a zone dayfare to which is valid for all bus and trains in this zone.

See and do
The old town is nice to stroll around. A special feature are the around 70 painted roofs along the city centre.

Buy
Chocolate formed like Swiss army knives (Mercur).

Eat

 * small rolls from Mayer bakery
 * delicious chocolate, can be found everywhere.
 * Try the Chinese restaurant near the tourist office (they come from Hong Kong)
 * Mercur chocolate also sells small cups of good expensive ice cream (green tea ice cream, too)

Drink
Migros supermarkets do never sell alcohol, but you can get Beck's beer at coop markets (Igelwaid)
 * Try hot white chocolate from Caotina (for example at a café near the theatre) or the famous Swiss "Ovomaltine" (hot or cold, similar to cocoa).
 * Cardinal beer tastes light, there is also an Irish pub for Guinness lovers
 * Boiler Club is a small under ground club in the middle of the Altstadt on Rathausgasse. The music is different every time you visit and is guaranteed to make you dance. Try the local Boxer Beir or the Tequilla shots with a slice of Orange and Cinnamon powder.

title: Aarau


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Aarhus

Aarhus (also written Århus and pronounced Oar-Hoos) is the main city on the Jutland peninsula in Denmark. "City of Cafés" is a moniker the city wears with pride: its roster of coffeeshops exemplifies Aarhus' elegant mix of cosmopolitan city life and quaint small-town charm. With a population of almost 350,000 in 2020, it is Denmark's second largest city and has the youngest population.

Understand

Aarhus is known as "The City of Smiles" (Danish: Smilets By). This slogan probably started as publicity to improve the city's image, but it has nevertheless caught on.

Being a university city and centre of education, Aarhus has a large student population and one of the lowest median ages of any city in Europe. The cultural scene here is always thriving. For years, Aarhus has been an incubator for Danish artists and performers. It is also home to Aarhus Festuge, Scandinavia's largest cultural festival, held annually for 10 days at the end of August. In addition, Aarhus, along with the East Jutland Metropolitan area for which it serves as the central hub, is the fastest-growing area in Denmark in terms of population. There is a huge building boom taking place with new high-rises sprouting like mushrooms on the skyline. Little wonder, then, that Aarhus was selected as 2017's European Capital of Culture, with a full slate of events on tap all year throughout the entire city and region.

Aarhus C
Aarhus City is the central district and the most active area of the city with several interesting and special neighbourhoods, including these:
 * Indre by (Inner City) is the old medieval core of the city which used to be walled and gated up until 1857. A large part of the inner city is pedestrianized. The Latin Quarter is a small special quarter with cobblestone streets, low-rise buildings and old townhouses that has been preserved.
 * Vesterbro, situated north and west of Indre by, is mostly a residential area. However, you'll find several major attractions including the Botanical Gardens, the Old Town museum and the main university campus.
 * Øgade-kvarteret is a residential quarter immediately northwest of the Latin Quarter and also presents a unique town environment with lowrise buildings and colourful townhouses, mostly from around the 1850s-1920s. Most of the streets of the quarter are named after Danish islands.
 * Aarhus Ø is a new residential neighbourhood on the harbourfront.
 * Trøjborg is located north of the inner city and is like a small town within the city. The area was developed in the early 1900s with mostly four- or five-storey apartment blocks in brick. It used to be a working class neighbourhood. It is a somewhat quiet residential quarter but also includes a central shopping street with restaurants and a cinema.
 * Frederiksbjerg is another quarter with its own charm and character. Located immediately south of the broad railway yard in the city centre, this area was developed primarily in the late 1800s and most of the original buildings have been preserved. It is a lovely mix of bustling street life, restaurants, specialty shops, small businesses and residential areas. Mostly low-rise buildings and townhouses, with several small parks in between.

Aarhus N
Aarhus Nord (Aarhus North) is a large postal district comprising the northern parts of the city. It is made up mostly of quiet residential neighbourhoods, but boasts natural attractions such as the Risskov urban forest, Egå Engsø lake area, and some beach parks. The district is also home to several educational institutions, a large business park, an industrial park with light industry, and a huge regional hospital. Some of the neighbourhoods in Aarhus N, like Skejby and Vejlby, are former suburban villages that have merged with the city.

Aarhus V
Aarhus Vest (Aarhus West) is perhaps the largest postal district and includes all the western neighbourhoods of the city. Most of it is residential areas of more recent development, but some neighbourhoods, like Åby and Hasle, are former suburban villages or outlying farms that have merged with the city. There are several natural attractions in this large area, including the Brabrand Lake area and the nature site of Skjoldhøjkilen, and many opportunities for sports.

Viby and Højbjerg
Viby (officially Viby J, with J for Jutland) is a former railway town that has merged with the expanding city. It is sometimes unofficially referred to as Aarhus S (Aarhus South) along with Højbjerg, Skåde and Holme, three adjacent districts and neighbourhoods. There is some activity around the central square of Viby Torv, but otherwise these southern parts of town are predominantly residential. Marselisborg Forests and the Moesgaard Museum are the two most important attractions here.

When to go

As the seasons change, the character of Aarhus changes accordingly. In winter, outdoor activities are limited and this is primarily a time for the indoors. It is unusual for everything to be covered in metre- thick layers of snow and the temperatures are not excruciating cold normally, but daylight hours are limited, the trees stand bare, and the skies are often depressingly grey. While the city is still full of people, the outdoor street life is uninspiring for most visitors, except for the Christmas period of December. At this time, the city centre is decorated, and as Christmas approaches, more street vendors sell sweet treats and comfort food such as æbleskiver, pancakes, mulled wine, and sugar-glazed almonds.

Starting in Apr-May and ending with Oct-Nov, the city has more to offer. The beech trees burst into leaves around the first of May, and daylight hours and temperatures increase rapidly throughout this month. Having waited for this, citizens are quick to fill the parks and green spaces; street life shows much more intensity and diversity, and several outdoor events take place. However, Aarhus, as the rest of Denmark, is almost closed down with empty streets during Easter.

Major attractions in Aarhus are open throughout the summer, but quite a few restaurants are closed for several weeks, though not all at once; there are still plenty of opportunities. However, if you plan to visit a specific eatery, confirm their hours beforehand. In July and August, many residents leave the city or travel abroad. University students have time off from their studies and many visit family in other cities, work elsewhere, or travel. Working people have five weeks of paid vacation and nearly everybody spends some of it during this season. For these reasons, the city centre can appear deserted in mid-July to early August and chances are that you will encounter more visitors than residents. It would therefore be a good idea to combine a visit to Aarhus with excursions to nearby countryside and attractions in the height of summer. From mid-August, things start to happen again in the city as residents return. It is still summer and soon time for the annual Aarhus Fest.

Through September, the temperatures begin to cool and it gets windier, but there are still many daylight hours in the day and the weather is usually fine. From October the leaves on the trees start to turn yellow and red, and any trace of summer ends with the onset of November. September and October are also a good time to visit if you want to include outdoor and nature experiences to your trip, just bring more warm clothing. October and parts of November is a particularly beautiful time of year in the city parks and forests with all the vibrant colours of autumn.

Tourist information
As most other places in Denmark, the official tourist website of Aarhus is managed by VisitDenmark, a public-private partnership with free tourist services. The Aarhus website is called VisitAarhus.

The main office for tourist information in the city is in the Dokk1 library building at the harbour front. Ask the staff at the information desk and they will help you. In the summer, extra staff servicing tourists specifically are there to help. There is also a touchscreen available with interactive tourist information about the city, and a plethora of free inspirational and informative pamphlets about notable sights and happenings in the region.

Talk
Many Danes can be reserved towards strangers, but friendly towards tourists, and will normally be happy to give you directions and advice in good English. As Aarhus is a big city, it will hardly be a problem getting help or directions in near-fluent English.

By train

It is also possible to catch a train to other parts of the Jutland peninsula from Aarhus. There are trains going north to Aalborg twice an hour most days and going west to Skjern or Struer once an hour. Trains from Hamburg arrive several times a day (with a change of trains in Kolding). If you book about two months before travelling, you can buy one of the few tickets for €30 (called "Europa-Sparpreis"). For more information check out the website of the German national railway company DB

DSB introduced a mandatory reservation on trains to and from Germany in July 2019. Even though Denmark is in the Schengen area, passports are being checked by customs at entry points.

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 Aarhus at no extra expense.

By bus
Buses have become an attractive way of travelling between Aarhus and Copenhagen, due to their significantly lower prices. An inter-city bus takes roughly an hour longer than an equivalent express train, but the fares are typically between 40% (standard tickets) and 90% (the cheapest Saver tickets) lower than full-price train tickets.

On foot
The entire city is clean and well organized, which makes walking an excellent and enjoyable way to get around. The inner city has an extensive pedestrian zone, and almost every town road in Denmark has sidewalks. If you want to venture further out, several routes have been established for exercise and for leisurely strolls. Known as "sunbeams", they avoid heavily trafficked roads and includes nature experiences.

By bicycle
Bicycles are easily available for rent in the central parts of town. In addition to the listings below some hotels have bikes available for rental by their guests.

Even though Denmark is very flat generally, Aarhus has some of the steepest roads in the country and they can be quite a challenge if you aren't used to ride a bicycle. However, most roads are a breeze and on longer rides, you can usually plan your route to avoid the hardest ascends if you fear the "Aarhusian Alps".

The inner city of Aarhus has a network of bicycle streets (Danish: Cykelgader) where priority is given to cyclists. Here bicycles can use the entire lane and cars are not supposed to drive faster than normal cycling speed. However not all drivers respect these rules (perhaps because they are unaware of them), so you should still watch out for car traffic.
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By light rail
The electric light rail system "Aarhus Letbane" opened its first line in late 2017, as the first rail system of its kind in Denmark, and is bound for further expansions into the suburbs in coming years.

Tickets can be purchased with credit cards at electronic stands on selected stops, and the tickets are fully compatible with the local yellow bus system (and vice versa). Tickets cannot be purchased aboard the light rail train. Bicycles can be brought along for an extra fee, although not on the inner city stretch "Skolebakken - Universitetshospitalet" during weekday mornings and afternoon rush hour periods (07:00-09:00 and 15:00-17:00). The train schedules, important info, and the zoning system can be checked at the Letbanen website.

By bus
There are two bus systems in Aarhus, both operated by Midttrafik. Yellow buses serve local routes within the city limits, and Blue buses serve municipal and regional routes. The blue bus routes pass through the inner city, so if you have to go on longer journeys, you do not have to change between the two systems. X-buses are express blue buses, discernible by a large X sign. X-buses make fewer stops, are equipped with free Wifi, usually have toilets and you are allowed to eat and drink. All blue buses have limited cargo space for heavy luggage, bicycles, etc., that you can use if you inform the chauffeur. You can enter the yellow city buses using all doors. On the blue regional buses entrance is at the front door only (with some exceptions, such as the 200 and 100).

Tickets are preferably purchased in advance in the Midttrafik app or in the Midttrafik webshop. The app is free for download on App Store and Google Play. Here you can buy single tickets, multi trip ticket cards, and special tourist tickets for busses and Letbanen. As a special service, blue buses also offers the opportunity to buy a ticket with cash from the chauffeur. Tickets bought on blue buses (and trains) can also be used to ride the local yellow buses, but not necessarily the other way around. If you ride without a valid ticket, you risk getting fined heavily, so don't take chances.

Bus tickets for travel within the city limits are kr 22, or kr 11 if you are under 16 years of age. Up to two accompanied children (under 12 years) travel for free. Multi-trip ticket cards are also available (10-trips), varying in price depending on how far you want to go. Cheaper cards are also available for people under 16 years old. Finally, there are tickets that allow you to ride all you want for 30 days, with prices depending on how far you wish to travel. For planning trips, it is recommended to use Rejseplanen; the official travel planner website for all Danish public transport. It is also available as an app.

Night buses are extra buses and routes to and from the outlying districts and suburbs throughout the night. The fare is double the normal price.

In all of Denmark, train tickets can also be used to ride local bus lines, if you get on the bus within the time limit on your ticket.

By car
Aarhus has very good public transit and in the inner city most sights are within walking distance of each other. A car is therefore really only needed if you want to explore the countryside. In addition, you will find that parking is restricted and rather expensive in Aarhus C. Free parking is scarce, except at a few places like Tangkrogen, in front of Ceres Park & Arena and at some shopping centres.

While traffic rarely comes to a complete standstill, the ring roads and inner city streets are often quite congested during rush hour. That being said, should you need a car while staying in Aarhus, there are several car rental companies with centrally located rental stations.

Remember to yield to cyclists. Aarhus is a hilly city and cyclists going downhill will often be approaching intersections at high speed.

There is a low emission zone in Aarhus; see Driving in Denmark.

See
Many attractions and events in Aarhus are free, and there is an interesting street life, so even on a budget you can have an enjoyable experience.

History
With a history dating back to at least the 700s in the Viking Age, Aarhus holds many historic buildings, some of which are of national importance.

Apart from the old churches, the Latin Quarter in the city center has many historic houses in a preserved environment, just walk around the cobblestoned streets and have a look. There are many niche boutiques, cafés and restaurants.

Several professional guides arrange historic walks around town.

Museums
There are a lot of museums around Aarhus, and Denmark in general, but many of them are not museums in the ordinary sense, more like themed and interactive cultural centres. The three main museums in Aarhus are The Old Town museum, ARoS Art Museum and Moesgaard Museum.

Architecture
Anyone who appreciates European architecture will find many points of interest in Aarhus, from medieval buildings to modern icons. Even though Aarhus is one of the oldest towns in Denmark, most of the inner city was erected in the 1800s and 1900s during and after the industrial revolution, and you will not find many larger structures from the 1600s and 1700s, as compared to Copenhagen for example.

Modern architecture is abundant with many notable buildings such as the university campus in yellow brick, the futuristic Dokk1, the residential Isbjerget (The Iceberg) at the harbourfront, Musikhuset (the Concert Halls) and the Moesgård Museum from 2014. Notable architecture in the city also includes a bit of post-modernism, plenty Nordic functionalism, and in particular historicism which is abundant. The Aarhus Cathedral begun in the 1100s is the oldest building in the city, but there are several preserved Medieval timber-framed buildings, mostly in the inner city, with the oldest dating to the 1500s.

Green spaces and nature
Aarhus has a few large parks and several smaller green spaces. The largest and most notable parks includes the University Park, Aarhus Botanical Gardens and The Memorial Park. The city has some nice woodlands, beaches and countryside within easy reach.
 * A trio of preserved historic water mills dating from the 16th, 17th, and the 18th centuries hearken back to the time when this land was a series of tenant farms owned by the barons of Moesgaard Manor., a former grain mill, is now the clubhouse of OK Pan Århus, Denmark's longest-running orienteering club. Skovmøllen, the oldest of the three, has again been a working mill since 2000, and also a restaurant. , an old powder mill, has served guests since the 1700s and is now exclusively a restaurant.
 * A trio of preserved historic water mills dating from the 16th, 17th, and the 18th centuries hearken back to the time when this land was a series of tenant farms owned by the barons of Moesgaard Manor., a former grain mill, is now the clubhouse of OK Pan Århus, Denmark's longest-running orienteering club. Skovmøllen, the oldest of the three, has again been a working mill since 2000, and also a restaurant. , an old powder mill, has served guests since the 1700s and is now exclusively a restaurant.
 * A trio of preserved historic water mills dating from the 16th, 17th, and the 18th centuries hearken back to the time when this land was a series of tenant farms owned by the barons of Moesgaard Manor., a former grain mill, is now the clubhouse of OK Pan Århus, Denmark's longest-running orienteering club. Skovmøllen, the oldest of the three, has again been a working mill since 2000, and also a restaurant. , an old powder mill, has served guests since the 1700s and is now exclusively a restaurant.
 * A trio of preserved historic water mills dating from the 16th, 17th, and the 18th centuries hearken back to the time when this land was a series of tenant farms owned by the barons of Moesgaard Manor., a former grain mill, is now the clubhouse of OK Pan Århus, Denmark's longest-running orienteering club. Skovmøllen, the oldest of the three, has again been a working mill since 2000, and also a restaurant. , an old powder mill, has served guests since the 1700s and is now exclusively a restaurant.
 * A trio of preserved historic water mills dating from the 16th, 17th, and the 18th centuries hearken back to the time when this land was a series of tenant farms owned by the barons of Moesgaard Manor., a former grain mill, is now the clubhouse of OK Pan Århus, Denmark's longest-running orienteering club. Skovmøllen, the oldest of the three, has again been a working mill since 2000, and also a restaurant. , an old powder mill, has served guests since the 1700s and is now exclusively a restaurant.
 * A trio of preserved historic water mills dating from the 16th, 17th, and the 18th centuries hearken back to the time when this land was a series of tenant farms owned by the barons of Moesgaard Manor., a former grain mill, is now the clubhouse of OK Pan Århus, Denmark's longest-running orienteering club. Skovmøllen, the oldest of the three, has again been a working mill since 2000, and also a restaurant. , an old powder mill, has served guests since the 1700s and is now exclusively a restaurant.
 * A trio of preserved historic water mills dating from the 16th, 17th, and the 18th centuries hearken back to the time when this land was a series of tenant farms owned by the barons of Moesgaard Manor., a former grain mill, is now the clubhouse of OK Pan Århus, Denmark's longest-running orienteering club. Skovmøllen, the oldest of the three, has again been a working mill since 2000, and also a restaurant. , an old powder mill, has served guests since the 1700s and is now exclusively a restaurant.
 * A trio of preserved historic water mills dating from the 16th, 17th, and the 18th centuries hearken back to the time when this land was a series of tenant farms owned by the barons of Moesgaard Manor., a former grain mill, is now the clubhouse of OK Pan Århus, Denmark's longest-running orienteering club. Skovmøllen, the oldest of the three, has again been a working mill since 2000, and also a restaurant. , an old powder mill, has served guests since the 1700s and is now exclusively a restaurant.

Do
For a city its size, Aarhus offers a multitude of things for visitors to do. Public events are generally oriented for folks of all ages and budgets, so whether you're a solo visitor, a family, young, old, handicapped, on a tight budget, or in the mood to splurge, there's much to choose from.

Theatre & performing arts

Every second year in May, Aarhus is host to the International Living Theatre (ILT) festival, with the next event taking place in 2025. For a number of days, thespians from all over the world meet up here and share the universe of stage art in its broadest sense with each other and interested participants and audiences.

Cinema
There are three mainstream movie houses in Aarhus, and a number of smaller niche theaters.

Festivals and events

Beaches
Almost the entire coastline of Denmark consists of publicly-accessible sandy beaches well suited for leisurely activities, and the Aarhus area is no different. Beachcombers might want to be on the lookout for petrified belemnites and sea urchins, but you shouldn't expect to spot any amber in this part of Denmark.

The municipality offers real-time updates of water quality, temperature, etc., at area beaches, on a website and via a free mobile app. Be aware that there is increased wave activity throughout the entire bay whenever the catamaran ferry is passing through. The phenomenon is harmless and only lasts 5-10 minutes, but small children are sometimes frightened by this, especially when it happens on an otherwise calm day.

Swimming pools
There are a total of four public indoor swimming pools throughout the city that can be used most of the year. Be sure to check up, as some are closed for extensive periods in the summer. Same price at all venues: kr 45; special prices for children and groups. You can rent towels and bathing suits at some places, but it is expensive.

Sports
Throughout the city there are a number of sports complexes, small and large stadiums, indoor sports halls, and several facilities for street sports. Apart from the free street-level activities, you'll need to be a member of a team to visit most of these places, but sometimes hourly rental or trial lessons are offered.
 * Football: Aarhus GF play soccer in Superliga, Denmark's top tier. (And other sports: GF is Gymnastikforening, since you were wondering.) Their home ground is Ceres Park (capacity 19,400) 2 km south of city centre.

Aarhus hosts many large sports events on both national and international level. You may want to attend or plan your visit around one of these events. Among the coming happenings, Aarhus will present Urban Sports Festival in the summer of 2024, European Choir Festival in 2025, and Tall Ships Races in 2026.

Boating
In the summer from early May through September you can rent canoes at the central community centre of and paddle along the Aarhus River for short or extended journeys.

Angling
To fish as a recreational activity in Denmark, you are required to buy an Angler Fishing License (Fisketegn).

There are several popular spots for angling on the harbourfront, although eating bottom-feeders caught in the harbour is not recommended for health reasons. The sea, coasts and countryside around Aarhus, present many opportunities for angling. Saltwater fish includes sea trout, cod, mackerel, herring, and flatfish. Sometimes migrating fish like garfish are plentiful, depending on the season. Freshwater fish in streams and lakes, includes trout, pike, perch, and in some places zander, roach or bream.

Horse riding
A few places offers horseback riding as an alternative way to experience the immediate countryside.

Golf
The East Jutland region has many options for golfers. The courses are of a high quality and often situated in beautiful settings. As part of this region, Aarhus has several options:

Learn
Make no mistake about it: Aarhus is a college town. As the home of Aarhus University, the largest in Scandinavia, plus nine other institutions of higher education, Aarhus' student population numbers one out of every five residents — a statistic that certainly explains the youthful vigor in the city's dining, nightlife, and cultural scenes.

Even if you're not matriculated at any of Aarhus' colleges and universities, the city still offers a lot of informal learning activities and courses on all kinds of subjects.

 * Apart from degree courses, (AU) also offers a number of independent academic courses in English, as well as...
 * Folkeuniversitetet (Folk University), which hosts lectures and seminars on many popular academic subjects, with a more relaxed and less technical tone aimed at laypeople. However, the teachers come from a rigorous academic background (many are professors at AU), and are equipped to deliver up-to-date knowledge from the forefront of research. All courses are in Danish, so this can be a good opportunity for you to exercise your language skills in an intellectually stimulating way.

 * Dokk1 ', a new central library and cultural centre, offers a plethora of cultural events, gatherings, seminars, and discussion groups with various cultural notables.
 * (Frederiksgade 78C) is a cluster of buildings tucked away in a courtyard behind City Hall Square that serves as a centre for a diversity of courses in general education, meetings and conferences. There is an onsite café (Café Nicolai) and sometimes markets where the students sell their own crafts and artworks.
 * FOF is a longstanding adult education program that offers all sorts of courses with qualified teachers, usually in the evening, in various locations throughout the city. Here you can learn to play guitar, cook for your baby or acquire a sailing certificate.
 * . If learning Danish is your goal, this is the place to go. The language courses here are mostly geared toward foreign students at Aarhus University and immigrants, but are open to all. Courses are held at both the LærDansk's offices (Paludan-Müllers Vej 82) and the AU campus.

Buy
The pedestrian zone in the city centre is the best place for shopping — and it's right outside both Aarhus Central Station and the bus terminal, so you can't miss it. It's packed with small specialty boutiques and cafés, but you'll also find larger stores too: locations of Salling and Magasin du Nord department stores; three H&M outlets; several supermarkets. The main street of Strøget is the place to go for upscale Scandinavian clothing, design and jewellery shops. There are also a number of larger bookstores where you can buy books in English, including guides and maps.

Outside the city centre, notable shopping opportunities include:

Self-caterers on a budget should look for a yellow Netto or blue Rema; these are the most abundant discount grocery stores in the city. Another discount option is the less frequent green Coop 365 stores.

Some places, particularly restaurants, assess a surcharge of a few percent extra on purchases made with foreign credit cards, due to banking fees.

Eat
Aarhus is generally known as one of the best places to eat in Denmark. However, the best places are not necessarily located at the most prominent addresses, so a bit of browsing is recommended if you have a particular interest in fine dining. Prices tend toward the low end — perfect for perennially cash-strapped university students — but that's not necessarily an indicator of low quality; you can find surprisingly good food at some of these budget-priced places. Several spots have lunch offers.

With an immigrant population of around 15%, Aarhus has many opportunities for ethnic food; Italian, Greek, Middle Eastern, Chinese, Vietnamese, Thai and Japanese food are the most common cuisines, and again, prices are usually quite affordable.

Most restaurants close the kitchen at 21:00, but you can usually sit back and enjoy your meal for as long as you like. At gourmet spots, it is a good idea to book a table beforehand, and for groups of five or more people it is highly recommended. Otherwise, you risk being turned down in the door, due to the unexpected workload or lack of space. Many restaurants are closed for extensive periods throughout the year; usually in the summer months or Jan-Feb, so be sure to check in advance if you plan to visit a specific place.

Barbecue and burgers
In the last decade or so, Aarhus has experienced a veritable "burger war", with good quality burger joints popping up everywhere, making for strong competition. Middle Eastern fare such as kebab, shawarma and falafel can be had at numerous eateries in nightlife districts, and Aarhus has several choices for traditional Danish-style barbecue as well.

Budget
In addition to what's listed below, no visit to Denmark would be complete without patronizing a Pølsevogn (sausage wagon): street vendors that sell a variety of hot dogs, sausages, and sometimes burgers. The inner city has several, including one in front of the central station and another at City Hall Square, most of which are owned by a Danish charity that donates the surplus to needy children.

Mediterranean
French and Italian fare is popular and easy to find around Aarhus, but the Mediterranean options also includes a few Spanish and Greek style restaurants.

Budget
Pizzerias are abundant throughout the city, including the outlying districts. Some places puts in an extra effort:

Other noteworthy places with budget options include:

Mid-range
Good restaurants with a broader and more substantial Mediterranean menu include:

Budget
There are many options for a budget-priced Asian meal. Chinese restaurants usually offer budget-priced lunch buffets, a few à la carte dishes, and takeaway boxes. Notable also is a cluster of Asian-style eateries in Nørregade.

Mid-range
Sushi dominates the roster of mid-priced Asian restaurants in Aarhus, and there are many options. In addition, the following restaurants stands out in the Asian-style category:

International gourmet
While gourmet dining in Denmark traditionally means French cuisine, the large and diverse slate of such restaurants in Aarhus also includes Italian and Spanish-inspired gourmet cooking, seafood restaurants, and New Nordic. Four places have been awarded a Michelin star and several are mentioned in respectable food guides, including the White Guide covering Nordic countries specifically.

Most larger hotels have their own restaurant, usually with decent-quality international fare at mid-range prices, and some with outstanding dining. You don't have to have a room there to eat there. See the "Sleep" section or individual hotel websites for details. Further out into the countryside, traditional inns (kroer) also offer culinary experiences comprising both native Danish fare as well as international gourmet cuisine, again mostly at mid-range prices.

Mid-range
Great quality international gourmet food can be had for mid-range prices. Even if your budget is limited to mid-range, do also check out "Splurge" restaurants, as more expensive places are known to offer special promotional discounts from time to time.

Steakhouses
Denmark is well-known worldwide for its pork, but also produces topnotch beef. Many restaurants have steak on the menu, including some of the international gourmet spots, but a few places serve it as the specialty of the house. To enjoy the best possible steak in Aarhus, you will have to splurge.

Traditional Danish food
Unlike the experimental and often quite expensive dining of the New Nordic Cuisine, traditional Danish food is hearty, simple, and of course old-school — and its popularity is surging on Denmark's restaurant scene these days. Special menus are served around Mortens Aften (St. Martin's Day; 11 November), Christmas, and Easter. Prices are mostly mid-range.

Vegetarian
Many eateries in Aarhus have vegetarian dishes or alternatives on the menu. Only a few places are dedicated vegetarian only.

Cafés
The many cafés in Aarhus span a diverse range, from tiny holes-in-the-wall with two chairs to extravagantly decorated places with mirror rooms and waiters in fancy clothes. Some places serve only the most basic items, while other places offer lunch, evening dinners or cocktails and parties at night. So whatever you are looking for, it shouldn't be a problem to find a café that suits your taste or pocket.

The majority of cafés in Aarhus are unique, each with their own individual charm and character, and you'll find an emphasis on high-quality coffee in quite a few of them. However, national chain cafés also have a presence, with locations of Espresso House, emmerys, Lagkagehuset and Anettes Sandwich across the city, and Starbucks have two cafés in the inner city as well. If you're not a coffee drinker, cafés also often serve hot chocolate and sometimes smoothies, but quality tea is only just beginning to catch on around these parts.

Take note that in almost all cafés in Denmark you are expected to contact staff yourself, usually at the desk, to grab a menu card, to place your order and when you wants to pay. This is often very bewildering to tourists, but is how things are typically done in Denmark and not a sign of rude or ignorant service.

Although there is a high concentration in the inner city, cafés can be found all over town. A few special places might be hard to discover without particular mention:

Bakeries
Denmark has a long tradition of unique, good quality bread and confectionery. You might find it in cafés or in common bakeries across the city, but some places merit a visit for the special effort they put into the craft of baking.

 * and are two Danish chains of high-end bakeries with attached café sections. Lagkagehuset has seven spots across town and presents a great selection of cakes which, apart from the Danish pastries of course, include cold confectioners cakes such as layercakes and creamcakes. Emmerys is an organic certified bakery with five spots offering brunch servings, while the cake selection is more limited. Both chains offers breakfast and various snack foods and they are open every day of the week.

Drink
Aarhus has a lively nightlife, with everything from big mainstream clubs to small alternative hangouts playing niche music. Aarhus' young population fuels a major part of the partying, and the large numbers of students tend to keep prices reasonable. The legal age for buying alcohol in Denmark is 16 and 18 relative to the amount of alcohol present in a given drink, but some bars limit entry to those over 20 or even 23. In any case, it pays to have picture ID on you if you want to indulge in the bar scene. Prices are generally higher than in other parts of Europe, but cheaper than Copenhagen and with several budget options. Entry fees are almost non-existing. The action tends to concentrate around Jægergårdsgade, Frederiksgade, Åboulevarden, Vestergade, the Latin Quarter, Mejlgade, Nørregade, and the riverside (Åen), the latter of which is the most expensive area.

The nightlife in Denmark and Aarhus is quite safe, though occasionally plagued with young immigrants (primarily of Middle Eastern descent) who harass people, sell drugs, and engage in vandalism. These incidents might be rarer these days, but if you are a group of young males with a Middle Eastern look, be aware that you could risk being denied access to some of the more popular spots. Drinking does not limit itself to the night (or the weekends) in Danish culture, so you will not have a problem finding a good place for a cold beer, a nice drink or a glass of wine in the afternoon or even in the morning.

The most widely available Danish beers are Tuborg, Carlsberg and Ceres. With a 150-year history in Aarhus, Ceres was by many considered the "beer of Aarhus", with Ceres TOP as the flagship pilsner, but the beer is not brewed locally anymore. Most places also serve other well-known international brands, mostly on draft. Quite a few spots specialize in quality beers and craft brews, and offer a large variety for the beer connoisseur. This trend seems to have spilled over and affected many of the regular places as well.

Cocktail bars are getting increasingly popular, with most places now offering some kind of mixed drink as an alternative to the omnipresent beer. Quality whiskey, rum and gin can be had in many bars. While in Danish culture wine is traditionally enjoyed with food rather than by itself, there are a few high-end wine bars that are very popular.

Many Aarhus bars change concept and/or owners quite often, some every 2-3 years or so, while other spots close and new ones emerge. The listing below is therefore incomplete and may be out of date, though we've tried to limit it to places with proven staying power.

Frederiksbjerg
A neighbourhood with its own atmosphere, separated from the rest of the city centre by the central rail yard. Frederiksbjerg's nightlife scene is a mix of traditional bodegaer and værtshuse of the type you can read about below, as well as some newer and more fashionable spots.

Frederiksgade
This partly pedestrianized street brims with nightlife.

Riverside
Most of the cafés near the mouth of the river turn into bars and nightclubs in the late evening, but there are also many places here dedicated exclusively to nightlife. One of the busiest bar scenes in the city, the riverside can be hectic Friday and Saturday nights, attracting many young people. The rest of the week, the promenades along the river offers a more laid-back vibe. Despite the many upscale and fashionable places, there are a surprisingly ample selection of budget-friendly options in between. The nightlife scene here starts off at Immervad, the small bridge crossing the canal at Frederiksgade, and stretches all the way to the mouth of the river at the harbourfront.

Skolegade
Skolegade is an old narrow sidestreet behind Åboulevarden with a long history as a nightlife destination. Most of the action is near the south end, closest to the riverside.

Latin Quarter
As at the riverside, several of the Latin Quarter's cafés turn into festive bars in the evening, while other places serve as such all day.

Bodegaer and værtshuse
In Denmark, a bodega is a traditional Danish pub or bar. The bodega has a long cultural history in Denmark and is conceptually somewhat similar to an English pub, but only a few places offer meals and live music. You could warm up at one before going to a concert or a fancy club, or you can drop in for a coffee or a beer in the afternoon. It should be fairly easy to find yourself engaged in a conversation at these places, as the majority of people are here to socialize and unwind.

In the older days, when alcohol was seen as a basic thirst-quencher for the working man, bars were much more abundant. These were watering holes with the sole purpose of serving cheap beers all day, every day. The Danish word for these basic bars is værtshus, which loosely translates as "hosting-house": in other words, a place that hosts people for drinking. Times have changed, but there are still some of these places left in Aarhus, many with their own peculiar charm. They are mostly frequented by regulars, but visiting strangers are welcomed too. The crowd at these places can be a lovely mix of joyful people at times, especially weekend nights.

Ceres TOP pilsner is the de rigueur beer in bodegaer and værtshuse, but other alcoholic beverages are usually available too, along with coffee and soft drinks. An "Aarhus set" consists of a Ceres TOP with a shot of Arnbitter on the side, both beverages from Aarhus. Shots of black liquorice-flavoured vodka, often referred to as Fisk, are popular with young people.

In popular usage, the terminology can be confusing: the words værtshus, bodega, and café are nowadays often employed indiscriminately in business names, and in particular værtshus can be used for any kind of bar. To learn more about the true original værtshus concept — and to learn how to differentiate between the three categories yourself — you can start your field research at these spots:

Sleep
Prices for hotels are generally higher than in other parts of Europe, but there are a number budget options of a good quality.

Apart from the well known hotels listed below, there are also options for small bed and breakfasts — usually located some distance outside the city centre — as well as private stays and holiday rentals.

Budget

Mid-range

Kroer
Kroer (singular kro) are traditional country inns of a type that has a long history in Denmark: a nationwide network of these places was laid out by royal decree beginning in the 13th century (and culminating in the 17th) in order to provide easy shelter, dining and fresh horses for the king and his entourage when travelling through the country. Others emerged in places like village halls and old flour mills to provide food and accommodation for larger gatherings and celebrations in the surrounding rural communities. Today, kroer are usually held in high social regard. If you're looking for an all-inclusive getaway in a romantic countryside setting, yet not too far away from the action of the central city, this might be the option you're looking for.

Wi-Fi
Nearly all hotels supply free Wi-Fi and limited workspaces. Most cafés also offers free Wi-Fi for customers, but gazing into your laptop for more than half-an-hour in a café is usually disapproved and you are best advised to find another spot to satisfy your digital needs. In this case Aarhus's free municipal WiFi network, Smart Aarhus, can be freely accessed in and around most public squares, parks, and institutions, including the Urban Mediaspace of Dokk1 where finding a spot to sit around should not be a problem.

Computers
If you need to use a computer, the library at Dokk1 has several terminals for public use, with Internet access through an SMS authentication system and printing services available for a fee. Also free Wi-Fi throughout the building.

Accessibility
In Denmark, all newer buildings — and quite a few older ones as well — are specially equipped with ramps, elevators, lifts, and sometimes escalators to help handicapped people navigate the public space. As well, the beeping sound you hear coming from the traffic lights at some of Aarhus' busier intersections are there to help visually impaired pedestrians know when it's safe to cross. Guide dogs are allowed in most places (even in some cinemas), and personnel are unusually friendly and helpful towards the handicapped.

Begging
The homeless in Aarhus are usually harmless (to the point where you could make small talk with many of them), and aggressive begging is uncommon. Many of them earn a nominal income selling the street newspaper Hus Forbi ("House Passed") to passersby in public places.

Consulates

 * 🇦🇹 Austria
 * 🇧🇪 Belgium
 * 🇧🇫 Burkina Faso
 * 🇨🇱 Chile
 * 🇭🇷 Croatia
 * 🇨🇾 Cyprus
 * 🇨🇿 Czech Republic
 * 🇪🇪 Estonia
 * 🇫🇷 France
 * 🇩🇪 Germany
 * 🇭🇺 Hungary
 * 🇮🇸 Iceland
 * 🇮🇹 Italy
 * 🇲🇹 Malta
 * 🇲🇽 Mexico
 * 🇳🇱 Netherlands
 * 🇳🇴 Norway
 * 🇴🇲 Oman
 * 🇵🇭 Philippines
 * 🇵🇱 Poland
 * 🇷🇴 Romania
 * 🇸🇰 Slovakia
 * 🇸🇮 Slovenia
 * 🇸🇪 Sweden
 * 🇨🇭 Switzerland
 * 🇺🇦 Ukraine
 * 🇬🇧 United Kingdom

Stay healthy
In case of medical emergency, tourists should call the general medical emergency line at +45 70 11 31 31 or, in the case of life-threatening emergencies, 112. There is only one emergency centre serving all of Aarhus. It is located at the new Aarhus University Hospital out of town in the northern district of Skejby. Take note, that you are required to call in advance in any circumstance!

There are many pharmacies (Apotek) in Aarhus, in the city centre as well as the outlying districts. Supermarkets and some shops also sell non-prescription medicine. At the near the Cathedral, medicine can be picked up all week 06:00-24:00.

COVID-19 tests for foreign tourists: If you are a "close contact" or have symptoms of Covid-19, you should have a PCR test. PCR tests are free of charge in Denmark. Non-Danish citizens have to register at Covidresults.dk before showing up at a test centre. More information.

Close by
Explore the East Jutland region with Aarhus as a base, be it day trips or longer stopovers. The region offers many kinds of activities and experiences, especially in the summertime.

 * A trip through the immediate countryside around Aarhus — say, to the Jeksendalen valley southwest of town, or around Norsminde Fjord on the coast — combined with a nice meal at a roadside kro can make for a great little getaway from the city. This is best done on four wheels rather than two: many roads here are narrow, there are no bike lanes, and car traffic can be fast-moving.
 * Djursland is the "nose" of Jutland immediately northeast of Aarhus, a thinly-populated rural area where folks have made a living farming and fishing for millenia — a history you can get a sense of in the preserved Medieval-era old town of Ebeltoft, or at the ruins of Kalø Castle, both part of Mols Bjerge National Park which comprises most of southern Djursland. If animals are your thing, you'll find Kattegatcentret, an aquarium in Grenå where you can swim with seals, as well as a pair of open-air zoos: Skandinavisk Dyrepark with large animals related to Scandinavia exclusively, and Ree Park Safari with a plethora of exotic animals from all around the world. Also popular is Djurs Sommerland, an amusement park with thrill rides including the largest rollercoaster in Northern Europe. North of Aarhus is Randers, home to a jungle zoo as well as Gammel Estrup, a manorhouse-museum situated in one of the many castles and manors that dot the region.
 * Søhøjlandet, the "lake highlands", is a scenic region of forests, hills and lakes west and south of Aarhus that's historically important as home to medieval religious orders and the birthplace of the Danish national state. Hiking is a major attraction of this region: the Aarhus-Silkeborg hiking trail leads from the city centre through a scenic landscape of rivers and lakes to the town of Silkeborg, where you'll find an impressive modern art museum and yet another aquarium — Ferskvandscentret — displaying native freshwater aquatic species. From Silkeborg you can press on to Himmelbjerget, or the Sky Mountain, one of the highest points in Denmark with an impressive view of the surrounding landscape from the red brick tower on top. Elsewhere in the region is Skanderborg, a small historic town that was once the royal family's favorite hunting grounds and later during the Second World War served as headquarters of the Danish faction of the Luftwaffe (you can explore this history at the Skanderborg Museum), and Horsens, a port town that's home of the European Medieval Festival.
 * Samsø is clearly visible from Aarhus across the bay, and is accessible by car ferry from the village of Hou. A new small catamaran ferry (no vehicles except bicycles), M/F Lilleør, also connects the center of Aarhus with Samsø. The pace slows on this pastoral island powered entirely by renewable energy, with golf, horseback riding, and fine dining all on offer.
 * Vejle, Southern Jutland's regional capital, boasts a range of historic and art museums as well as Trekantsområdets Festuge, a 10-day regional cultural festival akin to Aarhus Festuge.
 * Viborg is - like Aarhus - an old Cathedral town with an interesting townscape full of history, quirky alleyways and summertime street life. It is a work-hard, play-hard town, home of one of Denmark's most popular and dominant football teams. Viborg has been administrative capital of the entire Region Midtjylland (Central Denmark Region) since 2007.

Further afield

 * Denmark's third-largest city, Odense, is the birthplace of fairy-tale fabulist Hans Christian Andersen, and it plays that connection to the hilt for the benefit of tourists: the house he grew up in is now a museum, Little Mermaid statues dot the town liberally, and there are parades and monuments in his honor.
 * A lively student culture rules the day in Aalborg, in the far north of Denmark, home of the eponymous University of Aalborg as well as Jomfru Ane Gade, the longest bar street in Scandinavia.

title: Aarhus


text:
Aba (prefecture)

Aba Tibetan & Qiang Autonomous Prefecture (Mandarin Chinese: 阿坝藏族羌族自治州; Ābà Zàngzú Qiāngzú Zìzhìzhōu, or Ngawa Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture (Tibetan: རྔ་བ་བོད་རིགས་དང་ཆང་རིགས་རང་སྐྱོང་ཁུལ་), is located in north-western Sichuan province.

Cities

 * — there are 37 monasteries and nunneries in the area, two of the largest of which are in the city
 * — in nearby Zhuokeji village is a watchtower fortress once occupied by a local chieftain where Mao Zedong stayed at the watchtower several times during the Long March

 * — a sleepy village surrounded by mountains that give off a very much alpine flair reminiscent of rural Austria or Bavaria and perfect for hiking and horsetreking

 * — has the most concentrated Qiang population in China

 * — a base-camp for exploring the nearby national parks and Tibetan villages
 * — less crowded than the more well-known destinations in Ngawa Prefecture and has some good ‘off-the-beaten-track’ areas to explore
 * — less crowded than the more well-known destinations in Ngawa Prefecture and has some good ‘off-the-beaten-track’ areas to explore

Other destinations
Aba Prefecture contains 3 of the 6 World Natural Heritage Sites in the all of China, making Aba the premier destination in China for nature-based and ecotourism. There is also great cultural diversity, with a majority Tibetan population, elaborate Tibetan Buddhist temples (e.g. Langmusi on the border with Gansu), picturesque grasslands and beautiful mountain scenery. There is also a significant Qiang minority population (particularly in Maoxian county).

The 3 UNESCO World Natural Heritage Sites are:

 * — known as the habitat of giant pandas and for its many multi-level waterfalls and colorful lakes
 * — a mountain that is relatively easy to climb with natural mineral pools and lakes forming
 * — its mammals include the Sichuan golden monkey, white-lipped deer, clouded leopard, snow leopard and occasional giant panda

Other national parks include:
 * Muni Valley national park
 * Baihe Golden Monkey Reserve
 * Wanglang National Park
 * Wolong Nature Reserve — sanctuary for endangered pandas

Understand
Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture is located in the north-west of Sichuan Province, at the upper reaches of the Chang jiang River and the Yellow River, with an area of 84,200 square kilometers. Under its jurisdiction, there are 13 counties. The prefecture lies in the historic northern Tibetan region of Amdo. Besides the obvious Han Chinese and Tibetan influences you may encounter Hui and Qiang minorities as well. The further you get from Songpan and Chengdu the stronger the minority influences get.

Within Aba, there is a diversity of ethnic groups, including Tibetan (52.3%), Han (26.7%), Qiang (17.7%) and Chinese Muslim (Hui) (3.2%).

Get in
Jiuzhai Huanglong Airport

See
Aba town is home to several monasteries and nunneries.

The Qiang villages and natural scenery are big draws to Wenchuan.

Do
You can get a horse trekking tour from Langmusi or Songpan into the beautiful surrounding grasslands, hills, and valleys. On the overnight treks, you will have the opportunity to stay in a tent with Tibetan nomads.

The Zang Mii Tibetan Opera cultural performance hall, in Zhang Zha township of Jiuzhaigou county, hosts nightly (outside of winter) spectacular and elaborate performances which tell a story of a pilgrim's journey in an intimate and entertaining, colourful and exciting way. The theme of the opera has deep cultural meaning and significance and conveys a proud sense of the Tibetan people and their beliefs.

Eat
Try the Tibetan round baked walnut bread ('hetao da bing') or the delicious round-baked cake-like bread baked by the Hui Muslim minorities in Songpan and Wenchuan.

The Qiang are famous for collecting wild vegetables and also for their cured ham (腊肉).

Drink
The Qiang have a traditional mild alcohol called ‘za jiu’ (咂酒) or ‘sucking wine’. At festivals this is drunk through communal long bamboo straws from a single, large jar. However, it can also be requested at meals as a bottled drink.

title: Aba (prefecture)


text:
Abacos

The Abacos are a group of islands in the Bahamas east of Grand Bahama. Great Abaco and Little Abaco are the primary islands. Disney's privately-owned "Castaway Cay" is here. The Abacos took a beating from Hurricane Dorian in 2019.

Towns

 * — island with small population
 * — island with small population
 * — island with small population
 * — island with small population

Talk
You should not have problems speaking for they speak English and most employees speak Spanish.

By plane
The major airport is Marsh Harbour Airport, with scheduled flights from Freeport and Nassau in Bahamas plus Charlotte, several destinations in Florida and seasonal flights from Atlanta in the U.S.

See
The outer reefs are great to go to see sharks.

Sleep

Go next

 * Elbow Cay is several miles east of Great Abaco Island. This six-mile stretch of land is less than an hour-long ferry ride from Great Abaco's Marsh Harbor.

Abaco

title: Abacos