From Port to City: Things to Do in Aarhus, Denmark
Aarhus is Denmark’s second-largest city and a common port stop on Baltic cruises. Situated on the east coast of the Jutland peninsula, it’s a historic city that feels like a cozy neighborhood, offering all its major sights and attractions within easy walking distance of each other.
Pronounced “or-hoose” not “are-hoose”, Aarhus translates to “river mouth” and like many other Scandanavian cities has a compelling Viking history. Most cruise ships dock at the Port of Aarhus (Danish: Aarhus Havn), which is conveniently located adjacent to the city center. It’s only about a 15-minute walk from the cruise port to the city.
Several large cruise line ships dock here, including sailings from Princess, Norwegian, and Holland America Line. I visited Aarhus aboard Holland’s Zuiderdam.
Related: Check out my video review of Zuiderdam.
Taxis and Shopping at the Aarhus Cruise Terminal
When exiting the cruise ship, this isn’t the most scenic terminal. You’ll disembark on the pier, walk a bit, and then encounter a large tented area where local vendors sell their wares. It was raining on the day of my visit, so there weren’t many vendors (around 7-8), but while there wasn’t much by way of variety and the options were fairly underwhelming, their souvenirs seemed to be authentic and locally made.
It’s at this tented location where you will also find a taxi stand with cars ready to transport cruisers wherever they wish to go, which is fortunate since ride-share isn’t an option here. Since I didn’t have an excursion booked, and the rain made exploration on foot unviable, so my boyfriend and I spontaneously decided to take a taxi around Aarhus.
Taxis in Aarhus are licensed, regulated, and have set pricing. They offer a set option for cruisers, where the driver takes you around the city for an hour at a cost of around $68 USD, which I found to be a bargain. Our driver ended up being an older local woman, and we benefitted so much from learning from her, as she provided not just information about the areas where we drove but also her own experiences and culture. Had it not been raining heavily, we could have easily explored the city on foot, which is what many cruisers opt to do.
Things to Do in Aarhus
European cruise excursions tend to be quite expensive and somewhat limited, so if you’re looking for things to do in Aarhus, here are some of the top choices. You’ll likely find them offered as official cruise line excursions, or you can venture out and explore them on your own. Just make sure you’re aware first of the pros and cons (and risks) of independent excursions.
ARoS Art Museum
ARoS, located in the heart of Aarhus, Denmark, is an area renowned for the ARoS Aarhus Art Museum, one of Scandinavia’s largest and most significant art museums. This vibrant cultural district features the iconic “Your Rainbow Panorama” installation which isn’t just art, but serves as a pedestrian walkway. You can buy a cruise excursion here, or get there on your own and buy tickets directly — or book a private tour. It’s less than two miles from the cruise port, so it’s conveniently located.
Old Town
Den Gamle By, or “The Old Town,” in Aarhus, Denmark, is an open-air museum showcasing historical Danish architecture and urban life from the 16th to the 20th centuries. This charming area features period buildings, costumed actors, and interactive exhibits, providing a vivid glimpse into Denmark’s past. On my visit to Aarhus, I planned to explore this museum on my own, but given that it’s open-air, that plan was unfortunately thwarted by the rain. Many cruise lines offer this as a paid excursion option, but these can be pricey, so instead, consider purchasing tickets directly and exploring on your own, or booking a guided tour. It’s located about 3 miles from the cruise port.
Fyrkat Viking Museum
The Fyrkat Viking Museum is a great attraction for those interested in Viking history, but it’s nearly an hour from port, so if you want to do this one, I recommend booking through the cruise line. Did you know that the tech term “Bluetooth” is derived from Viking King Harald Bluetooth?! That’s one of the fun facts you’ll learn if you visit this museum, which is basically an ancient Viking ring fortress from Bluetooth’s era, showcasing well-preserved earthworks and reconstructed Viking buildings that offer a glimpse into the region’s Viking heritage.
Rosenholm Castle
Rosenholm Castle (Danish: Rosenholm Slot) is located near Hornslet, which is about a 30-minute drive from the cruise port. It is a Renaissance-era castle known for its stunning architecture, historic interiors, and beautifully landscaped gardens. As Denmark’s oldest family-owned castle, it is one of the best-preserved estates from the golden age of manor houses, dating from 1550 to 1630. Most cruise lines calling to Aarhus will offer this as an excursion.
Language and Currency in Aarhus
The primary language spoken in Aarhus is Danish, although English is also widely understood and spoken, especially in tourist areas and among younger residents. The official currency in Aarhus, as well as throughout Denmark, is the Danish Krone (DKK), although the Euro (€) is generally accepted (US currency not so much).
Credit cards are widely accepted, and in most European locations, tap-to-pay or contactless payment is becoming very common and quite convenient. A tap-to-pay credit card, also known as a contactless card, allows users to make payments quickly and securely by simply tapping the card against a contactless-enabled payment terminal, eliminating the need to swipe or insert the card and enter a PIN.
Aarhus Cruise Port Ship Schedule
The Aarhus Havn’s official website is the most direct source for the cruise ship schedule in Aarhus, Denmark.
Aarhus Time Zone
Keeping track of time zones can get complicated when cruising, especially for Americans on European cruises with substantial time zone differences, and itineraries may result in time changes during the cruise. Your captain will make announcements during the cruise to update you on these changes, but it’s good to be aware of these differences ahead of time when planning your stop at the port, especially for excursions.
Aarhus operates in the Central European Time (CET) zone, which is UTC+1 during standard time and UTC+2 during daylight saving time. Many cruise lines operate on “ship time” that corresponds with the point of embarkation, so if your cruise sails from Amsterdam or Ijmuiden, which are also in the Central European Time (CET) zone, these times should be consistent.
