The best tips for a short trip to Aalborg in Denmark

The fourth largest city in Denmark scores with Danish design, modern architecture and a chic harbor bath. And if you have some leisure, you can have trees sing something to you.

Two full days in the city plus a week by the sea. This is a perfect combination for many travelers in summer: you can satisfy your hunger for art, history or design, depending on your preference, and then relax in a holiday home by the sea. It doesn’t always have to be the capital of a country, which is often already overcrowded. It is worth considering the smaller and still unknown metropolises. Aalborg in Denmark is such a gem.

The student town with around 120,000 inhabitants not only has top sights with the Utzon Center, harbor baths and concert hall (“Musikkens Hus”) – many of the attractions are also located directly on the charming harbor promenade by the water.

Memories of a world-famous opera house

Those interested in architecture and fans of Nordic design will be happy in Aalborg in the Utzon Center. This knowledge center is named after Jørn Utzon. The architect became internationally famous with his design for the Sydney Opera House.

Anyone who strolls up to the building on the Limfjord will immediately recognize the roof – just three sizes smaller than the world-famous opera house in Australia. The sails gleaming in the sun are typical of the architect who died in 2008.

The permanent exhibition about the life and work of Jørn Utzon as well as temporary exhibitions pull out all the stops of digital exhibition art including hands-on options. There is also a lot to do for the youngsters there. In a kind of playroom called “Mini Maxi”, smaller children can explore how important the absolute size of a commodity is.

Older children can create their own Lego structures and work with them thanks to virtual reality glasses in Minecraft. “We try to offer something for children in every exhibition, something they can touch or build,” explains Amalie Vinther Zahle, curator of the Utzon Center and herself an architect.

Jump into the water from the climbing wall

Just a few minutes’ walk from the Utzon Center is the Hafenbad, which opened in 2011, with a diving board and climbing wall. Admission is free, and visitors sunbathe on wooden panels, sheltered from the wind – something that is very important in Aalborg.

In a total of four pools, swimmers can cool off directly in the Limfjord or plop down from the climbing wall. An ideal stopover to recover from art and culture and to make traveling children happy.

A concert hall with a view / Aalborg Travel Guide

Can it be sightseeing again afterwards? Musikkens Hus, which opened in 2014, is not just an eye-catcher for fans of exposed concrete. Tip: First marvel at the building from the outside, then go inside and admire the simple, elegant interior design.

Be sure to climb the curved staircase and from there look out over the Limfjord and the opposite bank with lots of industrial and harbor architecture.

Aalborg was once a purely industrial city and is still home to the country’s largest manufacturer of white cement: Aalborg Portland. Right next to the concert hall are some smart looking skyscrapers – these are Aalborg’s student residences.

Street art on the walls

Around 70 weatherproof murals adorn originally boring house facades in Aalborg. The artists come from all over the world. If you like, you can discover the works of art on your own or with a guided tour.

There are also one or two outdated detergent advertisements. Of course, it is not officially part of street art, but it is historically interesting.

Singing trees on the way to the museum

The most important museum in Aalborg is called Kunsten. In the bright, daylight-filled building, the focus is on 20th-century Danish artists and designers. There is also a garden with works of art and a nice café. The museum is just outside, it takes about 20 minutes to walk from the city center.

On the way you pass the spacious Kildeparken and can make the singing trees sing with music by Cliff Richard, Helene Fischer or Andrea Berg. In fact, more than 70 artists have each planted “their” tree in rank and file. In front of each is a loudspeaker with a button. Just press it and you’ll hear, for example, Cliff Richard’s evergreen “Congratulations”.

Aalborg Travel Guide / Eat in Aalborg

If you need a refreshment, you should definitely stop by Penny Lane during the day. The cozy café has an endless number of delicious tarts and pastries on offer, but there are also salads and sandwiches. The lunch menu on the top floor of the Salling department store is also good – including a beautiful view from the stylish roof terrace.

In the evening there is cheap and delicious Italian food at Azurra Nordkraft. You get industrial romance for free: the restaurant is located in a former power plant and cultural center.

Anyone who likes to try different national cuisines from stand to stand will find what they are looking for in a huge industrial hall away from the city. There are about a dozen food stalls under the umbrella of Aalborg Streetfood. The street food and drinks are not cheaper than going to a restaurant, but they are original.

Tip: The duck meat in the “Duck Burger” melts in your mouth. Otherwise, everything can be found there, from fish and chips to Indian and sushi to Thai curry. There are also plenty of pinball and slot machines in the hall.

Arrival to Aalborg

Aalborg has an airport that is served from Germany, for example by KLM via Amsterdam. By car, you follow the A7/E45 motorway further north after the border – it’s around 300 kilometers from Flensburg. Aalborg is also easily accessible by train, for example via Hamburg and Aarhus.