Aarhus Is Europe's Best City You've Never Heard Of

[Celerity]

Don’t sleep on this European destination, which has a population of 350,000 but packs a major cultural punch—in food, art, history, and design.

https://www.thedailybeast.com/aarhus-is-europes-best-city-youve-never-heard-of



Immediately after exiting the central railway station in Aarhus, visitors are greeted by a bustling pedestrian-only street with quaint red-brick facades, a towering Gothic revival church, mountains of bicycles parked in an organized chaos—all of it very Danish. But as cliché as it sounds, there are also the smells. Cardamom and cinnamon from a small bakery, fresh-baked bread at a sandwich stall, newly fried churros from a hole-in-the-wall, spit-roasted meats from a shawarma shop with a line out the door. It was certainly the first thing I noticed. That might be because I came here (with assistance from VisitDenmark and its local partners) to investigate my European friend’s claim that Aarhus, Denmark’s second largest city, is an underrated and under-discussed food town. But what I discovered over several days is that it’s much more than that. Aarhus is actually, as the Danes might say, skidegodt, or, cool as shit.



Located 120 miles west of Copenhagen—three-and-a-half hours by train or car—on the eastern coast of Jutland, Denmark’s peninsular mainland jutting up from continental Europe, Aarhus has long been a cultural hub thanks to its namesake university, the largest in Scandinavia. But the former Viking settlement has transcended mere college-town status in recent decades, making culture its core mission. Five years ago, Aarhus was named a European Capital of Culture, a status commemorated in countless sidewalk tiles around town reading “AARHUS 2017.” The city’s supercharged annual festival reflects, in its own words, “a deep political belief that art, culture and community are essential for a flourishing city.” And it’s been a success.



On the culinary front, Aarhus has quietly developed a formidable scene. For a small city of 350,000, it has a surprising number of restaurants featured in the Michelin Guide—whether it be with coveted stars, Bib Gourmand awards, or high praise in the annual report. The food culture is centered around the hallmarks that made its big sister Copenhagen a world-class food destination: Innovation, playfulness, sustainability, and yes, of course, hygge, the Danish emphasis on simple comforts. And they actually mean it. None of this is convenient T-shirt sloganeering. One spot, Hærværk, easily became one of the best meals I’ve ever had—and that’s not the jet lag and copious glasses of wine talking. Opened in 2014 by a group of friends, Hærværk is committed at every level to transparency and sustainable practices, down to its choices in furniture, cleaning products, and banking.



The six-course menu changes weekly or even daily—all depending on what materials they’ve got in stock. All meats displayed in their dry-aging fridge are bought whole: Game from hunters in wildlife management; fish from sustainable sources; and livestock from farms that don’t raise them solely to end up on your plate. Every part of the animal is used. And in this particular meal, the Michelin green star awardee’s tasting menu shined with two dishes utilizing a milk cow that had lived a productive life. First, the tongue meat fried into a schnitzel, topped with spring onions and pickles; and then a thinly sliced cut served with squash and a rich red-wine sauce made with other parts of the cow.

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[Ferrets are Cool]

1. Someone did a fantastic job with those photos.

Beautiful place!

[Celerity]

2. I added some myself, starting with Isbjerget, and then the rest below it

[Ferrets are Cool]

3. Very nice

[highplainsdem]

4. Very impressive!

[Drum]

5. I've spent a few weeks in Aarhus, while doing a filming at Danmark Radio studios...

…I was a professional modern dancer then.

We were put up in a hotel right at the port—every day huge cargo ships came and went, and regularly there were huge “hovercraft” kinds of ferries coming and going.

The citY was awesome to reside in! Great food, nice people, amazing design and architecture. Pricey, but amazing. We rented bicycles for the stay and were glad we did!

When we left for work at the studios each day, we were picked up by a fleet of taxis: beautiful pristine Mercedes, with expert drivers. In addition to the Danmark Radio studios’ excellent facilities and commissary, at the end of the day there were vending machines in the lobby before the ride “home,” which dispensed ridiculously-cheap bottles of delicious Carlsberg beer.

I would’ve worked there forever if I could’ve stayed!

[sl8]

6. 🎵 Aar-hus, is a very, very, very fine Hus ...

with two cats in the yard ... 🎵

Sorry.