When visiting another country you often only visit the bright lights of the capital city, but it's sometimes nice to go off the beaten track and head for another town to experience culture away from the hustle and bustle!

Netferry recently visited Copenhagen, but on the same trip, we also visited the north of the country and a city called Aalborg.  Aalborg is in the Jutland region of Denmark and has a population of 136,000, it is Denmark’s fourth largest city. In the Middle Ages, the city had an important harbour, but more recently Aalborg was a working-class industrial city.

Today, the city is diversifying to create a knowledge-based economy and the city has rejuvenated its waterfront that runs along the Limfjord estuary and cuts through the Jutland peninsula. Companies that produce wind turbines and concrete have located in Aalborg and there are also many theatres, performance halls and art galleries that have turned the city it into a bit of a cultural hub.

Aalborg is around just under 5 hours from Copenhagen and I took the bus (around €40 return) called the Kimbardo Express. The journey was fun because it began on the bus then we took the ferry across the straight of Denmark, or the Kattegat Sea, which was a nice break in the journey. The boat was a modern hydrofoil and it only took around an hour. Even though the journey was short there were a range of options for food and drink onboard. There was a large buffet for about €15 down to classic Danish hotdogs for just €3.

Once we arrived we got back on the bus for another 1.5 hours and headed north to Aalborg. When we arrived it was clear to see that Aalborg is a small and peaceful city, full of little colourful houses that stand in contrast to the futuristic-looking waterfront. Despite its size, there is plenty to do and many nice places to eat and drink.

On the first evening we ate at Mortens Kro, we chose a 5-course tasting menu, which did not disappoint! The wines were carefully paired with each dish that consisted of carefully chosen local produce. The next day we stopped in a great bakery called Othello Bageriet for a classic Danish pastry, it was probably the best raspberry jam pastry I've ever eaten!

Then we took a long walk up the coast with a guide who explained the massive redevelopment of the harbour, where we got a good view of the modern architecture and bridges along the waterfront. Then we arrived at a place called The Lighthouse, which is a converted warehouse that is full of street food vendors from around the world, there was plenty of good beer to drink too! After the beer, we were in search of some culture and headed for Kunsten Museum of Modern Art, which has a fantastic collection of modern Scandinavian art housed in a modern Scandinavian building designed between 1968-72.  

Ferries to Denmark

Netferry gives you the opportunity to buy your ferry ticket to Denmark and find all the information you need for your departure. Simply visit the Netferry website to find out how simple it is to book your ferry trip to Copenhagen. A dedicated Call Center is waiting to answer your questions and assist you in finding the right ferry ticket. Just call us on (+39) 0831 564257 from Monday to Friday between 0900 - 1300 and 1600 - 2000 and on Saturdays between 0900 - 1300. 

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