Aalborg

Archaeological Site

The Limfjord was a kind of Viking motorway providing easy, speedy access to the Atlantic for longboat raiding parties. It’s not surprising, then, that the most important piece of Aalborg’s historical heritage is a predominantly Viking one. The atmospheric Lindholm Høje is a Viking burial ground where nearly 700 graves from the Iron Age and Viking Age are strewn around a hilltop pasture ringed by a wall of beech trees.

Landmark

The Aalborg waterfront promenade, extending east from Limfjordsbroen, is a great example of urban regeneration, taking what was a scruffy dockside area and opening it up to locals. Here you’ll find restaurants, a park, playground, basketball courts and moored boats (including an old ice-breaker, now a restaurant-bar). One of the best features is the Aalborg Havnebad, a summertime outdoor pool that lets you take a dip in the Limfjord.

Museum

Housed in a stunning white-marble building designed by the great Finnish architect Alvar Aalto, Kunsten is Aalborg's high-quality museum of modern art. The building's light-filled interior complements a fine collection of predominantly Danish works and changing exhibitions. Lovely grounds and a smart cafe make it an easy place to spend some time.

Architecture

This impressive 700-sq-metre design and architecture space, with its distinctive silver roofscape, sits pretty on the waterfront. It's the last building designed by celebrated Danish architect, Jørn Utzon (1918–2008), who famously designed the Sydney Opera House. Utzon grew up in Aalborg and died shortly after the eponymous centre was finished. The centre hosts a changing program of exhibitions on architecture and design – if you're not a huge design buff, you might consider the admission price a little steep.

Church

This 12th-century cathedral marks the centre of the old town and its elegant carillon can be heard every hour, on the hour. Its whitewashed interior creates an almost Mediterranean ambience. As you enter the cathedral from Algade, look up at the foyer ceiling to see colourful frescoes from around 1500. The interior boasts some beautifully carved items, including a gilded baroque altar and a richly detailed pulpit.

Zoo

Teeming with feathered, furry and four-legged friends, it’s no surprise this zoo is one of Denmark’s most popular. Some 1200 animals call it home, including tigers, zebras, elephants, giraffes, chimpanzees, penguins, and brown and polar bears. It’s southwest of the city and can be reached by bus 11; closing times vary, so check the website.

Museum

This underground museum allows you to step off one of Aalborg’s busiest shopping streets to explore the life of a Franciscan friary in medieval times. Entry is via an elevator outside Salling department store on Algade; the museum is free to enter, but you pay to ride the elevator (40kr per group).

Gallery

The neighbourhood around Vor Frue Kirke is worth a wander, particularly the cobbled L-shaped street of Hjelmerstald. Halfway down the street is Langes Gård, a courtyard full of fun sculptures and ceramics, with a showroom and workshop too.

Cultural Centre

Once a power station, this cultural centre is home to a theatre, concert venue, art-house cinema, gallery, fitness centre, plus a couple of eateries. The small tourist office is also here, so it’s worth popping in to see what’s happening.