10 Best Outdoor Adventures in Aarhus

Rent a canoe or kayak and experience Denmark’s second largest city from a different, but no less exciting, angle as you gently glide up and down Aarhus River (Aarhus Å). The long river, which twists through the City of Smiles, from the pulsating center to the quiet area around Brabrand Lake (Brabrand Sø), is perfect for canoeing and kayaking with friends or family, no matter your age.

You can either use your own canoe or kayak, or you can rent one from Den Blå Rambla Kanoudlejning. When you sail down Aarhus River, you'll soon feel as though you are surrounded by nature, even though you are actually in the middle of the city.

Around Brabrand Lake (Brabrand Sø), you'll find a beautiful natural area where you can experience unique bird life, rare animals and charming allotment gardens. The lake is a stone’s throw from Aarhus center, and it's easy to reach without having to rely on a automobile or public transportation. A paved path of around 12.5 miles (Brabrandstien) circles the whole lake, and so the area is frequently used by cyclists, roller skaters and so on.

Since the route is relatively flat, most people will be able to cycle around the lake. Consider bringing a sack lunch in your bicycle basket, which you can enjoy on the banks of the lake – just look out for the hungry ducks!

Aarhus Watersports Complex calls itself the best playground in the city – and for good reason! Water enthusiasts of all ages can try out all sorts of different water sport activities. You can challenge yourself on the water with activities like cable-pulled water skiing, wakeboarding or sitting on a kneeboard.

The 640-foot-long cable system works like a sort of ski lift, which pulls eager guests over the water at different speeds, depending on the level. You can find Aarhus Watersports Complex at Bassin 7 at the Harbor Bath (Havnebadet) at Aarhus Ø.

Aarhus is an old city, with a history that dates back to the Viking Age, when Harald Bluetooth built a huge rampart around the Viking town of Aros to protect it against German enemies. Much later in the history of Aarhus, the city had to surrender to German troops during World War II, during which they occupied the capital of Jutland for five years.

You can learn about this and much more with a guided tour of the center of Aarhus, which will take you past some of the city’s most important historic attractions. Most trips start at Banegårdspladsen and take you past the city’s architectonic town hall, the cobblestoned and picturesque Møllesti as well as Church of Our Lady (Vor Frue Kirke), with a crypt that is home to the oldest preserved stone church in the Nordic countries.

In the new part of Lisbjerg Forest (Lisbjerg Skov), you'll find five shelters and a playground inspired by the Iron Age. All around, the area is set up like an old village society, with fire rings, palisade hedges, moats and entrance gates. At the highest point, you'll find a lookout tower, which you can climb to enjoy a phenomenal view of Lisbjerg Forest, with its open plains, mystical lakes, deep gravel pits and twisting paths.

If you want to explore the forest, you can follow one of the two marked hiking paths, which will take you on an adventure through thickets and shrubberies. Garbage stands have been set up at the shelter site, and there is even a primitive toilet. However, there is no water at the site, so make sure to bring plenty from home.

In the Marselisborg Forests (Marselisborgskovene), you'll find a 15.5-mile-long road network consisting of various trails for mountain bike riders. The trails lead through different types of forest, with varying surfaces, which include everything from loose dirt and gravel to forest floors covered with roots and large stones.

In other words, this means that the difficulty on the route changes considerably, and you may also encounter obstacles suck as toppled tree trunks, waterways and steep climbs of up to 2,000 feet. You will have the option of taking an alternate route when you reach the difficult challenges. Actually, the MTB Marselis app can show you which trail is ideal for you and your level and pace.

Around 6 miles outside Aarhus, in the small village of Ormslev, you can find the stud farm Møllegaard. The small country house, which dates back to 1860, has a unique location on Ormslevbakken, amid beautiful nature with green meadows, deep forests and bubbling brooks.

Møllegaard offers tours on Icelandic horses year round. Depending on your level of experience, you can ride into the beautiful natural surroundings in a small group, visiting places like Brabrand Lake (Brabrand Sø), Årslev Meadow Lake (Årslev Engsø) the old Hammel Track (Hammelbane) or True Forest (True Skov). Most trips last between 1.5 and 2 hours, but if you are an experienced rider, you can also sign up for an all-day trip, which goes to Fløjstrup and Moesgaard forest and beach.

Close to Aarhus center, you'll find the small forest of Riis Forest (Riis Skov). Despite its modest size, the forest is home to a number of hiking trails, which invite you to spend hours hiking all across the forest. You can put on your jogging clothes and set out on one of the two recommended jogging trails in the forest, which are 2 and 3 miles, respectively.

On the subject of physical activity, you can find recreational neighborhoods with fitness equipment at both ends of the forest. Whether you decide to run or walk in Riis Forest, don’t forget to stop and admire the unique view of the Bay of Aarhus (Aarhus Bugt), Mols Bjerge and Aarhus Ø.