Aarhus Cruise Port: Old Town, Latin Quarter & Canals

Aarhus Cruise Port gets you right into Denmark’s second largest city, known as the “City of Smiles”! Known for its youthful energy, thanks to its large university population, striking modern architecture, world-class museums and that signature Danish ‘hygge’, it’s easy to plan your own port day at Aarhus Cruise Port.

Aarhus is more compact than Copenhagen and definitely much more urban than Skagen, making Aarhus Cruise Port a delightful highlight on Northern Europe cruise itineraries. In this guide, I’ll cover how to get into Aarhus City Centre and top things to see and do, including where to get a taste of Denmark’s famous culinary classics!

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Aarhus Cruise Port: Is a DIY Excursion Easy? 😎😎😎😎 Smooth Sailing

A DIY shore excursion at Aarhus Cruise Port is 😎😎😎😎 Smooth Sailing – here’s why:

• Walk to City Centre: You can walk to most attractions in the city centre (on flat ground) in about 15 minutes from Aarhus Cruise Port
• Good Transport Network: Frequent buses & trams mean an easy excursion to attractions slightly further away, like the Aarhus Old Town and the Moesgaard Museum
• High concentration of attractions: From the historic Aarhus Cathedral, the Latin Quarter, charming streets along the canal, there’s enough to fill a port day without having to venture too far from Aarhus Cruise Port

Aarhus Cruise Port Essentials: All You Need to Know

1. Where Your Ship Docks at Aarhus, Denmark

There’s two different cruise piers that cruise ships dock at Aarhus Cruise Port – see both marked on my Aarhus Cruise Port map below:

• Cruise Berth 129/131: This is the main cruise berth and the majority of the cruise ships are docked here. You can walk from this cruise berth to Aarhus City Centre in about 10 minutes.
• Berth 503: This berth is about 3 km (~2 miles) away from Aarhus City Centre. This is the “overflow” berth, not usually used unless there’s two ships calling at Aarhus Cruise Port on the same day.

Here’s how to find out where your ship will be docked at:

• Official Aarhus Cruise Port site: Click here to visit the official Aarhus Cruise Port Authority Site. Once you click thru, the site should already display English
• Filter Cruise Ships only: To filter cruise ships only, select “ship type” as “Krydstogtskib” – the Danish word for “Cruise Ship”
• Port Area: If “Port Area” says “Synhavnen”, your ship will be docked at Cruise Berth 129/131. If “Port Area” says “Omni-terminal”, your ship will be docked at Berth 503.

I’ll cover transport options from both cruise piers to Aarhus city centre below.

2. Aarhus Cruise Port: Useful Tidbits

• Currency: Danish Kroner (DKK)
  • June 2025: 💵 US$1 = ~6.6 DKK, 💷 GBP£1 = ~8.8 DKK, 💶 Euro €1 = ~7.5 DKK, CAD$1 = ~4.8 DKK
  • Cash or Card? Denmark is mostly cashless. If you have DKK or € cash, do bring it but I don’t think you need to do a special trip to an ATM at Aarhus.
• Language: Danish but English is very widely spoken
• Official Tourism Website: Visit Aarhus
• eSIM for Denmark: For a great data connection without the huge roaming fees, use an eSim data pack from Airalo. I always recommend having a smartphone with a valid plan when you’re at port touring. Get US$3 off your first eSIM data pack from Airalo when you use ROXANN1666 when you sign up or apply it at checkout

Aarhus Cruise Port Map

• On Desktop | Laptop? Use buttons on bottom left to zoom in/out. Click on the upper right hand corner to see a bigger version.
• On Tablet | Mobile? Pinch your screen to zoom in/out and use two fingers to move map around. If you have Google Maps installed on your tablet/mobile, my map will open in your Google Maps app if you click on the upper right hand corner.
• If map is not loading correctly, click here to see it directly on Google Maps

Aarhus Cruise Port to Aarhus City Centre: Your Transport Options

1. Walk

If your ship is docked at Cruise Berth 129/131, the walk to city centre locations around Aarhus Cathedral is about 15 minutes (~1km, 0.6 miles). The walk follows the scenic waterfront and is on flat ground.

If your ship is docked at Berth 503, take advantage of the port shuttle. (The pier itself will be surrounded by industrial ships, so you can’t walk anyway.) You’ll be usually be dropped off on Sydhavnsgade – close to Dokk1 and it’s then about the same distance to walk to Aarhus City Centre as Berth 129/131.

2. Public Transport: Bus & Tram

Aarhus has an efficient public transport system run by Midtrrafik with a combination of distinctive yellow city buses and a modern tram / light rail network.

Almost everything I cover below are within walking distance but you may prefer to catch a bus to Den Gamle By (Old Town) – details on bus route and stops below. It’s easiest to buy a ticket with the Rejsebillet app. Don’t forget to activate your ticket in the app before boarding. There’s also ticket machines at the tram stops, which take card. Single adult tickets are DKK 26.

Bus / Tram Day Ticket: If you’re intending to head to Den Gamle By (Old Town) by bus, then buy a day ticket for DKK 49 adults & DKK 24.50, as it’s cheaper than a return and gives you the flexibility to take additional trips as needed.

Kids under 12 are free if accompanied by a paying adult. You’ll need to download the Rejsebillet app to buy.

3. Bike & Electric Scooter

Aarhus is incredibly bike friendly. You can rent a bike with the local Donkey Republic app. For short distances, you can also rent an electric scooter – the local app is called Voi.

Aarhus Cruise Port: Top Things to Do

1. Den Gamle By (Old Town)

Den Gamle By (translates to “The Old Town”) is an immersive open-air museum where you can literally walk through different periods of Danish history. The museum features over 75 historic buildings carefully moved from more than 20 towns across Denmark and meticulously reconstructed on site.

Distinct sections represent different times. For example, the pre-1900 district (Hans Christian Andersen’s Time) has charming half-timbered houses, cobblestone streets, horse-drawn carriages and workshops representing life from the 1600s to the late 1800s. You can visit places like the Merchant’s House, the Mayor’s House (from 1597), a bakery using old recipes and various craft workshops.

The “modern” 1974 quarter recreates a neighbourhood with typical apartments, shops and various shops. Den Gamle By is also home to “museums within the museum”, with the Danish Museum of Clocks and Watches, the history of Aarhus city from the Vikings to the present called the “Aarhus Story” and a toy museum showcasing toys from the 1600s to mid-1990s.

Note: If you’d like to see everything, then budget for around 4 hours, including a lunch break.

• How to Get There:
  • Bus: Take bus #3A from Aarhus Central Station and get off at stop “Den Gamle By” on Viborgvej St – see stops marked in my Aarhus Cruise Port map above. Bus #3A runs every 15 mins or so. For info on bus tickets, refer to “Aarhus Public Transport” section above.
  • Walk: It’s about a 30-minute walk from Cruise Berth 129/131. The easiest route is to walk along the Aarhus river
• Opening Hours: Daily 10am to 5pm (April to December), closes at 4pm during off-season.
• Tickets: DKK 195 adults, DKK 95 students, free for kids under 18

2. ARoS Aarhus Art Museum

The ARoS Aarhus Art Museum has become an iconic landmark in Aarhus since it opened in 2004, thanks to the “Rainbow Panorama” that sits atop the museum. The Rainbow Panorama is about 150m (~500 feet) long circular walkway made of glass in all the colours of the spectrum. It’s mounted on slender columns 3.5m above the museum’s actual roof.

What you get is a 360-degree panoramic views of Aarhus filtered through different colours! Created by the Danish-Icelandic artist Olafur Eliasson, Eliasson intended it to be a space that blurs the boundary between art and museum.

The museum itself is a cube-shaped 10-story structure, conceptually inspired by Dante Alighieri’s “The Divine Comedy”. The journey through the museum can be seen as a travel from the “9 Spaces” gallery in the basement (representing the 9 circles of hell) upwards towards the light and “heaven” on the rooftop. There’s also a rooftop terrace if you’d like photos “without colours”.

The collection is impressive and is Denmark’s largest art collection outside Copenhagen, ranging from 18th century Golden Age Danish art to contemporary pieces. The most iconic piece in the ARoS collection is “Boy” by Ron Mueck.

• How to Get There:
  • From Aarhus Cruise Port: About 20 minutes walk
  • From Aarhus Bus Station: About 10 minutes walk
• Opening Hours: Closed Mondays except during June to August. Open 10am to 9pm Monday to Friday, 10am to 5pm on weekends.
• Tickets: DKK 180 adults, DKK 150 students. Free for kids under 18.

3. Latin Quarter

The Latin Quarter (Latinerkvarteret) in Aarhus dates back to the late 14th century, although the name “Latinerkvarteret” was only adopted in the 1990s due to its similar to the Latin Quarter in Paris.

Come here to walk through narrow, winding cobblestone streets lined with beautiful preserved, colourful half-timbered houses, with some dating back to the 16th century. The best landmark for the Latin Quarter is Pustervig Torv – the main square.

You’ll find independent boutiques, full of Danish designs and art galleries with contemporary Danish art. Stop by for a coffee at one of these cozy cafes and enjoy a good Danish pastry as well – see these marked on my Aarhus Cruise Port map above

• La Cabra Bakery: Known for world-class coffee, they roast their own beans. Come here if you want sweet treats to go with your coffee.
• Stillers Coffee: Located in a hidden alley on Klostergade (once an old chocolate factory), come here if you’re serious about your coffee!
• Café Drudenfuss: One of Aarhus’s oldest cafes, a popular spot for everything from breakfast to cocktails. Come here if you’re looking for a bite to eat.

How to Get to the Latin Quarter: About 20 minutes walk from Cruise Berth 129/131. Alternatively, walk to Dokk1 tram stop and the tram (L1 or L2) for one stop and alight at “Skolebakken” stop. You’ll then be 2 minutes walk from Aarhus Cathedral (see below) in the Latin Quarter.

4. Aarhus Cathedral

Aarhus Cathedral, officially known as Sct. Clemens Kirke (St. Clement’s Church) is Denmark’s longest and tallest church, standing at 93 metres (~305 feet) in length. Its tower is at 96 metres (~315 feet) high.

Construction of Aarhus Cathedral started around 1190, with a Romanesque basilica built with red bricks. But a radical re-building efforts around 15th century added Gothic style featured. Baroque style modernisations in the 18th century meant what we see today is a blend of these architectural styles.

Inside Aarhus Cathedral are wonderful frescoes, including the “Lazarus Window” in the northwest corner, dates back to around 1300 and is a remnant from the original Romanesque church. Also, the altarpiece is considered a national treasure, with ornate carvings coated with 23.5 carat gold.

The Cathedral is free to enter.

• How to Get Here: Aarhus Cathedral is in the Latin Quarter – see directions to Latin Quarter above.
• Opening Hours: Open 9:30am to 4pm (Monday to Saturday) from May to September and 10am to 3pm (Monday to Saturday) from October to April.

5. Dokk1

Dokk1 is a distinctive Neo-futuristic building right on the waterfront, about 10 minutes walk from Aarhus Cruise Port, Cruise Berth 129/131. It features a large, heptagonal metal-clad disc that appears to hover above a transparent glass prism.

Dokk1 houses Scandinavia’s largest public library and with the light rail / tram station right outside, is a very useful landmark to find your way back to Aarhus Cruise Port. You can walk around the building for excellent harbour views. Free Wifi is available too!

• How to Get There: You can walk from Aarhus Cruise Port in about 10 minutes.
• Opening Hours: 8am to 10pm weekdays, 10am to 4pm weekends

6. Moesgaard Museum (MOMU)

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For Viking fans, the Moesgaard Museum, often referred to as just MOMU, is worth a trek out of Aarhus city centre for its archaeological and ethnographic collections.

From Danish pre-history from the Stone Age through the Viking Age and into the Middle Ages, MOMU covers it all. The museum building itself is also stunning! The museum is ingeniously built into a south-facing slope in the hilly landscape of Skåde, south of Aarhus. With a sloping, grass-covered roof, you can walk on top of the museum, with panoramic views of the surrounding forest, Aarhus Bay and the historical Moesgaard Manor.

• How to Get There: Take Bus #18 near Aarhus station outside Rådhusparken – see this marked in Aarhus Cruise Port map. The bus route starts from this stop and continues to MOMU, the last stop. (The return journey is the same). See info above for how to get bus tickets.
• Opening Hours: Closed Mondays. Open 10am to 5pm with late openings till 9pm on Wednesdays. As it’s a bit of a trek out to MOMU, double-check opening hours here before taking the bus!
• Tickets: DKK 190 adults, DKK 110 students and free for kids under 18. DKK 10 cheaper if you buy through the museum’s website.

Aarhus Cruise Port: What to Eat

Denmark has increased its profile as a culinary destination in the past decade and has 44 Michelin stars. Aarhus, being the second largest city in Denmark after Copenhagen, is no exception. Even if you’re not interested in fine dining, there’s vibrant food markets and casual eateries for you to try out on your port day in Aarhus – see all of them marked in my Aarhus Cruise Port map above

• Aarhus Street Food (Ny Banegårdsgade 46): Located in a former bus garage near the train station, this is a must-visit if you’re like to try out lots of Danish flavours. It hosts over 30 food stalls offering a diverse range of cuisines from Danish classics like Smørrebrød and Frikadeller to international flavors like Mexican tacos & Vietnamese Banh Mi.
  • What to look for here: 
    • Smørrebrød: the iconic Danish open-faced sandwich. Traditionally served on dense rye bread (rugbrød), Smørrebrød comes with a vast array of toppings. Popular choices include fried plaice with remoulade (fiskefilet med remoulade), roast beef with fried onions and pickles, liver pâté (leverpostej) often served warm with bacon and mushrooms, or egg and shrimp. 
    • Frikadeller: traditional Danish meatballs, typically made from minced pork (or a mix of pork and veal), pan-fried until golden brown. Yes, they’re similar to Swedish meatballs but it’s often served with pickled red cabbage (rødkål) or cucumber salad (agurkesalat)
• Restaurant Kohalen: The place for an authentic Bøfsandwich (Beef Sandwich), specialty of the Jutland region – beef patty, soft bun, and a generous dousing of brown gravy, often accompanied by pickled red cabbage, gherkins, raw and fried onions, and sometimes beetroot.
• Teater Bodega: Traditional Danish fare including Stegt Flæsk med Persillesovs – often cited as Denmark’s national dish! It’s crispy fried port belly served with boiled potatoes and a creamy parsley sauce. Not for those on a diet!
• SchweizerBageriet: A well-known bakery where you can find excellent Smørrebrød and a variety of Danish pastries

Featured Photo by Julius Yls on Unsplash

If your cruise is calling at Aarhus Cruise Port, I hope that this DIY shore excursion guide has given you enough ideas to plan your day in Aarhus! If this guide has been helpful to you, I would really appreciate you sharing this with your fellow cruisers in your roll call groups. Happy cruising, as always!