Hidden gems

Aarhus lives up to its "smallest big city" motto. It’s petite enough to conquer in a weekend, yet buzzing with enough energy to rival Copenhagen. This is where Danish hygge meets youthful innovation: think Michelin-starred dining alongside quirky food markets, avant-garde architecture framing half-timbered houses, and world-class museums (don’t miss the rainbow panorama at ARoS). By night, craft cocktail bars and live music venues prove size doesn’t dictate ambition.

Randers, on the Jutland peninsula, is the sixth-largest city of Denmark, and a destination with many attractions, events, and exhibitions to choose from. While the city has already been a thriving market town in medieval times, it kept its importance for trade along with its beautiful 15th-century half-timbered houses that today make for a peculiar atmosphere. The main tourist attraction, the Randers Tropical Zoo, with its largest artificial rain forest in Northern Europe, attracts many visitors every year.

Rønne is the largest town on the Danish island of Bornholm in the Baltic Sea, offering beautiful nature, charming squares, and half-timbered houses. Bornholm is located on the western part of the island, and the idyllic harbour today is busy with fishing boats, cargo ships, and ferries. Explore the cosy, cobbled streets and the fascinating museums and history that the island has to offer.