Aarhus 2017 - European Capital of Culture

By walking past these rainbow colored Plexiglas windows, visitors can adjust their view of Aarhus according to their mood. Denmark's second largest city is expecting some five million visitors in 2017. Located on the east coast of the Jutland peninsular, it has developed into a young, aspiring and creative center, like in the capital, Copenhagen.

The ARoS museum of contemporary art, with its light installation "Your rainbow panorama" by Olafur Eliasson, is the landmark of Aarhus. As European Capital of Culture, it will serve as the centerpiece of an art project called "The Garden." As of June, this will include a four-kilometer (4.8 mile) stretch of coast which will be transformed into an open-air gallery.

A prominent feature of Aarhus' dockland is an artificial island in the harbor with its "Isbjerget" (Iceberg) residential building with 208 apartments. Among the 250,000 inhabitants of Aarhus, some 40,000 of them are students, contributing to the vitality of the city.

Some 1,200 years ago, traders and seafarers settled where the river enters the Baltic Sea. The estuary was called Aros back then, which eventually developed into Aarhus - which itself became one of northern Europe's biggest industrial ports. Some 8,000 ships dock here annually. As a transport and trade hub, the city developed rapidly.

Life in what people from Aarhus lovingly and proudly call their "small big city" is uncomplicated and cozy, which is "hyggelig" in Danish. Numerous beaches with fine white sand can be easily reached in the north and south of the city. There are attractions for everyone here - families, party revelers, those seeking tranquility and nature lovers.

Some 80 historical timber framed houses form the medieval Old Town, or "Den Gamle By" ensemble. The living quarters, workshops and shops of the area are originally furnished, providing insight into everyday life over the past four centuries. Opened in 1914, it was the world's first ever open-air museum with city dwellings.

Reconstructed Viking dwellings meet a spectacular building with modern museum technology and an impressive collection of prehistoric artifacts on this green meadow. Next summer, this will be one of the highlights of the year as a Cultural Capital. The "Røde Orm" (Red Worm) saga about a young Viking's adventures while searching for his one true love will be performed at an open-air theater.

Cultural events will also be taking place in Scandinavia's biggest public library, the Dokk1, as in Denmark libraries are also cultural and community centers. But regardless of which event you chose to attend, Aarhus, pronounced "or-whoss," will be well worth a visit in 2017 as a European Capital of Culture.

In Scandinavia, the Finish consume the most coffee, but the Danes are not far behind. At the numerous cafés in Aarhus, such as the "Great Coffee" in the Latin Quarter, you will find something for all coffee-lovers, from freshly roasted beans to freshly filtered coffee.

The European Capital of Culture will offer everything from participation theater to high art. Queen Margrethe II is the event's patron. Hundreds of events will be free of charge and will follow the spectacular opening ceremony on January 21, 2017. That day, parking might be a challenge - even though the city boasts Europe's largest fully automated car park, with over 1,000 parking bays.