Reading the description about the port city of Aalborg on Wikipedia, you may get the impression that it is the last place on the list of interesting cities to visit. The capital of Jutland, the fourth largest city in Denmark, an industrial and commercial center, surrounded by lakes, marshes and bogs….
Nothing could be further from the truth! Aalborg is much, much more! It is considered by many (myself included) to be the most interesting city in all of Denmark and an excellent base for events. 😉 For good reason. In the evenings, Danes bury their quiet nature deep in their pockets and walk around town with tourists in search of fun until dawn (often in nightclubs). And all this is accompanied by the vodka produced here, but about that in a moment… Before I tell you more about the nightlife, it is worth mentioning that it is not boring here during the day either. Above all, the city has a fantastic atmosphere, created by charming buildings in the center and modern architecture in the coastal area. The waterfront also has a recreational center: restaurants, cinemas, galleries and concert halls. To see something interesting, just look around. You may catch a glimpse of the House of Music, the most interesting example of architecture in all of Denmark, or an edifice designed by the famous Jørn Utzon (designer of the Sydney Opera House). The city’s streets are full of friendly people – such is the charm of locals – and there is always something going on here. What is there to say: Aalborg delights both by night and by day.
Aalborg nightlife
Thinking of Aalborg in terms of fun, two things immediately come to mind: the longest bar and club street and the largest carnival festival in northern Europe.
Every year in May, crowds of tourists and professional dance groups flock to Aalborg to take part in a four-day carnival festival. The streets are lined with a procession of dancing people in skimpy colorful outfits and heavy makeup. The local specialty, Aalborg Akvavit cumin vodka, pours at every turn. Anyone can join in this crazy fun – I didn’t hesitate a moment. 😉
On a day-to-day basis, most of the nightlife is concentrated on St. Anne’s Street, said to be the longest such avenue in all of Denmark. Along it stretch clubs with live music, pubs, discos with crowds of people dancing on the dance floor and many other quaint places. The owners of the venues, wishing to distinguish themselves from the rest and attract the largest possible number of customers, create a unique atmosphere at their premises. Nightclubs are no exception: the girls present fantastic dance shows. Not surprisingly, the local ones are always full of generous visitors. And so on the same evening you can drink Guinness in an Irish pub to go crazy to the rhythm of salsa in the club next door. The party lasts until dawn – most venues do not close until morning. Prices, depending on the place, range from moderate to high, but for that amazing atmosphere everyone comes to visit at least once.
You can easily get to Aalborg by low-cost airlines, Flixbus or with private carriers. The city is well connected, but the center itself is small enough that there is no need for public transportation – you will discover all the attractions on foot.
Catherine Hajduk :*