Aalborg Cruises
Aalborg is the county seat of Nordjylland, located in North Jutland at the narrowest point and on the southern shores of Limfjorden, which links the North Sea and the Kattegat. It is the fourth largest city in Denmark with the cruise port situated just a few minutes walk from the city’s heart.
Founded about 1000CE it is one of Denmark’s oldest towns, receiving its charter in 1342 and becoming a Bishopric in 1554. The city suffered in the religious civil war, the ‘Count’s War’ between 1533 and 1536 but by the 17th century had become a major centre of commerce.
The town’s landmarks include The Holy Ghost Monastery, founded in 1431, the Budolfi Cathedral built c.1500 and its half timbered castle built in 1539, the Aalborghus, which was converted to government administration offices in the 1950s. There are historic 17th century houses in the centre of Aalborg which make an ideal backdrop for a walk around the town. Or you can take a ride down memory lane on the vintage steam train with its wooden wheeled coaches. The largest Viking burial ground is at Lindholm Hoje which has over 700 graves and a new Viking museum.
For those interested in the arts there is the Aalborg Art and Historical Museum which houses many artifacts from the Viking cemetery near the city (Lindholm Hoje). The Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (Nordjyllands Kunstmuseum) was designed by the Finnish architect Alvar Aalto and has an large collection of 20th century works. The National Park has an Emigration Museum within its grounds and there is also a Maritime Museum in the town with displays of sea and port life.
You can simply enjoy a leisurely stroll around the many shops in Aalborg with beautiful hand crafted jewellery and fashionable clothes on offer. Modern shops are found together with speciality shops and over 300 bars and restaurants. Aalborg is famed for having the longest street of bars, cafes and restaurants in the whole of Denmark.
During the last weekend in May each year Aalborg stages a Carnival which attracts around 100,000 people to the town. On the Friday night a week before the Carnival there is ‘The Battle of Carnival Bands’, a very colourful and entertaining evening when the bands march in procession through the town, competing to be the lead group at the main Carnival the following week. During the Carnival, in Kilde Park, there are concerts throughout the day, finishing at midnight. The weekend closes with a fantastic fireworks display over the harbour.
Close by to Aalborg is the famous theme park, Tivoliland, home to the biggest rollercoaster in Scandinavia.