Let me just say this – Odense is all about Hans Christian Andersen. Even the concierge at the hotel said “we love him here”. There are references to him all over this quaint, small town. A trip here simply isn’t complete without a visit to the H.C. Andersens House.
The H.C. Andersens Hus is a museum dedicated to the writer who is most famous for his fairy tales. As part of the museum you can also go into the home where he was born. First I have to be transparent and say I’ve never been a huge follower of HCA. Sure, I’ve read a few of his fairy tales but they didn’t leave a lasting impression on me. The Little Mermaid, Thumbelina and The Princess and the Pea are a few I recall reading. Little did I know that this man wrote 213 fairy tales and stories (stories refer to works for adults)! This museum is dedicated to whimsically telling the story of HCA’s life, including tidbits about his love life and his absolute passion for travel.
I have to say that this museum wasn’t my favorite. John, however, loved it! So there you go. It was a bit too whimsical and fanciful for my taste. Also, the fact that my audio tour stopped working mid-way through may have had something to do with my impression.
We decided to take a short walk along the river. It was really lovely in that area of town. Very green and lush! Our concierge had mentioned one of the best views in the city – the Washing Site at the Odense River. H.C. Andersen’s mother, as well as many other mothers over the years, washed their clothes in this site on the river, using the natural current to rinse them.
Apparently Danes really love their food halls! There’s another famous one in Odense called Storms Pakhus. And, like the others, it is fantastic! Actually this one may be my favorite so far.
A 100-year-old abandoned warehouse was turned into this food hall in order to promote Funen’s identity and cultures. It serves as a gathering point in the city where festivals and concerts take place. And helps young entrepreneurs by providing a stepping stone for developing their businesses long term. As in Reffen, you could get any number of international cuisines – I opted for Tandoori BBQ and John went for Paper Dosa (the DOSA pancake is made from rice and lentils).
The food was delicious! But the vibe and the décor were even better than the food. Funky and eclectic with different sections of the warehouse uniquely decorated. It was a feast for our bellies and our eyes! I wished we could have stayed to attend an event there. It must be oh so cool!
We finally made our way to our final Denmark destination – Aarhus. I choose Aarhus for it’s proximity to Copenhagen – only 3.5 hours by car – but also because it was chosen as the European Culture Capital in 2017. It’s a university town and also considered Denmark’s “second city” behind Copenhagen.
We arrived at our Airbnb late afternoon and quickly changed and made our way to Donkey bikes in order to head to the Latin Quarter. The Latin Quarter is known for it’s charming, colorful buildings and cobblestone streets filled with shops, restaurants and bars. We didn’t really have a destination in mind; we just wanted to get a feel for the place. And it being late on a Monday not much was open although there were a good amount of people at the bars that were open.
We decided to head to – the grocery store. I know, right?! Called Salling Department Store, it’s a humongous store in the middle of the shopping street in Aarush (Stoget). I’d read that there was a lovely rooftop garden and bar where you could get 360-degree views of the city as well venture out onto a glass platform to view the pedestrians 7 floors below.
Salling ROOFTOP did not disappoint. It was just breathtaking up there – you really could see the entire city around you. We could pinpoint our Airbnb, the ARoS art museum, and the Aarhus Cathedral. And of course we ventured out onto the platform! It was pretty darned cool.
Instead of another dinner out at a restaurant/cafe, we decided to take advantage of the fact that we had an Airbnb with a balcony and a stellar view. We purchased meats, cheeses, fresh-baked bread and wine from Salling and set ourselves up with a little charcuterie board on that balcony. It was a very nice date night!
