Interrail trip – stop in Denmark

Last summer I wanted a little holiday for myself, and as I already had to go home to Italy, I realized I could just do that by train and visit people on the way. My first idea was going to Sweden, and stop by in Denmark, the Germany and eventually Italy. However, I ended up not going to Sweden, that will be for another time.

I returned to the places I went to 2 years ago, in Djursland! I unfortunately did not get to see everybody I had met there back then, but i have a very cozy 3 full days stay, and one one of these I went to Aarhus, exploring the city a bit further.

Starting from Eindhoven I went up through Germany: > Venlo (border NL-DE)> Wuppertal > Hamburg >(border DE-DK)> Fredericia > Aarhus > then the letbane (local train) till Grenaa: 5 trains!

I took the first train at 7:40 and arrived at 20:50: 13 hours! Long journey, but I enjoyed it! Besides the initial delays in Germany, the train to Hamburg was 35 minutes late when I was supposed to have 39 minutes waiting time for my train into Denmark …. Still lucky enough..

At the Aarhus station I saw the entrance into the letbane platform, which I couldn’t find when I was looking for it ending up going to dokk1 haha… It was cool to see places the letbane rides by again! I hopped of in Trustrup and my friend, picked me up, the air was cool but going through the Danish countryside was sooo nice. The place I stayed at was a village of some 20 people probably.

I ate fish and couscous for dinner and the Dutch stroopwafels I brough as gift myself! The house was super cozy -Typical Danish, with a nice garden! I kind of miss its smell 🙂

Grenaa town centre

The following day I got my wish granted – seeing the centre of Grenaa I had totally missed back in 2021!!

We got food for the dinner – chicken with sweet potato fries and carrots with rasins 🙂 Then a discount version of Champagne Brus, one of the classic Danish ice lollies – eating one again was my second wish!

Aarhus and Den Gamle By

On 23rd August I went to Aarhus according to my plan! Main reason was meeting another friend 2 years later :). It started kind of bad, I could use my friend’s bike, but the saddle was way too high for me, so I first went on foot, which meant walking 1,5 hours. But I enjoyed the place and for once it was okay. Then I realized I should have taken the phone charger, and went all the way back. At that point walking again would take too long.. So I took the bike. Well, that wasn’t the most hyggelig thing. But despite falling once (I had to bike with the tip of my feet) I got to the letbane stop 30 secs before the train arrived!! Just in time to lock the bike..

Once in Aarhus I went to my friend’s place, her dad arrived in the meantime and we chatted a little. They convinced me to go to Den Gamle By, even though there wasn’t so much time left before the closing time.

I walked headed there, and on the way I entered a second hand shop (genbrug) where I found a nice green-white striped tshirt, for just 20 DKK (3€), the brand was Finnish Marimekko, so a bonus point.

I reached Den Gamle By and went through it very fast, though I didn’t have the time to read most signs.. oh well. It did cost me 25€ but I wouldn’t be there soon again… – I ended up visiting again 3 years later though, and for free!

Once i got out I decided to head to AroS, the art museum, although I didn’t enter it nor walked in the rainbow circle. – I did visit Aarhus rainbow museum again one year later though!

What I did was going up the stairs and then straight to the museum shop! I got my first books in Danish, written by Aarhus university professors, from a series of booklets called Tænke Pauser (‘Breaks to think’: one about Dreams (Om Drøm) and one about Europe (Europa). The museum sold also quite a lot of Moomin and Pippi Longstocking (in Danish Pippi Langstrømpe) things… But i resisted..

Then, super hungry and a bit tired after an intense day, I wanted to eat something. I got into a 7-Eleven and had to get Wienerbrød (Danishes, which Danes call ‘Viennese bread’), so I went for a Tebirkes and also bought a Danish chocolate/berry ice lolly I had wanted to try for a while: Solbær – which used to be called Kæmpe Eskimo. I quickly ate up the lolly and got into a Netto, getting a Studenterbrød pastry!! So I had the exact same things my friend brought me to welcome me on my very first trip to Denmark 2 years before, and I sat at the same place to eat them, Dokk1!

I lwould be there every summer evening if only I could! I then got the Letbane home and biked again home, really enojoyed that even though the bike comfiness was what it was!

Grenaa beach

On my last full day in Denmark We went to Grenaa’s beach, Another thing I longed to do again. Later we went into the town and in another Second hand shop I found a 1936(!!) figurine album about all European countries, so cool! Besides Soviet Union, Yugoslavia and all that it even had Gdansk/Danzig …

I had to get food for the journey of the following day. We went to a Lidl (I guess cheaper than Kvickly?) and of course I got Rugbrød , cheese and a Spandauer, – the most iconic Wienerbrød? My friend told me I had to try the Dagmartærte too. I also bought a cronut. Not really Danish but I had yet to try that..

We watched a Danish series called Equinotium, Not my thing, but watching stuff in other languages is always a good idea. Also some random tv-reality shows. I had a lot of trouble understanding my friend’s sarcastic comments in Danish though, gotta improve.

So I am glad I got to fulfill some wishes I have had for a while – Seeing the centre of Grenaa, Eating Danish Ice lollies, Wienerbrød and getting books in Danish!

My journey then continued south to Germany, but I went on other trips to Denmark and Scandinavia later