Horsens

Horsens is a city in eastern Jutland with a population of around 61,000 (2021). Horsens is a port town at the end of a beautiful long shallow-water inlet. Such inlets are known as fjords in Denmark and there are several of them on the East Jutland coast. Horsens fjord is typical, with rolling hills and forests stretching all the way down to the water and making the city feel less like a coastal town. The larger city of Vejle south of Horsens also sits at the bottom of a Danish fjord.

Horsens has a pedestrianised centre with historic buildings, cafés, restaurants and opportunities for specialty shopping, and the inner city is dotted with art installations. The local tourist office is at Søndergade 28.

Horsens is an old town. Already during the Viking age it was a settlement called Horsens. The name probably referred to the breeding of a large numbers of horses in the area.

Get in

It takes 28 mins to reach Horsens from Aarhus by DSB Intercity trains, the main train service operating in Denmark. Horsens is two stops from Aarhus towards Copenhagen on the main line running from Frederikshavn in north to Copenhagen.

The nearest airport is Billund Airport, the country's second largest airport.

There is also a smaller airport in Tirstrup, north of Aarhus. Passengers arriving at that airport and are depending on public transportation will have to catch the airport coach into Aarhus station and then a train from Aarhus to Horsens.

From Copenhagen, Horsens can be reached with trains running from Copenhagen Airport Kastrup. The journey time is approx. 2½ to 3 hours (most often passengers will have to change trains at the main station in Copenhagen).

🌍 Horsens Railway Station is west side of town centre.

Get around

The central train station unloads you in the city centre and most of the interesting parts of the inner city can be done in a day if you choose to walk on your own two feet. Walking is safe, easy and enjoyable in Horsens. Another great way to discover Horsens is by bike. You can rent bikes at different locations, ask at the tourist office. A bicycle also gives you quick and easy access to the immediate countryside around Horsens with some good nature experiences.

There is a local bus-network in Horsens and the central terminal is at the central station. A ticket purchased on a local bus is valid for one hour and costs 19 kr. A ten-trip card costs 115 kr; each trip is valid for an hour as well.

  • City Bikes Horsens. You can rent a pink city-bike for free at several spots across town, a special offer arranged by Horsens Tourist office. Just show your ID at one of the rental spots and be sure to return the bike at the same address later. Free. (updated Aug 2019)
  • 🌍 Tourist Office, Fussingsvej 8 (North of the central station), ☏ +45 75 60 21 20, . 10:00-17:00 every day in the summer. Horsens' tourists office has its headquarters in Fængslet, a former prison transformed to a modern cultural centre. Guides are here to help you and you can pick up brochures and other inspirations as well. In addition to this main centre, several spots across town offers help to tourists with similar brochures or info touch-screens. Free. (updated Aug 2019)

See
  • 🌍 Bygholm Park (immediately west of the central station). This is a large historic park with ponds, canals and rolling lawns in the English garden tradition. Its a beautiful place and perfect for a stroll or a picnic in the summer. There is a large playground in the park including opportunities for a fitness workout too, public toilets and a 9-"hole" disc-golf field. In the winter months, an outdoor ice rink is assembled. A dominant feature of the park is the large romantic Bygholm manor house from 1775, now a hotel and restaurant since 1919. The park used to be the site of a historic castle, Erik Menved's Castle, from 1313, but nowadays only a small ruin is left. (updated Jun 2016)
  • 🌍 Vitus Bering Park (East of the central station in the city center). A nice park that you can hardly miss on your way from the central station to the shopping facilities in the city centre. Constructed in cobblestone and brick with large elevated plant beds of rhododendron. A very beautiful sight when the flowers blossom in May. Take a rest here in the shade of the oak trees. Vitus Bering was a famous Danish explorer, employed as marine officer by the Tsar of Russia in the early 1700s. Bering was from Horsens and this park has been constructed and named in his honour. You can dive into the story of Vitus Bering at Horsens Museum. (updated Jun 2016)
  • 🌍 Søndergade (go to Vitus Bering Park east of the central station). Horsens' highstreet. Cafés, restaurants, boutiques, and old buildings in the historic town centre. Søndergade and surrounding area is pedestrianised. 
  • 🌍 Horsens Kunstmuseum. Art museum in a large park. What makes this museum unique, is the focus on Danish art after 1800, and Danish experimental art after 1980 in particular. Adult 60 kr, under 18 free. (updated Aug 2019)
  • 🌍 Horsens Museum, Sundvej 1A. 10:00-16:00 all days in July and August (otherwise Tu-Su 11:00-16:00). Here you can dive into the many facets of Horsens' history. The museum has made an effort to make the experience enjoyable for both kids and adults. A relatively large collection of historic toys where you are encouraged to try for yourself. Follow the fictional boy Erik through Horsens' history or learn about the life of Vitus Bering, a famous arctic explorer from Horsens. Horsens Museum has a total of five permanent exhibitions. At the museum shop you can buy a piece of toy from your own childhood, books, candy or high-end copies of historical Danish jewellery and glassware. In December copies of former times Christmas decorations are on sale. Free. (updated Jun 2016)
  • 🌍 Langelinie city beach (go to Horsens Marina at the harbour). Beach park with large grassy areas and sandy beaches. Great in the summer. Public toilets and showers. (updated Aug 2019)
  • 🌍 Boller Slotspark. Every day 10:00-20:00. Public park at the former Boller Castle out of town. Open every day from 1 April to 15 September. The immediate surroundings offer good nature experiences in the forests along the fjord. 🌍 Bollerstien is a beautiful pathway from the inner city leading directly to this park. Walk or bike if you will. Free. (updated Aug 2019)

Do
  • 🌍 Canoeing at Bygholm Sø, Lovbyvej 35 (go to Bygholm Sø Camping northwest of Bygholm Park), ☏ +45 7562 6266, . Rent a canoe at the campsite at Bygholm Sø. Open from 15 June and through the summer. Combine it with a nature walk around the lake (8 or 13 km). 80 kr for one hour, 300 kr for a day. (updated Aug 2019)
  • European Medieval Festival. One of the largest cultural events in Horsens, every year on the last Friday and Saturday in August. The town centre of Horsens is transformed into the largest medieval market town in Northern Europe with activities and entertainment for families and children of all ages. Free. (updated Jun 2016)
  • 🌍 Fængslet, Fussingsvej 8 (North of the central station). A former State prison, now a cultural institution and working museum. Try a guided tour around the prison or attend a changing palette of events throughout the year, including concerts, Christmas wrestling, and Haunted House theatre. Stay overnight in a prison cell, if you dare! Quench your thirst at HanGun, a local microbrewery in the prison's former laundry house. 
  • 🌍 Horsens Ny Teater, Teatertorvet 1 (In the pedestrianised area north of Søndergade), ☏ +45 75 60 23 44, . Reception M-F 13:00-16:00. Horsens' theatre scene in a beautiful classical building from 1909. Theatre, music, opera, and cultural talks. Among the many events, the theatre also takes pride in events directed at children specifically. (updated Aug 2019)
  • Football: AC Horsens were relegated in 2023 so they now play soccer in 1st Division, Denmark's second tier. Their home ground is CASA Arena (capacity 10,400) 500 m north of town centre.

Buy

Søndergade is the main highstreet in Horsens. This street and the surrounding pedestrianised areas are at the center of speciality shopping.

  • 🌍 Bytorv Horsens (on the highstreet, Søndergade). A shopping arcade on the Søndergade highstreet. Twenty-seven speciality shops under one roof here. The arcade includes a good, but small bakery, and a kid's playground. 
  • Bilka, Høegh Guldbergsgade 10. The largest supermarket in the town of Horsens. 

Eat

There are plenty of dining opportunities around the pedestrianized highstreet zone. Most cafés are here, and some of them serves both day and night, including evening dinners and late night partying.

  • 🌍 Cafe Corfitz (Cafe and restaurant), Søndergade 21, ☏ +45 7562 8844. Kitchen is open from 10:00-22:00 every day. Centrally located classic café, right at Søndergade. Serves all day, including evening restaurant dining and late night bar. 
  • Scandic Bygholm Park, Schüttesvej 6 (Go to Bygholm Park), ☏ +45 75 62 23 33, . All week (closed for lunch in the summer). Beautiful romantic restaurant in the restored Bygholm manor from 1775 with room for sixty guests. Sometimes outdoor serving on the park terrace. At this place you can eat breakfast, lunch or evening dinners, but the restaurant is closed for lunch in the summer months though. There is also a spacious bar where you can meet before or after dinner for drinks, coffee or a sweet treat. Regular gourmet cuisine but with several Danish specialties, including langoustine from the island of Læsø, veal from Suså Valley near Næstved, and perhaps most importantly free-range Danish Black Angus beef. For cheese lovers, be sure to try the selection of Unika cheese, a series of Danish top-notch cheese. Every Friday and Saturday the restaurant offers all-you-can-eat sirloin with sideorders for a very favourable price. Mid-range. (updated Jun 2016)
  • Gasfabrikken, Levysgade 16, ☏ +45 75 101018. Closed Sundays and Mondays. Large eatery in big spacious rooms. Local, organic ingredients transformed to gourmet food with great skill. Try the seasonal evening dinners if you want to treat yourself with some savoury food of local produce. Apart from the evening dinners, this place is a good go-to spot with many options. Great bunch-servings Saturday mornings, Lunch menus, a bar, and also tapas servings to share. prix fixe seasonal menu 350 kr, lunch from 125 kr. 
  • 🌍 Spisekammeret, Thonbogade 19 (in the pedestrianized area north of Søndergade), ☏ +45 24 66 65 61, . M-F 10:00 - 17:30, Sa 09:00-15:00. If your are looking for high quality local food in relaxed welcoming surroundings, stroll along towards Spisekammeret, which translates as 'The Pantry'. Breakfast, brunch, lunch or just coffee or tea, this place is here to treat you from late morning till early evening. If you are planning a picnic or nature trip, you can load up here as well, using their take-away option. Spisekammeret takes pride in presenting products from local growers and producers, preferably organic, and it is also a grocery store. With this opportunity, you can be sure to find an interesting local souvenir. The Lundumskov craft beers are a treat. (updated Aug 2019)
  • Det Ny kronborg, Løvenørnsgade 5 (south of Søndergade), ☏ +45 42 74 42 59, . W-Sa 18:30 to 21:30 (22:30 on weekends). Classic high quality gourmet food. Book a table, for two or more people, a day in advance and get treated with an all-evening feast. It is possible to upgrade to an all-inclusive menu, and it can be recommended. The menus here are seasonal and changes every month or so. Classic menu 295 kr. All-inclusive menu 495 kr. (updated Aug 2019)

Fast food
  • 🌍 Sakura Sushi Bar, Torvet 20 (down Søndergade until you hit the church square). Running sushi bar in the pedestrianized zone. On-line ordering too and take-away. (updated Aug 2019)
  • 🌍 Paradis, Thonbogade 2, (in the pedestrianised area). M-F 10:00-22:00, Sa Su 11:00-22:00. Exquisite ice cream, with ever changing options. Really good, but also a bit pricey. Plant-based ice cream and several beverages available. (updated Aug 2019)
  • 🌍 Jar House, Grønnegade 21 (in the pedestrianised area), ☏ +45 70 70 75 73. M-F 11:00-18:00. Jar-salads. Good options for vegans and vegetarians. Slow pressed juice. Their banana cake is really good, and then its vegan, gluten free, lactose free, and without added sugar, just good healthy stuff. Menus from 59 kr. (updated Aug 2019)

Bakeries
  • 🌍 Lagkagehuset, Lokes Allé 30 and Sønderbrogade 95A (at the junction between Ringevejen and Thorsvej in the south part of town), ☏ +45 76 70 60 00. M-F 06:00-17:00, Sa Su 06:00-16:00. The famous Danish bakery-chain Lagkagehuset has two spots in Horsens, both with a dining café. They are both located out of the central scene, so the largest one at Lokes Allé is perhaps the best option, as it also has a drive-in. Excellent quality, and a good opportunity to try a piece of real Danish pastry, as it is supposed to be. (updated Aug 2019)
  • 🌍 Slotsbageriet, Slotsgade 32 (continue down Søndergade and Borgergade, past the cemetery; look out for the golden kringle-sign!). M-F 05:30-17:00, Sa Su 06:30-15:30. A piece of history, this bakery has been here at its central location since 1887, and is still launching quality bread and cakes. Many kinds of Danish specialities, including Danish pastries of course. (updated Aug 2019)
  • 🌍 Café Caprice, Sønderbrogade 4. Tu-Th 11:00-17:00, F 11:00-19:00, Sa 11:00-17:00. Nice konditori, the Danish version of the French pâtisserie. A broad selection of confectionate cakes, including layercakes and various cream cakes. Adjacent space to indulge with cake and coffee. (updated Aug 2019)

Drink

There is a wide selection of cafées and bars in Horsens. Both young adults and grownups can have a good night on the town here.

  • Café Gran, Grønnegade 15. 
  • Hekkenfeldt, Graven 17-19. 
  • Cafe Koks, Nørregade 7. 
  • Corfitz, Søndergade 21. 

Sleep

There are a few primitive, but free, camping grounds available.

8700 Horsens, ☏ +45 7562 2333, fax: +45 7561 3105, . Roomy with lots of space, inbetween town and country. From 1211 kr. (updated Oct 2023)

Connect

Horsens has 4G from all Danish carriers. As of Sept 2021, 5G has not reached this area.

Go next
  • Endelave. Take the bus to the small town of Snaptun and then the 1-hour ferry to the island of Endelave. A beautiful and varied nature experience with plenty of opportunity for leisurely beach activities. Bring a bike or rent one on the island and you can see Endelave in a day or two. Do this as a day trip or stay overnight for a mini-vacation. Bird tours and nature walks are regularly arranged. Several options for sleeping and dining.
  • Hjarnø. Another small and very flat island nearby, situated at Horsens fjord. Take the short seven-minute ferry trip there from Snaptun. Hjarnø has around 100 habitants and has a history of long-distance seafaring. Nowadays most people there either work regular jobs on the mainland or are active as farmers on the island. A small group of them are experimenting with wineproduction, a rare sight in Denmark. A haven for seabirds and with opportunities for a small nature hike experience, just follow the marked routes, and some leisurely beach activities as well. Several stone settings from The Viking Age. Do Hjarnø in a day or stay overnight at the camping grounds. You can eat at a café in the old smithy or bring your own food.
  • Alrø. Small flat island just north of Hjarnø, also in Horsens fjord. Twice as large and a bit higher than Hjarnø, Alrø rises a mere 15 metres above sea level on its highest spot. In the summer months there is a ferry connection from Snaptun, but Alrø can also be accessed from an artificial landbridge on the northern side. The landbridge can be reached in about a 30-minute drive from Horsens or Skanderborg; c. 40 minutes from Aarhus. This drive can be combined with a good nature experience in and around Sondrup Bakker, a beautiful area on the northern shores of Horsens fjord. Alrø is a bit similar to Hjarnø; it has a rich bird life and nearly all of it is cultivated land. Bird tours are regularly arranged, as are small canoe trips. Several options for dining and staying overnight.
  • The city of Aarhus can be reached by intercity trains within 30 mins while the town of Vejle is about 15 minutes away by train in the opposite direction, towards Copenhagen.
  • Vejle, The regional capital of south Jutland
Routes through Horsens
Aalborg ← Skanderborg ←  N  S  → Vejle → Hamburg


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