There’s far more to Denmark than just Copenhagen, as TAMLYN JONES happily discovers

ASK your average Brit to name some towns in Denmark and you’ll probably be greeted by a blank stare and shake of the head once they’ve listed the capital, Copenhagen.

But tourists are missing a trick by overlooking the port city of Aarhus.

This is no sleepy backwater with picture postcard views straight out of a Hans Christian Andersen novel and little else to excite and engage its visitors – it’s a thriving city of 275,000 people with enough history, tourist attractions and retail therapy to keep all-comers happy, and has benefited from phenomenal investment since the turn of the century.

Aarhus now sits as a vibrant, modern locale that feels big enough to excite but small enough not to overwhelm.

Modern glass edifices rub shoulders with both historic and 20th century Brutalist architecture. Getting lost while wandering its maze of tight-knit backstreets, brimming with independent boutiques and places to eat, is highly recommended.

At night, these same streets teem with young, hip Danes enjoying beers outside its plentiful roster of bars, cocking a snook at the biting November temperatures on my visit as they snuggle under cosy complimentary blankets.

Denmark’s second largest city must be doing something right because it was named European Capital of Culture for 2017.

My trip started with an overnight stay at the excellent Point A hotel in Shoreditch, central London, followed by a quick walk to Liverpool Street station for the express train to Stansted Airport.

Ryanair operates a daily service to the small, but perfectly formed, Aarhus Airport which is around 80 minutes away. Dedicated transfer buses wait for passengers, so there is no standing around getting cold and frustrated.

After a 60-minute transfer to the city centre, we were whisked straight to ‘Rooftop’, a purpose-built terrace which opened in 2017 atop the city’s historic Salling department store.

Here, you can fill your Instagram account to your heart’s content with shots of the wonderful rooftops, the city’s picturesque Søndergade shopping street and even get an adrenaline rush from the glass-bottomed balcony, checking out the shoppers 90 feet below.

Æbleskiver, a Danish dessert delicacy akin to a spherical pancake, is served from the Rooftop’s bar with