Must-do activities in Horsens, Denmark

Horsens is a small Danish town, right in between Aarhus and Littlebelt; it has its own body of water, known as the Horsens fjord, where several nearby islands reside. 

Fun facts about Horsens

Before we dive into some of the coolest things to do and see in Horsens, let me share with you a few unique facts about this town. The name of the city Horsens actually means “the headland with the horses.” It is also the town with the largest pedestrian street in all of Denmark. The Russian Royal family lived in Horsens. Specifically, it was Katarina the Great- the Empress of Russia, who came to Horsens in 1780. 

Fængslet (The Prison)

Fængslet (The Prison)- is a Prison Museum which is definitely a must-see. This place has more than 150 years of prison history; it is also a prize-winning museum. Fængslet is a former state prison, used from 1853 until 2006. Within the prison, you also have the Lorentzen’s escape tunnel- an 18-meter long escape tunnel, that has recently been renovated. Carl August Lorentzen was a thief and a criminal, who dug his way out from his prison cell through the 18-meter long tunnel to seek freedom. Upon his escape on Christmas 1949, he also left the prison guards a note saying, “Where there’s a will, there’s a way!”. Strangely enough, this place also hosts festivals and concerts from time to time and offers accommodation. The Danes really wanted to make this place part of everyday life and not to use it exclusively as an old prison. This is why part of the prison is a hostel with rooms; the other part of it is also an office rental space. (Yikes, I’m not sure how I’d feel about spending the night in a former prison!).

Fængslet (The Prison) Horsens

Fussingsvej 8, 8700 Horsens, Denmark

Island hoping in the archipelago

Another fun thing to do while in Horsens is actually to go island hopping. If you’d like you can purchase yourself or your kids a red island passport and stamp it as you tour around. In the Horsens archipelago, you will find the islands of Alrø, Tunø, Endelave, Hjarnø, and Samsø. A fun thing to do in the summertime is to take the bicycle ferry between Alrø and Hjarnø. Endelave is also known as the Rabbit Island since the island has a large wild rabbit and hare population. Tunø is a fantastic island, since it is also car-free, where the only means of transport are bikes or tractors. Samsø is one of Denmark’s largest island, known for its potatoes, farm shops, and various road stands. The island also has stunning landscapes; hence, many people go on bike trips on Samsø. 

Denmark’s highest mountain- Yding Skovhøj

If you are hiker and you want to challenge yourself, then make use of Denmark’s highest mountain Yding Skovhøj (172.5 meters tall). At the top of the hill, you can also visit the three Bronze Age burial mounds. Note that Denmark as such is a very flat country, so even though this is the highest mountaintop, you will not be climbing Mont Blanc. 

Yding Skovhøj

Yding Skovhøj, 8660 Skanderborg, Denmark

Enjoy!