All food lovers' eyes are on Denmark's second city, Aarhus, this year as visitors to the city feast on its status as the European Region of Gastronomy 2017. With a fresh new bunch of restaurants, bars and food markets adding to its culinary prowess, the city has fast been gathering international acclaim for its Michelin star restaurants and the annual Aarhus Food Festival, which has grown to become the largest in the Nordic region. 

European Region of Gastronomy events

In addition to Aarhus's annual culinary events, 2017 is bringing together chefs, producers and world leaders in sustainable thinking, to host a rolling programme of activities throughout the summer that not only pay tribute to gourmet cuisine and local ingredients but addresses the idea of 'Rethinking Good Food' for a more sustainable food culture.

On selected dates throughout the year culinary visitors to Aarhus can join a four-hour guided orientation of the city and experience beyond the ordinary on a GASTRO 2017 WALK. Participants can munch their way through the city's culinary hotspots with tasting at many of its local eateries, markets and delis from a beer at Vendia Brewery to organic Summerbird Chocolate - the tour it's a meal.

For those wishing to learn the art of foraging 'The Touring Beach Chefs' will visit a different public beach near Aarhus every day from Monday July 11 until Sunday July 31. Pitching up at beaches from Skæring Strandpark in the north to Moesgaard in the south, they will be showcasing the range of edible delights to be found in the shallow waters of east Jutland. Armed with nets visitors can gather seaweed, prawns, mussels and flavourful rock pool herbs. Helping the chefs to prepare, cook and eat the food straight from the beach.

Away from the coast the city centre of Aarhus will be revelling in the annual Aarhus Harvest Celebration on 19 August when it brings together urban gardens, social food initiatives and urban foragers for a celebration of the fantastic food experiences the city has to offer. A huge street party will see tables set for 1,000 guests stretching along the streets, and a wealth of tasty food offerings hosted by a unique partnership of farmers, restaurants and urban food communities.

More street food is on the menu from 1-3 September with the culmination of the European Gastronomy Region 2017 celebrations. The Good Table – Det Gode Bord will bring together the best of Danish family dining by gathering friends and visitors to toast, taste and discuss food. Tables set up in the streets will be divided into 10 zones, each offering a unique dining experience from new Greenlandic food, to a Japanese homage to the seasons, and a chance to learn more about the science of food with Danish food researchers.

The Good Table event coincides with the annual Aarhus Food Festival, the biggest food event in Northern Europe, where food inspiration and gastronomic knowledge mix with some of the leading producers, chefs and enthusiasts in Denmark to offer Nordic food experiences including seaweed safaris, sausage-making, and gourmet picnics along the shore.

Getting there

Ryanair has direct flights from London Stansted to Aarhus and Billund from as little as £19.99 one-way. British Airways also has daily flights from Heathrow to Billund with return prices from £120 as well as flights from London City Airport and Manchester to Billund through the airline's franchise partner Sun-Air.

There are also plenty of flights from the UK to Aarhus via Copenhagen. SAS (flysas.co.uk) operates from Aberdeen, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Heathrow, Newcastle and Manchester. Alternatives include British Airways (ba.com) from Heathrow; EasyJet (easyjet.com) from Bristol, Edinburgh, Gatwick, and Manchester; Norwegian (norwegian.com) from Edinburgh and Gatwick; and RyanAir from Luton, Stansted, Edinburgh and Liverpool (from 31 October 2017).

Aarhus CARD

It's now even easier to explore Aarhus and the surrounding Central Denmark Region, thanks to the new Aarhus CARD which gives access to more than 20 museums and attractions across the city. Buy a 24, 48 or 72-hour card and enjoy discounts on shopping, free admission to the city's public swimming pool, and free transport by bus all over Aarhus and the surrounding region, including X-buses, night buses, local trains in the city of Lemvig and airport shuttles to and from Aarhus Airport and Billund Airport.