A beautiful European city is said to be one of the happiest places in the world – and is much less visited than the continent’s better-known travel hotspots.

Aarhus, a city in Denmark on the Jutland peninsula’s east coast, is known for its beautiful waterfront with a plethora of museums and art offerings.

It was named the happiest city in the world in the Happy City Index 2024, which considered factors such as mobility, green spaces, and education, and with its picturesque cityscape and charming cobbled streets, it’s easy to see why.

Highlights include its picturesque Latin Quarter which features an abundance of boutiques selling handmade items, with a variety of bars, restaurants and beautiful houses.

It also has a rich arts scene, including the ARoS Aarhus Kunstmuseum with five galleries, an entire floor dedicated to installation art and stunning rooftop views.

Meanwhile, visitors rave over Den Gamle By in the city’s Botanical Gardens, an open-air museum that recreates historic Danish life.

A TripAdvisor reviewer who visited in April last year gave the attraction a five-star rating, and said the “effort of the restoration and the gathering of the many objects, as well as the attention to detail, leave you speechless and, also with regard to our present day, very thought-provoking”.

They added that visiting the site is, “Actually a must for our young people”.

Aarhus Domkirke, a Romanesque-style cathedral that is the country’s tallest church, is also said to be well worth a visit.

One tourist who visited in 2023 said the centuries-old structure is “beautiful both inside & out”.

It’s also a short trip from the UK, with direct flights from London to Aarhus taking about two hours.

Ryanair offers the only direct flights from London Stansted to Aarhus, with return fares starting at around £35. 

You can then get a direct bus from the airport to Aarhus city centre, which takes around 50 minutes.

Visitors can also fly into Billund, the home of Lego, and take a bus from there, and the journey takes about one hour and 30 minutes.