Aalborg

The earliest settlement here dates to around AD 700, and the reason is the water: Aalborg sits at the narrowest point of the Limfjord, which made it an important medieval harbour and later a large industrial centre. Its prosperous merchants left the half-timbered mansions the city is known for; Budolfi Church dates from the end of the fourteenth century and Aalborghus Castle was built in 1550. The old working-class industry is giving way to a knowledge economy, though grain, cement and liquor still ship out. The Aalborg Carnival at the end of May is among Scandinavia’s largest festivals.