Silkeborg – arts and crafts, and close to nature
In the middle of Jutland, this town combines a lively crafts industry with attractive surroundings. The Art Museum tells its own absorbing history while also displaying the vibrant contemporary works of Asger Jorn. Perhaps just as fascinating, the Silkeborg museum has the body of an Iron Age man, perfectly conserved by the neighboring Bjældskovdal marsh. You can make your own paper in the Bikuben Paper Museum (Papirmuseet Bikuben), a museum that brings the art of paper-making into the present day. You can also see glass blowers in action, or if you prefer just take it easy with a traditional steam bath at Kurbyen, Denmark’s only remaining old-fashioned bath house.
You can experience more of way things were with the steam train that runs from Silkeborg to Bryrup through enchanting countryside, and past the Kvindsø, Kulsø and Snabe Igelsø lakes. Or you can board the oldest working paddle steamer in the world, “Hjejlen”, for a trip past equally beautiful riverside scenery. Finally, depending on how you time your visit, you may be able to see the festival of the "Ildfestregatta" (“fire party regatta"), but be warned – it only happens once every three years.
