Ribe, a town in Denmark not too far from the German border, is one of the towns in Denmark that you really should visit. Ribe is the oldest town in Denmark. It is more than 1000 years old and is therefore also one of the oldest towns in all the Nordic countries. This alone makes Ribe a fascinating place to visit. But there is more to Ribe, and we will tell you all about it in this article.
About Ribe
As Ribe was established around the 8th/9th century, it has quite a history. The town was important to the country’s trade, situated next to the sea. Most trades came through this town until the 16th/17th century. The dock comes straight into the village, and you can still see how the village must have looked in those days even though the pole that shows the height of the water is a replica.
The old city, with its half-timbered houses, looks as pretty as it looks old. The streets are small and are made of small cobblestones. You hardly see any cars in the centre of the town, which makes sense, because cars would hardly be able to pass through most of the streets.
In the city centre, you will also find the oldest cathedral in Denmark, the Ribe cathedral. This was the first Christian church built in Denmark. The cathedral is beautiful inside and looks even bigger than it does from the outside. A great way to see more of the surroundings of Ribe is to go up the tower in the church.
A great way to see Ribe is with a guided tour. The town offers special tours every day at 2 pm. You get guided through Ribe while a guide tells you stories and legends about the long history of Ribe. The tours last about an hour and a half. You need to pay for a ticket beforehand. During peak season, it’s wise to buy the tickets early as they fill up very fast.
In summer, you can also walk with the Night Watchman. We did this when we visited Ribe many years ago, and it was so fun to hear more about the village during the dark hours. Walking with the Night Watchman is even completely free.
Both tours can show you more of the cloisters, the town hall, and the fabulous houses, and tell you all about the construction of these houses.
If you like doing some shopping or getting a coffee or a snack, you will find what you need in Ribe too. Ribes town centre offers you a lot of different restaurants and cafés, most of them with terras, to soak up those sun rays when they are there. And there are a lot of quaint little shops in the centre, with jewellery, crafts, pottery and art.
See some Vikings
The town’s history started in the time of the Vikings. And the village wants to preserve this special Viking history with a Viking museum. Well, actually, there are two Viking musea.
The first museum is Museet Ribes Vikinger, with an exhibition that offers unique finds from the Viking area. This museum tells you more about the history of Vikings and their connection to Ribe and Denmark. The museum is interactive, so it is interesting for kids too.
Ribe Vikingecenter is an open-air museum. This way, you don’t just see the history of Ribe, but you can experience it too. This is a fully immersive experience of the Viking era, showing buildings, crafts, music, and warrior training.
The Wadden Sea National Park
Ribe is very close to the sea and has a long history with it. Part of the sea has become the Wadden Sea National Park, and from Ribe, you can make day trips to this incredible nature reserve.
There are three islands just out off the coast: Rømø, Mandø and Fanø, and they all offer unique experiences. Rømø is the biggest of the three islands as well as the most southern one. You can drive onto this island over a dyke and spend some time here, seeing more of the incredible nature, with its dunes and pastures. We went to Mandø from Ribe with a bus pulled by a tractor. The island can only be reached during low tide, making the tractor bus one of the best ways to get there. It is safe while being a fun experience. Fanø is a paradise for seals and is known for amber that washes ashore on its beaches.
All in all, Ribe is a great way to see Denmark at its finest.
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