Nestled in the southwest corner of Denmark’s peninsula, the town of Ribe is filled with cobblestoned streets and half-timbered buildings from the time of Denmark’s renaissance, a cathedral from the Viking Era and many unique museums showcasing unknown parts of Denmark’s past. Now, I can show you how to have the best 2 days in Ribe, Denmark!

This post may contain affiliate links, which means that at no extra cost to you, I will make a commission if you click on a link and make a purchase. Thanks for supporting My New Danish Life! This post is also a collaboration with the Weiss Stue Inn and the Ribe Bryghus Brewery. 

Some Background on the Town of Ribe, Denmark

In 2020, the town of Ribe, Denmark turned the age of 1310, since it is recorded as far back as the year 710, making it not only the oldest town in Denmark, but also all of Scandinavia. Walking down the idyllic streets of Denmark’s oldest and best-preserved town, you will feel that you have taken a step back in time to experience Danish history for yourself.

For being a small town of about 8,000 residents, Ribe has many things to do in this section of Denmark´s Sønderjylland where people come to find the most unique attractions in all of Denmark. If you are planning on spending some time in Denmark and want to know where to go for your Denmark travel itinerary, you don’t have to look any farther! 

Day One

Getting to Ribe, Denmark

If you only have one place to go in Denmark to get a sense what Denmark is truly famous for, you should consider taking a trip to Ribe. With its train station located in the northern part of the town, Ribe is easily accessible from bigger cities like Copenhagen, Aarhus, Odense and Esbjerg, and with many parking options, visitors will find that getting to and parking in Ribe, Denmark is quite easy and affordable.

We drove to Ribe for a two-day trip, since we lived within a few hours’ drive, but we decided to make a few stops before finding our car’s new home for the next few days.

Viking Center

If you are interested in learning more about the Viking Era in Denmark, I suggest that you check out two places that connect you with Ribe’s Viking past This would mean making a stop first at the Viking Center on the outskirts of Ribe. This open-air museum allows you to experience life of the Vikings during the medieval days of Denmark by walking through a replica of a Viking village in Denmark during the 700s.

If you like Vikings, learn more at the Vikingegaard Fyrkat in Hobro, Denmark!

Viking Museum

A trip to the Viking Museum in the northern part of Ribe would be the next stop on your trip to explore Ribe’s Viking history. This is a great place to learn more information about the town, its people and how Ribe went from a Viking village to a bustling center during Denmark’s renaissance.

Here, you can also ask them about a “Museumsbillet”, which can get you into 5 of Ribe’s museums for one price. All 5 of those museums will be mentioned in this post, and you should also be able to buy this pass at each one of them.

With two play areas for kids, everyone in your family will have a great time learning about Viking history in Denmark, but Ribe also has a great Viking playground that isn’t too far of a walk from the Viking Museum. No Viking trip to Ribe would be complete for families without some time spent on this fun playground.

Read more about the Viking Museum and the Viking playground in Ribe HERE!

Parking in Ribe, Denmark

Because parking was very limited in Ribe’s town center due to the pedestrian zone, we decided to find a parking lot on the edge of the old town that allowed free parking for 48 hours. This meant that we would have to walk to our accommodation in the center of Ribe, but we were happy to find that the walk wasn’t too far. The scenery was also quite magical and made me feel kind of like Dorothy setting foot in Oz for the first time.

Click HERE to find out the best place to park during your trip to Ribe, Denmark.

Checking in to the Weis Stue

The Weis Stue Inn is one of the oldest hotels in Ribe and was built in the 1600s. The fact that it had been used as an inn since the early 1700s was quite amazing. We were very interested at staying at a place that had been around during so many exciting points in Denmark’s history.

When we arrived at the Weis Stue, we noticed the front façade of the building right away. It was like something out of a movie, and looked almost too old to be a hotel. I felt a combination of excitement and disbelief that we were really able to stay there for the night and eat in the restaurant. What a truly unique experience!

The owner Johnni was there to greet us and told us where to find our room. We noticed the door on the side wall of the hallway, but since it was somewhat higher up than a normal door, we assumed that it was just some type of decorative sign.

We were surprised to find that it opened to the narrowest of stairways leading up to a floor with 5 rooms, a shower room and a toilet.

Shared Areas at Weis Stue

We knew that we would be sharing these two sanitary rooms, but the thought of that didn’t sway us from choosing to stay at the Weis Stue for the night. It was all part of the experience of staying at a historical inn!

This post is sponsored by the Weis Stue Inn, where we were graciously given a delicious meal! Many thanks to Pia and Johnni for hosting us in your restaurant and inn. We had a great time!

We also noticed a small stairway that lead up to two more rooms, making it a total of 7 rooms at the hotel. It was by far the smallest hotel we had ever stayed in, but it was also the most interesting one, as well.

We dropped off our bags in room number 2, which had the key in the door waiting for us.

Weis Stue Restaurant in Ribe, Denmark

Then, we went back down the stairs to the doorway next to the stairs, which was to the restaurant. Here, you could find a dimly lit rooms with a couple of side rooms that offered extra tables and seating. We sat in the main dining area near the window. This was the best spot, if you asked me. We were able to look out at the other older buildings and at the cathedral during our meal.

It was also possible to sit outside at one of their many tables that had umbrellas. However, we wanted to get the full experience of eating at an inn, so we were very happy with where we sat.

Are you looking for other ways to experience Denmark’s history? Check out what the island of Ærø has to offer. 

Eating Supper at Weis Stue

The food at Weis Stue was amazing! The portion sizes were quite large, and the selection that they had on their menu was also very extensive. My husband got a whiskey beef steak topped with onion rings with a think sauce, baked potato and a side of vegetables. To say that he loved his food would have been an understatement!!

I had the Meuniere fried salmon with spinach, potatoes and a salad with caramelized onions, sprouts, greens and radishes. Though never really tasting anything quite like it, I really enjoyed it. Getting two pieces of salmon was extra exciting, since it was so delicious. It was the perfect combination of a slightly crunchy outside and a nice, firm inside. I wished every time I ate salmon it would taste so good!

Needless to say, there wasn’t a lot of talking during the meal, because we were both taken to another place mentally with that meal. It had been a long time since we had eaten a meal quite as good, and we wanted to savor every moment.

Enjoying an Ale at the Weis Stue on our 2 Days in Ribe

During the meal, I tried the local Brown Ale from the Ribe Bryghus. I loved that the Weis Stue had a good variety of local beers, and this brown ale quickly became a fast favorite of mine. If you are a fan of British brown ales, you will love this one from Ribe Bryghus.

To add to our culinary experience, we decided to split a dessert. We ordered the vanilla ice cream with the figs marinated in port wine. OH MY GOODNESS!! I had never had a dessert taste as good as that! I highly recommend trying this dessert from the Weis Stue Restaurant. Ribe has many different places that sell port wine and fruits that are marinated in port, so it seems to be a loyal delicacy. We were fast fans of that delicious dessert.

Night Watchman Tour in Ribe, Denmark

We finished our meal just in time to get our coats and head outside for the Night Watchman Tour. This was a free tour of the history of Ribe’s old center conducted by a local historian dressed as one of the night watchmen from long ago.

We saw ruins from the early middle ages, buildings that survived the great Ribe fire of the 1500s, narrow, cobblestoned streets and a pole with dates and markers of all the floods that Ribe suffered before they built dams for the Ribe River.

If you are looking for a truly unique experience, I suggest going on a night watchman tour as one of the things to do in Denmark that should be at the top of your list.

This tour met directly in front of the Weis Stue Inn and lasted about an hour long. If you can’t make the 8pm tour, they also have one at 10pm. Check the tourist information office to find out when the tours will be running.

Drinks at Hotel Dagmar

Since we were curious about the other hotel that was across the way from the Weis Stue, we decided to get a drink at the Hotel Dagmar. This is another one of Ribe’s oldest hotels, and the inside is decorated in such a fancy way, you would think that you were a member of the royal court. We enjoyed another one of Ribe Bryghus’ beers before returning to the Weis Stue for the night.

Day Two

Sharing a Bathroom at the Weis Stue

Though it might not seem like the most exciting thing to do, we didn’t mind sharing a bathroom with the 6 other rooms during our stay at the Weis Stue Inn in Ribe, Denmark. We just made sure to get up early, so there were no issues with waiting in line. It was also nice to find that there were towels in the bathroom, so we didn’t need to bring our own.

Morning Walk and Breakfast in Ribe, Denmark

Getting up early was also a good idea, because it allowed us to take a walk in the old town of Ribe before other people woke up. The streets were practically deserted, which made the walk a very intimate thing for my husband and I to do.

As we traveled northwest on a road that the map labeled as Over-Mellem-Nederdammen, because it went over the many small dams that helped with all the water from the Ribe River., we walked past the small harbor, and we came to an area with many different cafes and shops.

We also noticed a passageway that lead to a walking path and bridges that seemed to be Ribe’s little secret. We took our time on these bridges that were hidden away within the trees to enjoy a nice and calm morning in Ribe.

We worked our way back to the street and found the Postgaard Café (Vinoble) where we had a nice breakfast of coffee, tea, bread, cheeses, meats, vegetables and eggs. It was a wonderful way to start the day, and we were happy to find that it opened at 8am, which was much earlier than any of the other places on that street.

Do you like finding the unexpected? Try taking a Tour of Midtjylland, Denmark in Search of the Forgotten Tree Giants!!

Check out of Weis Stue and Take Bags to the Car

Because we needed to check out of the hotel at 10am, we decided to do that after breakfast. We also walked the bags to the car, so we could focus the rest of our day on seeing some of the great museums in Ribe, Denmark.

Ribe Tourism Office

Directly across from the Weis Stue Inn was the RIbe Tourism Office, which is where we found a map and other information about the town and surrounding area. This office is in a great location, since it is next to the Hotel Dagmar and across from both the Ribe Cathedral and the Weis Stue Inn.

I also enjoyed the fact that I could charge my cellphone there while relaxing in one of their comfortable chairs and reading  through the Ribe map.

Ribe Domkirke

In the center of Ribe, lies one of the most impressive places that you won’t want to miss on your trip to southwestern Denmark. This is the Ribe Domkirke (cathedral) which was erected in the mid 1100s and made partially of volcanic tuff from the Rhine River in Germany.

This stunning church is filled with a mixture of both old décor and modern touches. Ribe Cathedral is also Denmark’s only five-aisled church, which should attest to its size and importance. Four times a day, you can hear two different songs being played from the bell tower.

Ribe Domkirke Tower

You can pay a small fee to climb the steps to the tower of the church. In the middle of your climb, you will find the cathedral museum, which shows you how the church and clergy have changed throughout the years. There is information in Danish, English and German. It was nice to have the museum in the middle of the tower to give a break from all the stairs.

I also enjoyed getting to see the different bells that were housed in the tower. We managed to be there just in time to hear them chime. The real surprise was reaching the top of the tower just as it started to pour down with rain. We were still determined to see the view, even if we were getting soaked in the process.

Hex Museum

Since the weather in Ribe and other parts of Denmark is very unpredictable, it is nice that Ribe is also filled with many different types of museums that can be enjoyed inside. We were happy that the next stop on our tour was one such museum, the Hex Museum. With umbrella in hand, we made our way down a few streets to the old building that housed both the Hex Museum and the Jacob A. Riis Museum.

The entrance to the museum was in a different place from where we bought our tickets, so just be aware of that. We were able to look around in the store when we bought our tickets, which was a good combination of witch’s cabin and novelty store. We didn’t know what to expect from the museum, but we were interested to have a look.

They also had a room with lockers which was nice to hang up our coats and stow our belongings before going in the museum.

Do you like visiting interesting museums? Check out the Bang and Olufsen Museum in Struer, Denmark to see how you can experience the joy of sound.

Amazing Exhibitions at the Hex Museum

As we walked up the steps to the entrance to the museum, we scanned our ticket, and were surprised to see that there were many interesting things on display the second we walked through the door. We received a handheld device that we scanned at the different spots in the museum to hear about the artifacts and the images in the museum.

This museum was not like anything I had experienced before, since there aren’t many places that tell about the story of witch hunts and trials in Denmark during the 1600s. The information that we gained there was a real eye-opener to how easily people could be misled. Ribe was really an interesting town; it was probably one of the best places in Denmark to visit to learn the untold history and secrets of the country.

Jacob A. Riis Museum

As I had mentioned, the Jacob A. Riis Musem in Ribe was actually located on the first floor of the building that housed the Hex Museum. Here, you can learn about the Ribe-born photographer and journalist who helped make people aware of the horrible living conditions of the New York slums of the late 1800s.

Ribe Kunstmuseum

One of best places to see Danish art outside of Copenhagen is at the Ribe Kunstmuseum. This 3-leveled art museum sits in a beautiful mansion that showcases Danish art since the late 1800s. Here, you can find a mixture of both older and modern paintings.

When we went to the Ribe Kunstmuseum, the temporary exhibit was housed in the lower level and consisted of many painted portraits. I am always amazed how well artists can capture a person’s likeness with just a piece of canvas, some paint and a brush.

Learn more about the Art Forest called TICKON that is located on the Island of Langeland!!

There is also a beautiful garden just behind the museum that you can also enjoy!

Ribe Bryghus

Seeing as it was Saturday, we really wanted to make a stop at the Ribe Bryghus. We had tried a few different brews the night before at the hotels in the center, and we were eager to pay the brewery a visit to try some more tasty drinks and also to see how they are made.

Located next to some train tracks, the Ribe Bryghus was probably the farthest place on our tour of Ribe. It was also very well-worth the walk in the rain. This building looked like it belonged to the railyard, because it had somewhat of an industrial feel to it. I liked it right away.

Lots of Room to Sit an Enjoy at Beer at the Ribe Bryghus

Inside, you could find many tables and a small bar at the end of the large room. There were also large windows along one side that allowed you to peek inside the brewery to see how they made the beer. During our visit, they were making the Blonde Ale, so that was one of the beers we decided to try.

Taking a Private Tour of the Brewery

Lars, the owner of the brewery, was kind enough to show me around and explain the brewing process a bit more. He was shoveling mash out of one of the barrels. He told me gets sold to local farmers for feed for their livestock. Lucky livestock! He mentioned that the mash could also be used by people to make beer bread!

Special thanks to Lars and the others at the Ribe Bryghus for the tasty Blonde Ale and Remise Ale. 

Apparently, the brewing barrels in this microbrewery were imported from England. This made me wonder if that was part of the reason for the delicious Brown Ale that I had tried the night before at the Weis Stue Restaurant. Normally, the Brits are very well-known for their delicious brown ales. However, the one from the Ribe Bryghus tasted just as good, in my opinion.

Beer Worth Making the Drive For

The only bad thing about the beers from the Ribe Bryghus was that they were only available within a 50-kilometer radius of Ribe, Denmark. I know that I would have to make a few trips now and then to stock up on that delicious brown ale. I was definitely hooked, so I would highly recommend a stop at the brewery to anyone who loves trying different microbrews.

The Ribe Bryghys is open every Saturday from 10am to 2pm. (Click HERE to find out when they are open or to contact them.)

Lunch at the Café Kaerlig in Ribe, Denmark

All that beer tasting was getting us hungry, so we decided to make our way back towards the center of Ribe. We were hoping to find a unique restaurant with great food. We were very surprised to find a vegan restaurant near the Old Townhall. It was called Café Kaerlig, and though seating inside this small café was very limited, we were happy to find a spot.

My Delicious Vegan Meal

The menu was very different from normal Danish restaurants, but being a vegetarian, I was very excited to try something new. The names of the food items were also quite inspiring. I ordered the “I am power” which was a BBQ vegan-chicken sandwich. I didn’t know what to expect, since I had never eaten “jack fruit” before. However, I can tell you that it was one of the best BBQ sandwiches I had had in a long time. It was both tangy and sweet at the same time, and I almost felt that I was actually eating chicken.

What My Husband ate at Cafe Kaerlig in Ribe

My husband had the “I am curious”, which sounds about right for a meat eater. This consisted of three small bagel sandwiches with various types of fake meat inside. I loved that we were able to share our food with each other. This never seemed to happen at a typical restaurant.

Do you love vegetarian / vegan food? Read all about how they make vegetarian food in the USA at Pig Minds Vegan Microbrewery. 

My favorite of his was the one that tasted like a chicken salad. He was pleasantly surprised at the flavor of each of the different sandwiches, since he loves meat and doesn’t normally eat vegan food. It isn’t often that you find a place in a smaller town in Denmark that serves vegan food!

I recommend for you to try it if you are in Ribe, Denmark and are looking for a filling meal for lunch. It is one unique food experience that you won’t find anywhere else in this part of Jylland.

Ribe, Denmark’s Old Townhall

Our last stop on our tour of Ribe, Denmark was to the old townhall. We had seen the outside of this building during our walk with the night watchman, but we were very eager to check out the inside. This building was built in 1496 and was used as the townhall from 1496 to 2007. In 2007, Ribe’s municipality and the municipality of the larger town of Esbjerg merged together. Though it was renovated in the late 1800s, it still stands as one of the last remaining buildings from the medieval times in Ribe.

Our tour through the building showed us a beautiful room called the Assembly room. This room was decorated with paintings and furniture from the early 1700s. We had heard that they still performed many weddings in this room. This seemed a great opportunity for history lovers to make their special day even more memorable.

The Debtor’s Prison in the Old Town Hall Ribe

We also saw the harsher side of the townhall’s history with many types of weapons in the room called the Debtor’s Prison. These weapons were used for punishment. Ribe had been well-known for being one the harshest courts in all of Denmark, and you can even seem the rules that were set in 1269 to prove it. Overall, the building was quite impressive with its large wooden door and the murals painted on the walls of the upper rooms.

Overall Impressions of Ribe

Overall, Ribe is the perfect place to visit when you want to see unique places and find fun things to do in Denmark. Other towns can’t match the history in this small town! The experiences you get from staying at an old inn and walking down a cobblestoned street in the fog of an early, quiet morning will not only allow you to get a better sense of the town’s history but will also feel its magic.

I suggest spending two days in Ribe, Denmark for yourself, as a couple or even as a family. This town is very kid-friendly and has a lot to offer all members of the family. The diverse food selections that they had though being such a small town were quite impressive. We would highly recommend not only staying at the Weis Stue Inn but also eating at the restaurant. You won’t go away hungry!

Where do you want to go on your next trip to Denmark?

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