| Just under an hour south by train from Esbjerg, the exquisitely
preserved town of RIBE was once a major stopover point for pilgrims on
their way to Rome, as well as a significant port, until thwarted by the
Reformation and the sanding-up of the harbour. Since then, not much
appears to have changed. The surrounding marshlands, which have
prevented the development of any large-scale industry, and a long-standing
preservation programme, have enabled Ribe to keep the appearance and
size of medieval times, making it a delight to wander in.
From Ribe's train station, Dagmarsgade leads to Torvet and the towering
Domkirke (April & Oct Mon-Sat 11am-4pm, Sun noon-4pm; May-June & mid-Aug
to Sept Mon-Sat 10am-5pm, Sun noon-5pm; July to mid-Aug Mon-Sat
10am-5.30pm, Sun noon-5.30pm; Nov-March Mon-Sat 11am-3pm, Sun noon-3pm;
12kr; 1-hour tours from July to mid-Aug at 11.30am; 45kr), begun around
1150. Only the "Cat's Head Door" on the south side remains from the
original construction and the church's interior is not as spectacular as
either its size or long history might suggest, though you can normally
climb the red-brick tower and peer out over the town. Behind the
cathedral, the Weis' Stue is a tiny inn built around 1600, from which
the nightwatchman of Ribe makes his rounds (May-Sept 10pm, June-Aug 8pm
& 10pm) - a throwback to the days when Danish towns were patrolled by
guards looking for unattended candles, though these days he stops at
points of interest to explain the town's history to tourists. It's free
and can be fun. The Viking Museum (July & Aug Wed 10am-6pm, Thurs-Tues
10am-4pm; rest of the year daily 10am-4pm, Nov-March closed Mon; 50kr),
nearby on Odins Plads, offers an informative display on Ribe's past,
including archeological finds and interactive computer exhibits. If you
haven't had enough of Vikings, you can watch their daily life in action
at the Ribe Vikingecenter (July & Aug daily 11am-4.30pm; May, June &
Sept Mon-Fri 11am-4pm; 50kr), 2km south of the town centre at Lustrupvej,
where staff in Viking dress give pottery demonstrations and cook over
open fires.
The tourist office (April-June & Sept-Oct Mon-Fri 9am-5pm, Sat 10am-1pm;
July-Aug Mon-Fri 9.30am-5.30pm, Sat 9am-5pm; Nov-March Mon-Fri
9.30am-4.30pm, Sat 10am-1pm; tel 75.42.15.00, www.ribetourist.dk ) is
behind the cathedral, opposite the Weis' Stue; it has a full list of
private homes with rooms to rent. There's also a youth hostel (tel
75.42.06.20, www.danhostel.dk/ribe ; £5-10/$8-16/¬9-18; Feb-Nov), on the
opposite side of the river from Skibbroen: cross the river bridge and
turn left into Sct. Peders Gade. Failing that, there are several
moderately priced places such as the Weis' Stue (tel 75.42.07.00;
£20-25/$32-40/¬36-45), which is opposite the atmospheric but expensive
Hotel Dagmar (tel 75.42.00.33, www.hoteldagmar.dk ; £40/$64/¬72 and over),
the oldest hotel in Denmark. The nearest campsite , which also has
cabins, is 1.5km from Ribe, along Farupvej (tel 75.41.07.77; bus #715;
open Easter to late October). A daytime and evening alternative with
food and excellent coffee is Valdemar Sejr next to the art gallery on
Sct. Nicolaj Gade. For an evening drink try Stenbohus on Stenbogade,
which attracts artists, students and musicians and has live blues, folk
or rock bands at least once a week.
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from $115.00
USD