Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Danish Business Spotlight
Aalborg is home to the happiest people in Europe Aalborg is home to the happiest people in Europe – because this is where the opportunities are. Attractive housing and colourful cultural centres are popping up, and the city is teeming with young students and a waterfront that is often the site of festive events. By Line Christensen | Photos: Aalborg Kommune
Aalborg is undergoing a transformation from an industrial town to a raw, modern mini metropolis. The Limfjord meanders beautifully through the city, as it always has. “Aalborg is a city all of its own. It is a wonderfully unsnobbish city, and at the same time it lifts itself culturally, offering magnificent experiences. And then there’s its superb location – close to some of Denmark’s most beautiful nature. The surrounding nature brings greatness that rubs off on the city,” says 58-year-old Lykke Wester, who moved to Aalborg three years ago. And she has not regretted it. 94 | Issue 96 | January 2017
In 2016, Aalborg was named the happiest city in Europe. 72 per cent of Aalborg’s inhabitants say they are very satisfied with life in general, according to a study conducted by the European Commission. “I like the life and character the waterfront gives Aalborg. It has created a special atmosphere and provided the perfect gathering place for people all year round,” says 28-year-old Martin Juhl Karlsen, who lives in Aalborg with his wife and two-year-old daughter. “What is special is the impressions that Aalborg leaves me with – be it when I’m out walking or just sitting on a bench and enjoy-
ing a cup of coffee. They are impressions I just can’t find in any other city.”
Architectonic jewels At the Aalborg waterfront, industrial workplaces have been replaced with several architectonic jewels, including the Utzon Center, Musikkens Hus, and Nordkraft – a renovated power plant with a raw, inspiring environment. The waterfront is also a mecca for outdoor activities, with an outdoor swimming facility, a park, playing fields and restaurants. One of Sweden’s best-known lifestyle bloggers, Åse Falkman Fredrikson, recently visited Aalborg for the first time and wrote: “Aalborg is a rather large city, but the distances are short so it was easy to get around and explore the city. I met friendly people, and numerous shops offered wine or coffee; it was very charm-