Mariager between Monastic History, Roses and Fjord Landscapes

Mariager combines historic townscapes, rose gardens, fjord views and unique salt experiences.

Monastic History and Old Town

Mariager Church and Monastery are the remains of a medieval Bridgettine monastery, founded around 1446 and dissolved with the introduction of the Reformation in 1536. At the Mariager Museum, an exhibition covers the Mariager monastery from around 1430 to 1536. The organ in Mariager Church adds a distinctive touch: it was installed and fully voiced in spring 2010.

The old town also shapes the character of the place. Cobblestone streets run between old half-timbered houses decorated with roses. The buildings have been preserved in their original style and are still in use.

Experience and Understand Salt

The Mariager Saltcenter combines engaging exhibition topics with a unique bathing experience. The experience Det Døde Hav offers a saltwater bath at approximately 39°C, with strong buoyancy for floating. In the Sydehytten, Mariager Sydesalt is produced by hand from seawater around 260 million years old.

The salt exhibition presents geology, history, chemistry and the importance of salt through films, props and experiments. This makes it possible to explore the subject not only visually, but also from several academic and practical perspectives.

Walks through Town and Landscape

The Mariager Route is a varied and scenic urban hiking route through the historic areas of Mariager. It is marked with yellow triangles and received certification in 2024 as a Premium City Hiking Trail from the German Hiking Institute. At the same time, it was the first route in Denmark to receive this certification.

One detail is important for orientation along the route: the section of the Mariager Route along the fjord may be flooded on individual days.

Another distinctive landscape feature is Hohøj. It is a Bronze Age burial mound approximately 12 metres high and around 72 metres in diameter. Hohøj offers expansive views over Mariager Fjord and the surrounding hilly landscape.

Roses, Water and Excursions

Mariager Rosenhave has 22 themed gardens. The rose garden is also a 2,000-square-metre rosarium, where 400 different rose varieties grow on approximately 800 plants.

On the water, the Svanen offers trips from Mariager with views over Mariager Fjord and the surrounding landscape. During the summer season, Mariager Vandpark is located approximately 120 metres off Mariager's sandy beach in Mariager Fjord and offers a slide, trampolines and tunnels.

The Mariager-Handest Veteran Railway travels 17 kilometres through fjord landscapes, small-town scenery, beech forest, gentle hills, heathland and river valleys. A return journey on the Mariager-Handest Veteran Railway takes 45 minutes each way. This makes it possible to combine maritime landscapes, forest and open hills in a single excursion idea.

Other destinations for orientation: Helberskov, Ajstrup, Astrup, Als, Glenstrup, Øster Hurup, Rold and Hobro.

For the overarching travel overview: Mariagerfjord Municipality.