museum
Den Gamle By, Aarhus
An open-air museum recreating Danish urban life from the 16th century to the 1970s with 75 historic buildings moved from across Denmark.
40 km · about 45 min drive
EuropeDenmarkCentral Jutland
Silkeborg
Central Jutland, Denmark · Europe
About Silkeborg
Silkeborg sits on the route: 10 minutes from Virklund, 47km from Jelling Stones & Viking Monuments.
Silkeborg is in Central Jutland, Denmark, with about 50,000 people. You drive on the right here. The nearest town is Virklund, about 4 km away.
Silkeborg (Danish: [ˈse̝lkəˌpɒˀ]) is a Danish town with a population of 53,058 (1 January 2026). Silkeborg is the seat of Silkeborg Municipality, with a population of 102,753 as of 2026.
Silkeborg is located in the middle of the Jutlandic peninsula, slightly west of the geographical centre of Denmark. The city isRead more
situated on the Gudenå River in the hilly and lush landscape of Søhøjlandet, surrounded by Denmark's largest forest district and a great number of lakes. Silkeborg is also known as Denmark's outdoor capital. The lakes between Silkeborg and Ry that are linked by the Gudenå, are known collectively as Silkeborgsøerne (the Silkeborg lakes).
The city is divided along an east–west axis by the lake of Silkeborg Langsø, which at the eastern side of the city, flows into the Gudenå River.
Where to Stay in Silkeborg
Compare prices across Booking.com, Airbnb, Expedia, and more. Select your dates to see availability.
Filter presets
Pick your must-haves once: provider links open pre-filtered. Each filter lists which sites it applies to.
Compare before you book!
Prices can vary significantly between platforms. We recommend checking at least 2-3 sites to find the best deal for your stay in Silkeborg.
Explore the Area
Discover famous landmarks, scenic roads, and more near Silkeborg.
Loading map...
Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Silkeborg?
Within an hour or so of Silkeborg: Den Gamle By, Aarhus (40 km), Jelling Stones & Viking Monuments (47 km), The Wave (Bølgen), Vejle (51 km), Legoland Billund (55 km).
Are there any good drives near Silkeborg?
The nearest famous roads are Rømø Causeway.
Where is Silkeborg?
Silkeborg is in Central Jutland, Denmark, about 4 km from Virklund.
Road trip
Drive to Silkeborg
Add it as a stop and the planner works out the driving, the nights and what's worth seeing on the way.
Start planningWhat's nearby?
Swipe through places to go
Places within a drive of Silkeborg. Keep the ones you like and add them to your trip.
Explore now
Quick Information
- Population
- 49,747
- Continent
- Europe
- Country
- Denmark
- Region
- Central Jutland
- Timezone
- Europe/Copenhagen
- Coordinates
- 56.1697, 9.5451
Emergency & Services
Essential numbers in Denmark
Dipped headlights required at all times.
Full driving guide for DenmarkTags
Worth the detour from Silkeborg
4 notable places within an hour's drive.
ancient ruins
Jelling Stones & Viking Monuments
Denmark's 'birth certificate': UNESCO-listed runic stones raised by Viking kings Gorm and Harald Bluetooth alongside massive burial mounds.
47 km · about 55 min drive
landmark
The Wave (Bølgen), Vejle
An undulating five-tower residential building on Vejle Fjord, one of Denmark's most striking pieces of contemporary architecture.
51 km · about 60 min drive
landmark
Legoland Billund
The original Legoland theme park with over 65 million Lego bricks creating miniature landmarks, rides, and attractions in LEGO's hometown.
55 km · about 65 min drive
Driving roads near Silkeborg
- 73 kmOld Little Belt BridgeThe elegant 1935 steel truss bridge linking Jutland and Funen at Middelfart. Now a quiet scenic crossing beside its motorway successor, with bridge-walking tours on its upper girders.
- 73 kmNew Little Belt BridgeSuspension bridge carrying the E20 motorway between Jutland and Funen, opened in 1970 alongside the older 1935 crossing.
When to drive here
May to September
Far northern latitude: short daylight hours outside summer make long drives harder.
Nearby Destinations
Other places to explore near Silkeborg.
Plan a trip around Silkeborg
Your trip starts here
Plan a road trip from Silkeborg.
Pick the days, drop in the stops, and share it with whoever's coming.