Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
DON'T MISS
NIGHT-WATCHMAN TOURS
One of the best free activities in Denmark is Ribe's 45-minute
night-watchman tour
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; 8pm May-mid-Sep, also 10pm Jun-Aug; ), which departs from out the
front of Weis Stue, on Torvet, once or twice a night in the warmer months. Nowadays, it's
a stroll through the town's historic streets, designed to entertain and educate visitors to
Ribe, but the night-watchman's walk was originally born of necessity.
As early as the 14th century these watchmen made their nightly rounds in Ribe, ensur-
ing the streets were safe for locals to walk. They were also charged with being on the
lookout for fires or floods threatening the town. The job was abolished in Ribe in 1902, but
reinstated in 1935 as a tourist attraction. Interesting factual titbits, singing and colourful
stories of memorable Ribe citizens (in Danish and English) are just part of the act. Throw
in narrow streets, pretty-as-a-picture houses and a late sundown, and it's a great way to
end a history-soaked day.
Tours
Town Walks
WALKING TOUR
(adult/child Dkr75/free; 11.30am Mon-Fri Jul-Aug)
The tourist office stages guided 90-minute town walks in high season. At the time of re-
search these were being conducted in Danish and German only.
Ghost Walks
WALKING TOUR
(
www.ribesvikinger.dk
;
adult/child Dkr50/free; 9pm Wed Jul-Aug)
The weekly summertime ghost walks operated by (and departing from) Museet Ribes
Vikinger show the town in a whole new light - listen out for tales of Maren Spliid, who
was burned at the stake in 1641, the last victim of Denmark's witch-hunt persecutions.
Sleeping
