City breaks to Denmark have traditionally centred around the capital of Copenhagen, but the country boasts other cities well worth exploring. RHIANNON BEACHAM visited Aarhus, Odense and Aalborg.

AT three minutes to noon the centre of Aarhus came to a standstill as tourists, locals and workers gathered in The Big Square to hold hands in silence. Standing beneath the hearts and angels suspended from nearby buildings - and not too far from the kissing tent - they remained this way until the clock struck 12, "getting in touch with their own love".

This was just one of the events I experienced at the 40th annual Aarhus Festival - this year based on the theme of love and human relationships. Denmark's second largest city was transformed with music, dance and other festivities for ten days.

But while the festival adds to Aarhus' vibrant atmosphere, the city has much more to offer, including shopping, dining and many museums.

ARoS Aarhus Kunstmuseum, one of northern Europe's largest art museums, opened in April.

Spread over nine floors, the museum houses art from 1770 to the modern day, and is now home to the massive Boy sculpture - first displayed at the Millennium Dome in London.

The Nine Spaces in the basement is a must-see, featuring light, video and installation art.

An example is Tony Oursler's Unk.

This bizarre exhibit involves a large glass tank filled with water in a darkened room. The face of a man - apparently struggling to hold his breath underwater - is projected onto a large human head in the tank, while sound-effects echo around the room.

While you have to pay to see the exhibites themselves, it is free to wander through Museum Street, which cuts through the building and allows you to admire the architecture, and visit the caf and shop.

While I was in Aarhus, the Danish Women's Museum was the proud home of both a collection of Dame Edna Everage's dresses and a collection of Yoko Ono's artwork.

There is also a permanent exhibition there, exploring the life and work of women in Denmark over the past 200 years.

After all the sightseeing, a great place to dine and enjoy a drink is the Aboulevarden area, where the river - once covered by a road - has been opened up once more and is the centrepiece for a stretch of stylish bars and restaurants.

I visited the Sidewalk Cafe, which has a cosy la carte restaurant, and I can recommend the whisky and walnut pie!

While famed for its butter, pastries and bacon, Danish mealtimes include a lot of fresh fish and cold platters.

Food is generally accompanied by a glass of the native brew - Carlsburg - or wine.

The Danes are also big fans of salted liqourice, although I couldn't bring myself to indulge.

The party atmosphere witnessed in Aarhus continued in Odense, where we experienced Culture Night. This is an annual event where shops and attractions stay open until midnight, bands play in the street and a funfair comes to town. Odense is the birth- place of Ugly Duckling author Hans Christian Andersen, who would appear to be something of a hero, with a museum, statue and entire area of town dedicated to his memory.

But our brutally honest tour guide painted a less than heroic picture of Andersen as she showed us Denmark's third largest city.

She depicted someone who, while famed for writing numerous fairytales, including The Little Mermaid, and The Princess and the Pea - refused to go to school, denied where he was born, refused to help his impoverished mother and did not even like children that much.

The Hans Christian Andersen Museum puts a slightly different slant on his life story, and includes a tour of the house where he denied being born.

Andersen's bicentenary in 2005 promises to bring related celebrations and events across Denmark.

If the weather is fine a boat trip up the Odense River will while away a pleasant half-hour. But make sure your take your insect repellant!

The Brandts Klaedefabrik, a former clothing factory, which now houses a collection of modern art, a photo gallery and Denmark's Media Museum, had some wonderful photographs when I visited.

Again, there is no shortage of places to eat and drink. The House of Taste, which is part of an organisation called the Slow Food concept, provided a memorable lunch.

Fighting back against fast food, Slow Food is a movement to restore quality to what we eat and drink.

But that's not to say you have to wait ages to be served, and the cafe also offers a takeaway service.

The most memorable part of my visit to Aalborg - Denmark's fourth largest city - was dinner at Mortens Kro, where we were served by Denmark's celebrity chef, Morten Nielsen.

The lovely Morten has written a book entitled Girls' Culinary Seductions, and I'm sure he cooked up some of them the evening we visited.

Women were certainly flocking in to have a glass of champage at his bar. While a seven-course meal - 'the full Morten' - can set you back about £50, you can just stop by for a drink to take in the atmosphere.

To build up an appetite we had taken a stroll around old Aalborg, recently visited by the newlywed Crown Prince Frederik and his Australian bride, Princess Mary. We followed in their footsteps by having a wander around the local arts and crafts shops.

The Danes are said to drink a shot of schnapps a day for medicinal purposes - although many deny this - so a trip to this city is not complete without a visit to V&S Danish Distillers, where world- famous Aalborg Akvavit is created. A tour of the factory is followed by a complimentary shot or two of schnapps - or a taste of the £40-a-bottle flavoured vodka, if you prefer.

There is also an open-air museum called Den Gamle By.

Similar to the Museum of Welsh Life, at St Fagans, Den Gamle By features a 'village' of 75 restored houses from the 17th and 18th centuries from all over Denmark.

People in traditional dress 'living' and working in many of the houses and shops add to the experience.

FACT FILE

* In Aarhus Rhiannon stayed at the three star Scandic Plaza Hotel, where a double room with breakfast costs from £80 a night. * In Odense Rhiannon stayed at the four star Clarion Plaza Hotel where a double room with breakfast costs from £120 a night. * In Aalborg Rhiannon stayed at the three star First Hotel, where a double room with breakfast costs from £100 a night.

* HOW TO GET THERE: Maersk Air operates a daily service from London Gatwick to Billund from £22.50 one way and from £46.50 return, both of which are inclusive of all taxes and charges. The airline's new 'fly as you like' concept means you pay according to the amount of leg space you want and whether or not you want food on board. For further information contact 020 7333 0066 or visit www. maersk-air.com

* THE COUNTRY: The smallest of the Scandinavian countries, Denmark is made up of the mainland - Jutland - and 405 islands, of which 82 are inhabited.

The largest of the islands are Funen, where you can find the city of Odense, and Zealand, which is home to Copenhagen. The cities of Aarhus and Aarlborg are both on the mainland. * For more information, visit the Danish Tourist Board website www.visitdenmark.com