Visiting Skagen in Denmark as a cruise ship passenger? This visitor guide is just for you!
What is Skagen famous for?
Skagen is situated at the most Northerly point of Denmark, and is the town closest to Grenen – a naturally occurring sandbar which is the point where the North Sea and the Baltic Sea meet, or more accurately, collide! The sandbar itself is constantly moving with the tide, having extended by 1km in just 100 years! The sheer power of the sea moves the sand with each tide, the curves are always evolving, and lagoons are likely to appear differently each time you visit.
Arriving by Cruise Ship
Most international tourists will visit Skagen in the form of a day in port due to its fairly remote location. Its not on the way to anywhere, it isn’t a busy industrial port, it is simply a quaint fishing town at the end of Denmark – nothing more, nothing less. The locals know this, and have made some small adaptations to accommodate. The first thing you will see as you disembark your vessel is the Tourist Information point. Go inside! They have free maps, guide books and bus timetables, plus the opportunity to ask for advice from a knowledgable local. Once you are armed with all of this valuable information, you can begin your walk to Skagen town centre. This has kindly been marked out with a blue line on the pavement, and it will take you right to the centre of town. You simply can’t get lost!
Visiting Grenen
The most unique feature of Skagen is of course Grenen (where the two seas meet), however it is not really in Skagen at all – its almost 7 kilometres from the cruise terminal! Only available on select port days, there are 2 shuttle buses available in Skagen exclusively for cruise passengers. One runs from the cruise ship terminal to the centre of Skagen, the other from the centre of Skagen to Grenen. Both are available to purchase from the aforementioned tourism office at the cruise ship terminal. Card payment is highly encouraged in Skagen (we took no cash whatsoever and found contactless credit card payments were accepted everywhere).
We decided to walk the first 1.5km to the centre of town, then get the bus to Grenen and back. This way we could enjoy the shops and cafes on the amble back to the terminal, also seeing a bit more of the town’s residential areas at our own pace.
When visiting Grenen, there is no need to pack your swimwear – swimming here is far too dangerous due to the unpredictable currents and is therefore strictly forbidden. You are, however, welcome to dip your toes in, so a small towel will be sufficient! If you have children, the sand is perfect for castle building, and on a nice day the shelter of the dunes would make for a lovely picnic spot. At the car park there is a gift shop and cafe serving coffees, ice cream and light meals – a welcome sight after a bracing walk along the beach! This is where your bus or taxi will drop you off. At this point you will have to choose whether to walk the final stretch or catch the Sandormen.
Sandormen (The Beach Tractor)
Once you reach the car park nearest Grenen beach, there is still approximately another 1.5km to travel. You can either walk along the sand dunes or take the Sandormen beach tractor. We opted for the latter as we had little legs to consider, but on a nice day, I imagine the walk is quite pleasant, if a bit on the breezy side! You can buy tickets from the self-service ticket machine in the car park. It is easy to do (you can select ‘English’ at the start) and it takes contactless card payments too. For more information, visit sandormen.dk/en.
Skagen Lighthouse
A short walk south along the beach from Grenen car park is what is often referred to as the ‘Grey Lighthouse’ – the northernmost and second tallest lighthouse in Denmark. This is now an international centre for migratory birds, making it the perfect vantage point for birdwatchers.
Kystmuseet Skagen
Once you are back in Skagen town itself, if you want to know more about the local history, you’ll want to visit Kystmuseet Skagen. Instantly recognised by the iconic windmill, this open air museum makes you feel like you have literally stepped back in time. Take a look inside a poor fisherman’s hut, turn your hand at some traditional handicraft or read about the maritime rescue service. For more information, opening times and ticket prices, visit www.kystmuseet.dk/en .
Bicycle Hire
The roads in Skagen are almost eerily quite, particularly during the working day, making it perfect for a leisurely cycle around this charming harbour town. You don’t need to book in advance necessarily – we visited on one of the larger cruise ships on a beautifully sunny day in May and there were plenty of bikes still available mid-morning. If you would like to pre-book, there are several vendors and locations including ‘Bikes4rent’ which you can view here.
Shopping
One of the most charming things about this town is the satisfying bright yellow uniform which adorns all of the buildings, including the shops & restaurants. You won’t find any big brands here, but there are plenty of boutiques and independent shops selling predominantly local goods. Knitwear, swimwear, sweets, homeware… Skagen is not short of places to spend your holiday money. Looking for a family-friendly memento? In my opinion, you can’t get a souvenir that is much more authentically Danish than Lego, so be sure to visit Skagen Toys on Sankt Laurentii Vej, too!
Coffee Culture
Like much of modern Scandinavia, the locals love a little latte to accompany their danishes! Skagen is full of beautiful bakeries, ice cream shops and cafes – if you think choosing which cafe is the hardest decision you’ll make, wait until you see all the goodies inside!
In Summary
Skagen is a charming town full of bright buildings, delightful Danes and a crisp coastal breeze. We were lucky enough to visit on a hot, sunny day in May, but whatever the weather, the vibrant architecture and lovingly preserved history makes Skagen a wonderful port to visit on your next cruise adventure. Be sure to disembark for a nosey around one of Denmark’s finest fishing ports if you get the chance.
Gallery
Useful Links:
Bikes4Rent bikes4rent.dk/en
Enjoy Nordjylland enjoynordjylland.com
Kystmuseet Skagen www.kystmuseet.dk/en
Lonely Planet lonelyplanet.com
Sandormen sandormen.dk/en
If you found this article useful, check out our other European ‘Tourist Guides’ here!
Have you been to Skagen? Did you dip your toes in two seas simultaneously? Let us know in the comments – we love to hear from you!
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