Skagen is a small town on Denmark’s most northern tip. Grenen Point, just north of Skagen at the end of Jutland, is famously where the Baltic Sea meets the North Sea. We visited Skagen as a port of call from our Scandinavian cruise. In this 1-day itinerary, you’ll have enough time to visit the Sand Church and perhaps the Raabjerg mile, Grenen Point, and walk through the town.
Download a list format of this itinerary below.
Arriving from the Cruise Ship Dock
The cruise ship dock is very convenient to access the town of Skagen, only about a 10-minute walk and much faster on a bicycle. Once you step off the cruise ship, just walk straight and you’ll run right into the town centre.
Bike Rental
Renting bikes is easy in Skagen. There are multiple bike rental shops around town, but if you’re arriving from a cruise ship like we did, there will be bikes to rent right from the dock. Note that this might be a cash transaction only and there may not be any receipt for your rental.
Biking is the easiest way to get around Skagen and its surroundings. Skagen is very sandy but its many paths make it accessible to bikes. Although the rain prevented us from going as far as we would have liked to, it was still a great experience that made us feel like temporary Danes.
What to do in Skagen
Sand Church
The Sand Church, or Den Tilsandede Kirke, as it is known in Danish, is one of Skagen most interesting sights. The Sand Church was built in the 12th century and was the most important church in the region in its day. However, increasing amounts of sand in the 1600s made it impossible to keep it running. All that remains now is its tower.
The Sand Church tower is open on certain days, but the hours vary and we found visiting information hard to come by. If it is open when you visit, you can climb the tower and peek through the small window, a reminder that this was once the top of a much bigger church. Even if you don’t go in the church, it’s worth the 15-minute bike ride to see the whitewashed tower buried in the sand.
Getting there: from the town of Skagen, head southwest. You’ll pass signs guiding you towards ‘Den Tilsandede Kirke’. Once you’re outside the town, there are many bike paths with good signage that will take you to the Sand Church. It took us about 15 minutes to reach the Sand Church from the cruise ship dock.
Raabjerg Mile
The Raabjerg mile is a bit further away from main Skagen, but worth a visit if you’re up for a longer bike ride. The Raabjerg mile is Denmark’s largest migrating sand dune. It is 1 km long and 1 km wide, and it moves 15 m closer to Grenen point every year.
Skagen has long been affected by sand migration. Many trees and shrubs have been planted in an effort to stop the dune migrations. That said, tourists are rewarded with a landscape that is hard to find anywhere else, especially in Europe. Expect sand in your shoes and beware of quicksand!
Getting there: Perhaps due to a torrential downpour, we struggled to find a path leading to the Raabjerg mile, although we understand that there is a bike path leading straight to it from Skagen. We would recommend consulting with the bike rental personnel in Skagen to ensure you know where to go. Allow 1-2 hours each way to reach the Raabjerg Mile from Skagen.
Grenen Point
Grenen point, at the very tip of Denmark and north of Skagen, is famously where the Baltic Sea and North Sea meet. It is a delightful beach and on a pleasant day, you’ll see many locals and tourists alike. Visitors love to dip their feet in the water and straddle both seas. Left foot in the North Sea, right foot in the Baltic Sea.
The Grenen Point lighthouse is like a beacon guiding you towards the tip of Jutland. The path leading to the sandbar is lined with information panels and old German WWII bunkers. The bunkers were part of the Nazi ‘Atlantic Wall’. The interior of the bunkers are not accessible to the public.
If you’re interested in seeing the interior of a bunker and learning more about the German defence system in Jutland, there is a Skagen Bunker museum located behind the car park and kiosk. We did not visit the museum, but they advertise good information in English. You can find more information on their website here.
Past the bunkers, you will reach the beach and sandbar. It is not far to walk the whole length of the beach all the way to where the North and Baltic Seas meet.
Grenen Sandbar
If you prefer not to walk, the Grenen ‘Sandworm’, or Sandormen in Danish, has been taking visitors on the beach for 50 years. This vehicle used to transport pebbles in the 1940s but has since switched to tourists. A ride on the Sandworm takes you from the parking lot straight to the tip of Jutland, where the two seas meet. You can find more information on their website here.
There are also many hiking trails in Skagen, starting at Grenen Point. These trails are known as Grenensporet and take you around the sights of Grenen Point. You can find more information here.
On our visit, it was too cold and rainy to do much hiking or beaching. We just walked along the edge of the beach, enjoying the views of the ocean and the lighthouses. Whatever you decide, there is plenty to do at Grenen Point.
Getting there: From Skagen, head north, following the hordes of tourists. There is a biking/walking path leading from the town along the coast to the beach. On bikes, it took us about 15 minutes to reach the lighthouse.
Skagen Town Centre
You can’t leave Skagen without walking or biking through the beautiful town centre. It’s not very large but it is stunningly quaint, with the small yellow houses and red roofs. Spend a very pleasant hour or two wandering around the town. There are lots of places to eat and some nice shops for clothing and souvenirs.
If you want to walk, you can lock your bikes in many convenient locations in the town. We used a bike rack by the church.
Skagen Kirke and Sankt Laurentii Vej
There is a Skagen church and cemetery located near the main road of Christian X Vej (in English: Christian X’s Way). We did not get a chance to visit due to a service, but we never pass up a chance to visit a church if we can!
From the church, you have direct access to Sankt Laurentii Vej, the delightful pedestrian road lined with shops, restaurants, flowers, and Danes enjoying a good time. We enjoyed window-shopping and pastry-tasting on a leisurely stroll.
Museums in Skagen
Are there any museums in a small place like Skagen? The answer is yes. There are actually many small art galleries and museums in Skagen, including the house of Holger Drachmann, a famous Danish writer and painter. You can also visit Drachmann’s grave at Grenen Point.
Eating in Skagen
We did not visit any restaurants in Skagen due to lack of time. However, we had planned to visit Jorgen’s Spisehus for fish. Fish is popular in Skagen due to its ideal location for a fresh catch.
Denmark will be forever famous for the Danish pastry. Pastry shops abound and you will not have any problems getting your carb fix for the day. We bought our amazing cinnamon pastry (cake?) from the Skagen Bageri & Cafe on Sankt Laurentii Vej, but passed many other great options. Just choose a bakery that is appealing to you!
THE BIG PICTURE
We enjoyed Skagen immensely. The captivating sand beaches provide a fitting backdrop for the higgledy-piggledy houses. Skagen is an excellent place to relax, enjoy nature, and get a feel for Danish country life.
