Perched on Jutland’s northernmost point, Skagen’s soft light and dreamy landscape has inspired artists and travelers since the late 1800s. Today, the coastal town’s museums and galleries are a testament to its history, and sandy beaches, resort atmosphere, and fabulous sunsets lure visitors. Summer crowds animate the seafood restaurants, the sandy point of Grenen—where the Baltic and North seas meet—and the town center's cheerful yellow buildings. Whether you’re looking for scenic walking, quiet basking, or upscale shopping, there are plenty of things to do in Skagen.
Danes flock to Skagen come summer to soak in its coastal resort atmosphere, so visit between June and September to experience this vacation destination at its most vibrant. Swimmers enjoy the peak temperatures in July, while hikers and baskers can enjoy the warm Nordic sun into early fall. The Skagen Festival—Denmark’s oldest music festival—is held annually the first week of July, featuring Danish and international musicians.
The town of Skagen is compact and walkable, as is the harbor area (Skagen Havn, where many cruise ships dock for the day). There are free shuttle buses from the cruise port to the town center, or you can take a taxi or rent a bike at one of the town’s many bike rental shops to get around the town and its outlying sights. The Sandormen tractor-pulled bus runs between the Grenen parking area just northeast of town to the Grenen point and offers a fun way to visit this top attraction.
Art lovers will be pleasantly surprised by Skagen’s world-class local museum, which holds almost 2,000 sculptures, drawings, and paintings primarily by members and visitors to the “Skagensmalerne,” the artist colony that thrived in Skagen between the 1870s and 1930s. You can also visit Anchers Hus and Drachmanns Hus to see where two of the most prominent members of the Skagensmalerne lived and worked, and you can admire their collections.
