The signature yellow washed houses of Skagen.
Csaba Labancz
One of the reasons I booked the MSC Cruises Northern Europe itinerary last June was because I was excited to visit Skagen, Denmark. It was the first time MSC would be making a port stop there and I had heard so much about the town when I took a road trip through the Danish Riviera in May. As I explored museums and art galleries, all I kept hearing about was the Skagen Painters and how I had to see both their work and the beautiful place that inspired them in person. I’m so glad I did.
Solnedgangspladsen, the Sunset Viewpoint, offers spectacular views.
Kjetil Løite
Skagen (pronounced “Skane”) is located at the northernmost tip of Denmark and is a fascinating place for a number of reasons. One of the most interesting is the fact that its migrating sand moves 15 meters every year! Råbjerg Mile is the largest sand dune in Northern Europe, with dunes reaching up to 40 meters high. You’ll find sand pretty much everywhere in Skagen (including the floor of Skagen Fiskerestaurant in Skagen Harbour) and you’ll want to pay a visit to the Sand-Covered Church, a 14th century brick chapel that was eventually buried by it. Today, the historic tower is all that remains.
The migrating sand dunes of Råbjerg Mile.
Mette Johnson
Skagen’s powerful display of nature brings more than two million visitors annually to the former fishing village despite the fact that only about 7,500 people actually live there. Its unique natural light, beauty and hygge vibe attracted so many artists in the 19th century that it became a well-respected artist colony led by a group eventually known as the Skagen Painters.
For a tiny town, Skagen has drawn the attention of a surprising number of architects, who wanted to pay tribute to the landscape and were interested in the idea of art meeting nature. To this day, Skagen maintains a high level of aesthetics, which makes it a very special place to explore.
The Sand-Covered Church in Skagen.
Destination NORD
For your day in Skagen, you can take a variety of shore excursions, book a private tour or rent a bike when you get off your ship. You can also walk into town from the port. Here are a few sights you won’t want to miss:
Grenen
The Sandworm is part of the fun of getting to Grenen.
Destination Nord
Nature is also the star of the show at Grenen, where the Skagerrak and the Kattegat meet and you can stand in two seas at once. This is a unique opportunity to experience nature at its most raw and authentic. Swimming isn’t allowed because it’s dangerous. Take the popular Sandormen tractor bus, aka “The Sandworm,” which has been bringing visitors from the parking lot to the majestic spot for more than 80 years and makes the journey as much fun as the destination.
Skagens Museum
Fisher Niels Gaihede outside his house in Skagen Østerby by Michael Ancher, 1887
Skagen’s Art Museums
I fell in love with this intimate museum that proudly displays the work of the Skagen Painters and shows the impact they had on both the local community and the world. It allows you to get a real sense of each individual artist’s style while providing an understanding of their collective work. After visiting the museum and doing a deep dive into the paintings of Anna and Michael Anchers, one of the most influential couples in Danish art, you can walk next door to Anchers Hus, where they lived with their daughter, Helga. It’s a work of art in itself and a lovely way to step back in time.
Brøndums Hotel
I still dream about the fish soup at Brøndums Hotel.
Lois Alter Mark
This beautiful, historic hotel has been welcoming guests, including Hans Christian Andersen and Karen Blixen, since 1859. Because it was family run and that family included Anna Ancher, one of Skagen’s most beloved artists, the hotel became a gathering place for local artists. In fact, the dining room – which is now displayed at Skagens Museum – acted as a gallery for their work. If you’re visiting on a port stop, you won’t be able to stay overnight but you can come for lunch and have a bowl of the most delicious fish soup you’ve ever tasted.
Restaurant Pakhuset
These historic figureheads watch over you as you enjoy lunch at Pakhuset Restaurant in Skagen Harbour.
Lois Alter Mark
This popular restaurant in Skagen Harbour is known not just for its excellent seafood but for its amazing collection of figureheads — those carved wooden figures that adorn the bow of a ship. The collection, which was originally accumulated between 1893 and 1910 by hotel proprietor, Ludvig Emil Andersen, features 42 figureheads and carved ornaments all hand-carved from solid mahogany. Each one was found after washing up on shore, broken off an actual ship destroyed by storms and the tempestuous sea. Together, they offer a sobering and often haunting maritime history of Skagen.
One day in Skagen is only enough to whet your appetite to return but it’s easily enough to make you understand why The Coastal Museum of Skagen recently opened a new, permanent exhibition called “The Dream About Skagen.” You’ll be having those, too.
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Publish date : 2024-10-18 14:26:00
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