14 cruise line representatives visit Skagen during Cruise Baltic fam trip
Silver-grey skies blanketed Skagen on October 20 when more than a dozen cruise line representatives ventured to the small fishing town, bringing an enchanting, wintry aspect to a destination that in summer lures around 2m visitors – excluding cruise passengers.
Picturesque yellow washed houses with red tiled roofs and ornamental white edgings nestled among narrow winding alleys are characteristic of the destination. Its attractive town centre comprises a good number of varied shops and bars, and fishing remains the town’s main course of income.
For 2025-26, there are multiple shore excursions available in Skagen – from walking, biking and action/adventure tours, to experiences designed to meet the needs of cruise passengers with reduced mobility.
Cruise Baltic’s cruise line guests were given a flavour of what the northernmost town in Denmark can offer cruise passengers on the fourth day of a six day familiarisation trip spanning five countries – Latvia, Lithuania, Denmark, Poland and Finland.
Where two seas meet
The 14 international cruise line representatives were given a glimpse of the natural wonders that await their guests in Skagen, starting with a panoramic drive to Grenen, 6km from the port, where the Baltic and North Seas meet.
Waves from the Skagerak and Kattegat collide in what is a natural phenomena with seals frequently spotted from the beach.
The group travelled by Sandworm – a tractor-pulled carriage – to the beach, whose form changes day to day and year to year. Other vehicles are prohibited from entering the protected site.
The Sandworm. (PHOTO: HOLLY PAYNE)
Skagen Bunker Museum is located close to the path that leads to Grenen beach. The WWII German bunker is today a museum filled with soldiers weapons, uniforms, and other artefacts while also providing historical data on loss of life during the conflict, and information about the Allied leaders and the dictators.
A film room currently shows a 120-minute film on the D-Day landings.
Additionally, visitors can step inside the facility’s makeshift WWII treatment room, ward, engine room and staff room.
The attraction, often the first stop on Skagen’s WWII-focused itinerary, is open from April to October, and offers guided tours for groups of up to 30 people at a time.
Artists’ paradise
From the end of the 1870s to the early 1900s, the tiny fishing village attracted a number of Danish, Scandinavian and European painters, inspired by the rugged landscape and its people.
A guided tour of Skagens Museum founded in 1908 by the Skagen Painters, and home to thousands of paintings, drawings, sculptures and handicrafts from 1870 to 1935, tells the story of the artists, how they came together and the powerful techniques used in creating their works, which are some of Denmark’s most celebrated.
The building is 1.2km from the port and tours are available in Danish, Swedish, English and German for a maximum of 25 passengers at once.
Skagens Museum. (PHOTO: HOLLY PAYNE)
A buried church
The group made its way to the ‘Buried Church,’ a building from the Middle Ages that for centuries battled sand drift.
Built in the second half of the 1300s, by the late 1700s the congregation were required to dig their way into the church to gain access. In 1975, it was closed by royal decree.
Today, just the tower of the ancient church is visible.
A path leading up to the church, 4.4km from the port and set among sand and hills, allows for wheelchair access.
The nearby Råbjerg Mile (17.6km from the port) features a 40 m high sand dune. Formed on the west coast in the 16th century as desertification occurred, it is Denmark’s largest migrating dune, and each year moves around 15 m northeast, closer to Grenen.
The fam trip participants climbed the 200 meters it takes to reach the very top of the 40m high dune for panoramic countryside views.
Katja Feierabend, supervisor shore excursion program, AIDA Cruises, at Råbjerg Mile. (PHOTO: HOLLY PAYNE)
Food and beverage
The cruise line participants were given a hint of the gastronomic delicacies available in Skagen during a three-course meal at Skagen Fiskerestaurant. The Danish/French kitchen captures the essence of the town with sandy floors and a rustic interior, reminding guests of its historic role as an area for storing fish.
A food tour of Skagen with a stop at ‘Vin, Sprit & Deli Centralen’ allowed the fam trip participants to sample herring, trout and hake. This can be combined with a journey to a shop selling handmade bonbons. Coffee and pastry stops may be added.
Vin, Sprit & Deli Centralen. (PHOTO: HOLLY PAYNE)
Further options include a trip to a salmon factory followed by a hands-on seaweed experience. Guests are then brought to Vin, Sprit & Deli Centralen to feast on herring, seaweed, salmon and more.
A trip to the local microbrewery is a further option.
More highlights
The waters around Skagen are scattered with the ruins of countless shipwrecks. Passengers can learn about life as a fisherman in centuries gone by with a visit to the Museum of Local History, as well as learn about the lighthouses erected to help prevent loss of life at sea.
The Grey Lighthouse, inaugurated and lit for the first time in 1858, is Denmark’s second tallest lighthouse at 46m high. Passengers can hear about the scientific work being carried out at the lighthouse buildings by ornithologists, with Skagen regarded as one of Europe’s best locations for observing migratory birds.
3km north-east of the town centre is Skagen Odde Nature Centre, designed in 1989 by Jørn Utzon, the architect behind the Sydney Opera House.
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