Skagen (Part I)

We just came back from our little trip to Skagen, a picturesque town located at the northernmost part of Denmark. Skagen is a popular summer destination among Scandinavians who want to experience the exquisite nature, arts and delicious seafood fares that this town has to offer. Skagen is also known as the Land of Light,  drawing many artists from all over who wanted to capture its magical light and beautiful sights.  Among its most famous artists are Anna and Michael Ancher, P.S. Krøyer and Holger Drachmann.

Perhaps the most popular attraction in Skagen is Grenen, an isolated stretch of sand at the northernmost tip of Denmark where two seas meet – the North (Skaggerak) and Baltic Sea (Kattegat). You can actually put one foot on each sea! Grenen is a marine protected area so no vehicles are allowed beyond the parking space. The walk to the tip could take up to 30 minutes but the stunning sights along the way is very well worth it. We went to Grenen in the evening to avoid the packs of tourists and catch the sunset over the North Sea.We couldn’t have chosen a more perfect time of the day to be in that place. The sweeping sands,  glittering waves and spectacular sky were just breathtaking!

Hej from the tip of Denmark!

Gorgeous sunset over the North Sea.

The view from the tip of the peninsula. The calm Baltic Sea and the ferocious North Sea on the right

Walking along the eastern side of Grenen towards the grey lighthouse. This is my most favorite picture from the trip

The special light that this place is known for. It’s just magical.

Another highlight is the climb up the ‘Det Grå Fyr’ / The Grey Lighthouse. The spiral staircase is a staggering 210 steps, roughly 10 floors high, but the reward is a fantastic panoramic view of the town and the Grenen shores. The lighthouse was designed by architect N. S. Nebelong and has been operating since 1858. The climb up the never-ending  stairs is exhausting but you can’t get a better view anywhere else than this.

At this point I was running out of breath :P

Finally! A fantastic view overlooking the Skagerrak.

Overlooking Kattegat. The strip of white sand on the tip is Grenen

Zooming in using my new telephoto lens at 300 mm. The red vehicle is called Sandormen, a tractor-pulled bus that can take tourists to the end of the Grenen strip.

To be continued…