Discover Hirtshals

Hirtshals combines maritime history, unique nature experiences and active days by the sea. Those looking for a holiday apartment or holiday home as a base can tailor their stay to their own interests: with museums and harbour impressions, hiking and cycling routes, or a visit to the North Sea Oceanarium.

Maritime history and impressive insights

A notable place for historical discoveries is the Bunker Museum 10th Battery. It is considered Denmark’s most complete excavated defence complex from the Second World War. The site includes 3.5 km of trenches connecting 69 bunkers. During the summer holidays and the autumn holidays in school week 42, guided tours of the site are offered to the public. Tours can also be booked year-round. This means that the visit can be planned differently depending on the time of year and your personal plans.

The Hirtshals Museum presents the history of the town from an everyday perspective. It is housed in a fisherman's house built from fieldstone in 1880; the living quarters have been reconstructed as an interior from 1915. The permanent exhibition “Hirtshals by the sea” covers the construction of the harbour, ferry traffic, shipwrecks and rescues, fishing, and life at the harbour. Another exhibition is devoted to Bjesk, the national spirit of the Vendelbo people, and the plants used to make it. Visitors can bring an unopened bottle of clear schnapps and have it transformed there into Bjesk according to Hirtshals tradition.

Sea, harbour and unusual viewpoints

Hirtshals Harbour was built between 1919 and 1931 under the direction of engineer Jørgen Fibiger and first expanded in 1966; it has been expanded several times since then. Today, it is an important fishing harbour where many fishing boats, leisure boats and ferries arrive and depart every day. From the footbridge at Hirtshals Marina, a connection leads into the town via “Trappe & Monument”.

Hirtshals Lighthouse also tells the story of the town’s relationship with the sea. From its top, the view extends across the west coast, the sea and the town of Hirtshals. The history of the lighthouse is presented in the engine room. Another viewpoint is the Black Tower, “Det sorte Tårn”: the eight-metre-high reinterpretation of the historic tower looks out over the sea, harbour and town, as well as Hirtshals Lighthouse.

Those who want to be active on the water can go fishing in Hirtshals from the jetty, on the beaches or aboard a sport-fishing boat on the open sea. The activity area at Hirtshals Harbour provides surfers and SUP users with a storage box made of recycled materials, as well as an outdoor changing area, a shower and drinking water.

Nature days among dunes, heathland and lakes

Lilleheden Dune Plantation lies on the outskirts of the town. Its landscape includes heathland, beach, marshland, beach meadows, dunes and lakes. Cycling, hiking and running routes lead through this varied environment. In addition, there are four Kløversti hiking routes in and around Hirtshals, ranging from 2.4 to 12.2 km in length. The different route lengths make it easier to choose a suitable day programme without every activity having to be the same in character.

Your accommodation in Hirtshals can therefore serve as a base for a variety of holiday days: first discover the harbour’s history, then plan a route through Lilleheden Dune Plantation, or combine sea views and local history at Hirtshals Lighthouse. For a culinary-focused trip, the Hirtshals Fish Festival offers three eventful days centred around fish, with a fish market, fish auction, children’s cooking workshop, fish buffet and tasting stalls. The fish buffet is prepared using local produce. You should take the specific festival dates into account when planning your trip.

Further destinations for trip planning

If you would like to compare other destinations besides Hirtshals, you can find Hørmested, Tversted, Vrå, Bindslev, Vrensted, Hjørring, Tårs and Uggerby here.

To the overarching travel overview: Hjørring Municipality.