First paintings and poems saw the light of day, quite literally. Verse in the humble fisherman's backyard at the top of Europe. Paintings of Skagen and the artists who executed them made the area famous. Changing it with a brushstroke to a mecca for artists and bohemians, and since then to a holiday destination of choice for wealthy Copenhageners. “We’ve been to Skagen”, was heard ofter and ofter in the better circles – and still is.
After the artists came writers. And politicians. And all the other celebrities who wanted to show that they both had taste and the means to indulge it. Then musicians came from every corner of the country, and from the coasts of Scotland, Wales and Ireland. It was a good place to stay and there were music festivals every summer.
Today, Skagen is an international tourist magnet with visitors from all over the world. People come to see the two seas meet, to experience world class art and culture and to experience the special Skagen ambience. They come to feel on top of the world, to visit the attractive galleries, the little eateries in the old warehouses by the sea and the exciting shops.
The countryside of Skagen is unique. Harsh and mild. Grand and humble. Touched by the wind and the sea through centuries, yet never changing. Two seas caressing each other in mild weather and foaming in wild anger when the surf is up are a world class natural phenomenon, as are the dunes that slowly trace their path towards Kattegat blown by the west wind. The largest of them, Råbjerg Mile, is 2 km. long and 1 km. wide and recalls in a child’s eye the expanses of the Sahara
If you stand on Skagen Sønderstrand and look to the south you have Skagen in a nutshell. The never ending horizon, the sand and the light - just as P.S. Krøyer viewed it when he painted bathing children. Today a new generation of children throw themselves happily into the waves, and if the sand of those days has been replaced long ago the feeling remains.
Skagen nestles in Vendsyssel and is Denmark’s northernmost town. It belongs to the Frederikshavn local authority and has a population of 9.388. The colour of the local houses is special – known as “Skagen Yellow” and the white edged red roof tiles are characteristic of the area. In Skagen you will find a large and varied assortment of shops and restaurants as well as a wide range of different types of accommodation.
Additional information:
www.skagen-tourist.dk www.skagen365.dk www.skagenfestival.dk