Discover Hirtshals: harbour, coast and culture

Hirtshals combines a history of harbours and fishing with museums, coastal scenery and activities by the sea. Its varied attractions give you practical ideas for planning your time in Hirtshals.

Bunker complex and local history

The Bunker Museum 10th Battery is Denmark’s most complete excavated Second World War defence complex. On the site, 3.5 kilometres of trenches connect a total of 69 bunkers. The scale makes the layout of the complex particularly easy to understand: rather than viewing individual structures in isolation, you can see how they are connected by the trenches. Public guided tours of the site are offered during the summer holidays and the autumn school holidays in week 42. Tours can be booked year-round.

The Hirtshals Museum offers a different perspective on the town. It is housed in a fisherman's home built from fieldstones 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. This brings not only individual events but also different aspects of coastal life into focus.

The sea, the lighthouse and the Oceanarium

The exhibitions at the Hirtshals Museum also explore local traditions. A dedicated exhibition focuses on Bjesk, the national spirit of the Vendelbo people, and the plants used to make it. If you would like to take part in this tradition, you can bring an unopened bottle of clear schnapps to the museum and have it turned into Bjesk according to Hirtshals tradition.

At Hirtshals Lighthouse, views and history come together. From the top of the lighthouse, you can see across the west coast, the sea and the town. The history of Hirtshals Lighthouse is presented in the engine room. The North Sea Oceanarium, by contrast, offers insights into the marine world and its scale: the Oceanarium tank measures 22 × 33 metres, contains 4.5 million litres of seawater and is eight metres deep. The seal pool holds 800,000 litres. There you can see grey seals and harbour seals, the two native seal species. The seals are fed and trained twice a day.

Trails and landscapes around Hirtshals

For outdoor activities on land, there are four Kløverstier walking routes in and around Hirtshals, ranging from 2.4 to 12.2 kilometres. Lilleheden Dune Plantation on the edge of town has cycling, walking and running trails through a varied landscape. It includes heathland, beach, marsh, coastal meadows, dunes and lakes. The range of Kløverstier trail lengths and the plantation’s different landscape types give you a variety of options for planning your day, without having to stick to just one kind of outdoor activity.

The harbour also shapes the character of the town. Hirtshals Harbour was built between 1919 and 1931 under the direction of engineer Jørgen Fibiger and was first expanded in 1966; further expansions have followed since. Today it is a major fishing harbour, where many fishing boats, pleasure craft and ferries arrive and depart every day. If you would like to fish, you can do so from the breakwater, on the beaches or aboard a sport-fishing boat on the open sea. From the floating jetty at Hirtshals Marina, the “Trappe & Monument” provides a route into town.

Fishing traditions and activities at the harbour

At the Hirtshals Fish Festival, everything revolves around fish over three event-filled days. Activities include a fish market, a fish auction, a children's cooking workshop, a fish buffet and tasting stalls; the buffet is prepared using local produce. If you would like to include the festival in your travel plans, check the event dates.

For surfing and SUP, the activity area at Hirtshals Harbour offers a storage box made from reused materials, an outdoor changing area, a shower and drinking water. The Black Tower (“Det sorte Tårn”) is an eight-metre-tall reinterpretation of the historic tower. It offers views of the sea, harbour and town, as well as Hirtshals Lighthouse. If you are planning a current visit to the tower or activity area, check the relevant visitor information in advance.

Discover more destinations: Sindal, Lønstrup, Vrå, Bindslev, Hjørring, Uggerby, Nørre Rubjerg, Grønnerup.

For the overview of the wider area: Hjørring Municipality.