Holiday in Hirtshals & Tversted

Hirtshals - a maritime center

6 hours and a lot of elbow grease - that´s what it takes to polish the lenses on the lighthouse in Hirtshals. That way the light can shine as bright as 25 nautical miles from land. With its 35 meters height, it welcomes the world and creates a magnificent view to the dune landscapes in Vendsyssel, the waves and windsurfers in Skagerak. It also lets you see the fairways in the sea, when ships from Norway, Iceland and Faroe Islands sails back and forth.Hirtshals is indeed a maritime center. It even has one of Denmarks biggest ports!

The History of how fishing has been the citys dna in the last hundred years can be seen all around the city and harbour.
For example when you pass the docks, you´ll see a great piece of Danish culture. The beautiful, light blue fishing boats called "snurrevod-trækutter" are a perfect example. You can even take sailing trips ind the boats around the habour in the summer.

Fish in focus

If you want to try fishing, you´re almost garanteed to get something on the hook! Try your luck on the westpier or take a trip out on the sea by the "Norske Rende" or "The Gule Rev".
You can also try the fishing auction or go down to the small boats, where they sell some of the fish they have caught that morning.

If you get easily seasick you´re in luck. You don´t have to go alle the way out on the sea to see some of the wonders of Hirtshals.
Take a look under the surface the northern Europes biggest aquarium: Nordsøen Ocenarium. Here you can stand face to face with life from the Northern sea all year around. On special occations you can even feed the fish or pet a plaice!

Hirtshals is one of the places where they catch plaices the most. They even hope one day catch a black lobster. A project was launched in 2022 to return the black lobsters back to the sea after years of overfishing. The fishermen has high hopes that in the end of 2023, black lobsters will be a more common sight in the area.

The fish festival - an annual tradition

Visit Hirtshals in august when the annual fish festival begins. Hear the stories about how the fishes goes from the sea to ships, ships to stores and from stores to tables through a bunch of activities for the whole family.

Experiences for everyone

You can experience the living harbour, join a harbour tour and taste the sea's delicacies at the many booths, which offer bite-sized portions. The festival also attracts skilled chefs and high profile restaurants from Northern Jutland, who compete in a fierce competition about preparing the best local dishes. The ingredients are all from Northern Jutland and every year one fish species is chosen as the main ingredient, which all chefs have to use in their dish - of course landed in Hirtshals.
Many of the restaurants contribution in the competition can be found later in their menu.

Marinators - yes, that is what they are called - who know how to marinate the omega-3-containing, silver-coloured fish, come from all over the country to compete in preparing the best herring. Old-fashioned matured, of course, because that's how you do it in Hirtshals. The herring is stored in a barrel for at least three months, so that you get a fine and full taste.
These special herring can of course be tasted and later found in the shops.

Bjesk - a local specialty

No herring without schnapps. In addition to local dishes and fish, they also compete in making the best bjesk, which herbal schnapps is called north of the Limfjord. Hirtshals is known for klitbjesken "the preventive medicine" which got produced from "the queen of bjesk", the nurse Signe Hansen, during the war. At the city's museum you can learn more about Signe Hansen and gale, heather and the more than 50 other plants, that are growing wildly in the dune landscape at Hirtshals and are some of the ingredients for bjesk.

If you bring a bottle of clear schnapps with you, you can have it flavoured with your favourite herbs and take your own bjesk home.
At several places in and around Hirtshals you can taste and buy different variations of bjesk. For example at Tornby Gl. Købsmandsgård, where you can also buy other regional specialities or drink coffee in 200 year old rooms.

Tversted

Tversted is a classic coastal town with a large and loyal amount of visitors, who love Tversted for the breathtaking sunsets, the beach, the art, the jazz and the real holiday atmosphere - an atmosphere of peace and relaxation.

The popular, white Tversted Beach has space for everyone. The children can play at the water's edge and in the dunes. Dogs are welcome to refresh in the cool sea. Cars park in several rows and from the end of June to the middle of August, Trygfonden's Bathing Tower keeps watch over bathing safety.

A stop at one of the many ice-cream shops is a must if you are visiting Tversted during the summer period. The small ice-cream shops have delighted many locals and tourists for many years.

Little pearls of history are laying around the dunes in Tversted. Here you´ll find bunkers, but pay attention! They are well hidden, and some of them have even been renovated as a garage, winecellar and among other things.

Here´s also a little something for our nature-lovers! The areas around Tversted are the perfect setting for hiking, biking trips and horseback riding.