Frederikshavn

Frederikshavn is a Danish town in the region of Nordjylland located on the northeast coast of the Jutland peninsula. On Ferryhopper, you can find useful information about must-see places, local delicacies, and ferries to Frederikshavn and book your tickets easily and quickly!

The imposing citadel of Frederikshavn in Denmark

Vacation in Frederikshavn

Frederikshavn has a long history and strong ties to the sea as the majority of locals used to be fishermen and sailors. Nowadays, it is one of the most important port towns in Denmark.

The best time to visit Frederikshavn is between June and September when temperatures are mild reaching 21°C.

How to get to Frederikshavn

You can travel to Frederikshavn by plane, train, or ferry. There is no airport in Frederikshavn. However, you can catch a plane to the Aalborg Airport and then take a train to Frederikshavn. It is about 66 kilometers away and it lasts about an hour to reach the town by car. The Aalborg Airport is the nearest airport to Frederikshavn with several domestic and international flights.

However, if you want to reach the town by car, you can take E45 connecting Frederikshavn with the southern part of Denmark. Another option is to take the train operated by Frederikshavn railway station. The train station offers direct connections to Copenhagen, Aalborg, and Skagen.

Alternatively, you can travel to Frederikshavn by ferry. There are many ferry connections from Gothenburg in Sweden operated by Stena Line ferry company and from the port of Oslo in Norway operated by DFDS. 

You can also book a cabin for a comfortable trip while enjoying the fascinating crossing and the breathtaking views from the ferry’s dock. Therefore, if you're planning to travel by ferry you can find more information about ferry routes and schedules to Frederikshavn below.

What to do in Frederikshavn

Frederikshavn translates into Frederiks harbor. Therefore, its port area is well-developed with cute little shops, local restaurants, and cozy hotels. You can wander around the quaint town of Frederikshavn and get to know about it by visiting its museums, parks, stunning beaches, and long coastlines filled with palm trees. 

Start from the impressive Palm beach (Palmestranden) and walk through the promenade towards the Kirkegård, a beautiful verdant park with a white-washed Lutheran church. Near the oldest part of the town, the area of Fiskerkylyngen, you can visit the military fortification, known as Nordre Skanse!

Then, walk towards the Town Hall where you will see impressive buildings dating back to the 17th century, and stroll through the 2-kilometer pedestrian shopping street of Frederikshavn. There, you will find a large selection of secondhand items, artisans, fashion clothes, and local delicacies to try.

Also, don’t miss the town’s most popular attraction, the Church of Frederikshavn located very close to the railway station. There, take some time to contemplate the altarpiece painted by Michael Ancher, a very famous artist from Skagen. 

Only 3 minutes away from the Church of Frederikshavn (Frederikshavn Kirke) lies the impressive Museum of Art (Kunstmuseum), the library, and the whitewashed Gun Tower of Krudttårnet.

The stunning Palm beach in Frederikshavn

Sightseeing in Frederikshavn

Frederikshavn is a charming town with impressive architecture, imposing churches, verdant parks, and beautiful coasts. The town offers many options from exploring old fortresses to visiting museums and stunning beaches filled with palm trees.

Here you can find a list of the top sightseeing in Frederikshavn: 

• The Bangsbo Museum, situated in a manor dating back to 1364 
• The Art Museum (Kunstmuseum), hosting a large collection of Karl Bovin, one of Denmark's greatest landscape painters
• The Botanical Garden of Bangsbo, with large lawns and circular flower beds, rhododendrons, magnolias, and hydrangeas
• The Powder Tower (Krudttårnet), constructed in 1688
• The Nordre Skanse, an imposing military fortification 
• The Church of Frederikshavn (Frederikshavn Kirke), 
• The Town Hall, an impressive 3-story rectangular building in the town’s center

The upper part of the white Powder Tower in Frederikshavn

Nightlife in Frederikshavn

In Frederikshavn, the nightlife is relatively quiet. However, you will find a few pubs to enjoy local beer and wine near the port area. 

Food in Frederikshavn

Located in the northern part of Europe, Frederikshavn’s cuisine has delicious traditional recipes with carbohydrate-heavy dishes and fresh ingredients from the North Sea. Here are some of the most finger-licking Danish delicacies to try during your stay in Frederikshavn:

• pickled red cabbage
• pickled herring
• flæskesteg og brun kartofler (roast pork with sugar-brown potatoes)
• tarteletter (chicken pie with asparagus)
• frikadeller (meatballs with bearnaise sauce) 
• rød grød med fløde (berry jam with cream)
• stjerneskud (bread topped with breaded fish filets, asparagus, and shrimps)

Tarteletter, a traditional chicken pie with asparagus

Tips

Here are some useful tips for your stay in Frederikshavn: 

• Usually, dinner time is around 18:00. Having that in mind, make a reservation to try Flæskesteg (pig roast) and a bowl of Leverpostej (pork liver with vegetables), two of the main national dishes.
• Denmark’s currency is the Danish Krone (DKK) and you can pay by card or cash. Make sure to exchange money at banks or currency exchange offices.
• There are many festivals held in Frederikshavn all year round such as the Light Festival or the Bangsbo Flower Festival taking place in the Botanical Garden every June. So, before booking your tickets to Frederikshavn, make sure to check about its festivals!

Useful information about Frederikshavn 

Frederikshavn is located on the northeast coast of the Jutland peninsula and it offers many services and activities for visitors all year round.

As for the accommodation, you can find many options depending on your budget. If you want to go sightseeing, the best area to stay is near the area of Fiskerkylyngen.

As for healthcare, there are 2 hospitals in Frederikshavn, the regional hospital of Nordjylland and Frederikshavn Sygehus.

Important phone numbers for your stay in Frederikshavn

Here are some useful contacts for your trip to Frederikshavn: 

• Frederikshavn Port Authority: +4596204700
• Frederikshavn Police Department: +4596301448
• Frederikshavn Hospital: +4597640010
• Aalborg Airport: +4598171144
• European emergency number: 112

Transportation in Frederikshavn

Frederikshavn is a picturesque town that is easy to explore on foot. However, you can also rent a bike and move around the town on two wheels. Also, the town has a great public transport network. 

Therefore, you can easily move around the town by bus. Bus ticket prices start from 5 DEK.

Ports in Frederikshavn 

The port of Frederikshavn is one of Denmark's largest harbors, connecting continental Europe to Scandinavia, including a ferry and a cargo harbor. The port is situated near the center of Frederikshavn. 

You can reach it by car by taking the E45 and following the signposts for Frederikshavn. If you are traveling by train, the nearest train station is Frederikshavn Railway Station, only a few minutes from the town's center. 

There are many train connections to other major cities such as Aalborg and Copenhagen taking about 3-6 hours. From the train station, you will need to catch either a taxi or a local bus to the ferry terminal.

Alternatively, you can take a bus to reach the ferry terminal. There are several local bus routes and national bus routes connecting Frederikshavn to major cities such as Esbjerg, Aalborg, Brønderslev, and Sindal.

Tip: if you’re traveling by car, there is a free parking lot next to the ferry terminal. 

Frederikshavn ferry: schedules and tickets

The port of Frederikshavn can be reached by ferry from the ports of Oslo (Norway) and Gothenburg (Sweden). Here you can find more information on the ferry connection from Frederikshavn to Oslo and Gothenburg:

• Frederikshavn - Oslo ferry: the connection between Frederikshavn and Oslo is operated by DFDS Seaways with up to 6 weekly ferry connections all year round. The crossings can last about 10 hours and ticket prices start at €70.
• Frederikshavn - Gothenburg ferry: the ferry from Frederikshavn to Gothenburg is operated by Stena Line with 4 daily crossings all year round. The crossings can take about 3.5 hours and ferry tickets start at €20.

The seafront of Frederikshavn in Denmark

Where to book ferry tickets to Frederikshavn online

On Ferryhopper, you can find all available ferry routes to and from Frederikshavn on our Map of ferries, compare prices, and departure times and book cheap ferry tickets to Frederikshavn online at no extra cost.