Seeing where the Baltic and North Seas meet at Grenen was pretty cool.

Grenen was a highlight of our road trip through Jutland. Here's what you need to know before heading there.

Grenen is located on the Skagen Peninsula and is known for the meeting of the North and Baltic Seas and being Denmark's northernmost point outside Greenland. For us, it had an extra special meaning - it marked the end of our journey along Jutland's western coast. Grenen also offers great bird-watching, WW2 bunkers, long sandy beaches, and beautiful coastal views.

We had Grenen on our Denmark itinerary since day one, but as we got closer, we started worrying about the bad weather forecast. And since Grenen is basically a long beach walk, we weren't sure how it would turn out. Let's find out!

Grenen Beach with Skagen's Grey Lighthouse in the backdrop.

Getting to Grenen

We had already been exploring Jutland for a few days, and the weather was on our side until now. We'd been following the weather forecast closely, and this was the day when it all should change. To say that the forecast looked bad for this day was an understatement. It looked like heavy rain all day long.

There was only a small window of okayish weather right around sunrise, so we changed our plans once again and decided to try to get to Grenen early in the morning to avoid the incoming rain. With that in mind, we went to bed and hoped for the best.

It was still dark when we woke up, and since we couldn't hear any rain outside, we felt some hope that we could see the Grenen without getting drenched. So we just got dressed, packed our rain gear, hopped into our car, and set off. Since the parking lot was just 3.5 kilometers from our hotel, we got there in just a few minutes (maybe a bit more since we stopped at the Skagen Grey Lighthouse to take some photos of it).

We quickly stopped by Skagen Grey Lighthouse on our way to Grenen.

By Car: Grenen is located on the North Jutlandic Island, and it's easily accessible by several road bridges. The nearest town to Grenen is Skagen, only 4 kilometers south of the parking lot. It's roughly a 90-minute drive from Aalborg, two and a half hours from Aarhus, and four and a half hours from Odense. Copenhagen is about 6 hours away. We think the best and easiest way to get to Grenen and Skagen is by car - you can compare rental car prices in Denmark here.

By Bus: There's also a bus from Skagen, but from what we found, it's only a shuttle for people arriving on those big cruise ships. It usually costs just a few euros/dollars and leaves every 20 minutes (note that this is just the shuttle; the SandWorm bus costs extra). It seemed like there used to be a bus from Skagen station, but we can't confirm if it's still running since we didn't need to use it.

By Bike: Since Skagen is just four kilometers from the trailhead and there's a nice bike path connecting the two, cycling is a great way to reach Grenen. Renting a bike in town is easy (check out Skagen Cykeludlejning and Skagen BikeRental, or ask at your hotel if they have bikes for rent – ours did for an extra fee). Just remember, it's another 1.5 kilometers (one way) to reach the actual meeting point of the seas.

On Foot: There's a nice 2.5-kilometer trail that connects Skagen with the Grenen parking lot, starting past the port. It's great for those with more time or looking for a longer hike. It follows the beach and is part of the Grenensporet Red Trail, which is a 10-kilometer loop. If you don't want to retrace your steps back to Skagen, this trail is a good option. But FYI, we don't recommend walking it on a windy, rainy day since it's exposed and might not be enjoyable.

Parking at Grenen

Parking at Grenen was really easy, especially outside the summer season and early in the morning. There were just a few cars when we got there, and since the beach was nearly empty, we guessed it was the folks watching wildlife (who we saw later). Plus, parking was free at this time of year. In the busy summer season, they charge for parking from June to August.

Arriving in Grenen

We got there around sunrise, but it was a cloudy morning, and the sun stayed hidden behind the clouds. We didn't really mind, though, since our main concern was the rain, and it was holding off so far. It was relatively warm, and we weren't sure what to wear for the hike.

Lucie chose leggings and a sweatshirt, while I opted for a sweatshirt and rain pants because the dark clouds over the sea didn't convince me the weather would hold for another hour. I won't say I regretted my choice after five minutes, but let's just say it was warmer than I thought since there was no wind (or rain).

Compass Viewpoint

The trail was sandy from the get-go and began with an easy hike to the first viewpoint with a large compass. From there, we could spot three WW2 bunkers, the beach with the northernmost point in the distance, and Kattegat, the sea between Denmark and Sweden. The compass pointed northeast to Grenen, so we followed that direction. We saved the eastern bunker for our return walk since the second bunker was further along the trail.

From the viewpoint with the compass rose, we got awesome views of all of Grenen.

Just a few meters from here, we stumbled upon Holger Drachmann's grave – it's easily missed from this direction. He was a Danish poet (and painter, dramatist, etc.) and member of the Skagen artist colony - you'll hear a lot about him if you plan on exploring the town.

Soon after, we found a dead seal washed up on the shore (we'll cover seals later in the post), which wasn't how we thought our first seal encounter on our Denmark road trip would be. It brought back memories of the circle of life in the Galapagos Islands from a few years ago, where we saw similar scenes - we ended up chatting and reminiscing for the next 20 minutes until we reached the point where the seas meet.

Walking the Grenen Trail

There wasn't a marked trail beside the beach, so we had to walk on the sand strip the whole way. Walking on sand is never easy, and this was no different. Still, we were pretty excited since we don't have any beaches back home, so moments like these are always special.

It turned out to be easier than we expected, though we had to zigzag a bit when our feet started sinking into the sand. We'd already done a beach hike in Thy National Park on the Sorte Naese Trail, and this felt pretty similar.

Grenen trail is pretty much a standard beach walk, but it was awesome without the crowds.

It wasn't too hard in the end, but definitely trickier than walking on a paved trail or boardwalk. We wore our regular hiking shoes (no mesh), and since the walk wasn't super long, it was comfortable, and our shoes didn't get too sandy. We saw some early birds who took off their shoes and walked barefoot. We weren't convinced that was the best idea, but they got there ahead of us, so it seemed to work for them.

Anyway, apart from those two guys, we had the whole beach to ourselves, which was awesome because it can get super crowded in the summer, especially when a cruise ship arrives.

Spotting the Seals at Grenen

Grenen was the only spot in Denmark where we managed to see seals, though it was from a far distance. As we got closer to the sea's meeting point, Lucie joked that the big brown lump on the left might be seals. I used my telephoto lens to check if she was right, and when I saw some movement, we got super excited. We'd been trying to spot seals for days without any luck until now, and finally, there they were.

Our seal sighting was super short-lived because some tourists with a dog got way too close and disturbed them. Trying to take a selfie with wildlife is never a good idea, especially when your dog is around. The seals got annoyed and retreated into the water right away.

We finally spotted some seals in Grenen!

There were instructions on the beach explaining how to properly encounter seals - basically just saying to keep a distance (at least 50-100 meters) and leave them alone - make sure to read them first before you go so you're not one of those people. I've seen photos of big crowds at Grenen and feel like the seals here are pretty used to humans, but this was just too much. Besides seals, don’t miss the other marine mammals - porpoises call this place home too!

Bird-Watching at Grenen

Since we're talking about wildlife, Grenen is one of the best spots for bird-watching in Denmark! There were maybe about 10 seals on the beach, but there were hundreds, if not thousands, of birds flying everywhere. The biggest flocks were at the furthest point of the beach, making quite a racket.

When we turned around, we saw a group of birders hiding on top of the sand dune with their huge scopes on tripods – they knew this was THE birding spot! We had brought binoculars for the Black Sun Tour but left them in the car this time, which turned out to be a missed opportunity.

Grenen is a birders' paradise - don't forget your binoculars, they're super useful!

Denmark's Northernmost Point

After about 20 minutes, we finally reached Denmark's northernmost point. The two guys who got there ahead of us were almost done with their photos, so we waited a minute or two and then took our turn. The beach ended in a small sandbar stretching into the sea, where the North Sea and the Baltic Sea meet. It was a calm day, making the scene pretty peaceful.

At this sandbar jutting into the sea, the North Sea meets the Baltic Sea.

By the way, the North Sea is on your left, and the Baltic is on your right. If you're into geography, it's actually the Skagerrak and Kattegat straits you see here. Another fun fact: the true northernmost tip of Denmark is just a few kilometers northwest of here! Since it was the same beach, it didn't matter too much to us.

After a few days exploring Jutland, we ended up at Grenen, the northernmost tip of Denmark.

Honestly, Grenen looks amazing in nature documentaries and drone footage - and we think it's definitely worth seeing - but once you're there, you need a bit of imagination since there's not much to see. It was just us, sand, gulls, and two seas - without the dramatic scenery you find at places like Stevns Cliffs or Mons Klint. By the way, swimming is banned in this part of Grenen due to strong and dangerous currents - the result of two colliding seas!

Travel Insurance

We never leave home without travel insurance that was designed to cover our expenses if something goes wrong during the trip.

Travel insurance protects against theft, flight delays, injury, illness, cancellations, and much more.

World Nomads provides travel insurance for travelers to cover their trip essentials, including sports and adventure activities.

SafetyWing is affordable travel insurance for backpackers, long-term travelers, and digital nomads.

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Taking a Sandworm to Grenen

One of the classic ways to get to Grenen is by Sandworm (Sandormen), a tractor-pulled wagon that goes from the parking lot to where the two seas meet, running from March to October. Honestly, if you're moderately fit, there's no need to take Sandormen. We preferred walking the whole way because it was more rewarding (and free). But that's just us. A round trip costs 35 DKK, and you can pay by cash on board or by credit card at the machine near the Grenen parking lot.

WW2 Bunkers

On our way back, we finally got around to exploring all three bunkers we missed earlier. Jutland's coastline is full of bunkers the Germans built during WWII as part of the Atlantic Wall, their defense system against the Allies. Sadly, there wasn't much info on these specific bunkers, which was a bummer, but we'd already visited the Hanstholm fortress and Tirpitz Museum, so we had a pretty good idea of how they worked. Anyway, the two bunkers on the beach were pretty cool and quite picturesque despite all the graffiti.

The half-sunken bunker in the sea was too far to reach without getting wet, but I saw photos taken during low tide with people standing on it. The bunker was almost touching the beach then. The tide difference wasn't as big as on Romo Island in Wadden Sea National Park, but it's always awesome to see how the tides can totally change the scenery. During high tide, seals would come here to rest and bask in the sun, though we didn't see any during our visit. Since we were already back at the parking lot and talking about bunkers, there's one more place you could check out.

Skagen Bunker Museum

The Skagen Bunker Museum is less than 200 meters from the parking lot. It's in an old World War II bunker, and even though it's small, it has a ton of info on the war (though not much on the Skagen bunkers, which I think would be way more interesting).

Unfortunately, it was too early in the morning, and the museum was closed. It looked like it would open at 11 AM (surprisingly, even on Monday), which was too late for us. So, we just walked around it, but that was it. And then it started to rain, but that was nothing compared to what came next.

Skagen Bunker is a nice little WW2 museum, but it was closed when we got there.

On the way back, you can check out two lighthouses - Skagen's Grey Lighthouse and Skagen's White Lighthouse. They were built to make naval traffic through Kattegat safer - and both are quite picturesque.

We headed back to the village and tried to check out the central part of Skagen. It didn't take long before the town got really dark, and a massive storm hit. We rushed back to our hotel, but when we were about 50 meters away, it was like the sky just opened up, and we got drenched. After that morning walk, we were starving, so we headed to the dining room and enjoyed the buffet breakfast while watching the torrential rain. It didn't let up until we reached Lindholm Hoje and Aalborg, our next stops.

Where to Stay in Skagen

When it comes to accommodation in Skagen, it's pretty simple since the town is small and walkable. We opted for an affordable hotel in the city center with parking and a buffet breakfast – Hotel Strandly Skagen. We did think about staying at Brondums Hotel, which is linked to the Skagen painters and sounded awesome, but it was too pricey for us. Other popular spots include Skagen Harbour Hotel and Hotel Marie, both right in the town center.

We stayed in Skagen the night before heading to Grenen.

How Much Time Did We Spend at Grenen

It took us about 20-25 minutes to walk to Grenen's sea meeting point. We hung out there for around 20 minutes and then headed back. The return trip took another 25 minutes, plus some extra time exploring the bunkers at the start of the beach. In total, we spent about an hour and a half at Grenen, but if it had been sunny, we could have easily spent another hour (and maybe even started the hike from the village instead of the parking lot).

The half-sunken bunker on Grenen Beach was impossible to reach on foot during high tide.

When to Visit Grenen

Since a visit to Grenen is just a long walk on the beach, you can go any time of the year. Summer is great for Denmark's beaches, but be aware that summer holidays mean the coastal areas get busy – Grenen included. If you want to avoid crowds, do what we did and visit outside the summer season (we went in mid-September) and get there early/late. The most important tip is to check the cruise ship schedule stopping at Skagen. These sea giants can carry thousands of passengers, so you can expect the beach to be packed if you visit on the same day.

Fall, spring, and especially winter are perfect for visiting Skagen, but be ready for chilly and windy weather – winter especially. Walking in strong wind on a beach can be quite tiring!

Grenen is a fantastic place to see migrating birds and seals.

Travel Resources

Here you can find links to all the travel resources we use and which you might find helpful when planning your next holiday.

Accommodation: When looking for accommodation, we usually search hotels via Booking.com or Hostelworld.

Tours: Although we love to travel independently, some places are better to visit with a guided tour.

We prefer GetYourGuide for its easy-to-use interface and solid reputation. Another great alternative is Viator.

Rental Cars: When going on a road trip, we always use Rentalcars.com, a reliable site for booking a rental car in advance.

Flight Tickets: When looking for flight tickets, you can search Skyscanner to find the best price.

Travel Insurance: World Nomads and SafetyWing cover against risks of travel.

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How to Visit Grenen, Denmark (+ Tips)