Vippefyret, Skagen’s Tilting Beacon

A simple wooden beacon with a tilting fire basket, Vippefyret turns Skagen’s windswept dunes into a vivid window onto centuries of coastal navigation and seafaring risk.

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Denmark
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Vippefyret

Perched on a sandy rise above Skagen’s Sønderstrand, Vippefyret is a striking wooden tilting beacon – a faithful reconstruction of Denmark’s first ‘vippefyr’, originally erected here in 1627 to guide ships past the treacherous Skagen Reef. The simple timber frame and basket, once filled with burning material and tipped toward the sea, tell a vivid story of early coastal navigation. Today, the structure doubles as an atmospheric viewpoint, offering wide North Sea horizons, sea breeze, and a tangible link to Skagen’s maritime past, especially magical around midsummer when it is ceremonially lit.

A brief summary to Vippefyret

Fyrstuevej 17, Skagen, 9990, DK
Duration: 0.5 to 1 hours
Free
Outdoor
Mobile reception: 4 out of 5

Monday 12 am-12 am
Tuesday 12 am-12 am
Wednesday 12 am-12 am
Thursday 12 am-12 am
Friday 12 am-12 am
Saturday 12 am-12 am
Sunday 12 am-12 am

Local tips

Aim for early morning or late evening for softer light and fewer people; the beacon’s silhouette photographs especially well against the sky at these times.
Wear shoes suitable for sand and uneven ground; access paths are short but can be soft underfoot and breezy in all seasons.
Bring an extra layer, even in summer; the exposed dunes around the beacon can feel significantly cooler due to sea winds.
Combine your stop with a walk along Sønderstrand toward the harbour or further toward Grenen for broader coastal views.

Getting There

Walking from central Skagen

From the central streets and harbour area of Skagen, Vippefyret is typically 15–25 minutes on foot, depending on your starting point and pace. The route uses ordinary pavements and then sandy paths over low dunes, with gentle gradients but some soft sand that may be challenging for wheelchairs or prams. There is no cost, and you can visit year-round, though strong winds and wet sand can make the last section slower.
Bicycle within Skagen town

Skagen is notably bike-friendly, and cycling from most accommodations or the railway station to Vippefyret usually takes 5–10 minutes. You follow local streets and designated cycle lanes toward the coast before continuing on a short, unpaved section near the dunes where you will need to dismount. Renting a bicycle in Skagen commonly costs around 80–150 DKK per day, and this option suits most seasons except days of very strong coastal wind.
Car or taxi from wider Skagen area

If you are staying on the outskirts of Skagen or arriving from nearby villages, driving toward the coastal side of town and then walking the final stretch is the quickest option, with a typical overall travel time of 10–20 minutes from most local accommodations. Parking is generally free or low-cost in nearby streets, but spaces can be limited on peak summer days. A short taxi ride within Skagen often falls in the 80–150 DKK range and can be useful for travellers with limited mobility, though the last sandy approach to the beacon remains on foot.

Vippefyret location weather suitability

Clear Skies
Mild Temperatures
Windy Conditions
Any Weather
Cold Weather
Hot Weather

Discover more about Vippefyret

A wooden lighthouse that once swung fire over the sea

Vippefyret is one of Skagen’s most distinctive silhouettes: a tall wooden frame with a long arm balancing a metal basket, poised as if about to tip a fire out toward the waves. The design is deceptively simple. In the age before modern lenses and electric bulbs, a blazing basket of combustible material – often coal or wood – was hoisted at the seaward end and literally “tilted” up to send its glow far across the dark waters. Lowered to be refuelled, raised again to warn ships, it was a crucial lifeline for sailors groping their way around the dangerous point of Jutland. The original beacon here was part of a wider push by the Danish crown in the 16th and 17th centuries to make the kingdom’s waters safer. By the early 1600s, the Skagen area had earned a fearsome reputation for groundings and wrecks on the shifting reefs off Grenen. A dedicated vippefyr in 1627 brought a simple but highly visible signal to this vulnerable stretch of coast, and similar tilting lights soon appeared elsewhere along strategic routes.

Reconstructed with care, but rooted in 1627

The structure you see today is not the original, but a meticulously researched reconstruction. Over the centuries, wooden beacons were vulnerable to storms, wear, and fire. Skagen’s first tilting light eventually disappeared, but its form and function survived in drawings and written descriptions. In the early 20th century, as Skagen marked a major town anniversary, local artists and enthusiasts championed a project to rebuild the beacon as a tribute to the region’s seafaring heritage. A first replica stood only briefly, yet the idea took hold that Skagen’s skyline needed its old landmark back. The present Vippefyret dates from the mid-20th century and was erected with strong local involvement. Its proportions and mechanics are designed to match what would have stood here in the 1600s, preserving the look and working principle rather than turning it into a modernized monument. The result feels more like a piece of functional equipment paused in time than a decorative sculpture.

Sea air, sand paths and open horizons

Vippefyret stands just beyond the built-up town, on low dunes overlooking Sønderstrand and the approaches to the harbour. Underfoot, sandy paths thread through tufts of marram grass, while the wind often carries a mix of salt spray and the faint tang of tar and rope from Skagen’s working waterfront. From the beacon’s base you get broad views: to one side the old harbour area and red-roofed houses; to the other, the open sweep of shore that leads toward Grenen’s famous meeting of seas. The site is compact, so you can walk all around the structure and study its details: the hefty timber uprights, the ironwork supporting the basket, the counterweights that allow the arm to tilt. It is an easy place to pause, sit on the nearby sand or low grass, and simply watch the shifting light on the water as ships pass at a safe distance – thanks in part to centuries of navigational improvements that this humble design helped pioneer.

Midsummer fire and a living maritime symbol

On evenings around midsummer, Vippefyret takes on its most atmospheric role. For the Sankt Hans celebrations, a Danish tradition marking the height of summer, the beacon is ceremonially lit, echoing the nights when it burned as a true navigational aid. Below on the beach, bonfires and gatherings make the shoreline glow, and the beacon’s arm, raised against a northern twilight, becomes a reminder of how closely local life has always been tied to the sea. Even outside festival times, the beacon serves as a quiet emblem of Skagen’s identity. Artists have long been drawn to its simple geometry and weathered surfaces, framing it against stormy skies or calm pastel sunsets. For visitors, it offers a concise introduction to the area’s maritime story: a single, sculptural object that encapsulates centuries of risk, ingenuity, and adaptation along one of Denmark’s most challenging coasts.

Short, atmospheric stop in a wider Skagen walk

Most visits to Vippefyret are brief. There is no interior to tour, and its story can be absorbed in a short stop. Yet its location encourages you to linger, combining it with a stroll along the beach or a wider loop taking in Skagen’s harbour and historic quarters. Because it is freely accessible at all hours, you can time your visit for soft morning light, a blustery midday, or the golden calm before the northern twilight. Whether you are tracing the evolution of lighthouses, following in the footsteps of Skagen’s artists, or simply looking for an easy coastal viewpoint, this modest wooden beacon earns its place on the itinerary. Standing beside it in the wind, it is easy to imagine the relief of sailors who once spotted its swinging fire – and knew they had cleared one of the North Sea’s most treacherous corners.

Iconic landmarks you can’t miss

Brøndums Hotel

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Skagen Station

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Galleri Bo

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Skagen Gray Lighthouse

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Skagen Havn

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A bustling North Sea harbour where fishing fleets, cruise liners and a cosy marina meet under Skagen’s famous northern light.

Kiosk v / The Buried Church

4.1 km

Delve into Esbjerg’s evolution from coastal hamlet to harbor city at this immersive museum, blending archaeology, wartime history, and lifelike local scenes in Denmark’s West Jutland.

Mindesten for Klitplantør Thygeson

4.6 km

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Sømærket Vin- & CiderBar

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Solnedgangspladsen, Gammel Skagen

5.1 km

Denmark's premier sunset gathering place where the North Sea horizon ignites with daily natural drama.

Bunker Ved Palmestranden

30.0 km

Second World War bunkers half-buried in the dunes behind Frederikshavn’s palm-lined city beach, blending coastal history with a relaxed seaside setting.

Cafe' Feen

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Frederikshavn St.

32.0 km

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Frederikshavn Church

32.1 km

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Fisketorvet

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Unmissable attractions to see

Skagen Sønderstrand

0.2 km

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Det Hvide Fyr

0.3 km

Historic brick lighthouse turned exhibition space, Det Hvide Fyr stands above Skagen’s dunes as a serene maritime landmark of light, history and wide coastal views.

Buste af Degn Brøndum

0.6 km

A modest bronze bust in a small garden, honoring the hotelier and patron whose generosity helped transform Skagen’s artists’ colony into a lasting museum.

Skagen Bunker

0.6 km

Explore a former German WWII hospital bunker in Skagen’s dunes, where dense exhibits and raw concrete bring the Atlantic Wall and Denmark’s wartime story to life.

Skagen Bamsemuseum

0.6 km

A tiny Skagen museum where hundreds of teddy bears, old and new, act out playful scenes and stories in a cosy house with a charming garden courtyard.

Anchers Hus

0.7 km

Step into the preserved home and studios of Anna and Michael Ancher, where Skagen’s famed artists’ colony comes to life among canvases, furniture and coastal light.

Skagen Vandtårn

0.7 km

Historic red-brick water tower turned summer viewpoint, offering a brisk climb and sweeping 360-degree views over Skagen’s rooftops, dunes and surrounding coastline.

Skagens Museum

0.7 km

Denmark’s northern light on canvas: the original Skagen painters’ museum uniting intimate interiors, wind-swept seascapes and a historic artist community under one roof.

Du er Smyk

0.8 km

Hands-on hygge in Skagen: design your own jewelry, sip a coffee and turn beads, pearls and pendants into a personal keepsake in this intimate Danish jewelry café.

Kongeligt Toldkammer

1.1 km

A modest former Royal Customs Chamber in Skagen’s harbour, where brick, ledgers and fishing boats quietly reveal the town’s seafaring and trading past.

Sommerhus Skagen

1.2 km

Discover Maskinrummet—Skagen’s harbor-side maritime museum where historic ship engines, nautical stories, and hands-on exhibits bring Denmark’s seafaring past to life.

Port of Skagen

1.3 km

Denmark’s largest fishing harbour and Skagen’s maritime heart, where working trawlers, cruise ships and a lively marina share the luminous tip of Jutland.

Skagens Havn Østmole

1.5 km

Wind, waves and working boats at Skagen’s eastern breakwater, where Denmark’s largest fishing harbour reaches out into the open sea.

Skagen Kirke

1.5 km

A warm yellow seaside church where maritime heritage, Nordic light and thoughtful architecture meet in the historic heart of Skagen.

Skagen Marina

1.5 km

A bustling mix of yachts, fishing boats and seafood sheds, Skagen Marina captures the maritime soul and golden light of Denmark’s far northern tip.

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Essential bars & hidden hideouts

Apéro Champagne & Kaffebar

1.0 km

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Apéro hos Bellevue

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Tørst Cocktailbar

1.3 km

Inventive Nordic-inspired cocktails, cosy harbour-side hygge and shareable tapas boards in a stylish, candlelit bar at the heart of Skagen.

Buddy Holly Skagen

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Late-night bar and nightclub in Skagen’s harbor district, where rock ’n’ roll vibes, live music, and an easygoing crowd keep the party going into the small hours.

Havnekroen

1.3 km

Cosy harbourfront bar on Skagen’s quay, pairing simple drinks with close‑up views of fishing boats, sea air and the ever‑changing light over Denmark’s northern port.

Kompasset

1.5 km

Traditional harbor pub in Skagen where locals and visitors meet year-round for beer, coffee, live music and laid-back hygge by the waterfront.

Linie 74 af 2019

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Authentic Danish pub with hidden courtyard garden and live music in Skagen's harbor heart.

DK-Café

31.3 km

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Munken v/Aase Pedersen

31.6 km

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Café Pitstop Frederikshavn

31.9 km

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Sportsbaren Frederikshavn

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My Nordisk Mjød

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Rkt v/Rudy Finn Kristensen

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Authentic maritime bar where Frederikshavn's harbor spirit flows through every conversation and drink.

John Bull

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Freddy´s Bar

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Nightclubs & after hour spots

Sportens Venner I Frederikshavn

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Delirium

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Red Reef

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Penang karaoke

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Utopia Jazz

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Klubb Impuls

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Wanda's swing

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Charlies Nightclub

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Gretas

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Club Charlie

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Club Galej

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M.A.D

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Backstage

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Yaki-Da Restaurang & Nattklubb

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Balambaras

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Your Ultimate Free Travel Guide

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Vippefyret, Skagen’s Tilting Beacon

A brief summary to Vippefyret

Local tips

For the on-the-go comforts that matter to you

Getting There

Walking from central Skagen

Bicycle within Skagen town

Car or taxi from wider Skagen area

Vippefyret location weather suitability

Unlock the Best of Vippefyret

Buy tickets

Book tours with entry

Book tours without entry

Discover more about Vippefyret

A wooden lighthouse that once swung fire over the sea

Reconstructed with care, but rooted in 1627

Sea air, sand paths and open horizons

Midsummer fire and a living maritime symbol

Short, atmospheric stop in a wider Skagen walk

Iconic landmarks you can’t miss

Brøndums Hotel

Skagen Station

Galleri Bo

Enjoy Skagen

Skagen Gray Lighthouse

Skagen Havn

Kiosk v / The Buried Church

Mindesten for Klitplantør Thygeson

Sømærket Vin- & CiderBar

Solnedgangspladsen, Gammel Skagen

Bunker Ved Palmestranden

Cafe' Feen

Frederikshavn St.

Frederikshavn Church

Fisketorvet

Unmissable attractions to see

Skagen Sønderstrand

Det Hvide Fyr

Buste af Degn Brøndum

Skagen Bunker

Skagen Bamsemuseum

Anchers Hus

Skagen Vandtårn

Skagens Museum

Du er Smyk

Kongeligt Toldkammer

Sommerhus Skagen

Port of Skagen

Skagens Havn Østmole

Skagen Kirke

Skagen Marina

Essential places to dine

Museumscaféen Brøndums Havehus

Saxild

Skagen Hotel Brasserie & Restaurant

Foldens Hotel

Restaurant @ Foldens

Viseværtshuset

Lasses Pølsevogn

Bodilles Kro

Pizzeria Italia

Casitalia ApS

Golden Cafe

Green´s Pub og Café

Restaurant Firenze Pizzeria

Dit smørrebrød - Skagen

Jakobs Café & Bar

Markets, malls and hidden boutiques

Din Boutique På Toppen

Butik Oscar

Skagens FRYD | Design & Fashion

Skagen Antik & Design

Benedikte Utzon

SKAGEN POTTERI

Skagen

Skagen Boghandel ApS

Sideways

coster copenhagen

NORMAL Skagen, Skråvej

Kiki Gram Dametøjsbutik