Esbjerg is a city in Southwestern Jutland. The town was once Denmark's biggest fishing harbour, and the harbour is still an economic driving force in the town. Esbjerg has grown into an important centre for education with campuses belonging to the University of Southern Denmark and Aalborg University. The town holds an annual music festival spanning two weekends (nine days) in mid-August.

Understand

Esbjerg sprawled around the big harbour constructed here in 1868. It is still, today, an important commercial port town for all of Denmark.

The city of Esbjerg is Denmark's fifth largest city with a population of 71.500 (2024). It was established around the harbour, which the state had built here in 1868 as a replacement for the harbour in Altona (now Hamburg), lost in the 1864 war with Germany, that had been Denmark's most important North Sea harbour. In 1874, Esbjerg became connected by rail to Fredericia and Varde.

Esbjerg is also today an important harbour for all of Denmark, as off-shore industry, transport, energy, and commercial fishing forms the backbone of the city. However, there are also cultural attractions here as well to experience.

• Tourist information website

Get in

Esbjerg no longer has passenger ferries except to Fanø.

By train

The train station is in the town centre and this connects you to pretty much all of Denmark and beyond.

From here, DSB operates InterCity trains to Copenhagen via Kolding and Odense and Regional trains to Aarhus via Fredericia. Arriva operates trains on the smaller lines south to Ribe, Tønder and Niebüll and north to Varde, Nørre Nebel and Skjern.

• 1 Esbjerg railway station (Esbjerg station), Jernbanegade 35. (updated Jul 2023)

By plane

• 2 Esbjerg Airport (EBJ  ^IATA). It is in the eastern part of the city, with local bus connections. There are flights from Aberdeen in Scotland, and Stavanger in Norway. (updated May 2024)
• 3 Billund Airport (BLL ^IATA). is about an hour's drive from Esbjerg and there's a bus connection. (updated Jul 2024)

By bus

Express buses connect Esbjerg to Aalborg, Aarhus and Sønderborg as well as other towns in Denmark.

Get around

The town is centered around the harbour and shopping area (Skolegade, Kongensgade). As the town area is rather small, it is possible to get most places by walking. However, you might consider using the public bus operated by Sydtrafik for the more far sights as Fisheries- and Maritime Museum in Hjerting.

See

Vor Frelsers Church

• 1 Man meets the sea. A monumental stone sculpture of four men sitting, gazing out at sea.  
• 2 Fisheries and Maritime Museum. The Fisheries and Maritime Museum is the largest institution of its kind in Denmark focusing on Danish fisheries and marine biology, the tidal wetlands (Wadden Sea), west Jutland coastal shipping and the North Sea offshore industries. So the theme of the museum can truly be said to be "people and the sea".  
• 3 Tirpitz, Blåvand. Underground museum carved into the west coast dunes at the abandoned Tirpitz Bunker from World War II. The Tirpitz Bunker was supposed to be a major coastal fortification for the German Wehrmacht, as part of the gargantuan Atlantic Wall project spanning the European Atlantic coast from Arctic Norway to Spain, but was not finished before the German capitulation. Experience the bunker's history, and other themes tied to the west coast of Jutland. The architecture of the museum from 2017 is an experience in itself. Day Ticket kr 160, free for those under 18. (updated Sep 2023)

Do

• 1 Svømmestadion Danmark, Gl. Vardevej 60. Visit the aquatics center Svømmestadion Danmark (on Strandby Kirkevej/Gl. Vardevej crossing) 
• Football: Esbjerg fB play soccer in First Division, Denmark's second tier. Their home ground is Blue Water Arena (capacity 18,000) one km north of city centre.
• 2 Biocity Esbjerg, Gl. Vardevej 66. Visit the cinema Biocity Esbjerg (right next to Svømmestadion Danmark) 
• Parks of Esbjerg. Stroll around in one of the parks of Esbjerg: Byparken, Vognsbølparken, Møllerparken, Hjerting Strandpark. In the fenced area Esbjerg Dyrehave in Vognsbølparken, you can interact directly with wildlife animals such as deer and roe 
• 3 Island of Fanø. From Esbjerg Harbour only 10 minutes on the ferry brings you to the little island Fanø that has great beaches and the villages Nordby and Sønderho  

Buy

Kongensgade

Esbjerg City has some great options for shopping centred around the two main shopping streets. Kongensgade is a pedestrianised shopping street and has some 150 specialty shops and eateries. Torvegade, partly pedestrianised, is also worth a visit. The two converge right around the main square in town. Shopping hours are on weekdays from 09:00-10:00, to 17:30-18:00. On Saturday, most shops close down at 14:00. while Sunday nearly all shops remain closed.

In the northern part of Esbjerg, the malls 4 Esbjerg Storcenter.  and 5 City Nord.  offer even more shopping opportunities.

Eat

Esbjerg has some good options for eating out.

• 1 Mammas Pizzeria, Kongensgade 9 (on the pedestrian street), ☏ +4588445540. It serves great inexpensive Italian food. 
• 2 Den Røde Okse, Tarphagevej 9 (a few kilometers from the centre), ☏ +45 75151500. It does steak and fish well at mid-range prices. 
• 3 Brasserie B, Torvegade 24 (in Hotel Brittania), ☏ +45 7513 0111. Nice open and friendly restaurant. from kr 200 for main courses. 
• 4 Sands Restaurant, Skolegade 60, ☏ +45 75 12 02 07. Sands Restaurant is very good for Danish food. 

Drink

Dronning Louise on Torvet

Skolegade is the street where most bars and clubs are located. It is in the center of the city.

• Industrien - also serves a really good reasonably priced meal. The burgers are recommended. Occasionally live music
• Dronning Louise - Good looking place right on the town square. Has got “English pub” style live music and a good selection of beer
• Paddy Go Easy - Irish Pub

Sleep

• 1 Danhostel Esbjerg, Gl. Vardevej 80.  
• 2 Esbjerg Camping, Gudenåvej 20, Esbjerg V, ☏ +45 75 15 88 22. Close to the water and to the centre of Esbjerg 
• 3 Cab Inn, Skolegade 14, ☏ +45 75 18 16 00. 
• 4 Hotel Ansgar, Skolegade 36 (at Torvet), ☏ +45 75128244, info@hotelansgar.dk. from 800 kr.  
• 5 Hotel Britannia, Torvegade 24 (Close to Torvet (the Square)), ☏ +45 7513 0111, info@britannia.dk. Check-in: 14:00, check-out: 23:00. Free wireless internet from 1400 kr (700 kr weekend).  
• 6 Hotel Scandic Olympic, Strandbygade 3. 
• 7 Hjerting Badehotel, Strandpromenaden 1, Esbjerg V. Old-style beach hotel in Hjerting village approx. 10 km outside Esbjerg city  
• 8 ECH Park - Esbjerg Conference Hotel, Stormgade 200. 

Go next

• Legoland — the original Legoland is in the town of Billund, about an hour's drive from Esbjerg where Lego originates and the world heaquarters are located.
• Ribe — Denmark's oldest city with a beautiful old town.
• Rømø — an island in the North Sea connected to the mainland by a causeway. Known for its sand beaches, it's a favorite among locals and visitors alike.
• Sylt — a German island likewise known for its beaches; accessible by train from the German mainland or by ferry from Rømø.
• Wadden Sea National Park — the North Sea coast has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, continuing south into Germany and the Netherlands.

Routes through Esbjerg

Kingston upon Hull ←

W  E

→ Vejen → Kolding