EZTrip.com International Destination Guide and Hotel Listings

FREDERIKSHAVN is neither pretty nor particularly interesting, and as a ferry port it's usually full of Swedes and Norwegians taking advantage of Denmark's liberal boozing laws. But the town is virtually unavoidable if you're heading north, being at the end of the rail route from Aalborg. If you've an international ferry to meet at Hirtshals, change to the private train (InterRail fifty percent reduction, Eurail not valid) at Hjørring.

If you have half an hour to spare, visit the squat white tower, Krudttårnet (June to mid-Sept daily 10.30am-5pm; 10kr), near the station, which has maps detailing the harbour's seventeenth-century fortifications and a collection of military paraphernalia from the seventeenth to the nineteenth centuries. With more time, take bus #3 to Møllehuset and walk on through Bangsboparken to the Bangsbo-Museet (June to mid-Sept daily 10.30am-5pm; winter closed Mon; 35kr), where displays chart the development of Frederikshavn from the 1600s, alongside the grotesque but engrossing "Collection of Human Hairwork" and an assortment of maritime exhibits, distinguished only by the twelfth-century Ellingå Ship and an exhibition covering the German occupation during World War II and the Danish resistance movement.

Buses and trains into Frederikshavn both stop at the train station , a short walk along Skippergade and Denmarksgade from the town centre. Some continue to the ferry terminal near Havnepladsen, also close to the centre where Color Line ferries leave for Larvik, Stena Line ferries for Oslo and boats (InterRail fifty percent reduction) and the cheaper and much quicker sea catamarans make for Gothenburg. The tourist office is close by at Skandiatorv 1 (mid-June to Aug Mon-Sat 8.30am-7pm, Sun 11am-7pm; rest of year Mon-Fri 9am-4pm, Sat 11am-2pm; tel 98.42.32.66, www.frederikshavn-tourist.dk ). The cheapest hotels are both central: Discount Logi Teglgården , Teglgårdsvej 3 (tel 98.42.04.44; £10-15/$16-24/¬18-27), and Hotel Herman Bang at Tordenskjoldsgade 3 (tel 98.42.21.66; £15-20/$24-32/¬27-36). There's also a youth hostel at Buhlsvej 6 (tel 98.42.14.75, www.danhostel.dk/frederikshavn ; £5-10/$8-16/¬9-18), 1500m north of the train station, and a cabin-equipped campsite , Nordstrand, at Apholmenvej 40 (tel 98.42.93.50; April to late Oct; bus #4), 3km north of the centre off Nordre Strandvej.