Explore the quaint fishing village of Dragør. It is one of the best preserved historic maritime towns in Denmark.
The Old Town and Harbour of Dragør is on the UNESCO World Heritage Sites‘ tentative list due to the town’s significant historic maritime heritage.
The short 30-minute trip just outside Copenhagen is well worth it. This pretty little village, first settled by Dutch farmers, sits on a picturesque harbour on the coast of Øresund Strait on the island of Amager.
Since the Middle Ages, the Øresund Strait is one of the busiest sea routes between the Baltic Sea and North Sea.
Discover Old Town Dragør
Walk the historic, narrow cobblestone streets and alleyways of Old Town Dragør. Here you will find yellow coloured homes, some with red/orange tiled roofs and many with thatched roofs, dating from the 1700 and 1800s. This area has 76 historically protected houses. Beautiful roses and hollyhocks line the streets and bloom abundantly from mid-June through July. In the summer, many of the residents dress in the traditional costumes of the region.
Old Town Dragør features narrow cobblestone streets lined with historic colourful homes from the 1700 and 1800s.The village also boasts a picturesque harbour, shops, cafes and restaurants. Photo Credit: Wendy Nordvik-Carr©
Beautiful hollyhocks line the cobblestone streets of Old Town Dragør. Photo Credit: Wendy Nordvik-Carr©
Beautiful hollyhocks line the cobblestone streets of Old Town Dragør. Photo Credit: Wendy Nordvik-Carr©
Old Town Dragør features narrow cobblestone streets lined with historic colourful homes from the 1700 and 1800s.The village also boasts a picturesque harbour, shops, cafes and restaurants.
Old Town Dragør features narrow cobblestone streets lined with historic colourful homes from the 1700 and 1800s.The village also boasts a picturesque harbour, shops, cafes and restaurants. Photo Credit: Wendy Nordvik-Carr©
Historic homes of Old Town Dragør. Photo Credit: Wendy Nordvik-Carr©
Beautiful hollyhocks line the cobblestone streets of Old Town Dragør. Photo Credit: Wendy Nordvik-Carr©
Eat a Danish pastry
Stop at one of the cafes or restaurants on the waterfront to enjoy a coffee and a traditional Danish pastry. The light flaky pastry is usually filled with custard, almond paste or Danish fruit such as blueberry, raspberry, apple or apricot.
Old Town Dragør features narrow cobblestone streets lined with historic colourful homes from the 1700 and 1800s. The village also boasts a picturesque harbour, shops, cafes and restaurants.
Old Town Dragør features narrow cobblestone streets lined with historic colourful homes from the 1700 and 1800s.The village also boasts a picturesque harbour, shops, cafes and restaurants.
Old Town Dragør features narrow cobblestone streets lined with historic colourful homes from the 1700 and 1800s.The village also boasts a picturesque harbour, shops, cafes and restaurants.
Learn at the Maritime Museum – Havnemuseet
The Dragør Museum is located in one of the oldest homes in the Old Town and dates from 1753. The museum features the famous fishing boat Elisabeth K571.
Elisabeth K571
In October 1943, this tiny boat helped with the rescue operation to transport about 700 Danish Jews safely to Sweden during World War II. The Elisabeth K571 is the only boat left from the mission. Inside the museum you will find displays of maritime exhibits, including navigation equipment and models of ships.
The famous fishing boat, Elisabeth K571, sits on display In the Old Town Dragør harbour. Photo Credit: Wendy Nordvik-Carr©
Old Town Dragør features narrow cobblestone streets lined with historic colourful homes from the 1700 and 1800s.The village also boasts a picturesque harbour, shops, cafes and restaurants.
View the Øresund Bridge to Malmö Sweden
The cable-stayed Øresund Bridge to Malmö, Sweden can be viewed from Dragør. The 16 km rail and car connection between Denmark and Sweden actually consists of a 4 km bridge, a man-made island and a tunnel. Vehicle traffic runs on the upper deck. Passenger and freight trains operate on the lower deck. Driving time from Cophenhagen, Denmark to Malmö is 35 minutes. Find out more about the bridge and its history.
Up until 1660, the land on both sides of the Øresund Strait belonged to Denmark.
Getting there
From Copenhagen you can rent a bike or take public transportation. Bus 350S runs from Copenhagen City and bus 35 from the airport. We took a three-hour Holland America Cruise Line shore excursion to visit Dragør.
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Wendy Nordvik-Carr is a highly regarded travel writer who produces quality, well-researched articles with stunning photography and video.
She seeks out authentic experiences showcasing the people, culture and history that make each destination unique. Her focus is on solo, couple and multigenerational travel through cruising, air and road trip adventures.
Wendy is the editor & writer for LifesIncredibleJourney.com, a travel site that encourages exploration of destinations near & far.
She is a TMAC Director, Chair, National Governance Committee and Chair of TMAC's BC & Yukon Chapter, as well as a member of SATW and NATJA.
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