Christmas tour – historic fishing boats and world cultural heritage

Fishing history at Gilleleje Harbour

The tour begins at the large anchor on Havnevej and continues through Gilleleje Harbour, bringing the history of the local fishing industry to life. Along the way, historian Jon Voss explores fishing before and after the construction of the harbour and the boats that were once a characteristic sight along the coast of North Zealand.

The tour ends in the boat halls at Gilleleje Museum, where historic vessels provide the setting for the final part of the story. The experience concludes with a glass of warm gløgg, the traditional Scandinavian mulled wine.

The clinker-built boat

The clinker-built boat is a Nordic type of vessel with a history stretching back around 2,000 years. The technique has played an important role in how people in Denmark and the rest of the Nordic region have used the sea.

A distinctive boatbuilding technique

In clinker construction, the horizontal planks of the hull overlap one another. Over the centuries, the shape and size of these boats varied as vessels were built and adapted to the waters in which they were used.

In 2021, Nordic clinker boat traditions were inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Discover boatbuilding and fishing traditions

During the guided tour, participants are introduced to clinker-building techniques and the history of fishing and boatbuilding along the northern coast of Zealand.

Meeting point and accessibility

The tour begins at the large anchor on Havnevej and ends at Gilleleje Museum, Østergade 20, 3250 Gilleleje.

Parking is available by the railway station and harbour, as the museum does not have its own parking facilities. The tour is not wheelchair accessible.

Practical information

• Date: 13. December 2026
• Time: 3 pm – 4.30 pm
• Meeting point: Gilleleje Museum, Østergade 20, 3250 Gilleleje
• Price: DKK 95 + booking fee | Book tickets
• The ticket includes admission to Gilleleje Museum.
• Please note that the number of places is limited. The event will be cancelled if too few tickets are sold.
• Parking is recommended near the station or at the parking area on Kystvejen, as the museum does not have its own parking facilities.
• Unfortunately, the tour is not wheelchair accessible.
• The tour is conducted in Danish.

Guide

Jon Voss is curator and historian at Museum Nordsjælland. He works with the preservation of cultural environments and has a particular interest in fishing history, forest history, and the history of hunting.