Samsø: The World’s First 100 Percent Renewable Energy-Powered Island

Samsø is a Danish island in the Kattegat between Jutland and Zealand. The island is home to less than 4,000 people according to the latest statistic. This article is about my first visit to the island.

I first travelled to Hou in Jutland to catch the ferry and arrived around an hour later on the island. You can also take the ferry from Zealand, for example, if you want to combine a visit to Copenhagen with Samsø. Samsø is probably best known for being the world’s first 100 per cent renewable energy-powered island, but it’s not the only reason to visit the island.

Travelling off-season turned out to be a good idea. Availability at hotels and having sights to myself. Flinchs Hotel is a comfortable small hotel in the centre of the “capital”, Tranebjerg where I stayed for the night. My favourite sight was probably when I was alone at Vesborg lighthouse (entrance fee: DKK 15 at the time) and enjoyed the beautiful views. Driving around the island is easy. One of the benefits of visiting smaller islands is the silence you can often experience when exploring nature.

I have visited more than 50 of the approximately 77 inhabited islands of Denmark, and Samsø would probably rank somewhere in the middle. I prefer Bornholm for its stunning sights and things to do, and Anholt for its stunning nature, beaches and especially silence. Only approximately 150 people are permanent residents on the stunning island located in Kattegat, between Denmark and Sweden.

A good tip is to travel via Samsø if you are planning to travel by car between Jutland and Zealand. It can cost around the same as taking the direct ferry. That way you can get an experience for free or very little.

For more information about Samsø, you can visit their tourist board’s official website by clicking here.