Esbjerg

Denmark's fifth-largest city, Esbjerg grew from a handful of farms into a major seaport after its harbour was established in 1868, and today that harbour remains the economic engine of this southwest Jutland city. The four giant white figures of Svend Wiig Hansen's 1995 sculpture Man Meets the Sea overlook Sædding Beach and are among the most recognisable landmarks on the Danish coast. Museums covering art, local history, and fisheries sit alongside a Performing Arts Centre designed by Jan and Jørn Utzon, and an annual nine-day music festival runs each August.

• Population71,698
• Nearest water from center 1.6 km1.0 mi
• Nearest mountain from center 4.6 km2.9 mi