Esbjerg sits on the west coast of Jutland, Denmark's fifth largest city with around 83,000 inhabitants. It is a working harbour town at heart — the harbour built the city, and today it serves as the base for Denmark's offshore oil and gas industry. But the surroundings are what make it worth a stop: vast sandy beaches stretch along the coast, and Denmark's oldest town, Ribe, is just 30 kilometres south.
The city has a lively cultural scene. Musikhuset Esbjerg, the performing arts centre designed by Jørn Utzon (of Sydney Opera House fame), hosts concerts and theatre year-round. Tobaksfabrikken, a converted tobacco factory, is one of Denmark's best venues for live music. The Fisheries and Maritime Museum on the outskirts is genuinely world-class, with a seal aquarium and exhibits on North Sea fishing culture.
There are plenty of restaurants, cafés, and bars concentrated in the city centre. The four massive white figures of "Man Meets the Sea" — each nine metres tall — stand on the seafront looking out over the water, and have become the city's most recognisable landmark.