The history of Søndervig
Photo: Flying October ©Visit Vesterhavet
From scattered dune farms to modern seaside resort, with the North Sea as backdrop
For more than a century, Søndervig has attracted bathers from near and far.
The story of Søndervig as a seaside resort began in earnest in the late 1800s, when wealthy Danes discovered the refreshing effects of sea bathing. When the beach bailiff farms could no longer accommodate the influx of guests, enterprising craftsmen from Ringkøbing joined forces in 1884 to build Søndervig’s first seaside hotel; the start of the seaside hotel boom at the beginning of the 20th century.
For many, many years, Hotel Klitten with its two characteristic towers sits majestically on the highest dune in town, while Søndervig Badehotel (later Vesterhavsbadet) becomes the center of fashionable bathing. The white hotels with magnificent views of the sea and fjord became symbols of a new era of holiday culture, where the sea was no longer just the domain of fishermen, but also the setting for recreation and wellness.
The subdivision and construction of the many holiday homes that took off in the 60s and 70s reinforced this development and changed Søndervig’s commercial profile in line with the changing demand and new needs.
To this day, Søndervig has managed to retain its classic seaside and holiday town soul while developing into a modern, dynamic center for activities and shopping. The magnificent beach is still the reason-to-go, and with the opening of Lalandia’s tropical waterpark, the town has now cemented its position as a true seaside resort all year round.