If you’ve eaten at any top restaurant in Copenhagen, it’s likely the salt on the table has come from Læsø, a 44-square-mile island off the northeast coast of Denmark. The Danes are sticklers for local produce, so it comes as no surprise that top Copenhagen restaurants like The Alchemist proudly use Læsø salt in their dishes and iconic Danish Aabybro Mejeri dairy churns it into their butter. As one of the few places in Denmark that harvests salt, the flaky mineral substance has become an immense part of the island’s identity. But salt isn’t all the island—which draws 150,000 tourists a year—is known for. A 40-minute flight from Copenhagen or 90-minute ferry ride from Frederikshavn on the mainland (ideal for a day trip or weekend getaway, depending where you’re coming from), Læsø’s beaches, landscapes, fresh langoustines, and seaweed houses prove that the saline island has a lot more to offer than just seasoning.

First things first, visit the Læsø Saltsyderi (saltworks)

Made by seething—a process where groundwater is heated in a large iron pan over a fire until the salt crystallizes—Læsø Sea Salt’s production is entirely unique. The islanders have been making salt this way since the Middle Ages. In the early 1900s, the abundance of salt production lead to deforestation (wood is needed to heat the pans), which lead to the decline of the industry. Following a major hiatus, the island has now been reforested and salt seething continues, on a smaller scale, and visitors can go see the ancient salt making process at work.

Luxuriate in a salty pool

Læsø Kur is a spa facility that pampers people with, well, salt. Inside the airy space, there’s a collection of pools with different salt quantities (one is similar in density to the Dead Sea) as well as an outdoor jacuzzi. The spa is popular with patients suffering from psoriasis, but the salty healing pools, salt scrubs, algae wraps, and massages are downright amazing for anyone.

Piles of salt in Læsø Bent Skærlund/Courtesy VisitLæsø

Check out the historic seaweed houses

There are 32 historic houses on Læsø with sturdy roofs made from woven seaweed. The weaving technique was developed by women in the 1600s, mimicked from knitting, and the seaweed roofs were first made because they were cheap and fireproof. Today, they’re incredibly sustainable. Although it’s a dying craft, there is one man on the island working to revive the technique. Visitors to the island can sometimes see him at work on one of the hobbit-like houses, otherwise they can visit the Hedvigs House, which belongs to the local museum.

Eat at a stellar restaurant

In a country that’s home to a capital city with an unrivaled restaurant scene, it’s not surprising that Læsø would have good food. At Læsø Spisehus, a local waterfront spot with great views, diners can expect plates of fresh langoustines (Læsø Fiskeindustri is the largest langoustine exporter in Europe), homemade charcuterie, and Danish rye. At Strandgaarden Badehotel, Nordic dishes with strong Thai influences, like a spicy coconut langoustine soup, are served in the ancient, homey dining room. Those staying overnight or for the weekend can book one of the hotel’s unfussy rooms—the breakfast of homemade breads, jams, and eggs is superb.

Shop all the seaweed products

If you thought seaweed was only meant for miso soup and california rolls, you’re wrong. At Læsø Tang, crafty local Rie Toftlund makes products from seaweed which she harvests herself. From bread and crackers to preserves and relishes, Toftlund seamlessly incorporates seaweed into just about anything and everything. And yes, it all tastes unbelievably good.