Ærø • Odense
The sleepy isle of Ærø is the cuddle after the climax. It’s the perfect time-passed world in which to wind down, enjoy the seagulls, and take a day off. Wander the unadulterated cobbled lanes of Denmark’s best-preserved 18th-century town. Get Ærø-dynamic and pedal a rented bike into the essence of Denmark. Settle into a world of sailors, who, after the invention of steam-driven boat propellers, decided that building ships in bottles was more their style.
Between Ærø and Copenhagen, drop by bustling Odense, home of Hans Christian Andersen. Its Hans Christian Andersen House is excellent, and with more time, you can also enjoy its other museums (town history, trains, folk) and stroll the car-free streets of its downtown.
Allow four hours to get from Copenhagen to Ærø (not counting a possible stopover in Odense). All trains stop in Roskilde (with its Viking Ship Museum—see previous chapter) and Odense (see the end of this chapter). On a quick trip, you can leave Copenhagen in the morning and do justice to both towns en route to Ærø. (With just one day, Odense and Roskilde together make a long but doable day trip from Copenhagen.)
While out of the way, Ærø is worth the journey. Once there, you’ll want two nights and a day to properly enjoy it (for details, see “Planning Your Time” for Ærøskøbing, later).
This small (22 by 6 miles) island on the south edge of Denmark is as salty and sleepy as can be. A typical tombstone reads: “Here lies Christian Hansen at anchor with his wife. He’ll not weigh until he stands before God.” It’s the kind of island where baskets of strawberries sit in front of houses—for sale on the honor system.
Ærø statistics: 7,000 residents, 500,000 visitors and 80,000 boaters annually, 350 deer, seven priests, no crosswalks, and three police officers. The three big industries are farming (wheat and dairy), shipping, and tourism—in that order. Twenty percent of the Danish fleet still resides on Ærø, in the town of Marstal. But jobs are scarce, the population is slowly dropping, and family farms are consolidating into larger units.
Ærø, home to several windmills and one of the world’s largest solar power plants, is going “green.” They hope to become completely wind- and solar-powered. Currently, nearly half the island’s heat and electricity is provided by renewable sources, and most of its produce is organically grown. New technology is expected to bring Ærø closer to its goal within the next few years.
On a short visit, you won’t need to leave Ærøskøbing, except for a countryside bike ride—everything is within walking or pedaling distance. But if you have more time or want to explore the rest of the island, you can take advantage of Ærø’s bus network. Buses leave from a stop just above the ferry dock (leaving the ferry, walk up about a block and look right). Ærø’s main bus line, #790, is free (Mon-Fri hourly until about 19:00; Sat-Sun 3-4/day). There are two different branches—one going to Marstal at the east end of the island, and the other to Søby in the west (look for the town name under the bus number). The main reason to take the bus is to go to Marstal on a rainy day to visit its maritime museum (see here).
You can also take a subsidized taxi ride to points around the island—but it requires some planning ahead. To use this “Telebus” system, you have to make the trip between 5:00 and 22:00 (from 7:00 on Sat-Sun). At least two hours in advance, call FynBus at 63 11 22 55 to reserve; a ride to anywhere on Ærø costs just 60 kr per person.
Ærøskøbing is Ærø’s village in a bottle. It’s small enough to be cute, but just big enough to feel real. The government, recognizing the value of this amazingly preserved little town, prohibits modern building anywhere in the center. It’s the only town in Denmark protected in this way. Drop into the 1680s, when Ærøskøbing was the wealthy home port of a hundred windjammers. The many Danes and Germans who come here for the tranquility—washing up the cobbled main drag in waves with the landing of each boat—call it the fairy-tale town. The Danish word for “cozy,” hyggelig, describes Ærøskøbing perfectly.
Ærøskøbing is simply a pleasant place to wander. Stubby little porthole-type houses, with their birth dates displayed in proud decorative rebar, lean on each other like drunk, sleeping sailors. Wander under flickering old-time lamps. Snoop around town. It’s OK. Peek into living rooms (if people want privacy, they shut their drapes). Notice the many “snooping mirrors” on the houses—antique locals are following your every move. The harbor now caters to holiday yachts, and on midnight low tides you can almost hear the crabs playing cards.
The town economy, once rich with the windjammer trade, hit the rocks in modern times. Kids 15 to 18 years old go to a boarding school in Svendborg; many don’t return. It’s an interesting discussion: Should the island folk pickle their culture in tourism, or forget about the cuteness and get modern?
You’ll regret not setting aside a minimum of two nights for your Ærøskøbing visit. In a busy day you can “do” everything you like—except relax. If ever a place was right for recreating, this is it. I’d arrive in time for an evening stroll and dinner (and, if it’s running, the Night Watchman’s tour—see here). The next morning, do the island bike tour, returning by midafternoon. You can see the town’s three museums in less than two hours (but note that they all close early—by 15:00 or 16:00), then browse the rest of your daylight away. Your second evening is filled with options: Stroll out to the summer huts for sunset, watch the classic sailing ships come in to moor for the evening (mostly Dutch and German boats crewed by vacationers), watch a movie in the pint-sized town cinema, go bowling with local teens, or check out live music in the pub.
Note that during the off-season (basically Sept-May), the town is quite dead and may not be worth a visit. Several shops and restaurants are closed, and bad weather can make a bike ride unpleasant.
Ærøskøbing is tiny. Everything’s just a few cobbles from the ferry landing.
The TI, which faces the ferry landing, is a clearinghouse for brochures promoting sights and activities on the island, has info on other Danish destinations, can help check for room availability, and offers free Wi-Fi (late-June-mid-Aug Mon-Fri 9:00-18:00, Sat 10:00-18:00, Sun 10:00-15:00; off-season Mon-Fri 10:00-16:00, closed Sat-Sun; tel. 62 52 13 00, www.aeroe.dk).
Money: The town’s only ATM is at the blue building by the ferry dock, facing the TI.
Internet Access: Try the library on Torvet Square, in the old City Hall (sketchy hours). Or for free Wi-Fi, visit the TI (steady hours).
Laundry: You’ll find limited self-service laundry facilities at Ærøskøbing’s marinas, on either side of the ferry dock.
Ferries: See “Ærøskøbing Connections” on here.
Bike Rental: Pilebækkens Cykler rents bikes year-round at the gas station at the top of town. Manager Janne loans readers of this book the 25-kr island cykel map so they won’t get lost (seven-speed bikes-75 kr/24 hours, 140 kr/2 days; Mon-Fri 9:00-16:30, Sat 9:00-12:00, closed Sun except July-Aug—when it’s open 9:00-12:30; from Torvet Square, go through green door at Søndergade end of square, past garden to next road, in the gas station at Pilebækken 7; tel. 62 52 11 10). The recommended Hotel Ærøhus rents seven-speed bikes (75 kr/24 hours, 200-kr deposit, open long hours). The campground also rents bikes (see “Sleeping in Ærøskøbing,” later). Most people on Ærø don’t bother locking up their bikes—if your rental doesn’t have a lock, don’t fret.
Shopping: The town is speckled with cute little shops, including a funky flea market shop next to the bakery. Each July, local artisans show their creations in a warehouse facing the ferry landing.
(See “Ærøskøbing” map, here.)
This self-guided stroll, rated ▲▲▲, is ideal when the sun is low, the shadows long, and the colors rich. Start at the harbor.
Harbor: Loiter around the harbor a bit first. German and Dutch vacationers on grand old sailboats come into port each evening. Because Ærø is only nine miles across the water from Germany, the island is popular with Germans who regularly return to this peaceful retreat.
• From the harbor and TI, walk up the main street a block and go left on...
Smedegade: This is the poorest street in town, with the most architectural and higgledy-piggledy charm. Have a close look at the “street spies” on the houses—clever mirrors letting old women inside keep an eye on what’s going on outside. The ship-in-a-bottle Bottle Peter Museum is on the right (described later, under “Sights in Ærøskøbing”). Notice the gutters—some protect only the doorway. Locals find the rounded modern drainpipes less charming than the old-school ones with hard angles. Appreciate the finely carved old doors. Each is proudly unique—try to find two the same. Number 37 (on the left, after Det Lille Hotel), from the 18th century, is Ærøskøbing’s cutest house. Its tiny dormer is from some old ship’s poop deck. The plants above the door have a traditional purpose—to keep this part of the house damp and slow to burn in case of fire.
Smedegade ends at the Folkehøjskole (folk high school). Inspired by the Danish philosopher Nikolaj Gruntvig—who wanted people to be able to say, “I am good at being me”—it offers people of any age the benefit of government-subsidized cultural education (music, art, theater, and so on).
• Jog left, then turn right after the school, and stroll along the peaceful, harborside...
Molestien Lane: This gravel path is lined with gardens, a quiet beach, and a row of small-is-beautiful houses—beginning with humble and progressing to captain’s class. These fine buildings are a reminder that through the centuries, Ærøskøbing has been the last town in Germany, independent, the first town in Denmark...and always into trade—legal and illegal. (The smuggling spirit survives in residents’ blood even today. When someone returns from a trip, friends eagerly ask, “And what did you bring back?”) Each garden is cleverly and lovingly designed. The harborfront path, nicknamed “Virgin’s Lane,” was where teens could court within view of their parents.
The dreamy-looking island immediately across the way is a nature preserve and a resting spot for birds making their long journey from the north to the Mediterranean. There’s one lucky bull here (farmers raft over their heifers, who return as cows). Rainbows often end on this island—where plague victims were once buried. In the winter, when the water freezes (about once a decade), locals slip and slide over for a visit. The white building you can see at the end of the town’s pier was the cooking house, where visiting sailors (who tried to avoid working with open flame on flammable ships) could do their baking.
At the end of the lane stands the former firehouse (with the tall brick tower, now a place for the high school garage band to practice). Twenty yards before the firehouse, a trail cuts left about 100 yards along the shore to a place the town provides for fishermen to launch and store their boats and tidy up their nets. A bench is strategically placed to enjoy the view.
• Follow the rutted lane inland, back past the firehouse. Turn right and walk a block toward town. At the first intersection, take a right onto...
Østergade: This was Ærøskøbing’s east gate. In the days of German control, all island trade was legal only within the town. All who passed this point would pay various duties and taxes at a tollbooth that once stood here.
As you walk past the traditional houses, peer into living rooms. Catch snatches of Danish life. (After the bend, you can see right through the windows to the sea.) Ponder the beauty of a society with such a keen sense of civic responsibility that fishing permits entrust you “to catch only what you need.” You’re welcome to pick berries where you like...but “no more than what would fit in your hat.”
The wood on these old houses prefers organic coverings to modern paint. Tar painted on beams as a preservative blisters in the sun. An old-fashioned paint of chalk, lime, and clay lets old houses breathe and feel more alive. (It gets darker with the rain and leaves a little color on your fingers.) Modern chemical paint has much less personality.
The first square (actually a triangle, at #55) was the old goose market. Ærøskøbing—born in the 13th century, burned in the 17th, and rebuilt in the 18th—claims (believably) to be the best-preserved town from that era in Denmark. The original plan, with 12 streets laid out by its founder, survives.
• Leaving the square, stay left on...
Søndergade: Look for wrought-iron girders on the walls, added to hold together bulging houses. (On the first corner, at #55, notice the nuts that could be tightened like a corset to keep the house from sagging.) Ærøskøbing’s oldest houses (check out the dates)—the only ones that survived a fire during a war with Sweden—are #36 and #32. At #32, the hatch upstairs was where masts and sails were stored for the winter. These houses also have some of the finest doors in town (and in Ærøskøbing, that’s really saying something). The red on #32’s door is the original paint job—ox blood, which, when combined with the tannin in the wood, really lasts. The courtyard behind #18 was a parking lot in pre-car days. Farmers, in town for their shopping chores, would leave their horses here. Even today, the wide-open fields are just beyond.
• Wander down to Ærøskøbing’s main square.
Torvet Square: Notice the two hand pumps, which still work. Until 1951, townspeople came here for their water. The linden tree is the town symbol. The rocks around it celebrate the reunion of a big chunk of southern Denmark (including this island), which was ruled by Germany from 1864 to 1920. See the town seal featuring a linden tree, over the door of the old City Hall (now the library, with Internet stations in former prison cells). Read the Danish on the wall: “With law shall man a country build.”
• Our walk is over. Continue straight (popping into recommended Restaurant Mumm, the best place in town, to make a reservation for dinner). You’ll return to the main street (Vestergade) and—just when you need it—the town bakery (to the left). But, if you’re ready to launch right into a bike ride, instead go through the green door to the right of City Hall to reach the town’s bike-rental place (listed earlier, under “Helpful Hints”).
Ærøskøbing’s three tiny museums cluster within a few doors of each other just off Torvet Square. While quirky and fun (and with sketchy English handouts), these museums would be much more interesting and worthwhile if they translated their Danish descriptions for the rare person on this planet who doesn’t speak Dansk. (Your gentle encouragement might help get results.) In July, they organize daily chatty tours.
Tickets and Information: You can buy individual tickets (see “Cost and Hours” for each), but if visiting all three, buy the 85-kr combo-ticket at your first stop (note the limited hours for the Hammerich House before committing), tel. 62 52 29 50, www.arremus.dk.
This museum fills two floors of an old house with the island’s history, from seafaring to farming. On the ground floor, you’ll see household objects (such as pottery, kitchenware, and tools), paintings, a loom from 1683, and a fun diorama showing an aerial view of Ærøskøbing in 1862—notice the big gardens behind nearly every house. (This museum carries on the tradition with its own garden out back—be sure to go out and explore it before you leave.) Upstairs are 19th-century outfits, lots more paintings, an 18th-century peasant’s living room with colorful furniture, and the gear from a 100-year-old pharmacy.
Cost and Hours: 30 kr; July-Aug Mon-Fri 10:00-16:00, Sat-Sun 11:00-15:00; mid-April-June and Sept-mid-Oct Mon-Sat 11:00-15:00, closed Sun; shorter hours and closed Sat-Sun off-season; Brogade 3-5.
This fascinating house has 750 different bottled ships. Old Peter Jacobsen, who made his first bottle at 16 and his last at 85, created some 1,700 total ships-in-bottles in his lifetime. He bragged that he drank the contents of each bottle...except those containing milk. This museum opened in 1943, when the mayor of Ærøskøbing offered Peter and his wife a humble home in exchange for the right to display his works. Bottle Peter died in 1960 (and is most likely buried in a glass bottle), leaving a lifetime of tedious little creations for visitors to squint and marvel at.
Cost and Hours: 40 kr; late June-Aug daily 10:00-16:00, mid-April-late June and Sept-mid-Oct daily 11:00-15:00, shorter hours off-season; Smedegade 22.
Visiting the Museum: In two buildings facing each other across a cobbled courtyard, you’ll see rack after rack of painstaking models in bottles and cigar boxes. Some are “right-handed” and some are “left-handed” (referring to the direction the bottle faced, and therefore which hand the model maker relied on to execute the fine details)—Bottle Peter could do it all.
In the entrance building, you’ll see Peter’s “American collection,” which he sold to a Danish-American collector so he could have funds to retire. One of Peter’s favorites was the “diver-bottle”—an extra-wide bottle with two separate ship models inside: One shipwreck on the “ocean floor” at the bottom of the bottle, and, above that, a second one floating on the “surface.” A video shows the artist at work, and nearby you can see some of his tools.
The second building has some English panels about Peter’s life (including his mischievous wit, which caused his friends great anxiety when he had an audience with the king) and the headstone he designed for his own grave: a cross embedded with seven ships-in-bottles, representing the seven seas he explored in his youth as a seaman.
These 12 funky rooms in three houses are filled with 200- to 300-year-old junk.
Cost and Hours: 30 kr, late May-mid-Aug Thu 12:00-15:00, otherwise ask for access at the Ærø Museum, closed off-season, Gyden 22.
(See “Ærø Island Bike Ride” map, here.)
This 15-mile trip shows you the best of this windmill-covered island’s charms. The highest point on the island is only 180 feet above sea level, but the wind can be strong and the hills seem long and surprisingly steep.
As a bike ride, it’s good exercise, though it may be more exhausting than fun if you’ve done only light, recreational cycling at home. You’ll pay more for seven gears instead of five, but it’s worth it.
Rent your bike in town (see “Helpful Hints,” earlier), and while my map and instructions work, a local cycle map is helpful (free loaner maps if you rent from Pilebækkens Cykler, or buy one at the TI). Bring along plenty of water, as there are few opportunities to fill up (your first good chance is at the WC at the Bregninge church; there are no real shops until downtown Bregninge).
• Leave Ærøskøbing to the west on the road to Vrå (Vråvejen, signed Bike Route #90). From downtown, pedal up the main street (Vestergade) and turn right on Vråvejen; from the bike-rental place on Pilebækken, just turn right and pedal straight ahead—it turns into Vråvejen.
Leaving Ærøskøbing: You’ll see the first of many U-shaped farms, typical of Denmark. The three sides block the wind and store cows, hay, and people. Gård (farm) shows up in many local surnames.
At Øsemarksvej, bike along the coast in the protection of the dike built in 1856 to make the once-salty swampland to your left farmable. While the weak soil is good for hay and little else, they get the most out of it. Each winter, certain grazing areas flood with seawater. (Some locals claim this makes their cows produce fatter milk and meat.) As you roll along the dike, the land on your left is about eight feet below sea level. The little white pump house—alone in the field—is busy each spring and summer.
• At the T-junction, go right (over the dike) toward...
Borgnæs: The traditional old “straw house” (50 yards down, on left) is a café and shop selling fresh farm products. Just past that, a few roadside tables sell farm goodies on the honor system. Borgnæs is a cluster of modern summer houses. In spite of huge demand, a weak economy, and an aging population, development like this is no longer allowed.
• Keep to the right (passing lots of wheat fields); at the next T-junction, turn right, following signs for Ø. Bregningemark (don’t turn off for Vindeballe). After a secluded beach, head inland (direction: Ø. Bregninge). Pass the island’s only water mill, and climb uphill over the island’s 2,700-inch-high summit toward Bregninge. The tallest point on Ærø is called Synneshøj (probably means “Seems High” and it sure does—if you’re even a bit out of shape, you’ll feel every one of those inches).
Gammelgård: Take a right turn marked only by a Bike Route #90 sign. The road deteriorates (turns to gravel—and can be slushy if there’s been heavy rain, so be careful). You’ll wind scenically and sometimes steeply through “Ærø’s Alps,” past classic thatched-roofed “old farms” (hence the name of the lane—Gammelgård).
• At the modern road, turn left (leaving Bike Route #90) and pedal to the big village church. Before turning left to roll through Bregninge, visit the church.
Bregninge Church: The interior of the 12th-century Bregninge church is still painted as a Gothic church would have been. Find the painter’s self-portrait (behind the pulpit, right of front pew). Tradition says that if the painter wasn’t happy with his pay, he’d paint a fool’s head in the church (above third pew on left). Note how the fool’s mouth—the hole for a rope tied to the bell—has been worn wider and wider by centuries of ringing. (During services, the ringing bell would call those who were ill and too contagious to be allowed into the church to come for communion—distributed through the square hatches flanking the altar.)
The altarpiece—gold leaf on carved oak—is from 1528, six years before the Reformation came to Denmark. The cranium carved into the bottom indicates it’s a genuine masterpiece by Claus Berg (from Lübeck, Germany). This Crucifixion scene is such a commotion, it seems to cause Christ’s robe to billow up. The soldiers who traditionally gambled for Christ’s robe have traded their dice for knives. Even the three wise men (lower right; each perhaps a Danish king) made it to this Crucifixion. Notice the escaping souls of the two thieves—the one who converted on the cross being carried happily to heaven, and the other, with its grim-winged escort, heading straight to hell. The scene at lower left—a disciple with a bare-breasted, dark-skinned woman feeding her child—symbolizes the Great Commission: “Go ye to all the world.” Since this is a Catholic altarpiece, a roll call of saints lines the wings. During the restoration, the identity of the two women on the lower right was unknown, so the lettering—even in Latin—is clearly gibberish. Take a moment to study the 16th-century art on the ceiling (for example, the crucified feet ascending, leaving only footprints on earth). In the narthex, a list of pastors goes back to 1505. The current pastor (Agnes) is the first woman on the list.
• Now’s the time for a bathroom break (public WC in the churchyard). If you need some food or drink, pop in to the Gæstgiveri Bregninge restaurant, to the right of the church as you face it (75-125-kr lunches, 135-185-kr dinners, May-mid-Sept Wed-Thu 12:00-17:00, Fri-Sun 12:00-21:00, closed Mon-Tue and in the off-season, tel. 30 23 65 55). Then roll downhill through...
Bregninge: As you bike through what is supposedly Denmark’s “second-longest village,” you’ll pass many more U-shaped gårds. Notice how the town is in a gully. Imagine pirates trolling along the coast, looking for church spires marking unfortified villages. Ærø’s 16 villages are all invisible from the sea—their church spires carefully designed not to be viewable from sea level.
• About a mile down the main road is Vindeballe. Just before the main part of the village (soon after you pass the official Vindeballe sign and the din fart sign—which tells you “your speed”), take the Vodrup Klint turnoff to the right.
Vodrup Klint: A road leads downhill (with a well-signed jog to the right) to dead-end at a rugged bluff called Vodrup Klint (WC, picnic benches). If I were a pagan, I’d worship here for the sea, the wind, and the chilling view. Notice how the land steps in sloppy slabs down to the sea. When saturated with water, the slabs of clay that make up the land here get slick, and entire chunks can slide.
Hike down to the foamy beach (where you can pick up some flint, chalk, and wild thyme). While the wind at the top could drag a kite-flyer, the beach below can be ideal for sunbathing. Because Ærø is warmer and drier than the rest of Denmark, this island is home to plants and animals found nowhere else in the country. This southern exposure is the warmest area. Germany is dead ahead.
• Backtrack 200 yards and follow the signs to Tranderup. On the way, you’ll pass a lovely pond famous for its bell frogs and happy little duck houses.
Popping out in Tranderup, you can backtrack (left) about 300 yards to get to the traditional Vindeballe Kro—a handy inn for a stop if you’re hungry or thirsty (35-60-kr lunches served daily July-mid-Aug 12:00-14:00, 130-225-kr dinners served daily year-round 18:00-21:00, tel. 62 52 16 13).
If you’re tired or if the weather is turning bad, you can shortcut from here back to Ærøskøbing: Go down the lane across the street from the Vindeballe Kro, and you’ll zip quickly downhill across the island to the dike just east of Borgnæs; turn right and retrace your steps back into town.
But there’s much more to see. To continue our pedal, head on into...
Tranderup: Still following signs for Tranderup, stay on Tranderupgade parallel to the big road through town. You’ll pass a lovely farm and a potato stand. At the main road, turn right. At the Ærøskøbing turnoff (another chance to bail out and head home), side-trip 100 yards left to the big stone (commemorating the return of the island to Denmark from Germany in 1750) and a grand island panorama. Claus Clausen’s rock (in the picnic area, next to WC) is a memorial to an extremely obscure pioneer who was born in Ærø, emigrated to America, and played a role in shaping the early history of Scandinavian Lutheranism in the US.
• Return to the big road (continuing in direction: Marstal), pass through Olde, pedal past FAF (the local wheat farmers’ co-op facility), and head toward Store Rise (STOH-reh REE-zuh), the next church spire in the distance. Think of medieval travelers using spires as navigational aids.
Store Rise Prehistoric Tomb, Church, and Brewery: Thirty yards after the Stokkeby turnoff, follow the rough, tree-lined path on the right to the Langdysse (Long Dolmen) Tingstedet, just behind the church spire. This is a 6,000-year-old dolmen, an early Neolithic burial place. Though Ærø once had more than 200 of these prehistoric tombs, only 13 survive. The site is a raised mound the shape and length (about 100 feet) of a Viking ship, and archaeologists have found evidence that indicates a Viking ship may indeed have been burned and buried here.
Ting means assembly spot. Imagine a thousand years ago: Viking chiefs representing the island’s various communities gathering here around their ancestors’ tombs. For 6,000 years, this has been a holy spot. The stones were considered fertility stones. For centuries, locals in need of virility chipped off bits and took them home (the nicks in the rock nearest the information post are mine).
Tuck away your chip and carry on down the lane to the Store Rise church. Inside you’ll find little ships hanging in the nave, a fine 12th-century altarpiece, a stick with offering bag and a ting-a-ling bell to wake those nodding off (right of altar), double seats (so worshippers can flip to face the pulpit during sermons), and Martin Luther in the stern keeping his Protestant hand on the rudder. The list in the church allows today’s pastors to trace their pastoral lineage back to Doctor Luther himself. (The current pastor, Janet, is the first woman on the list.) The churchyard is circular—a reminder of how churchyards provided a last refuge for humble communities under attack. Can you find anyone buried in the graveyard whose name doesn’t end in “-sen”?
Next follow the smell of hops (or the Rise Bryggeri signs) to Ærø’s brewery. Located in a historic brewery 400 yards beyond the Store Rise church, it welcomes visitors with free samples of its various beers. The Ærø traditional brews are available in pilsner (including the popular walnut pilsner), light ale, dark ale, and a typical dark Irish-style stout. The Rise organic brews come in light ale, dark ale, and walnut (July-Aug daily 11:00-15:00; Sept Tue-Sat 11:00-15:00, closed Sun-Mon, closed Oct-June; tel. 62 52 11 32, www.risebryggeri.dk).
• From here, climb back to the main road and continue (direction: Marstal) on your way back home to Ærøskøbing. The three 330-foot-high modern windmills on your right are communally owned and, as they are a nonpolluting source of energy, state-subsidized. At Dunkær (3 miles from Ærøskøbing), take the small road, signed Lille Rise, past the topless windmill. Except for the Lille Rise, it’s all downhill from here, as you coast past great sea views back home to Ærøskøbing.
Huts at the Sunset Beach: Still rolling? Bike past the campground along the Urehoved beach (strand in Danish) for a look at the coziest little beach houses you’ll never see back in the “big is beautiful” US. This is Europe, where small is beautiful, and the concept of sustainability is neither new nor subversive. (For more details, see “Beach Bungalow Sunset Stroll,” below.)
Ærø is disappointing but not unworkable in bad weather. In addition to the museums listed earlier, you could check out the evening options under “Nightlife in Ærøskøbing” (later), many of which are good in bad weather. Or hop on the free bus to Marstal to visit its maritime museum.
To learn more about the island’s seafaring history, visit this fine museum in the dreary town of Marstal. You’ll see plenty of model ships, nautical paintings (including several scenes by acclaimed painter Carl Rasmussen), an original ship’s galley, a re-created wheelhouse (with steering and navigation equipment), a collection of exotic goods brought back from faraway lands, and a children’s area with a climbable mast. Designed by and for sailors, the museum presents a warts-and-all view of the hardships of the seafaring life, rather than romanticizing it.
Cost and Hours: 60 kr; June-Aug daily 9:00-17:00; May and Sept-Oct daily 10:00-16:00; shorter hours and closed Sun off-season; Prinsensgade 1, tel. 62 53 23 31, www.marmus.dk.
Getting There: Ride the free bus #790 from Ærøskøbing (see here) all the way to the harbor in Marstal, where you’ll find the museum. It’s about a 20-minute trip.
These activities are best done in the evening, after a day of biking around the island.
At sunset, stroll to Ærøskøbing’s sand beach. Facing the ferry dock, go left, following the harbor. Upon leaving the town, you’ll pass the Netto supermarket (convenient for picking up snacks, beer, or wine), a mini-golf course, and a children’s playground. In the rosy distance, past a wavy wheat field, is Vestre Strandvejen—a row of tiny, Monopoly-like huts facing the sunset. These beach escapes are privately owned on land rented from the town (no overnight use, WCs at each end). Each is different, but all are stained with merry memories of locals enjoying themselves Danish-style. Bring a beverage or picnic. It’s perfectly acceptable—and very Danish—to borrow a porch for your sunset sit. From here, it’s a fine walk out to the end of Urehoved (as this spit of land is called).
On many summer evenings, the night watchman leads visitors through town. It’s a fine time to be outside, meeting other travelers (ask at the TI for details).
The cute little 30-seat Andelen Theater (in the Andelen Guesthouse—a former grain warehouse) plays movies in their original language (Danish subtitles, closed Mon and in July—when it hosts a jazz festival, new titles begin every Tue). It’s run in a charming community-service kind of way. The management has installed heat, so tickets no longer come with a blanket (near Torvet Square at Søndergade 28A, tel. 62 52 17 11).
Ærø-Bowl is a six-lane alley in a modern athletic club at the edge of town. In this old-fashioned town, where no modern construction is allowed in the higgledy-piggledy center, this hip facility is a magnet for young people. One local told me, “I’ve never seen anyone come out of there without a smile” (hot dogs, junk food, arcade games, kids on dates; Tue-Thu 16:00-22:00, later on Fri-Sat, shorter hours off-season, closed Sun-Mon, Statene 42A, tel. 62 52 23 06, www.arrebowl.dk).
Ærøskøbing’s one bar, the Arrebo Pub, attracts a young crowd. It is the place for live music but serves no food (at the bottom of Vestergade, near ferry landing).
The accommodations scene here is boom or bust. Summer weekends and all of July are packed (book long in advance). It’s absolutely dead in the winter. These places come with family-run personality, and each is an easy stroll from the ferry landing.
$$$ Hotel Ærøhus is a big and sprawling last resort, with 33 uninspired rooms. It’s impersonal and pretty tired, but in a small and popular town without a lot of rooms, it’s worth knowing about (S-600 kr, Sb-990 kr, D-800 kr, Db-1,250 kr, Wi-Fi, bike rentals-75 kr/day, Vestergade 38, tel. 62 52 10 03, www.aeroehus.dk, mail@aeroehus.dk).
$$ Pension Vestergade is your best home away from home in Ærøskøbing. It’s lovingly run by Susanna Greve and her daughters, Henrietta and Celia. Susanna, who’s fun to talk with and is always ready with a cup of tea, has a wealth of knowledge about the town’s history and takes good care of her guests. Built in 1784 for a sea captain’s daughter, this creaky, sagging, and venerable eight-room place—with each room named for its particular color scheme—is on the main street in the town center. Picnic in the back garden and get to know Tillie, the live-in dog. Reserve well in advance (singles-750 kr year-round; doubles fluctuate—in spring, July, and fall: D-990 kr; winter: D-790 kr; cash only, cuddly hot-water bottles, shared bathrooms, Wi-Fi, Vestergade 44, tel. 62 52 22 98, www.vestergade44.com, pensionvestergade44@post.tele.dk).
$$ På Torvet (“On the Square”) is a cheery hotel/café/boutique that’s breathing new life into the main square. Owners Gunnar and Lili rent 10 modern, charming apartments, each with private kitchen and bathroom (Db-975 kr for first night, 800 kr for succeeding nights, 200-kr linen and cleaning fee, Wi-Fi, Torvet 7, tel. 62 52 40 50, www.paatorvet.dk, info@paatorvet.dk). The recommended café offers seating inside and out on Torvet Square (see “Eating in Ærøskøbing,” later), plus wine and specialty foods for purchase; the boutique sells women’s clothing from Italy and France; and the grand piano in the dining area welcomes anyone to tickle its ivories.
$$ Andelen Guesthouse, run by Englishman Adam and his Danish wife, Anne, is brimming with a funky nautical charm. An old warehouse that’s been converted into a hotel, it has five guest rooms that share two bathrooms (S-600 kr, D-700 kr, T-900 kr, breakfast-75 kr, Wi-Fi, free entry to downstairs movie theater, guest bikes-75 kr/day, Søndergade 28A, mobile 61 26 75 11, www.andelenguesthouse.com, info@andelenguesthouse.com).
$$ Hotel Aroma offers four bright, cheery, and modern rooms—two standard doubles and two large quads with kitchens—above the recommended Café Aroma (D-795 kr, Q-995 kr, 100 kr less in off-season, shared bathroom, laundry facilities, roof terrace, Wi-Fi, on Vestergade, just up the street from the ferry dock, tel. 62 52 40 02, mobile 40 40 26 84, www.cafe-aroma.dk).
$$ Det Lille Hotel is a former 19th-century captain’s home with six tidy but well-worn rooms (June-Sept: S-750 kr, D-950 kr; Oct-May: S-650 kr, D-850 kr; extra bed-265 kr, Wi-Fi, Smedegade 33, tel. 62 52 23 00, www.det-lille-hotel.dk, mail@det-lille-hotel.dk).
$$ Vindeballe Kro, about three miles from Ærøskøbing, is a traditional inn in Vindeballe at the island’s central crossroads. Maria and Steen rent 10 straightforward, well-kept rooms (S-500 kr, D-700 kr; for location, see map on here; tel. 62 52 16 13, www.vindeballekro.dk, mail@vindeballekro.dk). They also have a restaurant (see here).
$ Ærø Campground is set on a fine beach a few minutes’ walk out of town. This three-star campground offers a lodge with a fireplace, campsites, cabins, and bike rental (camping-80 kr/person plus 110-kr camping pass, 4- to 6-bed cabins-150-300 kr plus per-person fee, 300-kr cleaning fee, open May-Sept; facing the water, follow waterfront to the left; tel. 62 52 18 54, www.aeroecamp.dk, info@aeroecamp.dk).
(See “Ærøskøbing” map, here.)
Ærøskøbing has a handful of charming and hardworking little eateries. Business is so light that chefs and owners come and go constantly, making it tough to predict the best value for the coming year. As each place has a distinct flavor, I’d spend 20 minutes enjoying the warm evening light and do a strolling survey before making your choice. While there are some simple burger-type joints, I’ve listed only the serious kitchens. Note that everything closes by 21:00—don’t wait too late to eat (if you’ll be taking a later ferry from Svendborg to Ærø, either eat before your boat trip or call ahead to reserve a place...otherwise you’re out of luck). During the winter, some of my recommended restaurants take turns staying open, so you should be able to find a decent place to eat (ask what’s open at the TI).
Restaurant Mumm is where visiting yachters go for a good and classy meal. Portions are huge, and on balmy days their garden terrace out back is a hit. Call ahead to reserve (185-kr daily specials, 80-kr starters, 150-250-kr main courses, daily 18:00-21:00, shorter hours off-season, near Torvet Square at Søndergade 12, tel. 62 52 12 12, www.restaurantmumm.com).
På Torvet Café, right on Torvet Square, offers a simple yet tasty menu of sandwiches and burgers, along with their filling signature dish, the Night Watchman’s Plate, featuring smoked salmon, chicken, cheese, ham, and panna cotta. Dine in the cozy café or out on the square (90-100-kr lunches, 100-150-kr dinners, daily May-mid-Sept 12:00-15:30 & 17:30-20:00, shorter hours off-season, tel. 62 52 40 50).
Café Aroma, an inexpensive Danish café that feels like a rustic old diner, has a big front porch filled with tables and good, reasonably priced entrées, sandwiches, and burgers for 70-200 kr. Ask about the daily special, which will save you money and is not listed on the confusing menu. Order at the bar (daily mid-April-mid-Sept 11:00-20:00, closed mid-Sept-mid-April, on Vestergade, just up from the ferry dock, tel. 62 52 40 02). They also run a delicious ice-cream shop and a high-quality, pricey fish restaurant next door (aptly named Fiskerestaurant; open July only).
Ærøskøbing Røgeri serves wonderful smoked-fish meals on paper plates and picnic tables. Facing the harbor, it’s great for a light meal (50-80 kr for fish with potato salad and bread). Eat there or find a pleasant picnic site at the beach or at the park behind the fish house. A smoked-fish dinner and a couple of cold Carlsbergs or Ærø brews are a well-earned reward after a long bike ride (daily mid-April-Sept 11:00-19:00, July-Aug until 21:00, Havnen 15, tel. 62 52 40 07).
Addi’s Brasserie serves fresh seafood and meat dishes. Eat in the main dining room among portraits of Danish royalty, or in the larger side room (daily lunch and dinner specials, 50-85-kr lunch main courses, 180-200-kr dinner main courses, daily 11:30-15:00 & 18:00-21:00, shorter hours off-season, across street from Pension Vestergade, Vestergade 39, tel. 62 52 21 43).
Landbogården, with family-friendly indoor and outdoor dining, serves hearty fish, meat, and chicken dishes just like a Danish grandmother would make them (100-180-kr main courses, daily June-mid-Aug 17:30-21:30, closed off-season, near the top of Vestergade, tel. 30 84 49 06).
Hotel Restaurants: Two hotels in town have dining rooms with good but expensive food; I’d eat at the restaurants I’ve listed above, unless they’re closed. But in a pinch, try these: Det Lille Hotel serves meals in an inviting dining room or garden (200-kr daily specials, 85-100-kr starters, 160-250-kr main courses, daily 12:00-21:00 but closed off-season, Smedegade 33, tel. 62 52 23 00, Klaus cooks with attitude). Hotel Ærøhus is a last resort, serving Danish fare in a sprawling complex of dining rooms, big and small (115-kr starters, 225-kr main courses, open daily but closed in off-season, on Vestergade, tel. 62 52 10 03).
(See “Ærøskøbing” map, here.)
Here are some places for lighter fare.
Market for Local Specialties: Run by volunteers dedicated to a healthier Ærø, Den Gamle Købmandsgaard (“The Old Merchants’ Court”) on Torvet Square sells a remarkable selection of mostly locally sourced and produced foods, including meat, sausage, salami, bread, fruit, honey, jam, chocolate, beer—even rum. Grab a seat in their café for lunch, cake, or pie (Mon-Fri 10:00-16:30, Sat 10:00-14:00, closed Sun, Torvet 5, tel. 20 24 30 07).
Grocery: The Netto supermarket has picnic fixings and drinks, including chilled beer and wine—handy for walks to the little huts on the beach at sunset (daily 8:00-22:00, kitty-corner from ferry dock).
Bakery: Ærøskøbing’s old-school H. E. Hansen bakery sells homemade bread, cheese, yogurt, and tasty pastries (Tue-Fri 7:00-17:00, Sat-Sun 7:00-14:00, closed Mon, top of Vestergade).
Ice Cream: The ice-cream shop at Café Aroma, Ærø Ismageri, serves good, flavorful ice cream—try gooseberry beer (made from Ærø stout—way better than it sounds), or the local favorite, the “Ærø Special”—walnut ice cream with maple syrup (daily July-mid-Aug 9:00-23:00, shorter hours off-season, closed Sept-mid-April, just up from the ferry dock).
The ferry ride between Svendborg, with connections to Copenhagen, and Ærøskøbing, on the island of Ærø, is a relaxing 1.25-hour crossing. Just get on, and the crew will come to you for payment. American chip-and-PIN credit cards work (5-kr surcharge), or you can pay cash (199-kr round-trip per person, 437-kr round-trip per car—not including driver/passengers, you’ll save a little money with round-trip tickets, ferry not covered by or discounted with rail pass). You can leave the island via any of the three different Ærø ferry routes.
The ferry always has room for walk-ons, but drivers should reserve a spot in advance, especially on weekends and in summer. During these busy times, reserve as far ahead as you can—ideally at least a week in advance. Car reservations by phone or email are free and easy—simply give your name and license-plate number. If you don’t know your license number (i.e., you’re reserving from home and haven’t yet picked up your rental car), try asking nicely if they’re willing to just take your name. They may want you to call them with the number when you pick up your car, but if that’s not practical, you can usually just tell the attendant your name before you drive onto the boat. Ferries depart daily in summer (roughly 10/day in each direction). Call or look online for the schedule (office open Mon-Fri 8:00-15:30, Sat-Sun 9:00-15:00, tel. 62 52 40 00, www.aeroe-ferry.dk, info@aeroe-ferry.dk).
Drivers with reservations just drive on (be sure to get into the med reservations line). If you won’t use your car in Ærø, park it in Svendborg (big, safe lot two blocks in from ferry landing, or at the far end of the harbor near the Bendix fish shop). On Ærø, parking is free.
The train from Odense dead-ends at the Svendborg harbor (2/hour Mon-Sat, hourly on Sun, 45 minutes; don’t get off at Svendborg Vest Station—wait until you get to the end of the line, called simply “Svendborg”).
Arriving in Svendborg: It takes about 10 minutes to walk from the station to the dock (5 minutes if you walk briskly). Don’t dawdle—the boat leaves stubbornly on time, even if trains are running late. I recommend taking a train from Odense that arrives about 30 minutes before your ferry departure to give yourself time to absorb delays and find your way. If you’re cutting it close, be ready to hop off the train and walk swiftly.
To get from the Svendborg train station to the dock, turn left after exiting the train, following the sidewalk between the tracks and the station, then take a left (across the tracks) at the first street, Brogade. Head a block downhill to the harbor, make a right, and the ferry dock is ahead, across from Hotel Ærø. If you arrive early, you can head to the waiting room in the little blue building across the street from the hotel. There are several carry-out restaurants along Brogade, and a few hotels overlooking the ferry line have restaurants.
Departing from Svendborg: All Svendborg trains go to Odense (where you can connect to Copenhagen or Aarhus). A train tends to leave shortly after the ferry arrives (tight connections for hurried commuters). To reach the train from the Svendborg ferry dock, pass Hotel Ærø and continue a block along the waiting lane for the ferry, turn left and go up Brogade one block, then take a right and follow the sidewalk between the tracks and the train station. Look for a train signed Odense waiting on the single track.
Founded in A.D. 988 and named after Odin (the Nordic Zeus), Odense is the main city of the big island of Funen (Fyn in Danish) and the birthplace of storyteller Hans Christian Andersen (whom the Danes call simply H. C., pronounced “hoe see”). Although the author was born here in poverty and left at the tender age of 14 to pursue a career in the theater scene of Copenhagen, H. C. is Odense’s favorite son—you’ll find his name and image all over town. He once said, “Perhaps Odense will one day become famous because of me.” Today, Odense (OH-then-za) is one of Denmark’s most popular tourist destinations.
As Denmark’s third-largest city, with 170,000 people, Odense is big and industrial. But its old center, tidy and neatly urbanized, retains some pockets of the fairy-tale charm it had in the days of H. C. Everything is within easy walking distance, except for the open-air folk museum.
The train station sits at the north end of the town center. A few blocks south runs the main pedestrian shopping boulevard, Vestergade. Near the eastern end of this drag, and a couple of blocks up, is a tight tangle of atmospheric old lanes, where you’ll find the Hans Christian Andersen House and Møntergården, Odense’s urban history museum.
The TI is in the Town Hall (Rådhuset), the big brick palace overlooking the square at the east end of the Vestergade pedestrian street (July-Aug Mon-Fri 9:30-18:00, Sat 10:00-15:00, Sun 11:00-14:00; Sept-June Mon-Fri 10:00-16:30, Sat 10:00-13:00, closed Sun; tel. 63 75 75 20, www.visitodense.com). For all the information needed for a longer stop, pick up their excellent and free Odense guide. If you plan to visit multiple sights, consider the Odense Pass, which covers the museum at H. C.’s birthplace, urban history museum, art museum, railway museum, and open-air folk museum. It saves you money if you visit at least three sights (169 kr, buy at TI).
The train station is located in the Bånegard Center, a large shopping complex, which also holds the bus station, library (with free Internet access), Galaxy Internet café, shops, eateries, and a movie theater. For a quick visit, check your luggage at the train station (pay lockers in corridor next to DSB Resjebureau office), pick up a free town map inside the ticket office, jot down the time your train departs, and hit the town (follow signs to Odense Centrum).
To make a beeline to the Hans Christian Andersen House, turn left out of the station and walk to the corner (at the Cab-Inn). Turn right across the busy street and head one block down Nørregade, then turn left (at the grocery store) down Skulkenborg. After one short block, turn right and walk along the highway to the crosswalk by the yellow Oluf Bagers Gård; crossing here will put you at the start of a cute cobbled zone with the Hans Christian Andersen House on your right.
To get to the TI, turn right out of the station, cross the busy road, then cut through the Kongens Have (King’s Garden) park and head down Jernabanegade. When you come to Vestergade, take a left and follow this fine pedestrian street 100 yards to the TI.
Note that some of Odense’s museums charge higher admission (about 15-20 kr extra) during school holidays.
To celebrate Hans Christian Andersen’s 100th birthday in 1904, the city founded this museum in the house where he was born. Today the humble (and rebuilt) house is the corner of an expansive, high-tech museum packed with mementos from the writer’s life—and hordes of children and tourists. You could spend several delightful hours here getting into his life story and work. It’s fun if you like the man and his tales.
Cost and Hours: 95 kr (30 percent discount if you have a ticket for Fyrtøjet or Møntergården), free for kids under 18, daily 10:00-16:00, July-late-Aug until 17:00, Bangs Boder 29, tel. 65 51 46 01, www.museum.odense.dk.
Information: Everything is well described in English. Admission includes a nice guidebook. For more on the author, see the sidebars on here and here.
Performances: The garden fairy-tale theater—with pleasing vignettes—thrills kids daily in July and early August in the museum garden generally at 11:00, 13:00, and 15:00, weather permitting (30-minute show in Danish, but fun regardless of language).
Eating: The café next door, with seating indoors and out, sells sandwiches, burgers, and cakes (90-120 kr).
Visiting the Museum: At the ticket desk you’ll get a guidebook with a floor plan; follow the one-way route through the collection. Touchscreens invite you to delve deeper into specific topics, and headsets and benches throughout let you listen to a selection of fairy tales.
You’ll kick things off with “The Age” exhibit, which considers the era in which Andersen lived (1805-1875), putting the author in his historical context—the time of Abraham Lincoln, Charles Darwin, and Karl Marx. “The Man” paints a portrait of this quirky individual, who was extremely tall and gangly, with a big nose...an ugly duckling, indeed. He spent hours in the mirror perfecting an expression of wry cleverness for photographic portraits (several of which are displayed). You’ll learn how bad teeth caused H. C. a lifetime of pain, and how this deeply sensitive, introspective fellow worried about his family history of mental illness even as he astounded the world with his exuberant creativity. “The Art” demonstrates that H. C. was as talented with visual arts as the written word; this darkened room shows off intricate paper cutouts he created (some of which illustrated his tales) and sketches from his travels.
“The Life” is a circular exhibit (turn left and proceed counterclockwise, following the footprints) with a step-by-step biography of the writer, accompanied by artifacts from his life. This is arranged around a central Memorial Hall slathered with eight frescoes depicting scenes from H. C.’s past, under a dome filled with natural light. Notice that as the story of his life—starting with a tearful hug to his mother on his departure from Odense at age 14—progresses, the scenes change from daylight to sunset to evening. Under the dome are items relating to H. C.’s fervent crush on the opera singer Jenny Lind: a love letter that he wrote to her and the champagne glass she used to toast him as her “brother” (a painful rebuff that broke H. C.’s heart—he kept the glass his entire life as a reminder).
Continuing around the biographical section, you’ll pass a movie theater with a 13-minute introductory film about H. C. (plays every 15 minutes, alternates between Danish and English).
Down the stairs in the basement is “Transformations,” a curious yet skippable Little Mermaid-inspired light installation that is supposed to respond to visitors’ movements. Meh.
Near the top of the steps, you can enter H. C.’s birth house, with descriptions of the people his family lived with and replicas of the type of furniture that likely filled these humble rooms. Later on, the author was highly ashamed of having been born in such a modest house in a very poor neighborhood—the theme of poverty turns up frequently in his works.
Near the end of the exhibit is a re-creation of H. C.’s study from his apartment in Nyhavn, Copenhagen. You’ll exit through “The Works,” a library of Andersen’s books from around the world (his tales have been translated into nearly 150 languages). The museum gift shop is full of mobiles, cut-paper models, and English versions of Andersen’s fairy tales.
Another H. C. House: The writer’s childhood home (with a small exhibit of its own) is a few blocks southwest of here, but it’s skippable because the main museum here is so excellent and comprehensive.
Next door to the H. C. Andersen House is this privately run, modern, and fun hands-on center for children based on works by H. C. The centerpiece is Fairytale Land, with giant props and sets inspired by the author’s tales. Kids can dress up in costumes and get their faces painted at the “magical wardrobe,” act out a fairy tale, and do arts and crafts in the “atelier.” Ask about performances (generally daily at 12:00 and 14:00; some are in Danish only, but others are done without dialogue).
Cost and Hours: 80 kr for ages 3-69 (free to other ages), 30 percent discount if you have a ticket for the H. C. Andersen House or Møntergården; July-mid-Aug daily 10:00-17:00; off-season Fri-Sun 10:00-16:00, closed Mon-Thu; Hans Jensens Stræde 21, tel. 66 14 44 11, www.museum.odense.dk. On school holidays, there are more activities, the museum is open later (until 17:00), and you’ll pay 15 kr extra.
This well-presented museum, three short blocks from the H. C. Andersen House, fills several medieval buildings with exhibits on the history of Odense. You’ll time-travel from prehistoric times (lots of arrow, spear, and ax heads) through to 1660, when the king stripped the town of its independent status. The main exhibit, “Life of the City,” fills a stately 17th-century, red house (Falk Gøyes Gård) with a high-tech, well-presented exhibit about Odense in medieval and Renaissance times, covering historical events as well as glimpses of everyday life. Wedged along the side of this building is a surviving medieval lane; at the far end are four miniscule houses that the city used to house widows and orphaned students who couldn’t afford to provide for themselves. It’s fascinating to squeeze into these humble interiors and imagine that people lived in these almshouses through 1955 (open only in summer, but at other times you can ask at the ticket desk to have them unlocked). A new museum building with expanded exhibits may be open by the time you visit.
Cost and Hours: 50 kr, 30 percent discount if you have a ticket for the H. C. Andersen House or Fyrtøjet; July-Aug daily 10:00-17:00; Sept-June Tue-Sun 10:00-16:00, closed Mon; Overgade 48, tel. 65 51 46 01, www.museum.odense.dk.
Conveniently (and appropriately) located directly behind the train station, this is an ideal place to kill time while waiting for a train—and is worth a look for anyone who enjoys seeing old locomotives and train cars. Here at Denmark’s biggest (and only official) rail museum, the huge roundhouse is filled with classic trains, while upstairs you’ll walk past long display cases of model trains and enjoy good views down onto the trains. The information is in English, and there are lots of children’s activities.
Cost and Hours: 60 kr, more during special exhibits, daily 10:00-16:00; Dannebrogsgade 24—just exit behind the station, near track 7/8, and cross the street; tel. 66 13 66 30, www.railmuseum.dk.
The sleepy gathering of 26 old buildings located about two miles out of town preserves the 18th-century culture of this region. There are no explanations in the buildings because many school groups who visit play guessing games. Buy the guidebook to make your visit meaningful.
Cost and Hours: 85 kr in summer, 60 kr off-season; July-mid-Aug daily 10:00-18:00; April-June and mid-Aug-late Oct Tue-Sun 10:00-17:00, closed Mon; closed late Oct-March; bus #110 or #111 from Odense Station, or take train to Fruens Bøge Station and walk 15 minutes; tel. 65 51 46 01, www.museum.odense.dk.
Demand (and prices) are higher in Odense on weekdays and in winter; in summer and on weekends, you can often get a better deal.
$$$ Radisson Blu H. C. A. Hotel is big, comfortable, and impersonal, with 145 rooms a block from the Hans Christian Andersen House. It’s older but nicely updated, and offers great rates every day through the summer (Sb-795-995 kr, Db-895-1,195 kr, elevator, guest computer, Wi-Fi, Claus Bergs Gade 7, tel. 66 14 78 00, www.radissonblu.com/hotel-odense, hcandersen@radissonblu.com).
$$ Cab-Inn Odense brings its no-frills minimalist economy to town, with 201 simple, comfy, and modern rooms (economy Sb-495 kr, Db-625 kr; standard Sb-545 kr, Db-675 kr; larger “Commodore” Sb-575 kr, Db-705 kr; biggest “Captains Class” Sb-675 kr, Db-805 kr; breakfast-70 kr, elevator, guest computer, Wi-Fi, parking for small cars only-80 kr/day, next to the station at Østre Stationsvej 7-9, tel. 63 14 57 00, www.cabinn.com, odense@cabinn.com). For more about this chain, see here.
$$ Hotel Domir has 35 tidy, basic, stylish little rooms along its tiny halls. It’s located on a quiet side street just a few minutes from the train station and features extra soundproofing (Sb-575-615 kr, twin Db-650-745 kr, double bed for 100 kr more, Tb-800-995 kr, price depends on demand, elevator, guest computer, Wi-Fi, limited parking-50-100 kr/day, Hans Tausensgade 19, tel. 66 12 14 27, www.domir.dk, booking@domir.dk). They also run Ydes Hotel, just down the street, with industrial and metallic simplicity (about 50-70 kr cheaper).
$$ Blommenslyst B&B rents four rooms in two private guesthouses just outside Odense (Sb-350 kr, Db-480 kr, breakfast-70 kr, 10-minute drive from town center, Ravnebjerggyden 31, tel. 65 96 81 88, www.blommenslyst.dk, ingvartsen-speth@post.tele.dk, Marethe and Poul Erik Speth).
Hostel: $ Danhostel Odense City is a huge, efficient hostel towering above the train station, with 140 beds in 4- and 6-bed rooms with baths, plus private rooms. “Better” rooms have “better beds and a TV”; the room prices listed here reflect standard/better rooms (dorm bed-250 kr, Sb-450/500 kr, Db-620/670 kr, sheets-60 kr, breakfast-70 kr—it can add up, elevator, pay guest computer, Wi-Fi, laundry, reception open 8:00-12:00 & 16:00-20:00 but self-service check-in kiosk at other times, Østre Stationsvej 31, tel. 63 11 04 25, odensedanhostel.dk, info@cityhostel.dk).
(See “Odense” map, here.)
If you’re in town for just a short stopover to visit the Hans Christian Andersen House, consider the café at the museum for lunch. Otherwise, Odense’s main pedestrian shopping streets, Vestergade and Kongensgade, offer the best atmosphere and most options for lunch and dinner.
Vintapperstræde is an alleyway full of restaurants just off Vestergade (look for the ornamental entryway). Choose from Danish, Mexican, Italian, and more. Study the menus posted outside each restaurant to decide, then grab a table inside or join the locals at an outdoor table.
From Odense by Train to: Copenhagen (3/hour, 1.5 hours, some go direct to the airport), Aarhus (2/hour, 1.5 hours), Billund/Legoland (2/hour, 50-minute train to Vejle, then transfer to bus—see here; allow 2 hours total), Svendborg/Ærø ferry (2/hour on Mon-Sat, hourly on Sun, 45 minutes, to Svendborg dock; Ærø ferry—roughly 10/day, 1.25 hours), Roskilde (2/hour, 70 minutes).
Aarhus or Billund to Ærø: Figure about two hours to drive from Billund (or 2.5 hours from Aarhus) to Svendborg. The freeway takes you over a bridge to the island of Funen (or Fyn in Danish); from Odense, take the highway south to Svendborg.
Leave your car in Svendborg (at the convenient long-term parking lot two blocks from the ferry dock or at the far end of the harbor near the Bendix fish shop) and sail for Ærø (see here for ferry details). Cars need reservations but walk-on passengers don’t.
Ærø to Copenhagen via Odense: From Svendborg, drive north on Route 9, past Egeskov Castle, and on to Odense. To visit the open-air folk museum just outside Odense (Den Fynske Landsby), leave Route 9 just south of town at Højby, turning left toward Dalum and the Odense campground (on Odensevej). Look for Den Fynske Landsby signs (near the train tracks, south edge of town). If you’re going directly to the Hans Christian Andersen House, follow the signs.
Continuing toward Copenhagen, you’ll take the world’s third-longest suspension bridge (Storebælt Bridge, 235-kr toll, 12.5 miles long). Follow signs marked København (Copenhagen). If you’re following my three-week itinerary by car: When you get to Ringsted, signs point you to Roskilde—aim toward the twin church spires and follow signs for Vikingskibene (Viking ships). Otherwise, if you’re heading to Copenhagen or the airport, stay on the freeway, following signs to København C or to Dragør/Kastrup Airport.