Ærø Island and Ærøskøbing: Best Things to See in Denmark
By ANL | UPDATED:
Visitors can explore medieval streets in Ærøskøbing, discover centuries of seafaring history in Marstal, cycle through peaceful countryside and enjoy beaches, local food and cultural events. With short ferry crossings, excellent cycling routes and a relaxed atmosphere, Ærø is a perfect Danish island escape for travellers interested in culture, history and coastal scenery.
Ærø Island combines maritime history, idyllic small towns and scenic nature within a compact and easy-to-explore destination in southern Denmark. Ferries connect the island with Funen, Langeland and Als, making Ærø an excellent stop during island hopping in the South Funen Archipelago. Visitors can wander through the preserved streets of Ærøskøbing, visit maritime museums in Marstal, cycle past cliffs and beaches, and experience traditional Danish island life. The island is especially popular in summer thanks to its mild climate, cultural events, local markets and iconic beach huts along the coast.
Iconic beach huts in Ærøskøbing | Photo: Travel In Culture
It is a must to include Ærø (Aero) and Ærøskøbing (Aeroskobing) when you are going island hopping in the South Funen Archipelago in Denmark. Ærø is an enchanting island with scenic landscapes, rolling hills, iconic beach huts and small, seducing towns full of history. Moreover, the climate is mild, and Ærø is one of the locations in Denmark with the highest number of sunshine hours.
For travellers interested in meaningful and slower journeys, this approach fits perfectly with the principles described in our cultural travel method.
Where is Ærø / Ærøskøbing located? The South Funen Archipelago offers a lot of spectacular small islands to hop between, which, besides Ærø, include Tåsinge, Langeland, Als, Drejø, Strynø, Hjortø, Lyø, Avernakø and Skarø, to mention just a few.
The most famous beach hut in Marstal, Aero | Photo: Travel In Culture
When visiting Ærø, most people arrive in picturesque Ærøskøbing. Several ferries serve the island, and most locals, day trippers, island hoppers, and other visitors arrive here in Ærøskøbing from Svendborg in Funen. Other options are to arrive in Marstal (coming from Langeland) or Søby (coming from Faaborg or Als – maybe on the new climate-friendly electric ferry!). It is quite a scenic crossing, and you may even be lucky to spot a seal or a porpoise from the ferry boat!
You can also combine Ærø with a wider road trip through the Danish islands to experience more of the South Funen Archipelago.
The landscape around the island is flat and scenic.
Once in Ærø, you can get around with ease, as the small Ærø towns have free island buses! Since distances are short and the island is relatively flat, you can opt to rent a bicycle to get around – many people do that! That is the perfect way to enjoy the scenic landscape and breathtaking sea views along the coast, a diversified birdlife, magnificent cliffs Voderup Klint, cute little island villages, and much more. There is not a lot of traffic in Ærø since the island only has about 6.000 residents. Generally, the cycling routes (150 km tracks) and walking trails are excellent.
Aeroskobing.
For a panoramic view of the island and the surrounding seascape, you can walk up the lighthouse Skjoldnæs Fyr (dating from 1881) situated at the northern corner of Ærø near Søby. Søby is the northernmost and Ærø’s third largest town, known for its large shipyard, the workplace for many locals.
Ærø in Denmark | Photo: Travel In Culture
Ærøskøbing is one of the best preserved small Danish towns dating from the Middle Ages – still with rural cobbled streets and idyllic half-timbered houses adorned with hollyhocks – all contributing to the unique Ærø setting. Ærøskøbing has, on several occasions, been awarded precisely for its quaint streets, characteristic houses and cultural heritage.
Ærøskøbing features a number of quaint old house doors.
In particular, you will notice the crooked house façades and carved and painted doors, often really spectacular in style. Some of these date from the 1600’s!
Nevertheless, many of the original houses in Ærøskøbing went up in flames in a devastating fire in 1629!
Ærøskøbing Denmark.
Ærø’s history is comprehensive. Until 1864, Ærø was part of the Danish Duchy of Schleswig, and King Christian IV‘s cousin, also named Christian, was during this era the Duke of Ærø (1622-1633)!
When strolling around, you may catch sight of the island flag – Aero has its particular flag in Denmark! It goes back to when Duke Christian was the governor in the 17th century, and his colours, yellow and red, are each reflected in two stripes. The third stripe is green, symbolising the green island.
Ærø’s flag pops up here and there in the picturesque streets.
Ærøskøbing is particularly popular in summer, when a jazz festival, various concerts and other cultural events draw people to the fairy-tale island. Numerous galleries, craft shops and small local markets offering artisan baskets, homemade soaps, liquorice products, locally brewed beer from Rise Bryggeri, delicious seafood and even locally produced artisan cigars create a unique atmosphere. Visitors blend in with the locals and enjoy the Danish summer.
Torvet, Ærøskøbing.
In the market square, Torvet, you will find the 19th-century Old Merchant’s House, today turned into a combination of a store and a restaurant where you, for instance, can enjoy genuine Danish smørrebrød. Just across the square, you will locate Ærøskøbing Church, dating from 1758.
Speaking about Danish food specialities, don’t miss the fish smokehouse Ærøskøbing Røgeri, where you can get all kinds of smoked fish specialities.
The fish smokehouse (røgeri), Ærøskøbing | Photo: Travel In Culture
On the northwestern side of Ærøskøbing, you will reach the famous beach Vesterstrand with its 71 iconic beach huts dotting the stretch of land, the oldest dating back to the 1920s. The huts have private owners who, for preservation purposes, will need to respect the strictest rules about the building style – changing nothing – and they are, under no circumstances, allowed to install any modern amenities!
Picturesque beach huts at Vesterstrand, Ærøskøbing | Photo: Travel In Culture
Beach huts at Vesterstrand, Ærøskøbing.
Ærø is also known for being a popular wedding location – and many couples, foreigners included, come here to get married in the unique island surroundings and romantic atmosphere. The wedding can either take place in Ærøskøbing Townhall, Ærøskøbing Church, or romantically in the nature / by the sea.
Flaske-Peters Samling (Bottle-Peter’s Collection) in Ærøskøbing (Aeroskobing) | Photo: Travel In Culture
An intriguing museum and curiosity in Ærøskøbing is Flaske-Peters Samling (Bottle-Peter’s Collection). The person Flaske-Peter (1873-1960) was named after his occupation: building bottle ships. He managed to build over 1700 of those, and a number of them are on display in the museum, which holds the oldest collection of bottle ships in the world!
Photo: Travel In Culture
Marstal, Ærø’s largest town, is a small port town, rich in maritime history and thus with a principal role in Denmark as a seafaring nation. For centuries, shipping has been the core industry here – which doesn’t come as a surprise when you look around. Dockyards and shipping companies constitute a considerable part of the harbour area, and the necessary equipment for the maritime vessels is visible along the waterfront.
Fishing nets hang to dry in Marstal, Aero | Photo: Travel In Culture
Moreover, Marstal Maritime Academy still exists (since 1861), the traditional school for future navigators, being trained for the Danish merchant fleet. A few years ago, it was just about to be closed down. However, persevering protests from the inhabitants prevented this from happening.
Marstal Maritime Museum | Photo: Travel In Culture
To get a feel for the maritime past, you can visit Marstal Maritime Museum, quite a landmark of Marstal. It contains a collection of 250 ship models and describes the sailors’ history from the olden days until today. Numerous items from everywhere in the world are on display: navigation equipment, old costumes, bottle ships and other curious items – besides the galley of the Newfoundland trader BONAVISTA and a wheelhouse.
Marstal Maritime Museum | Photo: Travel In Culture
Another noteworthy place at Marstal Harbour is Eriksens Plads (Eriksen’s Square), named after Eriksen’s Shipyard. At this site, in one of the numerous shipyards in Marstal, wooden sailing ships saw the light of day. At least a dozen shipyards were erected here in Marstal’s maritime heyday. One of those was precisely Eriksen’s Shipyard, which launched its wooden ships from here to all parts of the world.
Today, you can sometimes see restoration work on the ships around Eriksens Plads. With a little luck, you can see how the ships are restored, or how the later boat engines work in one of the workshops linked to the museum activities.
Various museum activities take place in Eriksen’s Square in Marstal | Photo: Travel In Culture
The schooner BONAVISTA and the coaster SAMKA still lie in Marstal Harbour. There is, for example, an ongoing restoration project of BONAVISTA.
Besides this, Marstal is also a charming small island town with a dynamic local life, many cultural activities, small craft shops, intriguing boutiques, and a traditional church dating from 1738, with 48 unique bells ringing several times a day.
Look out for the small craft shops in the streets of Marstal | Photo: Travel In Culture
You will love the narrow, winding cobbled alleys, picturesquely flanked by roses, hollyhocks and half-timbered houses. In summer, the charming setting is like a postcard!
Traditional idyll in Marstal, Aero Island Ærø | Photo: Travel In Culture
The famous Eriks Hale is a strip of land reaching out into the sea with the finest beach and 19 lovely colourful beach huts, another landmark here.
Iconic beach huts at Eriks Hale, Marstal | Photo: Travel In Culture
Marstal is also known for the author Carsten Jensen’s literary tale “We, the Drowned”, describing the life and the destinies in the island town from the mid-nineteenth century onwards – where the men, as a rule without many exceptions, set sail and went to sea – and their wives were left behind in Ærø.
Frequently Asked Questions about Ærø Island in Denmark
How do you get to Ærø Island in Denmark?
Ærø can be reached by ferry from Svendborg, Faaborg, Als and Langeland. Most visitors arrive in Ærøskøbing from Svendborg.
What is Ærøskøbing known for?
Ærøskøbing is famous for its cobbled streets, colourful half-timbered houses, hollyhocks and exceptionally well-preserved historic town centre.
Is Ærø a good destination for cycling?
Yes, Ærø is one of Denmark’s best cycling islands thanks to its flat terrain, scenic coastal routes and more than 150 kilometres of cycling tracks.
What are the best things to do in Marstal?
Visitors can explore the Maritime Museum, walk around the harbour, visit Eriksens Plads and enjoy the town’s maritime atmosphere and historic streets.
When is the best time to visit Ærø Island?
Late spring and summer are the most popular seasons because of the mild weather, long daylight hours and cultural events taking place across the island.
Can you visit Ærø Island without a car?
Yes, free island buses, cycling routes and short distances make it easy to explore Ærø without bringing a car.
Why are the beach huts in Ærøskøbing famous?
The colourful beach huts at Vesterstrand are protected historic structures dating back to the 1920s and are considered one of Ærø’s landmarks.
How much time do you need on Ærø Island?
A full day is enough to see the highlights, but spending two to three days allows time for cycling, museums, beaches and island atmosphere.
What local food should you try on Ærø?
Smoked fish, Danish smørrebrød, local beer from Rise Bryggeri and seafood specialities are among the island’s best-known local foods.
Would you like to get inspiration for 3 days in Copenhagen? Then read Copenhagen 3-Day Itinerary – or continue north and discover Aalborg’s historic waterfront, architecture and cultural attractions on foot in northern Denmark.
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