We will be touring in Denmark in early October and think we would like to take the ferry to Æroskøbing. If we just want to walk around the town and not tour the island is it a reasonable day trip or should we plan to stay overnight? Any thoughts appreciated.
Posted by
Copenhagen, Denmark
971 posts
First of all how will you be touring Denmark, by car or train? And if you want to do Ærøskøbing as a day trip, then from where?
Keep in mind that the ferry from Svendborg takes one hour and 15 minutes and that Ærøskøbing is a small town with less than 1.000 inhabitants.
Posted by
OP
22 posts
We will be touring by car. We will begin in København where we are staying with our "exchange" daughter. Our plan is to eventually make a circle of Jylland with a stop in Aabenraa to visit friends, then drive up the west coast to Thisted where I was a foreign student many years ago. We then continue on to Aarhus to visit my host sister. Finally it is back to København to fly home. We will be there from 28 Sept to 9 Oct. Another plan would skip Æroskøbing but visit Skagen. I never made it there when I was a student. If you could only choose one--Skagen or Æroskøbing--which would you choose?
Posted by
Copenhagen, Denmark
971 posts
To be honest i have never actually been to Ærøskøbing, so i cant really comment on if it's better than Skagen. However Skagen is by far the more popular destination among danes and I don't really know why Rick Steves highlights Ærøskøbing among so many other destinations in Denmark.
What i can say is given your overall route Skagen would fit in better. The drive from Thisted to Skagen has many worth while sights, that weould be more fun than spending time on the ferry to Ærø.
like the viking round fort at Aggersborg http://www.visitvesthimmerland.com/ln-int/danmark/vikingeborgen-aggersborg-gdk597454
The German WW2 gun fortifications in Hanstholm http://www.museumscenterhanstholm.dk/?lang=en
The lighthouse at Rubjerg Knude, that has been consumed by shifting sands https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rubjerg_Knude_lighthouse
The migrating dune at Råbjerg Mile https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R%C3%A5bjerg_Mile
The sand covered church just south of Skagen https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sand-Covered_Church
On that way south you also pass the Viking burial site of Lindholm Høje near Aalborg https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lindholm_H%C3%B8je
Posted by
OP
22 posts
Mange tak! Your reply was very helpful. I think we were interested in visiting an enchanting island village but I think we can get some of the same feel with a trip to Amager while we are in Kobenhavn. This trip is a work in progress!
Posted by
Copenhagen, Denmark
971 posts
You are welcome.
Yes i think a trip to Dragør will give you the same old fishing village feel, but with less hassle.
Posted by
OP
22 posts
Oh, dear....I meant Dragør. Thank you for the gentle correction. Amager is quite a different thing!