Ærø, dear old Denmark

Dannebrog og is med fløde!

High Street, Ærøskøbing

My love affair with Denmark is not much younger than I myself. I think it started already the first time I set foot in Nyhavn, year 1982 or there about. That day trip was followed by my first trip to Roskilde festival a couple years after. Next time it was " I think we should get tattoos "- trip to Istedgade with my best girl at the time. Before and after tattoos it was drinks at Postiljoonen, the legendary " embassy of Greenland ", where I met my danish boyfriend to be ( and to not be after some time ). Having a boyfriend who lived in Copenhagen, caused me to move to Denmark ( when you are 19, it is all so divinely straight forward, ain´t it? ;) ), where I stayed for about 20 months before getting a job in Stockholm. 

One of the many bridges in denmark

 Life has taken me around the block quite a few times ever since, and a lot has changed in Denmark as well as in the rest of the world, but my love for danish food, culture and especially the Danes! - has not faded. It´s a dear home away from home to me.
 So I have always kept going back. And a tiny little country as it is, there is always something new to discover.
This time in addition to visiting a friend in Copenhagen we traveled to lovely Ærø, mabel island as the name translates.  This story book island is situated south from Fyn in Lillebælt, Baltic sea and can not be reached by bridges, 
The journey from Copenhagen via Odense and Svendborg takes about five hours and the return ticket ( trains, seat, and ferry incl. ) costs 842 DKK ( ca 110€ ) and is unhesitatingly worth while! 

Svendborg

It might be a good idea to take a look at Odense, H.C Andersens home town, as you must change trains there anyway. For people like me, who suffer of a mild case of claustrophobia, a nice breath of fresh air can also be needed after the train ride across Storebælt. The  Tunnel for rail traffic is namely 8,024 m long and that is long believe me!  

Nose in the roses

It´s also a good idea to take a walk round sleepy Svendborg, where you change to ferry for Ærøskøbing, one of the three main villages of the island. 

Vegetarian burger, Under Uret, Svendbor

Marstal

My friend had found us accommodations in Villa Blomberg just outside the picturesque village, but this small island of roses has hostels and hotels etc. to offer for every taste, wallet and pass time interest. - The keepers of Villa Blomberg were very friendly though and offered a good breakfast with eggs fresh from the nests, so it´s worth recommending for people in search for a bargain. For the two nights in the villa we paid around 50€/ person ( 400 DKK ).

Ærø is home to many artists

The other two " cities " on Ærø  are called Marstal and Søby. - And there is a FREE hourly bus service connecting the three main villages, so seeing the island is made very easy even for us travelers who are not so much for hiking! 
Mange tak for det!