
Market Towns of South Funen
Location is the name of the game. On the south coast of Funen, there are two old market towns that have it in abundance. And they are located in some of the most beautiful and Danish nature you can imagine. Rarely do things fit together as well as they do on South Funen. Several other Danish towns are located by the sea and many have great beaches. But it is the overall package that makes Faaborg and Svendborg so unique that they stand out among other towns.
And exactly what kind af package would that be?
Picturesque Svendborg and Faaborg
Of course, there is the sea. With all the possibilities it offers for bathing and swimming in the summer season and for sailing, diving and underwater hunting, kite surfing, angling and sea hunting. The South Funen archipelago is absolutely unique with its many small islands, all with sandy beaches and salt marshes and deciduous trees, served by many small ferries that allow you to make one island hop after another.
Secondly, there are the natural gems inland. Maybe you already know Svanninge Bjerge and Bakker? But do you also know the very special Helnæs with its low seaweed and dramatic hills? The terrain on South Funen is some of the most beautiful and varied for hikers and cyclists. The sights are close together and there are rarely more than 10 kilometres between one beautiful manor house and the next. Have you stood on a hilltop near Bøjden and admired the frankly spectacular views of the archipelago? Have you climbed the tower of Bregninge Church and looked out over Tåsinge towards Ærø and all the other islands? Or admired Svendborg Sound from the bridge? It's best done on foot or by bike.
And thirdly, of course, there are the two dreamy market towns themselves, Svendborg and Faaborg. They both ooze atmosphere, cosiness and history. And then there's the fantastic hiking route Øhavsstien, which encloses and connects them. A system of marked trails leads walkers and cyclists to many of the major natural and cultural attractions in the area.
Maritime Svendborg
Svendborg was herostratically famous, meaning famous for its misdeeds and mistakes. In Svendborg's case, it was being the town with the most pubs per inhabitant. The explanation, of course, was that Svendborg was a harbour town with many shipyards and shipping companies. It's simple, really: where there are sailors, there are pubs, and all the other things that come with a harbour town.
Today, things are different. The town's motto is that the soul lives on South Funen. And Svendborg prides itself on being the largest of only two Citta Slow towns in Denmark. The focus in these towns is on making time for socialising, enjoying the day, nature and each other. And it's more than just a phrase. You quickly realise that people in Svendborg are friendly, welcoming and easy to connect with.

It was in Svendborg that A. P. Møller and his father, more than 100 years ago, started the company that would become Mærsk. Mærsk has long since moved to Copenhagen. The shallow waters of the South Funen Archipelago do not make it ideal for running a huge shipping company and directing large ships from there. And perhaps the local dignitaries were also too cautious when it came to injecting money into steamships and motor ships at a time when the era of the sailing ships was coming to an end? In any case, A. P. Møller moved to Copenhagen, where the pace was faster. But the Maritime School SIMAC still stands in the eastern part of the harbour as a reminder of how Svendborg's fate is linked to the sea. And on Frederiksøen you can see traces of the proud shipbuilding tradition.
Frederiksø and the wooden bridge
- two major maritime monuments.
The largest shipyards in Svendborg were located on Frederiksøen, the Frederik Island, but today only one remains. Ring-Andersen Shipyard is still run as a family business, presumably in the fifth generation. Today it is mostly a repair yard for old wooden ships worthy of preservation. The shipyard has a good reputation, both for its skill and also for its friendliness. If you walk across the island, there will almost always be some old wooden ships waiting to be docked. Mostly black two-masted ships, many also from abroad, often Germany and the Netherlands.
Many of the ships return to Svendborg year after year, but then they dock further west, at the wooden ship bridge. The annual Fyn Rundt for wooden ships worthy of preservation is organised every year in late July, starting and ending in Svendborg. The wooden ship bridge is where it all comes together, right at the end of the large yellow warehouse, which is one of the harbour's landmarks and around the corner from where the ferry to Ærøskøbing docks. The shallow waters of the South Funen Archipelago are not suitable for a large harbour or big ships, and it is no coincidence that the area behind the wooden pier is popularly known as the mud hole.

Svendborg at your leisure
In Svendborg, the motto "småt men godt", small but great, is therefore more fitting than biggest and best. This also applies to the old steamer Helge, which really isn't very big. Every summer it chugs leisurely through Svendborg Sound with guests and tourists, between Svendborg, Thurø and Taasinge, all the way to the east coast to Valdemar's Castle.
Small but great also applies to the town's houses and churches. There are, of course, larger town houses and neighbourhoods of whitewashed, merchant villas with sea views. These are from the days when Svendborg was also the town in Denmark with the most millionaires. But at the same time, Svendborg is also a town that lives up to the motto that Denmark is a country where few have too much and fewer have too little. The big, dramatic and spectacular should be sought elsewhere. Instead, you can enjoy the charm of Svendborg, both in nature and surroundings and in the city itself. You can explore Svendborg in peace and quiet. Breathe, eat an ice cream and take your time. Then you can trust that the special things about Svendborg will find you!
The beauty of Faaborg
On one hand, Faaborg is a lot smaller than Svendborg, on the other, the historical environment is a lot better preserved.
The natural place to start is in the town square. From here you can still see the old city gate, dating back to a time when urban and rural areas were separated in a much more solid way than today. Today, the gate is swallowed up by the town, which continues a few kilometres westwards and fades into detached housing estates. A sign that historic Faaborg before 1850 really wasn't very big. Many of the buildings from that time are still preserved in the cobbled alleys with small stalls that served as accommodation for the artisan families and small traders who lived here.

At the end of the pedestrian street is the Faaborg Museum, which features works by some of Funen's best visual artists, such as Johanes Larsen and Fritz Syberg. The city centre also ends here.
You should take the time to wander through some of the small alleyways at the eastern end of the city and also walk through one of the small alleys to the yellow bell tower, one of the city's landmarks.
A church adopts a tower
The tower stands alone and seemingly unmotivated in the middle of the old town centre. But the Church of the Holy Spirit is quite far away, on the southern edge of the town, overlooking the meadows and the sound. The explanation is that Faaborg had a Holy Spirit Monastery in the Middle Ages. Holy Spirit Monasteries were the hospitals of the time, and the present church served as a monastery church at that time. After the Reformation, the monastery was dismantled and demolished, while the church was left standing. In the centre of Faaborg there was at that time a market church. It was named after St Nikolaus, and yes, it was he who later inspired Father Christmas. After the monks had left Faaborg, there was no longer any need for two churches. So they decided to be practical: the tower of St Nicholas' Church was higher and a good landmark, so they kept it. But the church was removed. Since then, the tower has belonged to the Church of the Holy Spirit.
The cosy town of Faaborg
Like Svendborg, Faaborg is characterised by its cosiness. Paved alleys, stalls, half-timbered houses. Especially the streets between the square and the harbour are fun to walk through and you get the full dose of cosiness with coloured houses, half-timbered houses, cobblestones and hollyhocks. From the harbour you can sail to Lyø, Avernakø, Bjørnø and Søby on Ærø.
Opposite the old station building, a new cultural centre has been opened, where you can get coffee and cake and sit inside or outside under a parasol. If you continue on to Horne Land afterwards, there is also the option of taking the ferry to Als. But why should you? Instead, you could explore the stretch between Faaborg and Svendborg.

The maritime aspect of Faaborg has not disappeared, but it has never been able to compete with Svendborg - the beautiful waters and the uniquely beautiful surroundings do not in themselves create great growth and prosperity. You need to have a good catchment area and good means of transportation. In that game, Svendborg had the best cards and still does.
A few kilometres out and behind the church is the Sound and some rolling meadows, with lovely paths all around. This feature of the landscape makes Faaborg a very elongated and rather narrow town.
Lovely nature of Faaborg
By the Sound, a good nature experience awaits hikers and people who like to use their legs and eyes in beautiful nature and this is where you meet Øhavsstien, the Archipelago Trail. Depending on how fast you walk, it takes 30-45 minutes to get around. Further up, behind the Sound, past Kaleko Mølle in the direction of Diernæs is some of the most hilly terrain we have in Denmark. It goes up and down so much that it becomes quite demanding for ordinary cyclists. It is some of the most stunning scenery we have to offer.
All in all, it is easier to drive or cycle east out of Faaborg and turn down towards Nab. The road here paves the way for one of the most beautiful bike rides you can find in Denmark: From Faaborg to Svendborg via Nab, Nakkebølle and Rantzausminde. There are many good cycle routes in Denmark, but not many that are more beautiful.
The Archipelago Trail
Øhavsstien, the Archipelago Trail, is great if you are the kind of person who likes to see and sense the atmosphere of the nature and the city. Simply enjoy the tranquillity of walking through this piece of South Funen. The Archipelago Trail itself is much longer than the section between Faaborg and Svendborg. It starts in Falsled and initially travels around many of the best natural and cultural sights until Svendborg. Here it branches into 3 and continues to Lundeborg, Langeland and Ærø. Let's take a closer look at the section between these two dreamy towns.
If you are a hardcore hiker, you can take the bus out of Faaborg towards Ringe and get off in Svanninge Bakker. From here the route takes you past Diernæs and on to the Holstenshus Manor House with its restored rococo garden. There was once a eremite cave in the garden, but it has been removed. Instead, there is a plaster figure of a monk by the teahouse. It really is a beautiful garden, and if you're interested in the beauty of gardens and parks, you simply can't fail to be delighted by the beautifully landscaped park in the rolling countryside. There is public access from sunrise to sunset and a modest entrance fee, which you are expected to put into the slot in the cash box provided. You furthermore pass Fjellebroen, Vester Åby and the Hvidkilde Estate - and there is much more - too much to describe here.
Ideal for cyclists
As a cyclist, you have more freedom. The country road east out of Faaborg will lead to Nab after a few kilometres, and here you have to make a decision.
The country road is in itself a very nice cycling route through a lush and varied landscape and with an appropriate distance between places to refuel with ice cream or soft drinks. But if you choose the more winding road over Nab, you will be rewarded with some of the most beautiful views of the South Funen Archipelago (and in general) that our country has to offer. Just before Fjellebroen you pass Nakkebølle, which was once Denmark's most expensive property. The beautiful old manor house from the 16th century once served as a tuberculosis sanatorium, but today it stands empty. In 2018, the estate was put up for sale for 90,000,000, but today the price has been set somewhat lower. Further along the route you come to Ballen, a town situated on a hilltop and again offering stunning views.
A diver's dream
Ballen is a well-known destination for divers. Just outside is the ferry Ærøsund, sunk as a kind of artificial reef. After a few years, it is now overgrown with all the underwater critters found in the western Baltic Sea. Mussels, polychaetes, sea squirts, and whatever else all the underwater crustaceans are called. After this, there are almost no more hills. You just pass Lehnskov Estate and continue along the Svendborg Sound along Lehnskov Strand and through Rantzausminde to Svendborg. In total about 40 kilometres on a route where you almost bathe in nature experiences.
The soul lives on South Funen, they say, and when you've travelled through this landscape on foot or by bike, there's no denying that it could well be true. If you would like a living guide to places I have not told you about here, then Guide Service Funen is a good place to find inspiration.
We are happy to say visit Funen with Guide Service Denmark and our guide service Funen.
Photos
The watchman in Faaborg. Photo: Michael Fiukowski and Sarah Moritz. License: VisitDenmark
Wiggers Gaard in the town square. Photo: Bjonsson. License: Pixabay
The wooden bridge and the yellow warehouse. Photo: Apeto. License: CC BY 3.0
Bøjestræde in Faaborg. Photo: Michael Fiukowski and Sarah Moritz. License: VisitDenmark
The fishing boat Marna in Faaborg Harbour. Photo: Bob Collowân. License: CC BY-SA-4.0