Svendborg

Take a trip to Svendborg, the gateway to the South Funen archipelago

Funen is known for its many idyllic towns with charming houses and old streets. But no city in Denmark can compare to Svendborg, Funen's second largest city, which boasts a fabulous history, beautiful buildings and an active cultural life.

When your family goes on a self-drive holiday through the south of Funen, you'll discover that there's more to the roads than idyllic towns and stunning scenery. On these winding roads between yellow fields and green forests, you can enjoy a culinary experience and discover the many charming farm shops and local producers selling fresh produce and food.

Upon arrival in Svendborg, you will discover a city with narrow streets winding in and out among the old and listed buildings. You will discover a city where the fresh salty smell of the sea spreads with the sound of the harbour's many seagulls. You can shop, eat and walk in the town's cosy square, where you can feel history beneath your feet. If you're going the last weekend of June there will be an extra special experience. Then, the entire town centre will be transformed into a marketplace with a huge selection of the special, fresh produce that Funen has to offer.

When you're done in the square, walk down the narrow streets to the harbour area and see the active harbour with beautiful ships and lots of life. Standing on the harbour and letting life wash over you, you can clearly feel that Svendborg is a port and maritime city that is very much still alive. From the promenade you can see ships from near and far setting sail for the world, while in the background the Svendborg Sound Bridge stretches like a giant monument across the water, connecting Svendborg with the islands of Tåsinge and Langeland.

If you want to get out on the waves yourself, you can take a trip with the veteran ship M/S Helge on a fantastic sailing trip across the Danish sea from May to September. Here you can visit the skipper town of Troense and see the streets of the past with historic half-timbered houses and other well-preserved relics of the Danish past.

You can also sail on to Valdemar Castle. You can enter the historic main building and be taken back to a time of knights, princes and princesses. There are no barriers or red tape, and you'll have the amazing experience of walking around the same beautiful halls and chambers where the magnates of the past moved.

The cruise is also ideal for families with children, as the captain is easy to talk to and a stop at a local ice cream parlour and playground is not impossible to arrange.

In addition to the M/S Helge, you can take ferry trips to the island of Drøje. It is a beautiful ferry trip, where you pass Svendborgsund, Skarø and Hjorthøj. On the island you can experience a rich bird life on the very special island landscape. Here you can also see marsh harriers and white deer, which are not found many other places in the world.

If you have children with you, you can also have an active day full of fun games at Svendborg's Open Gym. There's a huge area with trampolines and a climbing wall, while you can also play hockey and football. There are staff on hand to make sure everything is done safely and that you have a super fun day with happy, healthy children.

So bring the family, pack the car and go on the perfect self-drive holiday.