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Funen

Funen is located in the central part of the country and is Denmark's second largest island. The landscape is gently rolling and hilly with many orchards and living fences, also characteristic of the island are the many thatched half-timbered farmhouses. The South Funen Archipelago is situated immediately south of Funen with islands of all sizes and beautiful straits, bays and inlets.

Funen is linked to Zealand by the Great Belt Bridge and to Jutland by the Little Belt Bridge. And in the South Funen Archipelago, large and small ferries and bridges ensure connection to the outside world.

Funen - ÆrøAlong the Great Belt coast, on North and South Funen and in the southern part of Little Belt, you find nice sandy beaches with calm waters suitable for swimming. The currents can be powerful in the Little Belt, so please make sure to follow the local directions. Also the South Funen Archipelago offers great opportunities for swimming and since the distances are short, you can always find a nice, sheltered beach.
Funen - Landscape near kertemindeThe lovely South Funen landscape with hills, living fences and old half-timber farmhouses is probably best experienced on the stretch between the towns of Svendborg and Faaborg. North of Faaborg, you find the rolling, beautiful Svanninge Bakker (Svanninge Hills) with steep cliffs and deep clefts which are results of the last glacial period which ended about 14,000 years ago. From the hill tops, there is an amazing view of the South Funen Archipelago and all of South Wet Funen, and the area's flora and fauna are very varied. 

Funen - Fyns HovedNorth of Kerteminde on North East Funen is the peninsula Hindsholm along with a number of small islands and points, among others Romsoe and Enebaerodde. The landscape is shaped by the glacial periods in Denmark and there are plenty of nature areas offering an exciting plant and animal life. The shallow water in the bays and inlets of the Belt Sea is a popular breeding and resting place for many birds and ducks. At the northernmost tip of Hindsholm is the beautiful nature area Fyns Hoved (Funen's Head) where you can see for miles both over land and water. - and at the Experience Centre Fjord&Bælt (Fjord&Belt) in Kerteminde, you can learn much more about the environment and nature of the Belt sea – e.g. about seals and porpoises.
Funen - Keldsnor LighthouseThe South Funen Archipelago is often viewed as a whole, but the many large and small islands are very diverse and often lead their own lives. However, they do have a few things in common; the lovely nature, peace and quiet, cosy and small villages and harbour environments. The Archipelago is very popular with yachtsmen who find challenges, nature experiences and nice berths and harbours there. Small ferries ensure connection between many of the islands and the mainland.
Funen - Brandts, OdenseThe main city on Funen is Odense, Denmark's third largest city. It is first and foremost the birthplace and childhood home of fairytale writer Hans Christian Andersen, and you can experience his world in two of the city's museums. Odense is situated by a small river and by a fjord and it has a variety of great attractions.

Kerteminde on North Funen is known for its Amanda, a small statue of a local fisher girl, but also for the Johannes Larsen Museum which is built around the artist's home. Johannes Larsen was one of the leading personalities in the artists' settlement Fynboerne (the Danish name for people from Funen) which focused on portraying nature and daily life at the beginning of the 20th century. With his wife, Alhed – who was also a Fynbo-painter – he attracted many great painters and writers to their home.

The old ferry town of Nyborg on the east coast of Funen is today a bridge town because this is where the Great Belt Bridge between Funen and Zealand starts. The town's old castle is worth a visit. In Svendborg on the south of Funen, Denmark's largest shipping company, A. P. Møller-Mærsk was founded in 1904 and you can still feel the wings of shipping history - among other things on board the old wooden schooners which embark from the Maritime Centre.

Faaborg, like Svendborg, has an extraordinary beautiful location by the sea. The old town centre is pure idyll and at Faaborg Museum there is a great collection of the Funen painters – Fynboerne, see Kerteminde above.

On the island of Ærø, there is plenty of maritime atmosphere in the old shipping towns of Marstal and Ærøskøbing. The latter is also considered the pearl among the archipelago's towns with cobbled stones and old houses decorated with beautifully painted doors.
Funen is a green and fertile island with many orchards producing not only wonderful fruits but also delightful juice. Often, you can buy the products directly from the producer or from one of the many booths along the road which are also characteristic of Funen.

Smoked fresh cheese is a genuine speciality of Funen which in all its simplicity consists of soured milk that is drained of whey and smoked over oat straws and stinging nettles. Served on proper dark rye bread with radishes it is a taste of heaven – and not only to people from Funen.
FunenAnglers find some of Europe's best places for coastal angling for sea trout on Funen and in the South Funen Archipelago. Also sea kayak rowers will find great experiences around Funen and the gentle and hilly landscape is perfect for a cycling holiday which can be combined with island hopping.
Funen - Egeskov CastleThe artists' settlement Fynboerne – or the farm painters, under which name they are also known – is represented both at Faaborg Museum and in Kerteminde at Johannes Larsen Museum – see above. Changing exhibitions of contemporary art can be experienced at Brandt's in Odense and Grimmerhus near Middelfart is where you find Denmark's Ceramics Museum.

There is an unusual large amount of manor houses on Funen and they truly make an imprint on the landscape with their buildings, manor house fields and forests. Many manor houses are open to the public, e.g. Egeskov Castle, which is Europe's best preserved Renaissance water castle. Others you can only enjoy from the outside or by taking a walk through the well-looked after parks that are often open to the public.

The Funen landscape has many well-preserved remains from the past, among others the Damesten (The lady stone) – or Hesselagerstenen – on the eastern part of Funen. It is presumed that the almost 10 meter high and 1,000 tonnes heavy stone is brought here by the ice during the last glacial period about 14,000 years ago – it still shows the scraping stripes.

Map of Funen




Map of Funen

Find your way! See both satelite and ordinary map of Funen. 
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Facts about Funen

Largest town: Odense
Nearest airport: Billund
Distance from Copenhagen to:
   - Odense (167 km)
   - Svendborg (193 km)
   - Kerteminde (153 km)

More information about Funen

Websites:
www.visitfyn.com
www.visitsydfyn.dk
www.visitodense.com
 
Local Tourist Offices
Tourist Offices on Funen

Catalogues:
Go Odense 2010 (E-pages) 
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