Cidade Turismo
Denmark
Odense and Funen

Dinamarca do Sul · Denmark

Odense and Funen

The island of Funen, between Zelândia and Jutlândia: Odense, the birthplace of H. C. Andersen, the Castelo de Egeskov on a lake and, to the south, Svendborg and the archipelago of islands and seafaring villages.

Funen e o Sul

In the photo: Castelo de Egeskov

Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.

Get it on Google Play Send your photos

Get to know the place

A region to enjoy
at your own pace.

Funen (Fyn, in Danish) is the middle island of Denmark, connected to Zelândia by the Great Belt Bridge and to Jutlândia by two bridges over the Little Belt. Danes call it the "garden of Denmark" for its farms, orchards and manor houses scattered across the countryside. Odense, the island's capital and the country's third-largest city, lies in the centre, about 1h15 by train from Copenhagen.

Odense is the birthplace of Hans Christian Andersen, born there in 1805. The H. C. Andersens Hus, a museum opened in 2021 designed by the Japanese architect Kengo Kuma, tells the life and tales of the writer in a largely underground building surrounded by gardens; nearby are his childhood home and the old cobbled-street quarter. The Catedral de São Canuto houses the remains of King Canute IV and a gilded 16th-century altarpiece, and the open-air museum Den Fynske Landsby recreates a Funen village from Andersen's time.

About 30 km to the south, the Castelo de Egeskov, dating from 1554, stands on oak piles in a lake and has gardens, mazes and museums. On the south coast, Svendborg is the gateway to Funen's southern archipelago: ferries run to the island of Ærø, with the village of Ærøskøbing and 18th-century half-timbered houses, and a bridge leads to Tåsinge, with the Castelo de Valdemar and the seafaring village of Troense.

Odense is walkable and served by light rail; for Egeskov and the archipelago a car helps, but trains, buses and ferries reach most places. The island is flat and has signposted cycle routes.

This destination brings together 2 cities: Odense, Svendborg.

Share: WhatsApp
Traveler, share your experiences through photos Up to 5 photos of each place you visited.

One destination, many paths

The cities on this trip

Start with one city or combine several in your itinerary.

Where Odense and Funen is
OdenseSvendborg

Contornos: Web Vectors Map, via geoBoundaries (CC BY 4.0). Adaptação do Cidade Turismo.

How to get there: Odense and Funen

✈ Aeroporto de Copenhague (Københavns Lufthavn, Kastrup) (CPH), in Kastrup · 170 km to Odense

Check before you buy. From Copenhagen the train reaches Odense in about 1h15, crossing the Great Belt Bridge; from Aarhus in about 1h30. From Odense the local train goes to Svendborg in roughly one hour. From Svendborg ferries sail to Ærø, and a bridge leads to Tåsinge.

Suggested arrival point: Odense

The local experience

Things to do in Odense and Funen

H. C. Andersens Hus
Odense · Dinamarca do Sul · Museum

H. C. Andersens Hus

The Hans Christian Andersen museum opened in 2021, designed by Kengo Kuma, largely underground and surrounded by gardens. It includes the house believed to be the writer's birthplace and, a few streets away, his childhood home.

Porto e centro de Svendborg
Svendborg · Dinamarca do Sul · Historic centre

Porto e centro de Svendborg

The marina and ferry harbour on the Svendborgsund strait and the sloping-street town centre behind it, with Igreja de São Nicolau, the market square and the old houses on Fruestræde and Brogade.

Castelo de Valdemar (Valdemars Slot)
Svendborg · Dinamarca do Sul · Castle

Castelo de Valdemar (Valdemars Slot)

The baroque manor house built from 1639 to 1644 by Christian IV for his son Valdemar Christian, on the island of Tåsinge at the edge of the Svendborgsund strait. Later given to Admiral Niels Juel, it contains reception rooms, a toy museum and a hunting collection.

Catedral de São Canuto (Sankt Knuds Kirke)
Odense · Dinamarca do Sul · Cathedral

Catedral de São Canuto (Sankt Knuds Kirke)

Odense's brick Gothic cathedral, completed in 1499, with the crypt containing the remains of King Canute IV (the Holy) and the carved and gilded altar by Claus Berg from the early 16th century.

See 4 more places in Odense and Funen
Den Fynske Landsby
Odense · Dinamarca do Sul · Open-air museum

Den Fynske Landsby

An open-air museum that recreates a Funen village from H. C. Andersen’s time, with half-timbered farms, mills, a school, a smithy and animals, in a valley south of Odense centre.

Troense
Svendborg · Dinamarca do Sul · Village

Troense

The captains' and sailors' village on the island of Tåsinge, with half-timbered, thatched-roof houses on Grønnegade and Badstuen, a wooden-boat harbour and views over Svendborg.

Ærøskøbing
Svendborg · Dinamarca do Sul · Village

Ærøskøbing

The small trading town on the island of Ærø, about 1h15 by ferry from Svendborg, with cobbled streets and colorful 17th- and 18th-century houses, the ship-in-a-bottle museum and the island's beaches.

Castelo de Egeskov (Egeskov Slot)
Odense · Dinamarca do Sul · Castle

Castelo de Egeskov (Egeskov Slot)

The 1554 Renaissance castle built on oak piles in a small lake, near Kværndrup in southern Funen, with 20 hectares of gardens, mazes and museums of vintage cars and aircraft. Open seasonally.

Before you go

Practical information

A little planning leaves more time to enjoy the journey.

When to go

From May to September days are usually long and it's the season for Egeskov, Den Fynske Landsby and the archipelago boats, with more departures. In August Odense usually hosts the H. C. Andersen festival. April and October are cool and quieter. In winter, from November to March, it's cold, ferries run less often and several countryside attractions close; check before you go.

The seasons shown are the most usual ones; nature doesn't always follow the calendar.

How many days to stay

Two days are enough for Odense, including the H. C. Andersen museum, the cathedral and Den Fynske Landsby, plus an afternoon at Egeskov. With three or four days you can stay in Svendborg and visit Tåsinge, Troense and take the ferry to Ærøskøbing.

Which city to stay in

In Odense, the centre between the station and the cathedral makes the H. C. Andersen museum and the old quarter walkable. In Svendborg hotels are near the harbour and station, with ferries to the islands. In Ærøskøbing there are guesthouses in old houses for those who want to stay on the island. In the countryside manor houses and farms host guests.

Respect the place

Take your trash with you, follow the signs and support local businesses. In natural areas, follow the visiting guidelines.

Get your questions answered

Frequently asked questions about Odense and Funen

Is Odense worth a stop between Copenhagen and Aarhus?

Yes. It's halfway, about 1h15 by train from Copenhagen, and the H. C. Andersen museum and the old centre fit into one day.

How to get to Castelo de Egeskov without a car?

By train from Odense to Kværndrup on the line to Svendborg, and from there about a 2 km walk or a taxi. Check the timetables.

How many days to allow for Funen?

Two for Odense and Egeskov; three or four including Svendborg, Tåsinge and the island of Ærø.

Do you need a car in Funen?

Not for Odense and Svendborg. A car makes visiting Egeskov, manor houses and rural villages easier, but train, bus and ferry reach the main places.

Can you visit Ærø in a day?

Yes, the ferry from Svendborg takes about 1h15 to Ærøskøbing. Spending a night on the island makes the trip more relaxed.

Explore other destinations Search by state and city
Back