Rick Steves Tour of Scandinavia - Part 8: A Day on Ærø Island

 June 10:  A "Vacation from Our Vacation" on Ærø Island

Another thing I love about Rick Steves' tours are the special days he calls "A Vacation from Your Vacation."  These are days in a fun and relaxing spot with no itinerary.  You can join others in the group and plan a special activity or just spend the day exploring.  

Today was that special day for this tour - and it could not have come at a better time.  I actually woke up feeling a bit depressed, as every little thing, like taking a shower and getting dressed was complicated by my injuries, and I really missed having Rob with me. But it was a beautiful day outside, so I gave myself a good talking to and knew I'd be fine once I had breakfast and started enjoying the day's activities. And I was right!

Most of our group stayed in Pa Torvet

The entry to the courtyard of Pa Torvel

The courtyard of Pa Torvet

Beverly, Ruby and I set out after breakfast to explore the town, starting with a great walk out to a row of adorable little beach cottages that line the strand. These tiny cottages have stood here for over one hundred years, and they are passed along to family members. They were colorfully painted and decorated inside with little knick-knacks.

The set of "runestones" in the Ærøskøbing town square

Ærøskøbing Harbor

Ærøskøbing Harbor

The more modern homes along the waterfront of Ærøskøbing Harbor

Views from our walk to the beach cottages

Ærøskøbing sheep watched us pass by

As we approached the beach cottages, we found Stan, Sharon, Joanne, and Dan out exploring.

Ærøskøbing beach cottages line the shore

Ærø countryside

The colorful beach cottages of Ærøskøbing

After visiting the cottages, Bev and Ruby and I tried to follow the Rick Steves walking tour, but we couldn’t seem to find the beginning of it, so we just browsed around until it was time for an optional bus tour of the island. There are three towns on the small island, so we visited one of them and had a fantastic lunch of three gorgeous smørbrød sandwiches. Smørbrød just means buttered bread, but in Scandinavia, the bread is just the base for fantastic creations. Ours were topped by three different and artistic offerings of shrimp, roast beef, and egg salad.

A look back at Ærøskøbing from our bus.

The beautiful green interior of Ærø Island, where the sea is never far from view.

At lunch, Raymond and I discovered we had selected the same shirt from the Viking Ships Museum!

Smørbrød for lunch 

An amusing painting in our lunch restaurant

After lunch, we visited the beautiful Bregninge Church. People have lived on Ærø Island since before 8,000 B.C.! This old church wasn't quite that old, but it was first built as a Romanesque Church in 1200 A.D., and the Gothic arches were added in the late 1400s. The cemetery outside of the church is lovely, well-maintained, with trees and flowers. But the inside of the church was gorgeous! The walls are covered with original medieval frescoes from the 1500s, and the arches are painted in arrows of orange and teal. The altar is a beautiful triptych created by the 16th century sculptor Claus Berg, and several ships hang from the ceiling as a tribute to the seagoing people of the island.

Bregninge Kirke and cemetery

The Gothic arches and altar in Bregninge Kirke

Altar by Claus Berg

Pulpit in Bregninge Kirke

Medieval Frescoes in Bregninge Kirke

Ships hung in Bregninge Kirke

Our final stop was the top of a bluff called Voderup Klint, considered one of the most beautiful places on the island, for views of the sea and Germany far off in the distance.

A breezy day at Voderup Klint

Happy Danish Cows

Linda and Laurel prepare another Skål opportunity.  

In the afternoon, I set out on my own to follow Rick Steves' town walk, which took me past various interesting and colorful houses and gardens. Some of the houses in Ærøskøbing date back to the 1600s, and the age of some was evident by their sagging or crooked half-timbered exteriors. The following are just snapshots of the town.

One shop was filled with Ships in Bottles

There were several home with pairs of dogs in the windows.  If I remember the story correctly,
the dogs facing out meant that visitors were welcome.

Tall trees block the homes along the waterfront from the wind.

Along my walk, I met Carla and Mary, who had taken advantage of the bikes on the island.

IS means Ice Cream - and it was delicious!

My walking tour ended in the pretty Ærøskøbing Kirke that stands in the square kitty-corner to our hotel. This church, built in the mid-1700s, is the third to stand in this location.

This church is known for its copper spire.

A remnant from one of the older churches that stood here?

Danish Coat of Arms hangs in the church

The neoclassical altar dates from 1821.

The Renaissance pulpit dates from 1634 and was donated to the church by Duke Philip of Lyksborg.

The organ dates from 1680.

At 5:00, we all met for “happy hour” at the Andelen, the guesthouse being used by six of our group. The gathering was lively and fun, but I nibbled so much that I was happy to order just an appetizer for dinner with some of my tour members.

Bruce and I head to Andelen for Happy Hour

And, all too soon, it was time to pack up for the next leg of our trip the next morning. What a lovely vacation day it had been!