Bopping Around the Danish Island of Funen
a travel zine from the north coast to the south coast of Denmark's third largest island
In the spirit of seeing a fuller picture of Denmark, we wanted to see a variety of towns and cities on Funen—the third largest island in the country. Here’s a collection of the places we went to during this leg of the trip! In case you missed the other parts of my Denmark excursion, check out the recap here:
Denmark Should Be On Your Bucket List
Welcome to my Denmark digital travel journal 🫶 It’s a long post, with many other posts embedded within that dive deeper into side topics, so feel free to jump around or just save this for later. Without further ado, let me share my trip to Denmark!
table of contents
**if you’re new to Substack, there is also a built-in table of contents on the left!
📍Kerteminde 👇
destinations // things to do, places to see, experiences to be had
Kerteminde Nordstrand
Kirsebærfestival
The Old Town
food food // repetitive word usage to emphasize legit-ness of its qualification as being meal material; defined as anything that contains nutritional value to fuel that hot bod of yours
Lulu’s Café and Boutique
📍Odense 👇
destinations //
City walking in Odense
Eventyrhaven
Hans C. Andersen’s Childhood Home
H.C. Andersen Hus
Klosterhaven ved Skt. Knuds Kloster
Nordatlantisk Hus
Storms Pakhus
food food //
Bar’ Unika
Restaurant Klosterkroen
nibbles // anything from a snack to a dessert; anything edible that the responsible adult in you wouldn’t comfortably qualify as meal material but wish could be
Wendorff
📍Svendborg 👇
destinations //
City walking in Svendborg
Frederiksø
food food //
Café Svend
Frederiksøens Fiskebar
Lolo - Bakery & Bar
other writings on Denmark // linking my Denmark-related articles in case you want to peruse some others ❤️
Kerteminde
destinations
KERTEMINDE NORDSTRAND
Also known as the North Beach, this is Funen’s best beach and stretches almost 1000 meters (0.62 miles). The beach is located to the east of center town Kerteminde, north of the Kerteminde Havn & Marina (you’ll spot it from all of the boats moored by the pier). The beach itself is very sandy and not too rocky, with such clean, crystal clear water (almost just as magical as the waters at Caribbean coastlines). ✨website linked here✨
Tips: there’s a little shack that provides ice cream and snacks in case you get hungry, but also feel free to bring your own!
Address: 5300 Kerteminde, Denmark
KIRSEBÆRFESTIVAL
Years ago, Kerteminde was known for its cherry orchards, so in 2005 the town created a Cherry Festival to celebrate this heritage. This tradition occurs every July, and boy did it exceed my expectations! The festival is a weekend long, filled with performances, merchants and stalls selling food and various cherry-flavored items (pastries, pies, soft serve, etc.), and activities (cherry cake competition!). I felt that the festival added a lot of livelihood to the town, which otherwise may have been relatively quiet. If you’re visiting in July, add this to your itinerary; it was so cool to experience this folk festival! ✨website linked here✨
Tips: save your sweet tooth to grab cherry softice (soft serve) and add the chocolate shavings—a cherry cordial cream dream
Address: the festival sprawled throughout center town Kerteminde, but was mainly centered on the streets Vestergade and Langegade
THE OLD TOWN
Also known as the heart of Kerteminde! I like to refer to it as “center city” only because it’s a term I’m used to using with the other Danish cities we visited. The streets date back to the middle ages and have quaint architecture featuring half-timbered homes and colorful block buildings. Extremely idyllic ✨website linked here✨
Tips: start at Lulu’s Café & Boutique! The Old Town spans many streets, listing some below 👇
Address: Langegade, Strandgade, Præstegade, Trollegade, etc. (Kerteminde, Denmark)
food food
LULU’S CAFÉ & BOUTIQUE
Located in the smack dab middle of Kerteminde, Lulu’s Café and Boutique is a cozy cafe founded by two locals that wanted to create a place for hygge. Lulu’s Café and Boutique makes everything homemade from good ingredients. They also double as a home decor store, stocking a cute mix of furniture and knick-knacks from Sika-Design, Rice, Ib Laursen, etc.—the vibes are European beach chic. We came here for our breakfast before leaving town, but their lunch/snack menus look delicious too, mixing Spanish and Danish influence. ✨website linked here✨
Tips: the Breakfast Plate is a great bang-for-your-buck option with huge portions, though the bun itself + cheese wasn’t comparable to the bolle med osts I’d had from other artisan bakeries in Denmark
Address: Langegade 2A, 5300 Kerteminde, Denmark
photos on Lulu’s Café & Boutique are in my bolle med ost article 🫶
Odense
destinations
CITY WALKING IN ODENSE
I always find that a casual walk (take the “long way” somewhere) is the best way for me to stumble upon parts of a new place I wouldn’t have known about otherwise. Odense is one of those places where I felt like I discovered more through wandering than intentional planning! There are plenty of streets—from side alley to main—that have cute boutiques and nice restaurants that are specialty and local on this street, totally putzing endorsed. I wish I’d had more time and money to spend here 😆
Address: a couple of notable streets to see: Vestergade, the area near H.C. Andersen Hus, Odense Rådhus, and Odense Slot!
EVENTYRHAVEN
Also known as “The Fairytale Garden” in English, this garden was founded in 1876 by the Reading Association as an exclusive park only available to wealthy citizens with access cards to visit. Later, the ownership transferred to Odense Municipality and the city opened the garden to the public in 1942. This park is dreamy to walk through, complete with its own pergola, bridges, and statue of H.C. Andersen created in 1949. There’s a large green space in the center with a castle where I assume children’s plays are hosted frequently in the summers! ✨more info here✨
Tips: great place for a picnic or to pass through between destinations; an amazing break from the town and cobblestones :)
Address: Eventyrhaven, 5000 Odense, Denmark
HANS C. ANDERSEN’S CHILDHOOD HOME
Not to be mistaken with the museum “H.C. Andersen’s Hus” detailing Hans Christian Andersen’s legacy, this is the yellow house where H.C. Andersen lived with his parents from ages 2 to 14. It has been preserved and maintained since 1930 on the original street, allowing visitors to view the humble rooms that have been described in H.C. Andersen’s autobiography. The backyard was expanded in 2018 to include flora and greenery mentioned in Andersen’s writings. ✨more info here✨
Tips: a ticket to H.C. Andersen Hus gets you free entry to his Childhood Home, too; this museum doesn’t take long to browse—30 minutes tops
Address: Munkemøllestræde 3 - 5, 5000 Odense C
H.C. ANDERSEN HUS
Opened in 2021, this is a museum dedicated to H.C. Andersen’s life and legacy. The building is a beautifully designed piece of architecture by Japanese architect Kengo Kuma and Associates and is complimented by an equally majestic urban garden that is in, on, and around the museum. The museum is organized linearly, following H.C. Andersen’s life in a chronological manner that allows you to see his original paper cuttings, drawings, and writings while also getting to know his thoughts, travels, and relationships. The museum caps with an open space filled with interactive stations related to 11 of Andersen’s most famous fairy tales, where you can also read them cover to cover! ✨website linked here✨
Tips: I was surprised to find this to be one of my favorite museums; the layout and information is presented in a very engaging way that’s easy to digest. It felt like I was getting to know him over coffee :)
Address: H.C. Andersen Haven 1, 5000 Odense C, Denmark
KLOSTERHAVEN VED SKT. KNUDS KLOSTER
Also known as “The Monastery Garden”, this is a medicinal herb garden at St. Knuds Church and Monastery that opened to the public in 1922 and was renovated in 2005. This garden is now one of the surviving physical traces of monastic Odense from the Middle Ages. The garden contains 127 plants and is another pretty green space to wander through~ ✨more info here✨
Tips: as all herb gardens do, has a subtle floral-herby scent in the air all throughout
Address: Klosterbakken 2, 5000 Odense, Denmark
NORDATLANTISK HUS
Also known as the “North Atlantic House” in English, this is a multipurpose building used to promote the culture of North Atlantic countries, complete with conference and banquet rooms, exhibitions, and a shop selling products designed by North Atlantic countries. There is even an in-house restaurant with a view overlooking the harbor! ✨more info here✨
Tips: there’s a public swimming hole near here that looks very lively and a totally local thing to do
Address: Nordatlantisk Promenade 1, 5000 Odense C
STORMS PAKHUS
Storms Pakhus (“Storm’s Warehouse” in English) is Funen’s biggest street food market that opened in 2017, located in a renovated century-old warehouse that was built in 1942. Many of the food vendors at Storms Pakhus are new restauranteurs and innovative food creators—the team behind this street food market are huge supporters of local entrepreneurship and aim to be that launching pad new business owners need. The space has a very welcoming and informal energy, encouraging people of all ages to gather and connect over food, beverages, and the many events they host. ✨more info here✨
Tips: check their calendar and try and line up your visit with one of their events (we weren’t able to do this since our visit was very condensed)
Address: Lerchesgade 4, 5000 Odense, Denmark
food food
BAR’ UNIKA
Opened in 2019, Bar’ Unika is co-owned by 3 sisters whom have taken their experiences from traveling and living in London, Mexico, and Australia and blended it into this photogenic café that oozes hip-chic-trendy energy (think cute plateware, interior design, etc.). The menu itself is colorful and nourishing, with a healthy dose of pastry options, grain bowls, juices & smoothies, and beautifully poured lattes. I love the location in Brandts Passage—you feel tucked away and so cozy. ✨website linked here✨
Tips: they offer an all-day breakfast, in case you’re looking for a bolle med ost destination 😉
Address: Brandts Passage 2, 5000 Odense, Denmark
RESTAURANT KLOSTERKROEN
Restaurant Klosterkroen opened in 2015 with the mission to create classic Danish food that can be enjoyed in a nostalgic environment. The restaurant is decorated with red and white checkered tablecloths, old photographs, and antique furniture from the Gråbrødre Monastery that make it very homey, and the menu is full of traditional Danish dishes that your Danish grandmother would be proud to serve. Restaurant Klosterkroen prioritizes animal welfare, sourcing their meats locally and sustainably, and offers many fun menu specials depending on the day of the week (i.e., all-you-can-eat savory tarts on Wednesdays, etc.)! ✨website linked here✨
Tips: we got the Bøfsandwich and Stegt flæsk (fried pork with parsley sauce); I’d recommend the Stegt flæsk over the Bøfsandwich if you’re looking for something more uniquely Danish. The Bøfsandwich felt basically like a hamburger!
Address: Lille Gråbrødrestr. 2, 5000 Odense, Denmark
nibbles
WENDORFF
A well-loved bakery by locals, Wendorff is known for its scratch-made bread and pastries and environmental consciousness. The breads use a strong sourdough starter that’s fed every day with no shortcuts taken. Wendorff prides itself in getting their energy supplied from a wind turbine and sourcing their ingredients locally to reduce their Carbon footprint. Their bakery cases offer ready-made sandwiches, classic Danish baked goods and sweets, and a huge assortment of bread loaves and rolls that you can bulk buy for the week. ✨website linked here✨
Tips: the brunsvigerstykke is an iconic dessert in Funen and Wendorff is a great place to buy and try one (their bolle med ost didn’t surpass any of the artisan bakeries in Copenhagen for me, so I’d pass on ordering that)
Address: Asylgade 16, 5000 Odense, Denmark
Svendborg
destinations
CITY WALKING IN SVENDBORG
There isn’t a lot of traffic in Svendborg, making many of the streets super pedestrian-friendly (if they’re not already pedestrian-only). I was shocked to find so many artisan shops, specialty stores, cute restaurants and cafés, etc. etc. even for a smaller coastal town! ✨more info here✨
Address: Brogade, Sankt Peder Stræde, Kyseborgstræde, Møllergade; or you can start at BRØD: Gerritsgade 18B, 5700 Svendborg, Denmark
FREDERIKSØ
Frederiksø is Svendborg’s old shipyard that’s located on a mini island off the coast of the Svendborg Harbor. It’s connected to the main island with a paved walkway and has become a cultural and creative center with a mix of makers/vendors in Rundbuehallen (the Round Arch Hall), street food stalls, workshops and music performances. I loved being able to get a view of the Svendborg Harbor from across the water, and it was fun to order a casual meal at the food stalls. ✨more info here✨
Tips: totally free, it’d be cool to look up any calendar events that would be hosted at the venues during your visit!
Address: Frederiksø, 5700 Svendborg
food food
CAFÉ SVEND
We stumbled upon this cute café that’s set in a renovated fire and police station while looking for an afternoon pick-me-up. Co-founded by husband and wife duo Anders and Luise Føns Haaber, Café Svend is a café that caters to all age groups—providing everything from a children’s playroom to boardgames to a private event space upstairs perfect for hosting. The high ceilings and tall windows usher in a lot of beautiful natural light, the decor is so colorful, and the spiral staircase in the middle is a subtle nod to its previous life as a fire station. Café Svend is effortlessly welcoming and hosts a couple of events a month to bring the community together. They have a great outdoor patio, too! ✨website linked here✨
Tips: we got the cold smoked salmon smørrebrød and it was artfully plated with many different toppings; it gave me the impression that their menu is more gourmet than meets the eye
Address: Ramsherred 2, 5700 Svendborg, Denmark
photos on Café Svend are in my smørrebrød article 🍞
FREDERIKSØENS FISKEBAR
Located in the middle of the Svendborg Shipyard, a collection of street food vendors that share an open outdoor seating space, Frederiksøen Fiskebar is a part of Madbar, which is a street food stall known for its gourmet hamburgers. They offer a one-page menu of seafood—fried, raw, etc.—with a side of crispy fries. It’s a great place to get fish & chips—being by the coast always gives me a hankering for some! 🤪 I loved that we could eat our food by the harbor if we wanted, or choose any open table at the many breweries available. ✨website linked here✨
Tips: the portions for the fried fish were on the smaller side, so if you want a lot of food, I’d recommend ordering the Stjerneskud (Shooting Star); the smoked salmon on this was phenomenal
Address: Frederiksø 2, 5700 Svendborg, Denmark
LOLO - BAKERY & BAR
Lolo - Bakery & Bar is right across from the Svendborg Harbor—if you choose a seat outside, you get a charming view of the waterfront. Lolo is founded by Lone Thusing and the entire menu is made from scratch, with some organic options. The ingredients are excellently selected, focusing on quality and animal welfare, and the interior decor is cozy and feels like a friend’s living room. It’s just an all-around homey café that feels like a hug when you step on the premises. ❤️✨website linked here✨
Tips: everything in the Morning Plate is tasty (full review here: Falling in Love with "Bolle med Ost") and will leave you full for hours! I was so impressed with how the cured meat didn’t have any aftertaste (it felt like it didn’t have any preservatives!)
Address: Jessens Mole 5A, 5700 Svendborg, Denmark
Overall, I really enjoyed the parts of Funen Island we were able to see—life there really does feel slower (as it typically does in smaller cities and towns near the coast) and I got what I wanted out of it: a fuller picture of Denmark!
My only itinerary changes for next time: I’d pick only 1-2 towns and spend a bit longer in each to more intimately get to know them, as you all know I love to do 😉 So, if you were to visit Denmark…
