Holiday apartment in Assens: Coast, culture and island trails

Assens is a well-preserved Danish merchant town with historic buildings, narrow cobblestone streets and views of the Little Belt. The town’s history, maritime themes and varied landscapes come together here in a remarkable way.

Culture and town history

At the ERNST Museum, visitors can experience the universe of antiques, porcelain and art created and staged by the silversmith and collector Frederik Ernst himself. Guided tours explore Frederik Ernst’s life as a provincial silversmith and the many thousands of objects he collected. The WILLEMOES Museum has a maritime activity room where visitors can steer a boat and navigate with a more than 100-year-old compass. At the same time, it explores the story of a naval hero from Assens who became a naval hero at the age of just 17 during the Battle of the Roads and died seven years later in the battle aboard the ship of the line Prinds Christian Frederik.

Vor Frue Kirke is the second-largest church on Funen; its present form was completed in 1488. The 48-metre-high octagonal tower is unique in Denmark, apart from the church with the five towers in Kalundborg. Assens Miniby recreates the old houses within the former town gates from around 1890 to 1900. Since 1990, more than 130 detailed models at a scale of 1:10 have been built, created over the years by around a dozen pensioners. Plums Købmandsgård is one of Assens’s large and well-preserved merchant houses.

A self-guided town walk through Assens offers views of the harbour and the maritime areas around the harbour and pier. Assens Toldkammer, built in 1834 and listed since 1978, also stands at the historic harbour. The building houses exhibitions and activities throughout the year, including changing talks as well as events for children and families. As an important part of the historic harbour, it commemorates a place that was central to trade and communication between Denmark and Germany.

Nature and trails

The Jordbassinerne are a natural area close to the town that also bears witness to the area’s important industrial history following the closure of the Assens sugar factory. There are two marked hiking trails: a 2 km red trail and a 3 km yellow trail. A 3 km walk to Thorøhuse is also possible. The shelters at the Jordbassinerne are part of the Blå Støttepunkter shelter concept, featuring new, modern shelters around Funen.

Helnæs combines the flat landscape of Helnæs Made with the hilly green terrain of the Bobakkerne. The marked trail on the Made passes, among other places, a bathing beach. At Bobakkerne, a marked hiking trail of about 2 km leads around Galgebakken; from the 29-metre-high summit, there are sweeping views. From Funen, Helnæs can be reached by car or bicycle via the Langøre causeway, and a local bus also runs from Assens to Helnæs.

Thorø is a peninsula with woodland, a picturesque coastline and diverse wildlife. Old buildings and local stories convey historical and cultural traces there. Thorø has a 3 km hike through a varied landscape. Thorø cannot be reached by car.

Bågø and the maritime surroundings

Bågø is an island accessible by ferry from Assens, offering marked hiking trails as well as nature and cultural experiences. The ferry from Assens to Bågø takes about 30 minutes; reserving a place is recommended. Bågø has four marked hiking trails of varying lengths, rest areas and viewpoints from the birdwatching towers. From the birdwatching towers at Vestermosen and Noret, visitors can observe, among other species, avocets, eider ducks and grey herons.

Bågø’s cultural attractions include old fishermen’s houses, a Neolithic long barrow and Gammelmose, a former peat bog that bears witness to the island’s agricultural history. Bågø Naturcenter combines a nature school, accommodation for school residential stays, a conference centre and a youth and hikers’ hostel. Assens Marina is a modern yacht harbour with 600 berths; visiting boats can moor at all berths with green turning signs.

Wine and local offerings

At Vestergaard Vin, visitors can taste locally produced wine made from the Solaris, Rondo, Pinot Noir and Riesling grape varieties. Vinspecialisten on Torvet in Assens combines a wine and delicatessen shop with a wine bar and tasting room. The establishment organises wine tastings and winemaker’s dinners, among other events, throughout the year.

The selection of other places includes Helnæs By, Håre, Aborg, Aarup, Glamsbjerg, Holte, Ørsted, Strandby, Vissenbjerg, Assens, Brydegård, Bukkerup, Ebberup, Sandager and Haarby.

For the higher-level travel overview: Funen.