Holiday apartment in Odense – UNESCO World Heritage, culture and Odense Å

Odense offers museums, waterways and historical sites. Nonnebakken is considered Odense’s Viking fortress and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Culture and history

H.C. Andersens Hus displays original objects, paper cuttings and drawings by Hans Christian Andersen. H.C. Andersens Barndomshjem is also one of the places where his surroundings can be experienced: Its garden contains flowers and historic varieties that originated from his fairy tales. Brandts Art Museum hosts lectures, guided tours and other events.

In the centre of Odense stands Sankt Hans Kirke, a red Johannite monastery church near Kongens Have and Odense Castle. Graabrødre Kloster is a historic Franciscan monastery founded in 1279 by King Erik Klipping. Vor Frue Kirke is the oldest church in Odense and was built at the end of the 12th century. Odense Cathedral is a Gothic cathedral from the 14th century. Its crypt contains the remains of King Canute the Holy; the cathedral also has a 16th-century altarpiece created by woodcarver Claus Berg.

Nedergade in Odense’s old quarter, with its cobblestones, presents another picture of the older city. Its irregular half-timbered façades convey the history of the city over the centuries. Næsbyhoved Slotsbanke complements these historical sites as a medieval castle site with deep moats.

Water and greenery

The Odense Å flows through Munke Mose. A section of the path along the Odense Å towards Bellinge is designated as a Heart Path for exercise in green surroundings. Rowing boats and pedal boats can be rented in Munke Mose for trips on the Odense Å. Visitors can also use their own rowing boats, kayaks or canoes on the Odense Å there all year round. Munke Mose is also home to Saabyes Stryg, a fish passage where visitors can take a break beside the rushing water.

Odense has 120 parks and gardens. The city centre is also car-free.

Museums and living history

At Odense ZOO, visitors can see animals from around the world, including large predators and smaller petting animals. The ZOO also offers a twelve-metre-high walkway and playgrounds. At the open-air museum Den Fynske Landsby, guided tours are offered as an introduction to the visit. On selected days, the museum presents living history with volunteers working in 19th-century clothing. The buildings originally stood in various locations on Funen and the surrounding islands. Visitors can see the livestock of Den Fynske Landsby all year round in the pastures or stables.

Danmarks Jernbanemuseum displays a working, true-to-the-original replica of ODIN, Denmark’s first locomotive from 1846. Odense Bunkermuseum preserves an intact 450 m² atomic bunker from the 1950s. The museum contains original objects from the Cold War as well as three exhibitions about different aspects of the Cold War.

Cityscape and market

The Torvedag market offers seasonal fruit and vegetables, flowers and other seasonal produce. There are also various types of cheese, including the Funen speciality Rygeost. On most market days, fish is also available from a fish van. This means that Odense’s local character is reflected not only in its historic buildings but also in the changing goods sold on a market day.

Getting around Odense

Odense has more than 500 kilometres of cycle paths. From Odense railway station, travellers can reach various parts of Denmark by train, travel to southern Funen by regional train and take buses to other towns on Funen.

Further local pages lead to Blommenslyst, Agedrup, Freltofte and Odense.

For the higher-level travel overview: Funen.

More destinations

More places within the same destination:

Ærø Municipality, Langeland, Nordfyns, Faaborg-Midtfyn Municipality.