Little colorful beach bungalows on Æro Island |
We arrived by ferry at the Northernmost major port in Denmark - Hirtshals. From the towering mountains of Norway to the rolling farmlands of Denmark - the change was drastic. The drive to Aarhus was nice and the lower latitude brought noticeably darker nights which was comforting somehow.
Aarhus
Click here for our photos, "i" for information.
The following day was dry but really windy which made ducking into buildings a welcome respite. We started at the Aarhus Cathedral which had been whitewashed during the Reformation only 16 years after completion. According to our guide book "Ironically, that Lutheran whitewash protected the fine 16th-century art.” When it was peeled back in the 1920's, the frescoes were found perfectly preserved. The tiny window pictured here is from the earlier Romanesque church that stood on the same spot and dates from 1320.
Outlines on the floor of the Viking Museum trace the Viking era buildings that were uncovered during excavations for a bank building in 1960. We enjoyed this compact museum with artifacts such as combs, loom weights, pottery, a recreated workshop and a murder victim. It was here that I learned that most days of the week in Old English are named after Norse gods. Originally the Greeks named the days after the planets so it's a bit more complicated than that, but for example: Monday (Manadagr), Tuesday (Tysdagr), etc.
The Aarhus Theater's Danish Art Nouveau facade from around 1900 is lovely. If you're wondering about the devil perched at the apex - the bishop objected when this "house of sin" was built facing the Cathedral so the theater builders got the last word by finishing the structure with this devil. It was a hit with the secular modern locals.
Ærø
We were really lucky to arrive by ferry on June 28, just days before this small island's high season. Our RS guide warned, and a local shop owner confirmed, that the island is mobbed in the month of July and quiet the rest of the year. Ærøskøbing camping has very good facilities, was nearly empty and we had a view of the colorful little beach bungalows that appear on the tourist promotional materials.
One of two oldest houses in Ærøskøbing |
Ærø statistics from RS: 7,000 residents, 500,000 visitors and 80,000 boaters annually. Ærøskøbing has been called a Fairy-tale town and was awarded the Europa Nostra prize in 2002 in appreciation of looking after cultural heritage. It's a very quaint town with adorable old houses, ocean views, pastures for sheep and horses, fields of golden wheat, and lots of hiking and bike paths. You're allowed to pick berries as long as it's no more than a "hatful" and roadside boxes contain produce for sale on the honor system. It's the kind of place that invites you to slow down and be grateful you've got the chance to experience island living - Danish style.
I loved the look of the charming old houses but when we saw one being renovated with the floors torn out all the way to the bare dirt, it put a serious damper on any romantic notion I had to own one.
If you look closely at the window to the left of the door in this picture, you'll see a small set of mirrors. These are known as "street spies" because they let the people inside watch what's going on outside.
An interesting note about how the island's history and layout:
“Notice how the town is in a gully. Imagine pirates trolling along the coast, looking for church spires marking unfortified villages. Ærø’s 16 villages are all invisible from the sea—their church spires carefully designed not to be viewable from sea level.”
— Rick Steves Scandinavia by Rick Steves
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Our first few days were overcast so our photos are a bit drab, but the sun came out the day we visited Bregninge Church (12th century), Voderup cliff and the Store Rise Dolmen site which is 6000 years old.
We read that it's perfectly acceptable to "borrow" a seat at one of the charming little beach bungalows when the owners weren't present but we just couldn't bring ourselves to do it. Our last day was filled with rainy day chores and reflection. You could certainly enjoy a summer here roaming the many walking and biking trails, kayaking, and admiring the many details of the adorable houses.