Odense

Hans Christian Andersen's hometown, with his museum and childhood homes scattered around the old town; nearby Egeskov is Europe's best-preserved moated castle, and the South Funen Archipelago lies to the south.

Odense is Denmark's third-largest city and the capital of the island of Funen, with about 200,000 residents. It lies between Copenhagen and the Jutland peninsula and is best known as the birthplace of fairy-tale writer Hans Christian Andersen; its name comes from Odin, chief god of Norse mythology. The old town is compact: the Kengo Kuma-designed H.C. Andersen's House museum and the house where he was born, the colourful half-timbered Andersen quarter, St. Canute's Cathedral, his childhood home and the Brandts art museum are all within walking distance. The Odense River flows through the south of the city, and riverboats run to the zoo and The Funen Village open-air museum. The climate is mild; June–August is best, with long days, gardens in full bloom and castles and island ferries all running. Winters are grey and cold but bring Christmas markets, though some countryside sights close. Day trips abound: about 30 km south is Egeskov, Europe's best-preserved moated castle, and further south are Svendborg harbour and island-hopping in the South Funen Archipelago, the old town of Faaborg and Valdemars Castle; to the northeast are the Ladby Viking ship burial, the Kerteminde marine centre and Nyborg Castle. Getting there: about 1 hr 15 min by train from Copenhagen, or about 1 hour from Billund Airport. The city has light rail, buses and an excellent cycle network; driving is easiest for countryside sights. Plan on 2–3 days, and book timed tickets for popular museums in high season.

Top sights

• H.C. Andersen House – An Andersen museum designed by Kengo Kuma and reopened in 2021. Immersive fairy-tale spaces tell the story of Andersen’s life and works, an…
• The Funen Village – An open-air museum with more than 20 farmhouses from the 18th and 19th centuries on Funen, featuring farming, craft demonstrations and summ…
• Egeskov Castle – A Renaissance water castle built in 1554, widely regarded as the best-preserved of its kind in Europe, with gardens, a maze and a rich coll…
• H.C. Andersen's Childhood Home – The small house where Andersen lived from age 2 to 14. Just a few square metres inside, it recreates his cobbler father's workbench and the…
• Hans Jensens Stræde (Andersen Quarter) – A cobbled old lane near Andersen's birthplace, lined with well-preserved, low, colourful half-timbered cottages. It's the most photogenic q…
• St. Canute's Cathedral – One of Denmark's most important Gothic brick buildings. Its crypt holds the relics of the martyred King Canute IV, and its altarpiece is da…
• Odense Zoo – Repeatedly voted one of Europe's best zoos, built along the Odense River, with manatees, penguins, giraffes and a South American rainforest…
• Brandts – An art and photography museum in a converted former textile mill, surrounded by cafés, an open-air amphitheatre and creative boutiques.
• Danish Railway Museum – Northern Europe's largest railway museum, with royal trains, steam locomotives and ferry carriages housed in a historic fan-shaped engine s…
• Munke Mose & Odense River Boats – A riverside park on the edge of the Old Town. In summer you can take a boat along the Odense River to Funen Village and the zoo, making it…
• Storms Pakhus – A street food market in a converted old warehouse just north of the railway station, with more than 20 stalls serving snacks from around th…
• Viking Museum Ladby – The only Viking ship burial site found in Denmark, where a 10th-century chieftain was buried with his ship, horses and dogs. Traces of the…
• Fjord&Bælt – A marine centre by the sea in Kerteminde, with underwater viewing windows for watching harbour porpoises and seal training, plus summer boa…
• Nyborg Castle – One of the oldest royal castles preserved in Scandinavia, where Denmark's first charter was signed in 1282. It has reopened after extensive…
• Faaborg – A well-preserved medieval port town on the south coast of Funen, with colourful timber houses, a clock tower and the Faaborg Museum. It's w…
• Fyns Hoved – A headland nature reserve at the northernmost tip of Funen, with steep sea cliffs shaped by glaciers and grassy walking trails that offer v…

Where to eat

• ARO – Funen's first Michelin-starred restaurant, set in a converted old machine factory on the east side of town, with a rela…
• Den Gamle Kro – An old inn serving since 1683, tucked between Overgade and Nedergade, known for pariserbøf, the stjerneskud 'shooting s…
• HOS Restaurant – A small restaurant recommended by the White Guide, serving seasonal open-faced sandwiches at lunch and a set menu built…
• Storms Pakhus Street Food Market – Odense's first street food market, in a converted old harbor warehouse with a dozen or more stalls and several bars. Id…

Itineraries

• South Funen & Ærø Island-Hopping Tour – Head south from Odense to Svendborg, take the ferry to Ærø, cycle around, and return via Faaborg.
• Denmark Family Fairytale & LEGO Tour – From Copenhagen's Tivoli to Odense's Hans Christian Andersen world, and on to LEGOLAND Billund, departing from Billund…
• Denmark Rail & Samsø Island Grand Tour – Take the train north from Copenhagen to Skagen, with a ferry ride to Samsø Island for an overnight cycling trip.
• Denmark Grand Loop Self-Drive – A grand loop covering Zealand, Funen, Ærø, South Jutland, and Skagen, including three ferry crossings.