MARITIME
MARSTAL Marstal is the biggest town on Ærø, and was once the second-largest shipping hub in Denmark – exceeded only by the Danish capital. When you stroll through the town or along the waterfront, you cannot help but notice how maritime history is much in evidence everywhere you look. ENDURING MARITIME TRADITIONS Shipping is still the lifeblood of the town, which is home to Marstal School of Navigation. This institution has been training navigators for the Danish merchant navy for more than 150 years and remains highly relevant to this day. If you would like to dive down into the maritime history of Marstal, we warmly
PSST! DID YOU KNOW ... ... that there is something unusual about the urban planning of Marstal? The town is actually laid out with the waterfront as its centre – and planned without a ruler. That is why all the roads and paths (known as “strings”) run from the main street down to the harbour and the sea.
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recommend a visit to Marstal Maritime Museum – although “museum” is perhaps an understatement. The place is actually a treasure trove of all things maritime, and the people in the photos are more than anonymous figures. “The lady there on the deck in the big hat was my great-grandmother,” relates the tour guide; and with that, the scene is set ... (turn to page 30 to find out more about the museum).
THRIVING TOWN LIFE AND CHARMING HARBOUR AMBIENCE The main streets in Marstal – Kirkestræde and Kongensgade – are well stocked with shops, hairdressers, cafés and restaurants. The local traders association keeps the seasonal traditions alive, taking care to deck the town with joyous Christmas decorations and scary Halloween figures, for example, and to organise the associated activities. The
