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Village life on Ærø

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VILLAGE LIFE

ON ÆRØ

Did you know that even the locals can get lost in beautiful Ommel? Or that Bregninge is the second-longest village in Denmark?

THE VILLAGES ON ÆRØ ARE IN A CLASS OF THEIR OWN In addition to the large towns of Marstal, Ærøskøbing and Søby, the main roads on the island are liberally sprinkled with small villages . Drive through the village streets and soak up the undisturbed idyll . Cows, horses and sheep graze on the fertile fields bordered by dikes and hedges, which surround the small, neatly kept houses and farms . Gardens bursting with flowers and fruit trees line the main street, while the village pond is home to ducks and other local fauna .

VILLAGE TREATS Even though you may have decided to stay in one of the larger towns on the island during your holiday, there is every reason to take a drive to one of the small villages nearby . For example, you could visit Ærø Bryggeri (Brewery) in Store Rise or the Tree & Earth Creams workshop in Skovby . You can also go on a shopping expedition to Herremark just outside Søby, or buy delightful soaps from Ærø Soap Company in Bregninge . This is also where you will find Uldgården, a large farm shop with a difference, selling all kinds of soft garments, shoes, local delicacies and more . Ommel is a village that actually has two separate harbours: Kleven and Strandbyen . Cycle Route 92 runs through Kragnæs, which is also home to the lifestyle shop Færgevej46 . In Græsvænge, you can visit the Etablissement shop to buy traditional arts and crafts items, while in Bregninge you can visit Den Bibelske Have (The Biblical Garden) . For details of all village sights and attractions, see visitaeroe .com/villagelife .

THE VILLAGE CHURCHES STILL STAND A common trait of many of the villages on Ærø is that they have their own churches, which are symbols of the small communities that still exist on the island . In fact, Ærø boasts no fewer than seven churches, each with its own distinctive features . Rise Church is the oldest one on the island, with a history stretching back to the 1100s . Bregninge Church is the only roadside church on Ærø and there are guided tours throughout the summer . One peculiar feature of the churches in Rise, Tranderup and Bregninge is their circular graveyards . For the opening hours of all the churches, see page 47 .

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