Things To Do in Marstals

In summer, consider an offbeat side trip to Birkholm Island, which is ideal for exploring, relaxing, and swimming. Twice a day a mail boat takes a limited number of passengers on this 45-minute trip from Marstal. Except for service and utility vehicles, there are no cars allowed on the island. For information and reservations, call Birkholm Færgen at tel. 40-58-03-59. The price of round-trip passage from Marstal to Birkholm Island is DKK70 ($12/£7) for adults, DKK35 ($6/£3.50) for ages 12 and under.

Marstal's most densely packed shopping streets are the Kirkestræde (which is transformed into a pedestrians-only walkway July-Aug) and Kongensgade. Many of the boutiques and kiosks that flourish there during midsummer disappear altogether the rest of the year, so the best way to appreciate the shopping scene involves spontaneously dropping in and out of boutiques as they catch your fancy. The best, and most enduring, venue for souvenirs from Ærø and the rest of Denmark is Emerto, Kirkestræde 10 (tel. 62-53-13-91). Its owner, Bille Knusen, accumulates porcelain, crystal, woodcarvings, nautical memorabilia, and pots and pans into an all-inclusive emporium. Nearby is Fruhøst, Kongensgade 22 (tel. 62-53-24-09), a store specializing in odd bits of handmade paraphernalia that for the most part are made on Ærø. Owner Elizabeth Jørgensen sells weavings, homemade wine, homemade chocolates, candles, and bric-a-brac.

Our favorite pub in Marstal is Toldbohus, Prinsensgade 7 (tel. 62-53-15-41), which opens every day at 8am and transforms from a cafe into a bar and pub as the day progresses. People of all ages converge here in a convivial atmosphere.