Denmark's third-largest island, Funen, is centrally located in the country, garlanded by almost a hundred islands – most to the south. The South Funen Archipelago is ideal for island holidays, and every year many tourists go there to enjoy the unique island setting.
Funen and the archipelago boast 1200 kilometres of waymarked cycle routes that pass through a wide variety of landscapes. The principal route, the 515-kilometre Bike Island Route, brings cyclists around the island along the coast, passing several market towns and manors and castles. Funen is internationally recognised as a UCI Bike Region and has developed a Bike Island cycling strategy with the aim of becoming one of the leading cycling destinations in northern Europe.
Denmark's third largest city and the birthplace of Hans Christian Andersen, Odense, is centrally located on Funen and is a natural centre for a large share of the island’s tourism.
Primary towns
- Odense (population 182,000)
- Svendborg (population 27,500)
- Nyborg (population 17,900)
- Middelfart (population 16,500)
Principal attractions
- Odense Zoo (360,000 annual visitors)
- Egeskov Castle (250,000 annual visitors)
- Hans Christian Andersen’s Birthplace and Childhood Home (130,000 annual visitors)
Principal nature experiences
Comprising 96 islands, the South Funen Archipelago is a great nature experience, whether it is explored on land or by sea. The islands vary in size and some of them are not populated, but each island has a unique history and some unique characteristics.
Other great nature experiences on Funen are:
Gastronomy
Funen has a number of gastronomic highlights, notably:
Main events
A number of events throughout the year help invigorate the area and attract visitors, including outside the high season. The main events are:
- Tinderbox, multi-genre music festival in Odense (45,000 visitors)
- Langeland Festival (20,000 visitors)
- Fyn Rundt Bicycle Race (2,000 participants)
- Hans Christian Andersen Festivals
Infrastructure
Funen has a central location in the country and is linked by bridges to Jutland and Zealand, and its infrastructure is excellent. Funen is well connected to the Danish network of motorways via the Funen Motorway which traverses the island and is part of the European E20 motorway system. The Funen Motorway also connects with the Svendborg Motorway. The islands south of Funen can be reached either by ferry or by bridge. The many islands also attract numerous yachtspeople to the region's harbours and marinas.
Current capacity
Approximately one third of overnight stays in the Funen region are on camping and caravan sites. Danes account for around two thirds of overnight stays in the region, followed by German and Dutch nationals.
Holiday home capacity on Funen is generally under pressure in the high season. Luxury cottages in particular could provide a good supplement to the current offerings. There are also signs that the hotel market will soon face a capacity challenge in the high season.
Breakdown of current capacity:
- Holiday homes for rent: Approximately 1,100 (estimated). The total number of privately owned or commercially operated holiday homes on Funen and nearby islands is in the region of 12,600
- Camping pitches: Around 10,000 in 48 camping and caravan sites
- Hotel beds: Around 3,700 rooms in 51 hotels
- Holiday parks: 5 holiday parks with a total of 350 rooms
- Marinas: 48 marinas
