Ærøskøbing

Shipping has always been of immense importance for Ærø. In the 18th century, the amount of cargo shipped from Ærø was huge, and the Ærø skippers achieved worldwide fame. From the middle of the 19th century and onwards, the shipping business was on the decline. The town’s dependency on shipping, however, did not decrease, and at the beginning of the 20th century, the shipping business still employed more people than the market town trade.

Ærøskøbing boasts many well-preserved houses going back to the 18th century – and some even date back to the 17th century – making the city centre absolutely idyllic. The town’s romantic beauty is the foundation of the island’s new growth “industry” – each year thousands of couples from Denmark and abroad travel to Ærø to get married.