Faaborg

The only remaining artefact from the castle that is known to have been located near Faaborg (Foburgh; meaning “The Fox’s Castle”) is Vesterport (the Western Gate) in Vestergade. This town gate is believed to have been built around 1400. There is only one other similar town gate in Denmark that dates from the Middle Ages, and this is located in Stege on the island of Møn.

The hallmark of Faaborg is the Clock Tower in Lille Tårnstræde (Little Tower Street), which is surrounded by beautiful half-timbered houses from the 18th century. The clock tower originally belonged to Sct. Nicolai Kirke (The Church of St Nicholas), which, however, was torn down in the middle of the 16th century. From the top of the Clock Tower, there is a fantastic view of the old town houses, Svanninge Bakker (Svanninge Hills) and the South Fyn Archipelago.

The Faaborg city centre is a cosy, hollyhock-lined idyll with many intriguing shops to visit. Faaborg Havnebad (Faaborg Harbour Bath), which opened in the summer of 2014, is located on the harbour front. The Harbour Bath has the facilities needed for lots of activities in and on the water – bathing jetties, an enclosed area for small children, springboards, outdoor showers, toilets and a sauna, kayak storage and a launch ramp for kayakers and canoers.

For art lovers, Faaborg Museum is a must-see. Here you can experience some of the major work of the so-called Funish Painters. The Museum of Cultural History has four interesting attractions: Den Gamle Gård (The Old Farm) with a traditional living room from the island of Lyø, Klokketårnet (The Clock Tower), Kaleko Vandmølle (The Kaleko Water Mill), and the town prison which has been home to many unfortunate souls. At The Old Farm, you can buy a ticket granting access to all these attractions.

If you are going to Faaborg in the summer, you should definitely take an evening stroll through the city with the town watchman. He traverses the street every night, singing the watchman’s song, and every once in a while he stops to talk about exciting and hidden old stories of the town – of which there are many, as nearly every street has its own legend.

In Faaborg, all roads do not lead to Rome, but rather to the harbour, and in the summer, it is bustling with people. The ferry to Avernakø and Lyø also departs from here.

For more information about Faaborg, visit  www.visitfaaborg.dk