Travel report: Bike tour around Ærø
From Our Team Member Raul
Off on the Info Tour!
At Radweg-Reisen, we call tours that we personally test “Info Tours.” This time, we wanted to experience what a double-star bike tour in Denmark feels like for families – traveling with two school-aged children and a one-year-old baby.
What is a Double-Star Tour and Why is it Ideal for Families?
Unlike our classic bike tours, a double-star tour involves staying in just two hotels, from which you start your daily rides. That means no daily packing, more relaxation, and a much smoother experience for families traveling with kids.
Journey to Faaborg:
As we had over 1100 km ahead of us, we decided to set off at night - the right choice with children, as they slept most of the time. At the first break after crossing the border into Denmark, we already suspected that Denmark is a child-friendly country. German rest stops rarely have such nice playgrounds. And our feeling was confirmed several times during the course of the trip.
The Hotel Faaborg Fjord is located on the edge of the town of Faaborg, directly on the Danish South Sea. As soon as we turned into the hotel's own parking lot, we discovered the sandy beach opposite the hotel. Maxi checked the water temperature before we even checked in - it can be quite chilly at the end of August.
After checking in, we set off to explore the small town with the rental bikes that had already been delivered. It's only a few minutes' ride to the harbor and the old town. On the way there, we saw a huge public park with a freshly trimmed lawn. An inviting seaside resort. After a short walk through the beautiful old town, we stopped for refreshments at a food truck at the harbor. I have rarely eaten such delicious fast food.
Show more Show lessDay 2:
Since the forecast for the second day was for strong winds and repeated rain, we decided to go without bikes. When we told the children that we were going to the museum, they were naturally not enthusiastic. It was only when we explained that it was an old prison that we got their attention. The museum was very authentic and had many original furnishings. The German accompanying booklet helped a lot with understanding, as the information in the individual rooms was only in English and Danish. The museum told the story of the justice system using many examples of people who were involved with the prison. We were immediately taken back in time. We can only recommend a different kind of museum visit!
Afterwards, we ate smørrebrød in a Danish inn. We were pleasantly surprised that even this quaint restaurant had highchairs.
Day 3
Day 3 started with a quick breakfast, as we had to catch our ferry to the island of Ærø shortly before 9. As we had been at the port the days before, we navigated there safely. There were already a few cars and cyclists waiting to embark. The excitement of the somewhat jittery children was palpable. During the crossing, we enjoyed the view and discussed again whether we should take the long tour around the entire island or the shorter option along the north coast. In the end, we opted for the long tour - with the option of shortening the route ourselves if necessary.
We covered the first few kilometers on the island with the help of Komoot, but could just as easily have relied on the excellent signposting. It got quite noisy at times on the quiet side roads. We were overtaken several times by groups on scooters or they came to greet us. Renting motorized two-wheelers seems to be popular here.
Although we pedaled hard, we didn't make as much progress as expected due to the moderate (head) wind and the sometimes bumpy surface. After about 15 km, we realized that we wouldn't be able to make the big loop around the island without missing our booked ferry. We therefore decided to deviate from the planned route and take a shortcut. The island is long but quite narrow, so we arrived near the ferry in just a few minutes. On the way there, we visited an old mill that had been converted into a museum.
As we saved a lot of time by taking the shortcut, we were still able to spend some lovely moments on the beach. Just outside Ærøskøbing, near a campsite, we found a fine sandy beach with turquoise water. The sun came out, so we ventured into the cold water. A wonderful piece of earth.
The crossing to Svendborg went by quickly and our legs were rested from sitting for so long at the port and on board, but the last few kilometers to the hotel were a tough one. We were booked into Troense - a suburb of Svendborg - so we still had about 8 km of cycling ahead of us. On top of that, we had to cross a huge bridge. Due to the strong sideways wind, additional concentration was required here to avoid tipping over.
Happy to have arrived at Hotel Troense, I picked up pizza from a nearby pizzeria with my bike and children's trailer. Going out with the tired children was out of the question. They were exhausted, but happy and proud to have completed the stage today.
Denmark is a wonderful country with welcoming locals who are very considerate toward families with children.
Day 4:
Day 4 started with an animal highlight for me. Early in the morning, a deer stared at me in the hotel's garden, which disappeared into the adjacent forest a short time later. We had plenty of time to have breakfast as we didn't have to be at the ferry until around 11am. Today we were heading to the small island of Skarö.
For the children, it was the day they were most looking forward to, because a very special ice cream is made on the island - organic ice cream without additives or the use of beet sugar. Instead, it is sweetened with seaweed from the South Seas or birch sap. A different kind of snacking.
First, however, there was the 45-minute boat trip, which we surprisingly took on a fully occupied ship. The sea was rough due to the gusty wind and once we had solid ground under our feet again, we first had to weatherproof the children. In the meantime, the previously praised ice cream parlor was full of tourists from the ferry, so we set off to explore the island and then try the ice cream.
The island was very small and quickly explored by bike. We found a bay sheltered from the wind and spent some time there with a wonderful view of the sea. After everyone had eaten at least two scoops of the best ice cream far and wide, we took the ferry back to Svendborg. The playground right by the pier made the wait for the ferry easier. The crossing was relaxed and when we arrived in Svendborg, we had a fish burger for dinner right at the harbour and then drove the last few kilometers back to our hotel in Troense.
Day 5:
On the fifth day of our cycling trip, we split up as a family. I wanted to test the route indicated in the travel documents, while the children went with Stephi to a beach near the hotel. The first few kilometers to Svendborg were like something out of a picture book - the cycle path led right by the sea and through the adjacent forest. I quickly reached the town of Lundeborg, which was my destination for the stage.
The return journey from Lundeborg dragged on due to the persistent wind. I covered a few kilometers on the same route as I had done before, before the travel documents let me turn off so that I could explore the "hinterland". The route wasn't that spectacular, but I did pass an idyllic windmill, where I took my first long break.
In the meantime, my family stayed at a bay near the castle "Valdemar Slot", which was being renovated at the time. I joined them with provisions after cycling over 50 km and enjoyed resting my legs in the sand.
Except for a few locals checking their fishing nets, there was nothing going on in the beautiful bay despite the sunny weather. We spent the whole afternoon in this beautiful spot until sunset. Pure tranquillity.
Day 6
The sixth day started with a hearty breakfast, full of anticipation for our final stage. A glance at the weather app promised sunny weather once again, with the difference that there would be no wind today. This time we divided the stage back to Faaborg into sections and looked in advance to see where we could take a break. Even though this is not so easy with two children cycling and a baby in the trailer, we made good progress.
We saw the sea for the first 10 km or so, after which we cycled on very quiet side roads and through small villages. Even though there was no separate cycle path, we always felt safe. Overall, the last stage went much more smoothly than the first stage. Was it just the smooth asphalt? Or had the children already built up more stamina in the few days? It was probably a combination of both.
About 10 km before our starting hotel in Faaborg, we drove through forests and fields with many small farms. Dense blackberry bushes with ripe, black fruit grew on both sides of the road. We ate as much as we could. Our little one in particular couldn't get enough of the sweet vitamin bombs, so he was allowed to eat some as we continued our journey. He looked correspondingly blue when we arrived at the hotel.
After a quick shower, we took our bikes to the food truck from the first evening before I quickly went to bed. We didn't sleep in the hotel for the last night, but set off again at night to avoid the traffic and whining children.
Conclusion:
Denmark is a wonderful country with hospitable inhabitants who are very considerate of families with children. Be it the many playgrounds or because every restaurant, no matter how small, can provide highchairs. There are park benches on every corner, inviting you to linger or have a picnic. There are also many more garbage cans than in Germany, so there is practically no garbage lying around. The many beautiful bays on the beach are so empty, even in August, that you can always keep to yourself.
The cycling tour around Ærø is the perfect mix of cycling in idyllic surroundings and exploring small islands in the South Seas by ferry. By booking the ferries in advance, you don't have to worry about anything on site. The bikes we rented were perfectly adjusted and ran smoothly throughout the entire trip. An all-round recommendable tour!
