Discover Ærø
Rainy days are part of an island holiday. On Ærø they are easy to enjoy: with small museums, a cinema, studios, a brewery and, at the end of the day, the sauna and the wood-burning stove. Here is our selection, sorted by place and occasion.
If you visit an island in the Danish South Sea, it’s best to bring two plans: one for the beach and one for the days when the sky stays grey. Ærø is surprisingly well prepared for this. For an island of its size it has several museums, a cinema, an indoor pool, studios and a small brewery. Much of it is small and personal – the cinema, for example, is run by a local association. That makes rainy days here more than just a fallback.
The selection below is based on information from VisitÆrø and the operators themselves. Opening hours change with the seasons, so there is a section about that at the end.
Ærøskøbing has three museums that belong together. The Ærø Museum tells the island’s history in an old bailiff’s house from 1775 and, according to the museum, has activity booklets for children. Hammerichs Hus was the home of the sculptor Gunnar Hammerich: low ceilings, nooks and crannies and plenty of atmosphere.
The ship-in-a-bottle museum is the classic for a wet afternoon. In the town’s former poorhouse at Smedegade 22, the collection of ‘Flaske-Peter’ (Peter Jacobsen, 1873–1960) has been on display since 1943: more than 1,700 ships in bottles, around 50 large ship models and about 70 cigar boxes. There is a joint ticket for all three houses.
The Marstal Søfartsmuseum in Prinsensgade takes you through Danish maritime history from the 17th century: with ship models, ships in bottles, ship portraits and the original wheelhouse of the coaster DORAS, which you can step into. For children there are puzzles about the character Anker and, in the courtyard, the play ship Martha. More about the town on the Marstal page.
Very close to Dansk Cottage is Søbygaard, the island’s last ducal manor. The Renaissance estate goes back to Duke Hans the Younger and was established in 1580. Today it is a visitor centre with exhibitions, guided tours, activities for children, a museum shop and a café. Worth knowing for your planning: Søbygaard is seasonal: in the 2026 season it is open from late April until the autumn holidays in October, plus the Christmas market in December.
Ærø has a small but lively creative scene, and many workshops welcome visitors. We give an overview on our art & culture on Ærø page. For rainy days, these places are especially worthwhile:
Bio Andelen in Ærøskøbing (Søndergade 28A) is the island’s only cinema. It is run by an association, shows current films and is deliberately small. The programme, times and language versions are on the cinema’s website.
The island’s only indoor pool is in Marstal (Markgade 1) and has a large pool with a diving area. It is not open every day and is closed in summer; there are extra opening times during the autumn and winter school holidays. Current times are available from VisitÆrø.
A shower on an island is not a day of rain, and anyone who likes wind and weather will enjoy being outside. A walk around the lake in the Vitsø nature area, a few minutes from Søby, works under a cloudy sky too: 150 hectares with a lake, salt meadows and three protected bird islands. Skjoldnæs lighthouse on the north-western tip can be climbed for a small fee. More on the Søby page.
For families, the most reliable ideas are the maritime museum with its play ship and puzzles, the children’s booklets at the Ærø Museum and the soap workshop in Bregninge. More days out are under family holidays on Ærø.
Dansk Cottage is made for rainy days too. There is a wood-burning stove in the living area and, in the garden, the private barrel sauna with a panoramic window and room for up to four people, free of charge for guests. How the two go together is described on our wood-burning stove and sauna pages.
Besides the usual equipment, the kitchen has a raclette grill, cheese and meat fondue sets and a waffle iron. There is also a 55-inch TV in the living area and fast fibre Wi-Fi. Everything else about the amenities is under amenities. One dog is included in the total price, as described on our holiday with your dog page.
The island bus is free, connects Søby, Ærøskøbing and Marstal and takes bikes and dogs. Please check timetables with the operator in advance.
Dansk Cottage opens in spring 2027. For an overview of the house, see holiday home on Ærø; dates are under prices & availability.
Dansk Cottage can be booked from spring 2027.
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