Ærøskøbing harbour: getting there, harbour info and sailing destinations

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Ærøskøbing lies in the middle of the north coast of the island of Ærø in the South Funen Archipelago, south of Funen. Here you can read how to get to the start of your sailing trip, how the harbour is laid out, where to park and shop, what sailing weather to expect, which sailing destinations are nearby and what skippers should bear in mind when approaching and mooring.

Where is the harbour of Ærøskøbing?

Ærøskøbing harbour has two parts that directly adjoin each other. The old harbour lies close to the old town, and the ferry from Svendborg berths north of its pier. To the north-west of it is the marina, also called Vestre Bådehavn, with several pontoons behind a rock breakwater. There is a supermarket between the ferry terminal and the marina, and the Vesterstrand bathing beach begins west of the marina.

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Both parts belong to Ærø Kommune, the island's municipality. It operates the harbour together with the harbour of Marstal, and the shared harbour office is in Marstal.

Arriving for the start of your sailing trip in Ærøskøbing

You reach Ærø primarily by ferry. For Ærøskøbing, the ferry from Svendborg is the direct connection, and it berths in the middle of the town at the harbour.

From the airport to Ærøskøbing

From the major airports of Billund in Jutland and Copenhagen, the journey to Ærø by car takes around three and a half and around three hours respectively, each including the ferry. By public transport, you travel to Svendborg and take the ferry from there. The easiest way to plan connections is with the Danish journey planner app Rejseplanen.

There are also air taxi flights to the small Ærø airfield just outside Marstal, with several departures a day from Zealand and Tåsinge.

By ferry, train and bus

You can reach Svendborg in the south of Funen by train, and the ferry to Ærøskøbing departs from Havnepladsen there. The crossing takes 75 minutes. As things stand (November 2026), the first ferry leaves Svendborg at 7 a.m. on weekdays and the last at 10 p.m. For cars, bicycles and also foot passengers, you reserve your place in advance online or by phone. If you are not at the ferry berth at least ten minutes before departure, the reservation lapses, and the ferry departs as soon as all guests with a booking are on board. A single fare costs 68 Danish kroner for adults (as of November 2026).

Other ferries reach Ærø from Faaborg and from Fynshav on Als, and both berth in Søby. On the island, the bus is free and runs all year round. As things stand (November 2026), it connects Søby, Ærøskøbing and Marstal roughly hourly during the day, and the stop in Ærøskøbing is called Ærøskøbing Havn. You can take bicycles with you, but not e-bikes.

Parking

Public car parks are located directly at the marina and at the ferry terminal. The car park at the supermarket is reserved for customers and limited to one hour. Motorhomes have three dedicated pitches at the old harbour.

Showers and sanitary facilities

There are toilets and showers in the harbour, at the marina and at the old harbour. Use is included in the berthing fee.

Shopping for the trip

A large Netto discount supermarket is right next to the marina, around 200 metres from the pontoons. You can get bread and cakes at the bakery in town. For a bigger shop by car, there is a SuperBrugsen in Marstal, around 8 kilometres away.

Doctor, pharmacy and emergency services

Ærø Sygehus hospital is around 250 metres from the marina. Its emergency department for injuries (Skadeklinik) is open around the clock; call +45 70 11 07 07 beforehand. At the same number you can reach the on-call medical service (Lægevagt) on weekdays from 4 p.m. to 8 a.m., and around the clock at weekends and on public holidays.

• 112: Emergency number for ambulance, fire brigade and police
• 114: police, if it is not urgent
• At sea: VHF channel 16 or DSC channel 70, where Lyngby Radio answers; it is directly connected to the Danish rescue coordination centre JRCC

What does Ærøskøbing harbour offer?

The marina has around 370 berths and a water depth of 2.5 metres at mean water level, and the old harbour 3.0 metres. Free berths for guests are available everywhere in the harbour; reservations are not possible.

Ærøskøbing harbour	Details
Operator	Ærø Kommune (Marstal og Ærøskøbing Havne)
Marina berths	around 370
Water depth at mean water level	Marina 2.5 m, old harbour 3.0 m
Advance booking	not possible
Berthing fee per day	up to 9 m 205 DKK, up to 12 m 225 DKK, up to 15 m 245 DKK, above that 300 DKK
Maximum speed	3 knots
VHF	Channel 16 (harbour office)
Seekarte	Danish chart 152
Website	aeroehavne.dk

Equipment

The harbour has electricity, fresh water, toilets, showers and Wi-Fi. It also has a slipway, a boat crane and a yard that can carry out repairs. You can refuel with diesel and petrol in the harbour. By the marina there is a playground, a barbecue area and a minigolf course. At the end of the mole stands the old cookhouse from 1810. Ships' crews used to cook here because open fires were forbidden on board wooden ships; today it is a barbecue hut for sailors.

The berthing fee includes electricity, water and showers. For 2026 you pay 205 kroner per day for boats up to 9 metres in length, 225 up to 12 metres, 245 up to 15 metres and 300 kroner above that (as of November 2026). Catamarans and trimarans pay 50% more. If you are staying longer, you can buy a weekly pass.

What is the weather like for sailing in Ærøskøbing?

In Denmark the wind blows most often from westerly directions. The strongest storms occur in winter; gales and hurricanes are to be expected on the coasts mainly during the winter half of the year.

Tides play hardly any role in the harbour of Ærøskøbing: there is only 0.1 metres between mean high and low water. The wind is what matters. A gale from the north or southeast can push the water up to 2.0 metres above the mean, while a gale from the west to southwest can lower it by up to 1.5 metres.

Which sailing destinations are near Ærøskøbing?

Ærøskøbing lies in the South Funen Archipelago, a sailing area with many small islands and short distances between the harbours.

• Marstal: The largest town on the island lies at the eastern tip of Ærø and, like Ærøskøbing, is one of the municipality's harbours. Three channels lead in, from the north, west and south. In the town, the maritime museum tells the story of its history.
• Søby: The smallest of the three towns on Ærø lies further west on the north coast, with a shipyard, fishing and a marina. As things stand (November 2026), the harbour will be extended and rebuilt until the end of 2027, and the pontoons and depths in the marina will change too.
• Svendborg: The town on Funen lies on the Svendborgsund. The Svendborg Lystbådehavn marina, with three basins, lies south of the island of Frederiksø, and the town harbour has further basins.
• Faaborg: The harbour on Faaborg Fjord has an outer and an inner harbour and a marina to the northwest of them.
• Lyø and Avernakø: The small islands off Faaborg have their own boat harbours. Lyø has a private basin belonging to the local boat club with room for around 100 boats, and Avernakø has a boat harbour with two basins at its northern tip.
• Sønderborg: On the Alssund on Als, the town harbour lies on both sides of the King Christian X Bridge, and the marina lies southeast of the entrance, already on Flensburg Fjord. From there you can continue to the Marina Sonwik in Flensburg or towards Kiel.

What can you do on a harbour day in Ærøskøbing?

Ærøskøbing is regarded as an exceptionally well-preserved Danish small town with houses from the 17th and 18th centuries. The harbour and the old town are close together.

• Old town: Cobblestones, hollyhocks and small, carefully maintained houses shape the townscape, and many buildings are listed. In 2002 Ærøskøbing received the European cultural heritage award Europa Nostra for this. You can get a folding map for a short walking tour of the town from the visitor service at the harbour.
• Vesterstrand: On the bathing beach west of the marina stand more than 70 colourful beach huts, which are among the island's best-known sights. It is only a few minutes' walk from the harbour.
• Ærø Museum and Hammerichs Hus: The museum in the old bailiff's house from 1775 tells the history of the island. In Hammerichs Hus on the corner of Brogade and Gyden, more than 2,500 items from the collection of the sculptor Gunnar Hammerich are still displayed just as he left them. A combined ticket is valid for both buildings.
• Night watchman tour: In summer you can accompany the night watchman on his evening round through the old town.
• Around the island by bus: The free bus takes you to Marstal or Søby, and on the way you can get off at any official stop.

For skippers: berthing and marine weather in Ærøskøbing

You cannot reserve visitor berths. You look for a free space in the marina or in the old harbour, and a harbour employee collects the berthing fee directly at the pontoon.

Registration and Berthing

• You can recognise free berths by a green sign on the pontoon; a red sign means occupied. The green sign states when the berth holder will return. If this information is missing, the holder does not have to have you moved immediately.
• A harbour employee comes round to all the pontoons in the morning and evening to collect the berthing fee. There are no machines. You pay in cash in kroner or euros, or with a Danish or international card.
• For visiting boats in Ærøskøbing, the harbour telephone on +45 63 52 63 65, option 2, is staffed daily from 7:30 to 9 a.m. and from 4 to 5:30 p.m.

Harbour rules

In the harbour and in the marina, the speed limit is 3 knots. Anchoring is prohibited between the Bjergene peninsula, the island of Dejrø and the harbour, because the ferry turns there. There is an anchorage southeast of the harbour. You must not cross the channel in front of the yard's slipway.

Approach

The route into the harbour passes west of the small island of Dejrø and through the Møllegab. There are two dredged channels for the approach: a buoyed and lit channel with a depth of 3.8 metres and a width of 20 metres, and a channel with a depth of 5.0 metres and a width of 25 metres. Two green leading lights in the harbour lead through the 3.8-metre channel on a bearing of 196.3 degrees. East of Dejrø there is another fairway with 3.6 metres, but between Dejrø and Ommelshoved Flak there is a shallower spot with 2.7 metres. North of the northernmost part of the channel, depths of down to 2.6 metres have been observed.

All of these fairways count as narrow fairways, and the special Danish rules for shipping in such waters apply. A separate channel leads to the marina, marked from 1 May to 1 October with three green and three red poles. The lights at the entrance are lit around the clock during this period. The harbour office monitors VHF channel 16.

Which marine weather forecast applies in Ærøskøbing?

The official marine weather forecasts for Danish waters are issued by the Danish Meteorological Institute, DMI. The Farvandsudsigter are updated daily shortly before 5:45, 11:45 and 17:45, and additionally whenever conditions change. For this purpose, DMI divides Danish waters into seven areas, including “Bælthavet og Sundet” and “Vestlige Østersø”. On the DMI website and in the DMI app you will also find a five-day forecast and a map showing wind, waves, current and water level.

Sailing trips from Ærøskøbing on Törnfinder

You can find sailing trips in Danish waters under cabin charter in Denmark, and offers across the whole sailing area under Sailing in the Baltic Sea and all sailing areas in the trip overview.

Frequently asked questions

How do I get to Ærøskøbing?

By ferry from Svendborg on Funen; the crossing takes 75 minutes. You can reach Svendborg by train, and foot passengers also need to reserve their place on the ferry in advance.

Where do I park at the start of my sailing trip in Ærøskøbing?

In the public car parks at the marina or at the ferry quay. The car park at the supermarket is for customers only and limited to a maximum of one hour.

Where do I buy provisions for my sailing trip in Ærøskøbing?

At the Netto right next to the marina, about 200 metres from the pontoons. You can get bread and cakes at the bakery in the town. For a larger shop by car, there is a SuperBrugsen in Marstal, about 8 kilometres away.

Are there showers in the harbour at Ærøskøbing?

Yes, there are toilets and showers at the marina and at the old harbour. Their use is included in the berthing fee.

Can I reserve a berth in the harbour at Ærøskøbing?

No, reservations are not possible. You can recognise free berths by the green sign, and you pay the berthing fee to the harbour staff on the pontoon.

How deep is the harbour at Ærøskøbing?

At mean water level, the marina has a water depth of 2.5 metres and the old harbour 3.0 metres. A westerly to south-westerly gale can lower the water level by up to 1.5 metres.