# Funen and the islands of the South Funen Sea

> 3-day road trip of about 105 km (65 mi) with 7 stops, from Odense to Rudkøbing. About 1 h 27 min of driving in total.

Source: https://camping-spirit.com/guides/b5-funen-islands/

**At a glance:** 3-day road trip of about 105 km (65 mi) with 7 stops, from Odense to Rudkøbing. About 1 h 27 min of driving in total. Andersen’s Odense, a castle in a lake and a string of bridged islands with thatched villages and sailing harbours.

| | |
|---|---|
| Distance | 105 km (65 mi) |
| Driving | 1 h 27 min |
| Suggested days | 3 |
| Stops | 7 |
| Route | Odense → Rudkøbing |
| Countries | Denmark |
| Updated | August 21, 2026 |

## Route description

Start in Odense, Denmark’s third city and the birthplace of Hans Christian Andersen, whose museum sits in the old quarter. Then head south on route 9 through a gentle landscape of fields and manor houses to Egeskov, the most famous of Funen’s castles.

Detour west to Faaborg, a small harbour town with cobbled streets and a good art museum, and follow the coast road through the hills of the Svanninge Bakker to Svendborg. Svendborg is the sailing capital of the South Funen archipelago and the port for ferries to Ærø.

Route 9 continues over the Svendborgsund Bridge to Tåsinge, where Valdemars Slot and the village of Troense look across the water, and then over the Langeland Bridge to Rudkøbing. Langeland is long and quiet, with beaches, wild ponies in the south and easy cycling.

All the islands on this route are linked by bridges, so no ferry is needed unless you add Ærø. Distances are short, which leaves time for a swim, farm stalls selling strawberries and new potatoes in early summer, and a sunset at the water.

## Stop-by-stop itinerary

1. **Odense** (Denmark)
2. **H.C. Andersen’s House** (Odense, Denmark): A museum built around the house where Hans Christian Andersen was born, with a garden and an underground world of fairy tales for children.
3. **Egeskov Castle** (Kværndrup, Denmark): A Renaissance castle from 1554 standing in its own lake, with gardens, mazes, a treetop walk and a large collection of vintage cars and motorcycles.
4. **Faaborg** (Denmark)
5. **Svendborg** (Denmark)
6. **Valdemars Slot** (Troense, Denmark): A 17th-century manor on Tåsinge built by Christian IV for his son, facing the Svendborg Sound. The nearby village of Troense has some of Denmark’s prettiest thatched houses.
7. **Rudkøbing** (Denmark)

## FAQs

**How long is Funen and the islands of the South Funen Sea?**
3-day road trip of about 105 km (65 mi) with 7 stops, from Odense to Rudkøbing. About 1 h 27 min of driving in total.

**How many days do you need for Funen and the islands of the South Funen Sea?**
We suggest 3 days: about 1 h 27 min of driving, which leaves time for the stops.

**Where does Funen and the islands of the South Funen Sea start and end?**
It starts in Odense and ends in Rudkøbing.

**Which countries does Funen and the islands of the South Funen Sea pass through?**
Denmark.