The locals recommend: Gitte van Deurs

Culinary experiences

My family and I often eat outside. For us, this means packing the picnic basket and finding a nice spot to enjoy our food. There's nothing more summery than a slice of cranberry rye bread with some new potatoes, mayonnaise and chives, plus coffee and a rum truffle from Thurø Bakery. We often drive to Thurø Reef and enjoy the view of Langeland. At other times we go to Christiansminde and savour the great views of Svendborg and Skansen.

Culture

I often visit Svendborg Library, both to borrow some books, to be inspired and find new reading experiences or to attend one of their many lectures. It adds an extra dimension to the reading experience when you hear authors talk about the hurdles, research and choices they made during the writing process.

During SVEND Film Days, I'm always busy. The programme is always filled with many inspiring talks, both with actors and directors, and the SVEND party is a wonderful revisit with some of the films we were introduced to during the winter.

When our girls were young, we often went to Children's Sundays at BaggårdTeatret. Year after year, they manage to bring quality performances to Svendborg. I was blown away by how the theatre brought together the city's many actors in a complete experience at Svendborg Harbour with the performance of Fjeren og ROsen (Feather and Rose) beneath the summer sky in 2022.

Some of the best cultural experiences I've had in Svendborg were created by Betina Birkjær from Luna Park Scenekunst (performance art). On her staged city walks, I experienced completely new places and sides of Svendborg. Betina creates pockets of time and space for contemplation and imagination in a busy everyday life. It is a gift that we have been able to experience installations like Memory Palace and Time Space right here in Svendborg.

Nature

Every day on my way to work, I enjoy cycling over the Thurø dam, along the Christiansminde path to Svendborg Harbour and town. It's a beautiful ride with forest, water and urban environment, all within five kilometres. I have walked many of the routes on the Øhavsstien (Archipelago Trail), and I can only recommend lacing up your hiking boots and setting off. A regular and beautiful tradition is the walk along Vejstrup Ådal when the anemones bloom.

As a family, we've had many great experiences when we've spent the night in shelters around South Funen. The shelters are beautifully located on Hjortø, Skarø and Drejø. Who wouldn't want to wake up in the beautiful nature with a view of the water? The experience begins when you board the small ferry and sail out through Svendborg Sound.

The uniqueness of Svendborg

Why did we choose Svendborg over one of the other cities on Funen? It wasn't a difficult choice. There is plenty of beautiful nature and the South Funen Archipelago as far as the eye can see. The city is buzzing with life and the cultural experiences are queuing up to be enjoyed.

When I have guests visiting

Regardless of the season, we go for a walk around Thurø Reef with a coffee break at the shelter. It has the most beautiful views. I also like to take my guests to the Danish Welfare Museum/Poor House - it often gives rise to conversations about important topics.

If it's summer, we also go to Frederiksø. There's a special atmosphere and lots of life and energy. During the summer months, I also enjoy showing my guests the beautiful old wooden ships at the Sailing Ship Bridge. I like to spend time in Svendborg when the many vintage ships come to Svendborg as the last stop on the Fyn Rundt for Preservation Worthy Ships.