MARSTAL Marstal is the biggest town on Ærø, and was once the second-largest shipping hub in Denmark – exceeded only by the Danish capital. Take a stroll through the town or along the waterfront and you will notice how the impressive maritime history is still much in evidence everywhere you look.
MARITIME TRADITIONS ALIVE AND WELL Shipping remains the lifeblood of the town. Marstal is home to the School of Navigation, which has been training navigators for the Danish merchant navy for more than 150 years and is still highly relevant today. As recently as in 2020, the school received a grant of DKK 3.5 million from the A.P. Møller Foundation to invest in training vessels and facilities. If you would like to dive down into the maritime history of Marstal, we warmly recommend a visit to Marstal Maritime Museum – although “museum” is perhaps
8 > ÆRØ GUIDE 2021
an understatement. The place is actually a treasure trove of all things maritime, and the people in the photos are more than anonymous figures. “The lady there on the deck
in the big hat was my great-grandmother,” relates the tour guide. And that pretty much sets the scene (find out more about Marstal Maritime Museum on page 31).