Discover Gudme: Lake, Trails and History

If you would like to get to know Gudme through its nature, trails and history, there are several specific starting points to explore. Gudme Sø, the trails around Broholm, the traces of the Iron Age, the Oldsagssamlingen and Gudme Church present the area from different perspectives. This allows you to shape your stay around your own interests, balancing landscape experiences, culture and active exploration.

Gudme Sø and Trails by the Water

Gudme Sø covers a water surface of just over nine hectares. The 1.6-kilometre Gudme Sø Rundt walking route provides a clearly defined trail. Another option is the Eventyrstien, which runs around the lake near Broholm. Both trails make the area a natural choice for visitors who want to experience Gudme on foot and take in the landscape.

Hiking and Cycling through the Surrounding Area

The Øhavsstien runs through the wider Gudbjerg-Gudme-Hesselager area along the Tange Å from Broholm to Lundeborg. For cyclists, the “Den gyldne undergrund” tour passes through the Gudme-Lundeborg area. Near Gudme, the contours of Gudmekongens Hal can be experienced. This means that both a longer hiking route and a designated cycling tour can be included in your travel plans.

Gudme and the Iron Age

From the 3rd to the 7th century AD, Gudme was one of Denmark’s largest and wealthiest Iron Age settlements. The settlement included a chieftain’s farm surrounded by around 50 smaller farms. During the Iron Age, Gudme was also a religious and economic centre with extensive European contacts. Excavations uncovered post holes from Gudmehallen, which is one of Denmark’s largest hall buildings from the period before the Viking Age.

The Oldsagssamlingen at Broholm

The Oldsagssamlingen at Broholm comprises approximately 70,000 flint and other Stone Age finds from the area around Broholm. At the Oldsagssamlingen, you can examine thousands of flint tools at close range. Stories from Denmark’s prehistoric past can be heard about 10 selected objects. The collection is therefore particularly well suited to a closer look at the early traces of human life in the area.

Gudme Church and Its Imagery

Gudme Church is considered one of the oldest churches on Funen and was dedicated to Saint Lawrence during the Catholic era. The vaults were decorated with painted ornaments and figures in 1488. A large fresco on the west wall depicts Saint George fighting the dragon. Only the large nave remains of the original Romanesque building; it was constructed from unworked fieldstones. The architecture, frescoes and long religious history give a visit its own distinctive cultural and historical focus.

Transport in the Area

Local and on-demand buses operate in the Gudbjerg-Gudme-Hesselager area to Oure, Hesselager, Vejstrup, Lundeborg, Gudbjerg and Brændeskov. Regional buses run to Svendborg, Ørbæk, Odense and Nyborg. These connections are useful for planning excursions around Gudme while taking different destinations in the region into account.

Further destinations for orientation: Skårupøre, Gudbjerg Sydfyn, Ballen, Bøsøre, Troense, Nørre Vornæs, Svendborg and Vindeby.

For the broader travel overview: Svendborg Municipality.