In the bathhouses, you can enjoy life while the Midsummer bonfire burns or the eggs are boiled on Easter Saturday as the sun sets and disappears into the horizon. You'll find the historic bathhouses in two places on Ærø, at Eriks Hale in Marstal and at Vesterstrand near Ærøskøbing.
In both places, the houses are beautiful, characteristic and well-maintained down to the smallest detail. The plots on which the bathhouses stand are rented - forever. And the clauses are strict: no extensions, no additions and no installation of electricity or water. Everything must remain as it was and only moderate improvements are allowed.
Time stands still on Vesterstrand in Ærøskøbing and Eriks Hale in Marstal when the Dannebrog is raised and the clear water invites you for a dip - everything is still as it has been for the last 100 years.
In October 2023, Ærø was hit by a violent storm surge that changed the coastline in many places. Eriks Hale Strand was particularly badly affected, which is why it looks different than before. Many bathhouses were destroyed, to the great sorrow of the entire island of Ærø - but good forces are rebuilding and the small bathhouses are being rebuilt.
