Ebeltoft is an old port town on the central east coast of
Denmark
Denmark is a Nordic countries, Nordic country in Northern Europe. It is the metropole and most populous constituent of the Kingdom of Denmark,, . also known as the Danish Realm, a constitutionally unitary state that includes the Autonomous a ...
with a population of 7,287 (1 January 2025).
[BY3: Population 1. January by urban areas, area and population density](_blank)
The Mobile Statbank from Statistics Denmark
Statistics Denmark () is a Danish governmental organization under the Ministry of the Interior and Housing, reporting to the Minister of Economic and Internal Affairs. The organization is responsible for creating statistics on the Danish society ...
It is located in
Syddjurs municipality
Syddjurs Municipality () is a municipality ( Danish, '' kommune'') in Region Midtjylland in Denmark just north of Aarhus and is a part of the Aarhus area. It covers an area of 696.7 km² and has a population of 44,101 (1. January 2025).
On ...
in
Region Midtjylland
The Central Denmark Region (), or more directly translated as the Central Jutland Region and sometimes simply Mid-Jutland, is an administrative Regions of Denmark, region of Denmark established on 1 January 2007 as part of the 2007 Danish Municip ...
on the larger
Djursland peninsula of
Jutland
Jutland (; , ''Jyske Halvø'' or ''Cimbriske Halvø''; , ''Kimbrische Halbinsel'' or ''Jütische Halbinsel'') is a peninsula of Northern Europe that forms the continental portion of Denmark and part of northern Germany (Schleswig-Holstein). It ...
.
Ebeltoft is known for its old town center with cobble-stoned streets and centuries-old half-timbered houses. Plans for the conservation of this peculiar environment, was initiated in the 1960s by the city council and the
National Museum of Denmark
The National Museum of Denmark (Nationalmuseet) in Copenhagen is Denmark, Denmark's largest museum of cultural history, comprising the histories of Danish and foreign cultures, alike. The museum's main building is located a short distance from S ...
. Apart from this overall old-village charm, Ebeltoft holds several other notable institutions such as
Glasmuseet Ebeltoft, one of the world's first glass museums,
Fregatten Jylland, the longest wooden warship in the world and the
European Film College, offering short and long courses in film making, especially for young people.
Tourism
Ebeltoft and the surrounding countryside is one of the tourist centres of Denmark, with many summer houses and rentals, a
marina
A marina (from Spanish , Portuguese and Italian : "related to the sea") is a dock or basin with moorings and supplies for yachts and small boats.
A marina differs from a port in that a marina does not handle large passenger ships or cargo ...
, a golf course and many child-friendly beaches. In spite of its relatively small size, Ebeltoft is quite lively, especially in the summer season. The population soars in June, July, and August - but all year round, there are many more people staying here than the official number of inhabitants suggests. This is due to the Danish phenomenon of '
summer houses' (holiday homes): most are made of wood but often quite luxurious, and there are several thousand in this area. The tourism, the old traditions of trade in this harbour town, and the international schools in the area probably explain why most people in this small town are open-minded and friendly towards foreigners. The town is, generally speaking, also well-to-do. Quite a few people work in the city of
Aarhus
Aarhus (, , ; officially spelled Århus from 1948 until 1 January 2011) is the second-largest city in Denmark and the seat of Aarhus municipality, Aarhus Municipality. It is located on the eastern shore of Jutland in the Kattegat sea and app ...
, which is only 50 km away by road and so within commuting distance. The
Aarhus Airport is just 15 km by road to the north.
Ebeltoft itself offers fewer and fewer opportunities for employment. Several large companies that used to employ unskilled labour are now closed; traditional trades, such as fishing and farming are diminishing rapidly; and the ferry line,
Mols-linien
(previously ) is a Denmark, Danish company that operates ferry services between Jutland and Zealand (Denmark), Zealand, and also services to Bornholm. In March 2017, the routes in the Kattegat were renamed to Molslinjen.
History
Molslinjen was ...
, has moved quite a few of its employees to the ferry port of Aarhus. However, the town is popular with artisans, such as glass workers, potters, painters, and jewellery designers. The
Glasmuseet Ebeltoft, which shows contemporary glass art from all over the world, was established in 1985 by Ebeltoft glass artists
Finn Lynggaard and his wife, Tchai Munch. The many general stores and supermarkets - as well as hotels, restaurants, and bars - offer opportunities to make a living.
Surroundings
Around Ebeltoft lie few small towns such as
Fuglsø and
Knebel on the
Mols Peninsula. Just south of the town is the holiday resort of Øer. In 2009 the large
Mols Bjerge National Park was inaugurated and it includes the town of Ebeltoft.
Gallery
Ebeltoft gl. bydel.JPG, Street view from the old town center of Ebeltoft.
File:Overgade, Ebeltoft 2008.jpg, Cobblestone streets and old half-timbered houses.
File:08-10-06-m3-Ebeltoft (Syddjurs).jpg, Ebeltoft Church
WalEbel.jpg, Ebeltoft marina
Some regional attractions
*
Djurs Sommerland - outdoor amusement park
*
Randers Tropical Zoo
*
Kattegatcentret – aquarium, fish, (large) sharks, seals
* Fjord- og Kystcentret / Visit Center at Randers Fjord – exhibitions, guided tours, etc.
* Dansk Motor- og Maskinsamling – The Engine Collection, Scandinavia’s largest stationary engine collection
*
Landbrugsmuseet, Gl. Estrup/ The Agriculture Museum at Gl. Estrup - agricultural museum including extensive gardens with traditional vegetables and crops
*
Herregårdsmuseet Gl. Estrup/ The Manor Museum, Gl. Estrup
* Munkholm Zoo – zoo aimed at families with small children
*
Ree Park – exotic zoo in a hilly countryside
*
Skandinavisk Dyrepark/ Scandinavian animal park – zoo, Scandinavian animals
*
Glasmuseet – contemporary glass museum.
*
Fregatten Jylland – Frigate ''Jutland'' – one of world's largest wooden warships
*
Kalø Castle
Kalø Castle () is a ruined castle located in eastern Jutland, in Denmark, 20 km from the city of Aarhus within Mols Bjerge National Park.
History
The castle was constructed in 1313 by the Danish king Eric VI of Denmark, Erik Menved (Erik ...
– a 700-year-old ruined castle on a peninsula
* Kalø Veteranbiltræf / Kaloe Veteran Car Meet, Tuesdays
Notable people

*
Knud Nielsen Benstrup (born 1692 in Ebeltoft) a Danish naval officer and shipbuilder at the Royal Danish naval shipyards; court martialled and imprisoned
*
Otto Mønsted (1838 in Lyngsbækgård on Mols near Ebeltoft - 1916) an industrialist and margarine manufacturer
*
Poul la Cour
Poul la Cour (13 April 1846 – 24 April 1908) was a Denmark, Danish scientist, inventor and educationalist. Today la Cour is especially recognized for his early work on wind power, both experimental work on aerodynamics and practical implementat ...
(1846 in Ebeltoft – 1908) a scientist and inventor; did early work on wind power
*
Hack Kampmann (1856 in Ebeltoft -1920), architect; best known work is
Marselisborg Palace
*
Anna Hude (1858 in Ebeltoft – 1934) the first Danish woman to graduate as a historian (1887) and to become a
Doctor of Philosophy
A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD, DPhil; or ) is a terminal degree that usually denotes the highest level of academic achievement in a given discipline and is awarded following a course of Postgraduate education, graduate study and original resear ...
*
Olga Knudsen (1865 in Følle near Ebeltoft –1947) a politician and women's rights activist
*
Prince Viggo, Count of Rosenborg (1893 – 1970 in Ebeltoft) a Danish prince
*
Troels Kløvedal (1943–2018) an author, long-distance sailor and lecturer based in Ebeltoft
*
Anders Eldrup (born 1948 in Ebeltoft) a businessman and politician, CEO of
DONG Energy
Dong or DONG may refer to:
Places
* Dong Lake, or East Lake, a lake in China
* Dong, Arunachal Pradesh, a village in India
* Dong (administrative division) (동 or 洞), a neighborhood division in Korea
Person names
Surnames
* Dǒng (surna ...
*
Sally Laird (1956–2010), British writer, editor and translator, moved to Ebeltoft in 1993
*
Armen Adamjan (born 1989 or 1990), lived in Ebeltoft between ages 3-13
Sport
*
Troels Rasmussen
Troels Rasmussen (born 7 April 1961) is a Danish former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper for Danish clubs Vejle Boldklub and AGF. He played 391 games for AGF, and scored five goals from penalty kick
A penalty shot or penalt ...
(born 1961 in Ebeltoft) a former football goalkeeper with 346 club caps and 35 for
Denmark
Denmark is a Nordic countries, Nordic country in Northern Europe. It is the metropole and most populous constituent of the Kingdom of Denmark,, . also known as the Danish Realm, a constitutionally unitary state that includes the Autonomous a ...
*
Peter Degn (born 1977 in Ebeltoft) a former footballer with 222 clubs caps, now owns a pub in Ebeltoft
References
External links
Official municipality websiteEbeltoft ByTourist information
Glass museum websiteFregatten Jylland website
{{Authority control
Cities and towns in the Central Denmark Region
Port cities and towns in Denmark
Syddjurs Municipality