Number one fano
Fano, Denmark (The Guardian, 2003)
I’m not usually in the business of declining a dip in the ocean, but looking out onto an albeit calm North Sea from an unfeasibly wide Nordic beach, I thought I might give it a miss. You have to psyche yourself up for these kinds of things, after all.
Almost persuasive enough were the hundreds of Danes who had descended onto Fano, charging headlong into the water off the west coast of Jutland. It’s a well kept national secret, but it happens to be the oldest and, thanks to a surprisingly accommodating climate, most popular holiday resort in the country.
A short ferry ride from the south western town of Esbjerg, Fano stands in serene isolation from the mainland, an island retreat where the local lifestyle is dedicated to banishing mainland stress – the locals say anxieties don’t travel too well across the water.
Taking this on board, I reasoned there was no need to rush into the sea. The locals were obviously acclimatised, but I could mentally prepare myself whilst I took a leisurely exploratory trip.
There’s a historical precedence for this laid back attitude. The islanders lived in relative luxury for about 200 years thanks to its busy shipyards, and the beautiful homes that housed the wealthy residents remain the legacy of a privileged past, but one where relaxation was earned.
As part of the Fresian islands, Fano is seasonally sculpted by the Wadden Sea, violent winter storms dramatically rearranging the sprawling tidal flats on an annual basis, though the rest of the year is reassuringly calm. The storms expose naturally occurring amber, an important local resource, and there are jewellery and ornament shopping opportunities aplenty.
You can almost imagine that the island itself has been preserved in resin, and a centuries-old way of life is still alive in and around the rolling moorlands of the interior, timber framed houses poking out from behind copse-fringed, grassy hills.
The main towns on the island are Nordby in the north and Sonderho in the south. I stayed at Sonderho Kro, which doubles as the best restaurant and plushest hotel in Fano. It’s the oldest purpose-built inn in Denmark, opening for business in 1722, and has been in the family of owners Birgit and Niels Steen Sorensen for nine generations, all wooden beams, low ceilings and creaky period furniture.
I lunched on oxtail and lobster terrine followed by Dover sole and fennel chutney, a slice of sophistication that doesn’t come cheap, but judging by the crowds, history is evidently a welcome selling point.
The wooden-floored rooms, fashioned from converted fisherman’s cottages, provide a stylish naval slant on the historical theme, and are named after eminent ships from the island’s seafaring past. Heavy in the air are aromas from the Sorensen’s own smoke ovens, which turn out some pretty impressive fish and cheese.
Walking off calorie-laden Danish fare seems to be a popular pastime, and I considered my pre-swimming options. Hiring a bike is the perfect way to get around a virtually traffic-free island that’s only 55 square kilometres, and pedal-propelled families rule the roads. They can be seen around the cosy streets of the towns, but they are mostly en route to the beach.
There’s no rush to get there. The expansive sands are up to half a kilometre wide and 16km long, easily large enough to absorb any amount of deckchair-wielding tourists without becoming a crowded scrum of holiday makers.
Cycling around Fano, it’s easy to forget the modern age. Most of the houses around Nordby and Sonderho date back to the 17th and 18th centuries, and domestic additions must conform to the traditional style, resulting in new houses that look 200 years old. Nothing can be modified without permission from the National Gallery in Copenhagen.
There are some 2,500 holiday cottages on the island of various sizes and historical authenticity. Most are rented out privately and come fully equipped for self catering families and couples, and the wooden beamed exteriors and dramatic prospects are perfect for a touch of old-world romantic escapism.
The Scandinavians are big fans of self-reliance, of course, and camping in one of the several sites is also a firm favourite. Family complexes with water parks and children’s clubs are popular, too, and places like Hotel Fano Badeland offer child-friendly apartments with indoor pools, just in case the weather lives up to North European expectations.
When it’s sunny, families can really stretch out on the beaches, some even taking down their cars and creating their own private playgrounds. There are the usual seaside activities, including kite flying and beach buggies, as well as a host of outdoor pastimes, such as golf, biking or rambling through the forest in the middle of the island.
Opportunities to stop off and refuel are ample. In Nordby, Krogaarden is a café bar with live jazz. Café Else and Restaurant Appel are also small, good value eateries. In Sonderho, Nanas Stue is a lively, cheaper alternative to Sonderho Kro, cosy with good food and live music.
But what use is such a sandy paradise with only the cruel North Sea to dip your toes in? Well, as I found out on what I imagined would be a bracing and brief aquatic foray, the water is shallow and accommodatingly heats up to a bath-like 26 degrees centigrade in the summer, warm enough even for cowardly Brits.
Children played safely in perhaps the largest sand pit they would probably ever know, perhaps nipping off for a ‘softice’ from one of the beachside kiosks, and I sat with my confounded expectations, in the warmest North Sea waters that I will probably ever know.