Fano

Fano lies a short ferry ride off Esbjerg in the Wadden Sea, and its western side is a beach several kilometres wide at low tide, flat and hard enough to drive and cycle on, which is why it hosts one of the largest kite festivals in Europe each June. Behind the beach are dunes and plantation, and on the sheltered eastern side are two old villages, Nordby and Sonderho, built when the island had a large merchant fleet: Sonderho in particular is a dense pattern of thatched captains' houses set gable-end to the wind, kept almost unaltered and repeatedly voted the prettiest village in Denmark. The island has its own dress tradition, still worn on some occasions, and the whole Wadden Sea around it is a World Heritage Site.

The landscape

• A beach kilometres wide - hard flat sand you can cycle and drive on.
• Sonderho village - thatched captains' houses set against the wind.
• The June kite festival - one of the largest gatherings of its kind.
• Wadden Sea mudflats - the tidal flats on the eastern side.

When to go

May to September; the kite festival is in June and fills the island. Two days. Ferries run constantly and take twelve minutes. Winter is quiet with limited services.

Things to know

Summer and festival weeks bring heavy crowds and accommodation books out far ahead. Cars on the beach are permitted and annoy some visitors. The North Sea here is cold with strong currents. Ferry queues for vehicles are long in peak season.

Nearby

Esbjerg and Men at Sea are across the water; Mando lies south.

Key facts