Ven

Ven (Danish: Hven) is a small Swedish island which lies in the middle of Öresund Sound, between southern Sweden and Denmark. It is best known as the site of the renaissance-era astronomical observatory built by Tycho Brahe.

Ven countryside, with Elsinore visible across the sound

Understand

Ven is roughly 4.5 km by 2.5 km in size. It was part of the Kingdom of Denmark until 1658. The island is popular with hikers and cyclists and can get fairly crowded during weekends in the summer.

Get in

Ferries from the Swedish town of Landskrona run about every 90 minutes; the trip takes 30 minutes. In the summertime, there are also ferries from Copenhagen, Elsinore and the town of Råå, south of Helsingborg.

If you come in your own boat you can stay in Kyrkbacken on the west side or Bäckviken on the east side.

Kyrkbacken Harbour

Get around

By bus

An infrequent bus (matching the ferry timetable) runs between the two ends of the island. You can get on and off anywhere along the route.

By bicycle

• Vens Cykeluthyrning (Ven's bicycle rental), ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Apr 21-Sep 18: 09:00-16:45. You will see these yellow women's bikes everywhere on the island 80 kr. 

By cart

For a leisurely, scenic view of the island, travel by tractor or horse-drawn cart.

• , Norreborgsvägen 24, ☎ [phone]. Rent a golf cart. 

By foot

Given its small size, much of the island can be covered by foot in a day.

See

Ven seen from Humlebæk

Ruins of observatory

• Tycho Brahe Museum, Landsvägen 182, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Ven's historic claim to fame, Tycho's observatory, which is considered one of the first modern scientific research institutes, was built in 1576, abandoned in 1597, and subsequently destroyed. The museum is housed in the former All Saints' Church, near the grounds of the first observatory, Uraniborg. The observatory once stood at the center of the Renaissance Garden, which has been partially restored. Just down the road, the ruins of Tycho's second observatory Stjerneborg have been incorporated into a small multimedia theater. (updated Feb 2018)

Do

Ven has a 9-hole golf course on the northern coast.

The island also has a whisky bar with the third largest selection in the world at Backafallsbyn.

Buy

Ven Silversmith

• Silversmedjan, Norreborgsvägen 25, ☎ [phone]. Silver jewelry 

This is where the goat cheese comes from.

• Hvens Getost, Landsvägen 61 (on the eastern side, a bit inland), ☎ [phone]. Locally made goat cheese. 
• Ven Puls, Wollters väg 6, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Handmade fabrics from Burma, Laos and Thailand. 
• Paviljong 1916, Bäckviken 8 (at Bäckviken harbour), ☎ [phone]. Small store with cute things. 

Cassiopeia

• Cassiopeia, Landsvägen 216, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Nice store in a greenhouse. Lots of porcelain figures. 

Eat

The island has numerous small restaurants and cafes.

• Prästasvängen, Kyrkvägen 5 (on the north side), e-mail: [e-mail]. Cozy restaurant with a great view. Seafood and steak. 250 kr for mains. 
• Pumpans café & restaurang, Landsvägen 134, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. May-Sep: Sa-Th 11:30-17:00. Vegetarian and organic food 150 kr. 
• Turistgården på Ven, Landsvägen 193, ☎ [phone]. Lunch 155 kr, three-couse dinner 375 kr. 

Drink

• Spirit of Hven, Backafallsbyn AB, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. To 01:00 in high season. They make their own Whisky but also have about 50 Scotch whiskies, beers, etc. From 20 kr/cl. 

Sleep

Inns, rooms in private homes, and campgrounds are available. There is a hostel in Bäckviken and also on the mainland in Landskrona.

• Vens Camping & Stugby, Husviksvägen (On the beach north-east on the island), ☎ [phone]. Good view over the sea. 225 kr per tent, 780 kr for a 4-person cabin.