Als is an island in southern Denmark, separated from the Jutland peninsula by the narrow Als Strait and connected by bridge at Sønderborg. At 321 square kilometres it is a substantial island — larger than Langeland and Ærø combined — but it sits in the shadow of Sønderborg and is not widely treated as a destination in itself.
The island is shaped by its fjords: Als Fjord cuts deeply into the eastern coast, giving the island its characteristic outline and providing sheltered water for sailing. The southern peninsula, Kegnæs, is a flat, quiet area of heath and farmland with a lighthouse at the tip. The northern part of the island is more agricultural and less visited.
Sønderborg, at the western end, is the island's main town and the gateway from Jutland. Its castle — one of the most historically significant in southern Denmark — tells the story of the wars between Denmark and Prussia, including the catastrophic defeat of 1864 when Denmark lost Schleswig to Germany. The Battle of Dybbøl took place just across the strait from Als, and the Dybbøl Mill and battlefield are visible from the island's western shore.
Augustenborg, on the Als Fjord, was the seat of a ducal line and retains an 18th-century palace set in formal gardens. The palace is now a psychiatric hospital, but the grounds are open and the waterfront village below it is one of the more pleasant small settlements on the island.
Als is best explored by bike: the terrain is gentle, the distances are manageable, and the fjord scenery rewards slow travel.
