Originating as the small fishing village of “Dybsbroen”, Stege is now the largest settlement on the Danish island of Møn. By the 13th century, it was an important merchant town with a fortress built to protect its lucrative herring industry. Today, Stege is a popular tourist destination, with half-timbered houses, narrow streets and engaging museums to explore.
Things to do in Stege
Occupying an 18th-century merchant’s house known as the Empiregården is the Møns Museum, which explores the cultural heritage of the island. With the help of an audio guide, you can hear local stories from the Stone Age to the present day as you browse the artefacts on display. Standing guard over the nearby ramparts is one of Denmark’s only remaining city gates.
If you’re a fan of antiques, don’t miss Thorsvang: Denmark's Museum of Collectables, which occupies an early-20th-century powdered milk factory. It features 18 recreated shops that appear as they would have in the 1920s, with items collected by Henrik Hjortkær. In addition to vintage radios and wooden school desks, there’s a vintage barber’s where you can still get a shave.
Originally built in the 13th century in a Romanesque style, Stege Church exhibits Gothic elements in its red-brick design. It houses a Cartilage Baroque pulpit carved with reliefs depicting Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, as well as the Adoration of the Magi and the Baptism of Jesus. Centuries-old frescoes were discovered within the church in the 1890s and restored by Jacob Kornerup.
Getting around Stege
Stege is around 1.5 hours’ drive from Copenhagen and Copenhagen Airport, which has flights to destinations across the globe. Buses connect to Stege and the town centre is small enough to explore on foot. Renting a car is the most convenient way of getting around Møn.