Ebeltoft is one of the tourist centres of Denmark, due to the natural
beauty of the area, its old town center with cobble-stoned streets and
centuries-old half-timbered houses, and - not least - many beaches.
Also, Ebeltoft is home to one of the world's first glass museums and to
the Fregatten Jylland, the longest wooden warship in the world.
In
spite of its relatively small size, Ebeltoft is quite lively, especially
in the summer season. The population soars in June, July, and August -
but all year round, there are many more people staying here than the
official number of inhabitants suggests. This is due to the Danish
phenomenon of 'summer houses' (holiday homes): most are wooden but quite
luxurious, and there are several thousand in this area.
Ebeltoft is
also the home of the internationally acclaimed European Film College,
which offers short and long courses in film making, especially for young
people.
The tourism, the old traditions of trade in this harbour
town, and the international schools in the area probably explain why
most people in this small town are open-minded and friendly towards
foreigners. The town is, generally speaking, also well-to-do. Quite a
few people work in the city of Århus, which is only 50 km away and so
within commuting distance.
Ebeltoft itself offers fewer and fewer
opportunities for employment. Several large companies that used to
employ unskilled labour are now closed; traditional trades, such as
fishing and farming are diminishing rapidly; and the ferry line,
Mols-linien, has moved quite a few of its employees to the ferry port of
Århus.
However, the town is popular with artisans, such as: glass
workers, potters, painters, and jewelry designers. The Glasmuseet
Ebeltoft, which shows contemporary glass art from all over the world,
was established in 1985 by Ebeltoft glass artists Finn Lynggaard and his
wife, Tchai Munch. The many general
