About Villa Skovly
Skovly is a historic building which has long housed generations of the Blixen-Finecke family. Skovly's spirit is one of community and openness, where everyone can sit side by side around the fire, and where there is room for both the thoughtful and the chatty. We - three generations of the family from Skovly - have slowly created Villa Skovly from a wealth of ideas, while ensuring that Skovly's history and spirit are preserved as the core. In 2020, we opened Villa Skovly's doors for the first time with a desire to share the joy and peace we ourselves find in nature here. A stay at Skovly is a personal and homely experience, and no two stays are therefore the same. We make the breakfast ourselves and, in the spirit of Skovly, much is homemade from scratch. We are keen on fresh ingredients and ecology, and love to cook over the fire all year round; everything from soup with local herbs to freshly caught fish or venison from the forest's hunters.
Villa Skovly offers coziness with a touch of luxury in the heart of the South Funen countryside. Skovly is a hidden gem that, through beautiful surroundings and history, takes you on a stay away from everyday life, and offers relaxation, inspiration and well-being for adults and children alike. Skovly is located at the edge of the forest by the Purreskoven and exudes fantasy and adventure. The possibilities around the beach villa are endless, and the idyllic surroundings transport you far away from a busy everyday life.
Stay overnight in the site's glamping tents or the hilltop cabin and wake up in the middle of nature, from a peaceful sleep in soft beds. Start the day with a wonderful breakfast served in romantic surroundings. Then it's just a matter of putting on your bathrobe and stepping out into nature. The early risers can go for a morning dive in the calm sea, just a stone's throw from Villa Skovly, and then have the opportunity to warm up in a bath or shower in the newly renovated bathroom in Skovly's north wing. If the weather is nice, the day can be spent playing, fishing and relaxing on the beach – the brave can try out our paddle boards or sit-on-top kayaks – and perhaps a walk along the beach to Lundeborg Harbour for a well-deserved ice cream. The more energetic guests are welcome to jump on our bikes and explore the beautiful surroundings around Villa Skovly. If you're lucky with the season, the forest abounds with food – pick blackberries for dessert, nettles for soup or maybe even chanterelles or chestnuts for starters.
Make yourself comfortable in one of the countless nooks and small terraces in Villa Skovly's gardens and enjoy a good book in quiet surroundings. After a lovely day in nature, you can enjoy some light dishes on site or perhaps a glass of wine on the sunset bench. End the day with food over a fire in your own campfire corner - we have provided everything you need for easy and delicious cooking over a fire - and warm yourself around the fire with pancakes, marshmallows and good company. Finally, light the wood stove, crawl under the soft duvets and fall asleep to the soothing sounds of nature.
Here at Skovly, we have never let a bit of rain and cold scare us and only your imagination sets limits to the possibilities on a gray day. Put on a pair of the rain boots we have put out in the stable shop and go for a rainy walk in the forest or on the beach. Take a nice hot bath and enjoy a cup of hot tea and a board game under the covers. Enjoy your breakfast and the soothing sound of rain from our covered terrace as you cozy up under heat lamps and blankets. Take a trip to a museum or restaurant in one of the nearby towns, such as the harbour town Lundeborg. The nature around Villa Skovly will offer an adventurous experience in all kinds of weather.
Isabella and grandpa decorate with flowers at Villa Skovly
Meet the team behind villa skovly
Meet the family from Skovly and all of us who help out!
Carl Gustaf, also known as "Morfar" (Grandpa in Danish) among both family and guests at Villa Skovly, is the owner and soul of the place. CG is a former mathematics and physics teacher, and is happy to help if guests, young and old, have any questions! It is often Carl Gustaf who shows new guests around Villa Skovly upon arrival, and all the beautiful bouquets around Villa Skovly are picked by Carl Gustaf.
Thomas is, amongst other things, a hunter, nature guide and cook. Thomas lived and hunted in Greenland for many years, but now lives with his family on a farm here on Funen and teaches at a school for children with special needs. Thomas is in charge of the 'Sank & Æd' (Foraging & Eating) outings here at Villa Skovly, where guests can can book a guided foraging trip and dinner over a campfire during their stay.
Cecilia is Carl Gustaf's daughter, and lives in Hellerup with her family. The Villa Skovly concept was created by Cecilia, who for a long time dreamed of sharing Skovly's spirit and beautiful surroundings with more people.
Christian grew up in Søllerød and works as an independent lawyer and mediator. Together with Cecilia, Christian has three children. Despite not having been brought up at Skovly himself, Christian tries to get away to Southeast Funen as often as possible, where he prefers to sleep outside in the summer. Here Christian is seen as the 2024 winner of the annual family Croquet Tournament.
Charlotte is Carl Gustaf's grandniece, and grew up just a 20-minute walk from Skovly. Charlotte has spent much of her childhood at Skovly, but is now studying for a master's degree in England. It is Charlotte who designed the website and who, together with Cecilia, runs Villa Skovly's marketing, booking system and customer service.
Villa SKOVLY HISTORY
"Skovly" was built in 1870 and functioned as a forester's residence until 1965. Until 1965 a maid and a stableman lived here in addition to the family. There is still a bell in the kitchen, although no one comes anymore when you press it! At the beginning of the 1900s, the lady in the house had a boarding house. The guests came primarily from Copenhagen by train to Hesselager, where they were picked up by horse-drawn carriage.
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Skovly was Elisabeth Møller's (née Blixen-Finecke) home for a long time. "Beth", who was Carl Gustaf's mother, was a skilled mosaic worker. Her artistic masterpieces were her neat, brightly colored mosaics, which still hangs all around Skovly, but also, among other things, can be seen in the coat of arms above Hesselagergård Castle, in the Catholic church in Svendborg and in Svendborg's city coat of arms on the city's town hall - as well as on her husband's grave in Hesselager. Several mosaics had kingfishers as a motif and one such work was gifted to Queen Margrethe II when the queen turned 50 - it was given a fine location in the castle in Cahors. During the Second World War, she worked for the Danish Red Cross in Copenhagen, where she met her now deceased husband, Magister Thorbjørn Møller. Beth's Greek Orthodox icons, made in mosaic, made her famous. She once taught nuns in Greece the special art of mosaics and in 1976 converted to the Greek Orthodox Church in order to immerse herself wholeheartedly in the background of the icons. In 1997, Beth was honoured as "Gudme citizen of the year" at a folk festival in Gudmehallen by 750 residents in recognition of her many cultural efforts. She set up, among other things, annual 'Hesselagergård castle reenactments' completed with actors (mostly family and friends) in hand-sewn costumes, as well as nativity plays in Hesselager church.
