Old town of Præstø

Præstø is an old town at the south east part of Zealand. The town had a little place in Danish history during the wars against Sweden in 1658 to 1660 almost all of Zealand was occupied by Sweden with the exception of Copenhagen.

During the occupation a group of men decided to fight back. They were fighting all over Zealand but a large part of the fighting took place in the area around Præstø. The leader of the partisan force was Svend Poulsen Gønge who was a man of humble upbringing. He served as a soldier and later corporal in the Danish army for a while. He had limited formal training but his unusual understanding of meant he actually became a staff member for a colonel in the Dutch army for a while. The small rebel army led by Svend is said to have killed or disabled at least 2,000 Swedish troops making a significant contribution to the Danish effort during the wars.

To remember the old hero there is a statue in the small park at the end of the land in Præstø from where there is a good view of the coast line and the nearby island of Møn. The park is just behind Frederiksminde which is the top restaurant of the area with one Michelin Star.

Walking around the town is pretty easy since it is a small town with a tiny old center. The streets do have cobbled stones and there are some nice old buildings spread across the town. The town is really a quiet place without many people around so you can enjoy a peaceful walk to yourself without disruptions.

The only place which seems to have a bit of life is the harbor area where there are a collection of restaurants with people enjoy the sunshine. The harbor has a fairly big collection of pleasure boats which ensures the life at the harbor.