The town is located 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) southeast of Svendborg and is connected to Siø through the Siøsund Bridge.

The first mention of Rudkøbing was in 1287, when it was given market town privileges by Duke Valdemar IV of Schleswig, who held the title of rigsforstander (da) under King Eric VI Menved.

[3] During the Count's Feud (1534–1536) and again during the Dano-Swedish War (1658–1660), Rudkøbing was under siege by Swedish troops.

The town was connected by steam ferry routes to Copenhagen, Korsør, Marstal, and Svendborg.

Around this time a suburb developed in Skrøbelev Parish [da], which eventually grew together with Rudkøbing.

[8] From 1911 to 1962, Rudkøbing was the main station of the Langeland rail network (Langelandsbanen [da]).

The network was connected to Svendborg in 1926, when a railway ferry route made it possible to move train wagons between Rudkøbing and the mainland of Funen.