Bornholm
The "Sunshine Island" of the Baltic, known for its round churches and Hammershus castle ruins, with rocky coastline alternating with white sand beaches, and smokehouses and glass and ceramics workshops everywhere.
Bornholm is a Danish island in the Baltic Sea, about 150 km from Copenhagen yet only about 40 km from Sweden's southern coast. The island covers about 588 square kilometers with a coastline of about 140 km, and its main town, Rønne, is on the west coast. Bornholm gets more sunshine than anywhere else in Denmark, earning it the nickname "Sunshine Island". Geologically, the north has granite cliffs and the south fine white sand beaches, while in the middle lies Almindingen, Denmark's third-largest forest, making the landscape unique in Denmark. Main sights: Hammershus at the northern tip is the largest medieval castle ruin in Northern Europe, and the surrounding Hammeren peninsula has a lighthouse, a quarry lake and clifftop trails; the northeast coast with Helligdomsklipperne, Bornholm Art Museum, Gudhjem and Svaneke is the most beautiful stretch, packed with colorful fishing cottages, smokehouses and glass and ceramics workshops; the four 12th-century round churches in the island's interior (Østerlars, Nylars, Olsker and Nyker) are the symbol of Bornholm; Dueodde beach at the southern tip has exceptionally fine sand; and boats from Gudhjem make day trips to Christiansø, Denmark's easternmost point. The best time to visit is June–August, when the sea is warm enough for swimming and all sights and ferries are running, but book accommodation and ferries early; May and September offer beautiful scenery with fewer crowds; in winter most restaurants close and ferry services are reduced. Getting there: take the train or bus from Copenhagen to Ystad in Sweden, then the fast ferry to Rønne in about 80 minutes, about 3 hours in total; you can also fly from Copenhagen to Rønne in about 35 minutes, or take a ferry from Sassnitz in Germany. The island has buses covering the whole island and more than 200 km of cycle paths, so driving or cycling around the island is easiest. Plan on 3–5 days. Note: the signature dish is the smoked herring "Sol over Gudhjem" (Sun over Gudhjem), served with raw egg yolk, onion and radishes, and most smokehouses are seasonal; cyclists should be aware that the hills in the north are fairly steep.
Top sights
- Hammershus – The largest medieval castle ruin in Northern Europe, standing on a 74 m sea cliff overlooking the Baltic.
- Østerlars Church – The largest and oldest round church on Bornholm. Built in the 12th century, it doubled as a fortress, and its whitewashed walls and sturdy…
- Gudhjem – A colourful fishing village built up a steep hillside, with lanes running down to the harbour. It is the home of the smoked herring dish 'G…
- Svaneke – Denmark's easternmost town. Its old town, with yellow walls and red roofs, won a European architectural heritage award, and it is home to c…
- Dueodde Beach – A white sand beach at the island's southern tip. The sand is as fine as flour, and the beach is backed by pine forests and dunes. It is one…
- Helligdomsklipperne – A 22-meter granite sea cliff on the northeast coast, with sea caves and rock pillars, once a medieval pilgrimage site.
- Bornholm Art Museum – A modern art museum built above Helligdomsklipperne, housing works of the Bornholm School of painters, with large windows facing the Baltic…
- Christiansø – The easternmost small island group in Denmark, with a well-preserved 17th-century naval fortress, around 90 residents and huge seabird colo…
- Rønne Old Town – Bornholm's capital and ferry gateway, where cobbled lanes are lined with colorful half-timbered houses.
- Nylars Church – One of the best-preserved round churches, with a 13th-century mural on the central pillar depicting the story of Creation.
- Olsker Church – The tallest and most slender of the four round churches, set on high ground, it once also served as a navigation landmark for ships.
- Nyker Church (Ny Kirke) – The smallest of the four round churches, with only two storeys and a 13th-century mural of the Crucifixion inside.
- Bornholm Medieval Centre – A living history museum beside Østerlars Church, where staff in period costume demonstrate blacksmithing, baking and knightly tournaments.
- Almindingen – Denmark's third-largest forest, with a European bison enclosure, a lookout tower and lakeside trails, a great spot for cycling and hiking.
- Ekkodalen – A roughly 12-km-long fault valley in Almindingen Forest where you can shout at the rock walls and hear a clear echo.
- Lilleborg – The 12th-century royal castle ruins on a lakeside hill in Almindingen Forest, burned down in 1259.
- Jons Kapel – A 22-m-high granite sea cliff on the west coast. Legend says a monk preached here, and a 108-step wooden staircase leads down to the shore.
- Hammeren & Hammer Odde Lighthouse – A granite peninsula at the island's northern tip, where a loop trail links the lighthouse, sea cliffs, chapel ruins and a quarry lake.
- Opalsøen – A deep emerald lake in an old quarry on Hammeren, ringed by cliffs, and a popular cliff-diving spot in summer.
- Allinge-Sandvig – Two adjoining harbour towns at the island's north end, with smokehouses, rock swimming pools and colorful old houses. It's the base for vis…
- Hasle Smokehouse – A west coast smokehouse that keeps its traditional chimneys, smoking herring and salmon, where you can eat “the Sun of Gudhjem” by the sea.
- Bornholm Museum – An island history museum in central Rønne, telling the story of Bornholm from Stone Age gold-foil figures to the Soviet occupation in World…
- NaturBornholm – A natural science centre built on a fault cliff, showing the island's 1.7-billion-year geological history and its wildlife. Great for famil…
- Paradisbakkerne – Rolling granite hills and marsh wilderness in the east, with colour-marked trails winding through rock clefts and Stone Age remains.
- Balka Strand – A shallow, white-sand bay on the southeast coast with gentle water, one of the island's best beaches for families.
- Snogebæk – A small fishing village on the southeast coast, with smokehouses, a seaside boardwalk and popular ice cream and chocolate shops.
Where to eat
- Kadeau Bornholm – A one-Michelin-starred restaurant set in the dunes of the south coast, featuring a tasting menu focused on island ingre…
- Gudhjem Røgeri – A harbor smokehouse built in 1910, where you can enjoy the island's signature dish, "Sol over Gudhjem," in an outdoor s…
- Hasle Røgeri – The largest traditional smokehouse on the island's west coast, using open alder wood fires, with options to book for th…
- Svaneke Bryghus Restaurant – An organic craft brewery housed in an old merchant house on Svaneke Square, open year-round and serving local homestyle…
- Det Røde Pakhus – A Michelin-selected modern Danish restaurant near Rønne Harbor, offering creative open sandwiches for lunch and refined…
- Christianshøjkroen – An old inn nestled in the central forest of the island, highly recommended for its three-course forest lunch, pickled h…
Itineraries
- Bornholm Island Slow Loop – Circle the island to see round churches, the ruins of Hammershus, fishing villages, and Dueodde's white sand beach.