Bornholm offers more than just the sea
Bornholm features a wide range of attractions and excursion destinations, located close to holiday homes and apartments in Aakirkeby, Hasle, or Arnager. The nature is diverse, the history is exciting, and the choices are vast: Fine sandy beaches, dunes, small fishing villages, lighthouses, ruins, Viking runes, and mystical round churches. Bornholm is also called "Denmark in a nutshell" because it encapsulates everything typical of the country. The dramatic cliffs, found nowhere else in Denmark, are an exception.
The Almindingen forest in the center of the Danish island of Bornholm is one of Denmark's largest forest areas at about 3,800 hectares and offers great hiking trails for active vacationers and nature lovers. The Døndalen waterfall, Denmark's tallest at 20 meters, is equally magnificent.
Climbers will also find plenty of spots for their hobby.
Strand Dueodde
Dueodde is one of the most beautiful corners of the island – including a South Sea character. The widest beach on Bornholm stretches from Boderne in the west over 12 km to Balka in the east. At Dueodde Beach, not only surfers find a little paradise. A walk over the fine quartz sand is a sensory attraction. It becomes clear why the sand in Dueodde was used for making hourglasses. The beach is even considered the most beautiful in all of Denmark. A tip for finding a beautiful holiday home in this region: Book a holiday home for the beach holiday from a private owner in advance. With some luck, due to cancellations, a holiday home can also be found last minute. Whether a luxury holiday home with a pool or a cozy house close to the beach, a good offer for renting a holiday home on Bornholm from a private owner in the Dueodde area is always available with some lead time.
Rundkirchen
The four round churches on Bornholm are the island's landmark and not just for churchgoers one of the most interesting attractions on the island. Besides the four round churches on Bornholm, there are only three other churches of this rare architectural style in all of Denmark. The round churches served as fortifications to protect the population against potential attackers - especially against pirates, who also repeatedly attacked Bornholm on their crusades towards Estonia and Latvia. The round churches are not only a suitable activity for culture lovers, but also for playful children - after all, it's about pirates!
Gudhjem is even special for the locals
Gudhjem on Bornholm, not far from Svaneke, has just 700 inhabitants and is thus the smallest town in Denmark. In winter, an idyllic fishing village, the town transforms into a lively metropolis with a special flair in summer. Not only tourists are drawn to the archipelago town, but the Bornholm residents themselves also love the town with the red tile roofs. At every corner, there is something to discover and observe. Gudhjem still appears today as it once was depicted by the town's most famous son, the painter Oluf Høst: Tightly nestled against the cliffs of Bornholm's east coast, where they are steepest and most interesting. Not far away, the famous Helligdomsklippen rise from the Baltic Sea. Thus, Gudhjem is also a good location for the holiday home or apartment.
Hellingdomsklippen
Near Gudhjem, at Rø, one finds one of the most impressive rock formations in the entire Baltic region - the Helligdomsklippen: They rise majestically above the Baltic Sea, defying wind and weather. Along with the Hammer plateau and the rocks on Bornholm's west coast near Hammershus, they are one of the most impressive rock formations on the entire island, particularly suitable for beautiful holiday photos. Hammershus was a heavily fortified castle on the northwest side of the Danish island of Bornholm. Today, it is one of the largest contiguous castle ruin complexes in Northern Europe and also a worthwhile excursion destination.
Holiday with kids, skittles, and dogs
Families are particularly drawn to Bornholm because of the fine sandy beach and the green nature, where there is a large selection to find a family-friendly apartment or an affordable holiday home close to the beach. Especially the wide, white beach of Dueodde, which slopes gently into the water, is unique and suitable for frolicking, sunbathing, and swimming for children. No matter where the cozy holiday home or the modernly furnished apartment is located, Bornholm's attractions are spread across the entire island and offer entertainment for the whole family. The NaturBornholm adventure museum is one of the most modern on the island and features a 4D cinema that takes visitors back to Bornholm's past. The history of Bornholm, its fauna, and flora are the focus and are entertainingly conveyed. By the way, those planning a holiday with a dog are also welcome on Bornholm. As long as you carry a pet passport with the appropriate vaccinations, there is nothing to stop you from taking extensive walks on the beach.
The accommodation of a different kind can be found in the Old Village School Gadeby Skole. The old schoolhouse was built in 1908 and used as a village school until 1955. In 1998, the building was extensively renovated and is now a holiday home with different living units.
The smokehouses are a must for a holiday on Bornholm
The absolute typical specialty on the Baltic island of Bornholm is smoked herring, but many other smoked products are also made. A visit to one of the smokehouses, whose chimneys shape the silhouette of many fishing villages, is definitely a part of a Bornholm holiday. Take your time to enjoy the special atmosphere in the halls. With some luck, you might even watch the smoking process and try the freshly smoked fish still warm from the smoker. Other island tips include the cake buffet at Fru Petersens Café, pizza at sunset and live music at Sørens Værsthus, and the legendary organic burger at the Promenadekiosk right behind the beach of Sandvig, the best bathing bay in rocky North Bornholm. If you don't feel like cooking in the holiday home, there is a wide selection of culinary experiences for every taste. Some restaurants even fly in top chefs from Stockholm for the summer to serve gourmet food at star level in their summer house. The perfect place for your culinary journey!
Discover Bornholm's rich history between museums and ruins
Burgruine Hammershuts
The largest castle ruin in Northern Europe majestically perches above the cliffs of northern Bornholm. It is one of the most popular attractions, usually visited right after moving into the holiday apartment or holiday home from a private owner. In the past, the Hammershus castle ruin was the scene of fierce battles and served as a prison for prominent inmates. The castle maintained its defensive function to protect Bornholm until the end of the 17th century. Until the mid-15th century, there were disputes between the royal house and the church. Hammershus was taken over by the king several times – and thus the power over the island. Each time, however, the island was returned to the bishopric, lastly by Valdemar Atterdag in 1362. The entire history can be learned during a booked tour!
Kunstmuseum Bornholm
Bornholm Art Museum is located high above the Helligdomsklippen between Tejn and Gudhjem. The museum, housed in a modern building, features a permanent exhibition of 19th and 20th-century artworks related to Bornholm, known as the Bornholm School around the painter Oluf Høst – especially early modernism is expressed in the art. To symbolize the merging of progress and origin, an ancient spring flows here, which made this place a spiritual pilgrimage site on Bornholm in the past. Those who want to relax in a holiday home or on the beach but also breathe some art history are in the right place.
During peak season, ferries can get crowded
Bornholm, along with six uninhabited neighboring islands, is the easternmost island of Denmark. This Baltic Sea island is situated between the Swedish Scania and the Polish West Pomeranian Voivodeship, approximately 150 km southeast of Copenhagen and 80 km northeast of Rügen. The southern coast of Sweden is just 40 km away.
The most popular sea route to take a car to the Danish island of Bornholm is the direct ferry line from Sassnitz-Mukran on Rügen to the Bornholm island capital of Rønne. An alternative departure point is the Wallander city of Ystad in southern Sweden. An important tip: When traveling by car, it should be noted that there are often bottlenecks on the ferries on Saturdays, as Saturday is the common changeover day for holiday accommodations. It is advisable to ask the landlord if an alternative day of arrival is possible. Many landlords now offer Thursday to move into the cozy holiday home. Besides traveling by car, there are also options to fly to Bornholm via Copenhagen or to travel to the sunny island in Denmark for a holiday by bus, train, and ferry.