Região da Capital · Denmark

Bornholm

The granite island in the Baltic, east of Copenhague: cliffs on the north coast, the ruins of Hammershus, the round churches, villages with herring smokehouses and the sand of Dueodde.

Copenhague e Zelândia

In the photo: Ruins of Hammershus

Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.

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Get to know the place

A region to enjoy
at your own pace.

Bornholm is a Danish island in the Baltic Sea, about 150 km east of Copenhague, closer to Sweden and Poland than to the rest of the country. Unlike flat Denmark, the island is made of granite: the north coast has cliffs and rocks dropping into the sea, the interior has forests and fields, and the south has fine sandy beaches. Danes call it the "rock" (Klippeøen) and visit in summer for the light, the beaches and the villages.

Rønne, the island's capital on the west coast, receives the ferries and the airport and has a centre of low, colourful houses, with the Bornholms Museum. At the northern tip, the ruins of Hammershus, a 13th-century fortress on a cliff, are the largest medieval fortification in Scandinavia. Around the island there are four medieval round churches, with white walls and conical roofs, which also served as fortresses; Østerlars is the biggest.

On the east coast, Gudhjem is a village of steep streets that descend to the harbour, with herring smokehouses with tall chimneys and the boat to the Christiansø archipelago. Svaneke, farther south, has red and yellow houses, a brewery, glassblowers and artisanal candy factories. North of Gudhjem, the cliffs of Helligdomsklipperne have a coastal trail and the Bornholm Art Museum on the heights. In the south, the beach of Dueodde has dunes and sand so fine it was once used in hourglasses.

The island has buses connecting the villages and over 200 km of cycle paths.

This destination brings together 2 cities: Rønne, Gudhjem.

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One destination, many paths

The cities on this trip

Start with one city or combine several in your itinerary.

Where Bornholm is

Contornos: Web Vectors Map, via geoBoundaries (CC BY 4.0). Adaptação do Cidade Turismo.

How to get there: Bornholm

✈ Aeroporto de Bornholm (Bornholms Lufthavn) (RNN), in Rønne · 5 km to Rønne

Check before booking. From Copenhague, the domestic flight to Rønne takes about 35 minutes. By land, train or bus go to Ystad in Suécia, and the catamaran crosses to Rønne in about 1h20; bring your passport. There is a ferry from Køge, taking around 5h30.

Suggested arrival point: Rønne

Região da Capital · Bornholm Suggested arrival point

Rønne

Rønne is the capital of Bornholm, on the island's west coast, where ferries and flights from Copenhagen arrive. The centre has streets of low, colorful houses, the square Store Torv, the church of São Nicolau by the sea and the Bornholms Museum. It is the base for the ruins of Hammershus to the north and the beach of Dueodde to the south.

Região da Capital · Bornholm

Gudhjem

Gudhjem is the fishing village on Bornholm's northeast coast, with steep streets descending to the harbour and herring smokehouses. It is the departure point for the boat to Christiansø and is close to the round church of Østerlars, the cliffs of Helligdomsklipperne, with the Bornholm Art Museum, and Svaneke.

The local experience

Things to do in Bornholm

Rønne · Região da Capital · Historic centre

Centro antigo de Rønne

The cobbled streets and low, colorful houses of Bornholm's capital, between the square Store Torv, the church of São Nicolau by the sea, and the streets Laksegade and Storegade.

Gudhjem · Região da Capital · Village

Gudhjem e os defumadouros

The fishing village on the northeast coast, with steep streets of low houses that descend to the harbour and the smokehouses with tall chimneys, where Bornholm's smoked herring originated.

Rønne · Região da Capital · Museum

Bornholms Museum

The island's history museum in central Rønne: from the Stone Age to the Vikings, the guldgubber—small gold foils from the Iron Age found at Sorte Muld—and Bornholm's recent history.

Gudhjem · Região da Capital · Church

Igreja Redonda de Østerlars (Østerlars Kirke)

The largest of Bornholm's four medieval round churches, dating from around 1160, with white walls, a conical roof, buttresses and three storeys, the top one formerly a defensive post. Frescoes from around 1350.

See 5 more places in Bornholm

Rønne · Região da Capital · Ruins

Hammershus

The ruins of the 13th-century fortress on a 74-metre cliff at Bornholm's northern tip, the largest medieval fortification in Scandinavia, with a visitor centre and coastal trails around Hammeren.

Gudhjem · Região da Capital · Nature

Helligdomsklipperne e o Museu de Arte de Bornholm

The granite cliffs of the northeast coast, 6 km north of Gudhjem, with caves, rocks and a coastal trail. At the top sits the Museu de Arte de Bornholm (Bornholms Kunstmuseum), which houses works by the island's painters.

Rønne · Região da Capital · Beach

Praia de Dueodde

The beach at the southern tip of Bornholm, with dunes up to 12 metres high, pine woods and white sand so fine it was once used in hourglasses. The 1962 lighthouse, the tallest on the island, has a viewing platform.

Gudhjem · Região da Capital · Village

Svaneke

The small town on Bornholm's east coast, with red and yellow tiled-roof houses, a stone harbour, a craft brewery, glassblowers, a candy factory and a smokehouse.

Gudhjem · Região da Capital · Island

Christiansø

The island-fortress of the Ertholmene archipelago, about a 1-hour boat ride from Gudhjem, with 17th-century walls and towers, around 90 residents, no cars and seabird colonies.

Before you go

Practical information

A little planning leaves more time to enjoy the journey.

When to go

From June to August the days are usually long and the sea is less cold, with the island full of Danish visitors; May and September are quieter, with still-long days. From October to April it tends to be cold and windy, ferries run less often and many restaurants, museums and smokehouses close or reduce hours. Check before you go.

The seasons shown are the most usual ones; nature doesn't always follow the calendar.

How many days to stay

Three days are enough for Rønne, Hammershus, Gudhjem, Østerlars and Svaneke. With four or five days there's time for Helligdomsklipperne, the beach of Dueodde, the north coast trails and the boat to Christiansø.

Which city to stay in

Rønne has the largest selection of hotels and is close to the port and the airport. Gudhjem and Svaneke, on the east coast, have guesthouses and small hotels in old houses near the sea. Allinge and Sandvig in the north are close to Hammershus and the trails. In the south, near Dueodde, there are beach hotels and holiday homes. In summer, book in advance.

Respect the place

Take your trash with you, follow the signs and support local businesses. In natural areas, follow the visiting guidelines.

Get your questions answered

Frequently asked questions about Bornholm

How to get from Copenhague to Bornholm?

By plane, in about 35 minutes, or by train to Ystad in Suécia and catamaran to Rønne, roughly 3 hours in total. There is also a ferry from Køge.

Do I need a passport to pass through Suécia?

Bring your passport: the route via Ystad goes through Suécia, and there may be document checks.

Do I need a car in Bornholm?

It's not essential. Buses link Rønne with the villages, and the island has over 200 km of cycle paths. A car gives more freedom to combine several spots in one day.

How many days to stay?

Three days for the main sights; four or five with beaches, trails and Christiansø.

When to go to Bornholm?

From May to September, with long days. June to August is high season; in winter many places close.

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