Bornholm Denmark – An Introduction to the Best European Island
Close your eyes, and picture this perfect day with us: you wake up and enjoy fresh baked bread, and a fresh pastry from the local bakery, then you head off for a hike along the ocean, walking on granite cliffs that plunge to meet the ocean below. As the day comes to an end you spend the evening watching the sun set with your feet tucked into some of the finest sand in the world, and a delicious locally made soft serve ice cream in your hand. This perfect scenario could easily be yours, and you do not have to travel to an exotic location for it. Nestled in the Baltic Sea, off the coast of Sweden, you will find the undiscovered Danish island of Bornholm, which in my humble opinion is truly the greatest island in the world.
That is of course a bold statement, and there is perhaps the chance of bias on the part of your chronicler as I spent many a wonderful childhood summer on the island, nonetheless everyone that goes to Bornholm falls victim to its numerous charms. My wife, Sita, had never heard of Bornholm before we met each other, but after just one trip to the island she too became smitten with it. When we were living in Switzerland, we began to visit the island at least once a year, usually for Christmas. Although winter is most definitely not the prime season for Bornholm, as long as you dress warm, you get to enjoy the island without the summer crowds, and admire the incredible winter sunsets.
Løvehovedet (Lion’s Head) rock formation, on a hiking path near Hammershus castle, at sunset
As I alluded to at the beginning of this article, Bornholm is possessed of a beautiful and varied landscape, in fact island legend tells that the Gods created Bornholm with the parts they had left over when they had finished creating the rest of the world. This is why you will find rolling fields, undulating hills, granite cliffs, forests, sand dunes, and vast sand beaches all on this tiny little island.
Not only is Bornholm blessed with nature to suit everyone, Bornholm is also the sunniest place in Denmark. Ever since Danes had leisure time, Bornholm has been a popular destination for soaking up the sun on its beaches, hiking through the varied landscape, as well as exploring the island by bicycle. The local industry was historically, as might be predicted for a small island, fishing, which is why you will find numerous picturesque little towns dotted around the coast line. Each little fishing town has its own charm, and you could easily spend a few days meandering along the quaint cobblestone streets, as you admire the colourful half-timbered houses, stopping to take a rest at the numerous ocean front cafes.
Small fishing boat docked in a harbour on Bornholm
Undiscovered Foodie Destination?
In recent years many younger Bornholmers have begun returning to their home island, after building careers, and families in the ‘big’ cities. This generation has brought with it a new sense of energy, and fresh ideas to the island. One of these is a desire to embrace the agricultural heritage of the island. This has resulted in a big shift towards local production of crops, fruit and livestock. A lot of these new farms are also seeking to operate organically in an effort to preserve the environment for future generations.
I have to confess that we have never eaten out much on Bornholm, it is definitely not a cheap destination if you want to frequent restaurants. That being said, if your budget allows for it, Bornholm can boast of numerous, creative restaurants that are inspired by ingredients grown on the island, and run by Michelin chefs. Luckily for us, and other budget minded travellers, if you’re willing to put in some time in the kitchen yourself you can still enjoy the taste of Bornholm. Simply visit the local farm shops, or even just the side of the road where you will find lots of produce for sale through the honour box system. To this day I have fond memories of my grandparents arguing about which specific roadside stall had the best potatoes. For the curious amongst you, my grandmother was invariably right. Although we have travelled extensively, and lived all around the world, our favourite butcher, and brewery are both located on Bornholm. Not surprisingly they are also both completely committed to following sustainable organic production.
Hallegaard, our favourite butcher, makes the best salami on this planet with a lot of different varieties to choose from, and all without the use of artificial flavouring and nitrates. Not only is the meat excellent, but the welfare of the animals is also a top priority for them, which is why they only source animals from local farms, to avoid the transport of animals over large distances.
Image courtesy of Hallegaard
Svaneke Bryghus is hands down my favourite brewery in the world, even after visiting a lot of micro breweries around the world. They have definitely grown a huge amount since I first had one of their beers as a teenager, when I was growing up the legal drinking age in Denmark was 15, and you can now buy their beers in supermarkets across Denmark. You can visit their brewery in Svaneke, and taste the beers directly from the tap, or you can have your own tasting session at home, or on the beach, by buying their beer at the supermarket.
Image courtesy of Svaneke Bryghus
The astute amongst you might be wondering where all the fish have gone? Neither Sita nor myself are big seafood fans, but being an island Bornholm obviously has a long tradition of seafood. Bornholm is actually most well known for their ‘Røgerier’ which is the Danish word for smoke house. You will see their tall chimneys dotted everywhere around the island, although only a fraction are still functional today. For the most authentic Bornholm seafood experience I would recommend visiting one of these smoke houses and trying a ‘Røget Sild’, which is the Danish term for smoked herring. Although the herring is sadly no longer from the waters around Bornholm, they are still smoked fresh on the island.
Chimneys from a traditional smoke house on Bornholm
Small Island, Big Art Scene
Light reflecting off rocks along Hammerhavns harbour at sunset
No discussion of Bornholm would be complete if we didn’t talk about art. Because of the beautiful lighting, the good energy, and beautiful nature, Bornholm has always attracted a lot of artists. Two of the biggest art forms on the island are currently glass blowing, and ceramics. In much the same vein as agriculture, the art scene has grown significantly in the last few years, with a lot of artists moving to Bornholm from the ‘mainland’. You could easily spend a few days visiting the different studios, and if your budget allows for it, fill up your suitcase with beautiful handcrafted souvenirs. One studio that has been on the island for as long as I can remember is Pernille Bulow glass, they are located in Svaneke, and especially in the summer months you will usually find a few artists working on projects.
It’s a fascinating experience to watch the artists create glass masterpieces right in front of your eyes, just don’t bring your ice cream with you as the huge furnaces will melt it almost instantly. If you would like to take home a piece of Bornholm with you, then I can definitely recommend buying a glass tea light holder to take home with you, these small beautifully coloured glass pieces don’t take up much space, and will forever be a joyful reminder of your trip to the sunshine island.
All the Nature, in a Compact Package
Hiking in the sand dunes at Dueodde beach. Our favourite place on Bornholm!
Bornholm might be a small island, but with its diverse nature it is also a fantastic place to spend time outdoors. If you enjoy cycling, then you can take advantage of the 230 km bike path network that spans the entire island; a lot of these paths have been built inside the forest, or are separated from the road by a large grass median making for a pleasant and safe cycling experience for all ages. Fun fact, some of the bike paths are where the old railway lines used to run. If you are looking for a greater challenge, then consider bike packing around Bornholm, there are plenty of campsites dotted around the island where you can pitch your tent at the end of a long day.
Taking a break at Hammershus castle while hiking around Hammerknuden
If travelling on two wheels is too fast paced for you, then have no fear, Bornholm also has a huge hiking network that will enable you to trek your way through temperate rainforests, old growth forests, cliff landscapes, sand dunes, and open vistas. One of our favourite hikes is around Hammerknuden, which is located on the North of the island. The path starts at Hammer Havn, and follows the cliffs up to Hammershus, a 13th Century castle ruin, and circles the castle before returning to the harbour. In the winter you can easily time this hike so that you return to the harbour just as the sun sets over the sea.
At the opposite end of the island you have the beach, and sand dunes of Dueodde, which are so huge that you can easily spend several hours wandering around them. There’s not really a marked path through the dunes, so embrace your free spirit, and let yourself get lost in the dunes. If you have always wanted to see Bison, but don’t want to travel all the way to North America, then Bornholm can fulfil your wish. At the centre of the island in Almindingen you can hike through one of the few European Bison reserves in Europe.
Best European Vacation Spot in 2024?
View of Hammerhavns harbour from the coastal hiking trail
By now you might be wondering to yourself how on earth this European island is still largely undiscovered? Well, the truth is that the island isn’t entirely undiscovered. Not only Danish, but also German and Polish tourists have been flocking to the island for decades. Although it was ranked the 2nd best island in Europe by Conde Nast Traveller, we Danes are humble and forgive them for that mistake; the good news is that travellers from the rest of the world have not realised that the best European destination is a Danish island called Bornholm. If this article has spurred your interest in spending your european vacation on Bornholm, then stay tuned as we will be releasing a couple of detailed travel guides that will provide you with itineraries for your visit to the best European island.