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Bornholm

The sunniest part of Denmark, Bornholm lies way out in the Baltic Sea, 200km east of Copenhagen (and closer to Sweden and Poland than to mainland Denmark). But it’s not just (relatively) sunny skies that draw the hordes each year. Mother Nature was in a particularly good mood when creating this Baltic beauty, bestowing on it rocky cliffs, leafy forests, bleach-white beaches and a pure, ethereal light that painters do their best to capture.

Humankind added the beguiling details, from medieval fortress ruins and thatched fishing villages, to the iconic rundekirke (round churches) and contemporary Bornholms Kunstmuseum. The island’s ceramic and glassware artisans are famed throughout Denmark, as are its historic smokehouses and ever-expanding league of food artisans, doing brilliant things with local harvests. It’s no wonder that 600,000 people visit annually – and expect that number to increase as word continues to spread.

Explore Bornholm

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Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Bornholm.

  • Ruins

    Hammershus Slotsruin

    The impressive ruins of Hammershus Slot, dramatically perched on top of a cliff 74m above the sea, are the largest in Scandinavia. The castle was thought…

  • Museum

    Bornholms Kunstmuseum

    Occupying a svelte, modern building and overlooking sea, fields and (weather permitting) the distant isle of Christiansø, Bornholms Kunstmuseum echoes…

  • Church

    Nylars Rundkirke

    Built around 1150, Nylars Rundkirke is the most well-preserved and easily accessible round church in the Rønne area. Its central pillar is adorned with…

  • Church

    Østerlars Rundkirke

    The largest and most impressive of Bornholm's round churches dates to at least 1150, and its seven buttresses and upper-level shooting positions give away…

  • Museum

    NaturBornholm

    NaturBornholm offers a terrific geological and biological narrative of the island spanning back to its fledgling days as a cooling slab of magma. The…

  • Museum

    Oluf Høst Museet

    This wonderful museum contains the workshops and paintings of Oluf Høst (1884–1966), one of Bornholm’s best-known artists. The museum occupies the home…

  • Nature Reserve

    Hammeren

    Hammeren, the hammerhead-shaped crag of granite at the northern tip of Bornholm, is criss-crossed by walking trails leading through hillsides thick with…

  • Museum

    Bornholms Middelaldercenter

    This 'Medieval Centre' re-creates a medieval fort and village, and gives the Danes another chance to do what they love best: dressing up in period costume…

  • Museum

    Bornholms Forsvarsmuseum

    A 17th-century citadel called Kastellet houses part of the Defence Museum, south of the town centre. There are extensive displays of guns, blades, bombs…

  • Museum

    Melstedgård

    This folk/farm museum has a new addition, and a second name: 'Gaarden – Bornholms Madkulturhus'. It's a mouthful when translated (Bornholm's House of Food…

  • Natural Feature

    Helligdomsklipperne

    These (moderately) high coastal cliffs of sharp granite rock attract sightseers and walkers. You can access them via a path behind Bornholms Kunstmuseum,…

  • Museum

    Bornholms Museum

    Prehistoric finds including weapons, tools and jewellery are on show at Bornholm's museum of cultural history, which has a surprisingly large and varied…

  • Square

    Glastorvet

    If you’re interested in crafts, there are a number of ceramics and handicraft shops dotted around town, and at Glastorvet in the town centre there’s a…

  • Landmark

    Store Tårn

    Built in 1684, Christiansø’s Store Tårn is an impressive structure measuring a full 25m in diameter, and the tower’s 100-year-old lighthouse offers a…

  • Gallery

    Baltic Sea Glass

    Wherever you travel on Bornholm you will come across small independent ceramicists’ and glass-blowers’ studios. A couple of kilometres south of Gudhjem is…

  • Church

    Olsker Rundkirke

    Five kilometres south of central Allinge, on the southern outskirts of the small village of Olsker, is the highest (26m) and most slender of the island’s…

  • Museum

    Hjorths Fabrik

    This ceramics museum features a working studio, and watching the master artisans turn clay into beautifully moulded works of art is the real highlight…

  • Church

    Svaneke Kirke

    You’ll find some interesting period buildings near the elevated landmark of Svaneke Kirke, a few minutes’ walk south of Svaneke Torv. The watermelon-hued…

  • Landmark

    Lille Tårn

    Lille Tårn on Frederiksø dates from 1685 and is now the local history museum. The ground floor features fishing supplies, hand tools and ironworks;…

  • Gallery

    Mølgaard & Marcussen

    Bornholm overflows with creative types and has a long tradition of ceramics. The two friendly owners of this studio gallery and store are great proponents…