Wondering about next year’s summer vacation?
The Danish island of Bornholm is called “the Sunshine Island” and “the Island of Cliffs”. This is due to the fact, that it’s the place with the most hours of sunshine and the only place with cliffs in Denmark. Here is a glimpse of what this small island in the Baltic Sea has to offer.
THE SUNSHINE ISLAND
The island is very small with app 40.000 inhabitors. You have to go by boat from Ystad in Sweden. It’s quite fast – bout 2 hours! You can leave your car in a long term parking lot nearby.
Rønne
There are many nice cities. The largest one is Rønne, but this is not the one where you want to stay. We stayed in the small city of Sandvig in the northernmost part of the island. We got a small room in a small B&B in the old train station – Pension Langebjerg.
WHAT TO EAT
Within the last few years Bornholm has become a gastronomic go to. Especially with the Michelin restaurant Kadeau. We went for lunch and also dinner at Restaurant Nordlandet between Sandvig and Allinge. The food is excellent and inspired by local ingredients.
The island is famous for a few things – smoked herring is one. I don’t like it, others love it! But the chimneys are beautiful and characteristic. Bornholm is also famous for it’s ice cream, liquorice and some special cakes called Honningkager or honey cakes! In Sandvig I recommend eating ice cream at Sandvig Is Kalas, where they have flavours like thyme and seabuckthorn! Grab a lazy boy and let the kids climb the cliffs!
Smoking chimney
Ice cream in Sandvig
WHAT TO SEE
The top sight on the island is definitely the ruins of Hammerhus. Strategically located in the Baltic Sea, Bornholm has been fought over for centuries. It has been ruled by Lübeck, Sweden and now Denmark. Hammershus is the largest medieval fortress in northern Europe! A new museum is being build!
Hammershus
You can take boat trips around Hammershus or there are walking routes along the top part of the island. Other thing to see are the round churches For souvenirs you should buy glass works!
The rock is made up by granite and therefore resembles Swedish geology more. The island also has long sand beaches and when the weather is good this is Denmark at it’s best. When the weather is bad – well then it is kind of boring!
What is your favourite island?
I love Bornholm’s food. From ice cream to herring 🙂 https://visitbornholm.com/en/bornholm/explore/gastronomy
How can you not. Although I definitely prefer ice cream to herring.