I have wanted to go to Bornholm for the longest but in the end, my visit was the result of a spontaneous decision on a Saturday morning. Bornholm is an island which is part of the kingdom of Denmark but if you’re driving, you need to take a ferry from Sweden so it was a bit of a rush but made it in time! I only spent 28 hours there but I know for certain I wanna go back to that cosy little island paradise! Here are some of the highlights from the trip!
It feels so cosy when you’re there and the beaches are so pretty; some even consider the beaches there some of the most beautiful in the world. Whilst that may be up for debate, there is no taking away from how idyllic the setting is. It’s so different from mainland Denmark visually – there are cliff drops and heights and beaches on beaches on beaches. It does have that Danish cosy feel to it though, and I can totally understand how people fall in love with it and up sticks and move to enjoy a slower pace of life on this beautiful island.
DO | As I mentioned, the beaches are stunning. My favourite was Dueodde beach in Nexo but Balka beach is also good one. Go early in the morning (i.e. before 11AM!) and you will feel like you have the beach all to yourself. Amazing! Visit the ruins of Hammerhus, a medieval fortress, which is apparently the largest castle ruin in Northen Europe. It’s a bit of a trek but so worth it.
EAT | Fiskværksted is a great shout for good seafood dishes. If you’re brave enough, try the local dish “Sol over Gudhjem”. I wasn’t brave enough! There’s tons of opportunities for great seafood and I wish I got to try the smoked fish dishes for which Bornholm is famous but there is always next time.
SLEEP | I stayed the night at Strandhotel Balka Sobad which is a short walk away from the white sand of Balka beach. The accommodation did have a bit of a dormitory feel to it, but it was very comfortable and ticked all the boxes for the night! Breakfast is pretty basic but the restaurant served up some good food in the evening.
GETTING AROUND | I moved around by car but also saw lots of cyclists doing their thing so you could easily bring a bike and get about that way. It might be more of a physical task than in Denmark where it’s flat, but it’s worth having the freedom of not having to wait for public transport. There is of course public transport around but I don’t know how frequent it is so bike or car gets my vote.
