Holidays on Bornholm
Cliffs, time and sea air
Everyone could use a little Bornholm
A holiday on Bornholm begins on the journey here. Whether you take the ferry across the Baltic Sea or the short flight from Copenhagen, the journey becomes part of the experience, and the pace slowly begins to shift.
Here you encounter an island community where nature, strong traditions and local craftsmanship shape everyday life. Bornholm feels far away, even though you can travel here from Copenhagen in around three hours by car and ferry via Ystad or in about 35 minutes by plane.
Whether you dream of cliff walks in the early spring sun, the scent of smokehouses on a summer evening or the raw, peaceful stillness of the winter months, there is room to find your own pace.
Plan your trip to Bornholm
Bornholm lies in the middle of the Baltic Sea, but the island is closer than many people think. You can travel here by ferry, plane, car, train or bus, depending on where you are coming from and how you would like to travel.
When you plan your trip to Bornholm, it is mainly about choosing the option that best suits your holiday. Do you want to bring the car so you can easily get around the island? Would you like to travel by train or bus and continue by public transport once you arrive? Or does a short flight suit your plans best?
However you travel, Bornholm is easy to reach. And once you are here, distances are short.
Did you know?
If you are travelling to Bornholm via Sweden, it may be worth looking into ØresundGO. The discount agreement for the Øresund Bridge is relevant for several types of vehicles and is typically already paid back after the first return trip to and from the island.
That makes the agreement worth looking into, whether you travel by car, motorcycle or motorhome, or bring a caravan.
Where would you like to stay on Bornholm?
On Bornholm, you can wake up close to the sea, in the middle of a town or with the forest just outside. That makes your accommodation part of the holiday, not just a place to sleep.
Maybe a holiday home suits you best if you want to set your own pace, with slow mornings and evenings on the terrace. Maybe a hotel, guesthouse or holiday centre is the easy base close to food, town life and experiences. And if you want to get closer to nature, you will also find places to stay close to nature, where the wind, the birds and the changing light become part of the experience.
What matters most is that the place fits the way you want to spend your holiday on Bornholm, whether you stay for a few days or have plenty of time.
Choose your base by the Bornholm you want to wake up to
On Bornholm, a few kilometres can change the feeling of your holiday. In the north, you wake up close to cliffs, coastal paths and small harbour towns. In the south, you find the wide sandy beaches and the softer landscape. In the middle of the island, there are forests, quiet roads and more space around you.
So think about what you would like to have just outside your door. Do you want to be able to walk to the water in the morning? Stay close to town life and places to eat? Or choose somewhere with plenty of space for play or for the dog?
Travel with pets to Bornholm
If you want to bring your dog or cat on holiday to Bornholm, it is a good idea to think about travel route and accommodation together. The direct ferry from Køge to Rønne stays within Denmark, while travelling via Sweden means you need to be aware of the Swedish rules for pets in transit.
On the island, you will find several pet-friendly places to stay, and there are good opportunities for walks in nature. Remember to check the rules for beaches, forests and leads, and always contact your accommodation before booking.
Getting around Bornholm
Once you are on Bornholm, distances are short. You can go from coastal town to forest, from beach to smokehouse and from cliffs to town life on the same day, without your holiday needing to feel packed.
If you have brought the car, it is easy to follow the small roads and stop along the way. If you are travelling without a car, you can plan your holiday around bus routes, bike hire and experiences close to your base.
In many places, it is exactly the short trips that become the best ones. A path down to the water, a small harbour, a view or a town you had not planned to stop in.
Bornholm is easy to get around, and towns, beaches, forests and experiences are rarely far apart. So you do not need to plan the whole day in advance. Choose an area you would like to explore and leave the rest open.
Holidays on Bornholm all year round
A holiday on Bornholm is not just for summer. Each season leaves its own mark on the island and on the way you experience it.
In spring, the paths, forests and coast wake up. It is a good time for walks, cycling trips and the first pauses in the sun, while nature unfolds again.
In summer, life moves closer to the harbours, beaches and towns. There are markets, concerts, culture, smokehouses and long days when the next experience is rarely far away.
Autumn gives the island a calmer rhythm. The colours grow deeper, the air clearer, and the cliffs can still hold the warmth of summer. It is a fine time for trips, local flavours and experiences with a little more space around you.
In winter, the sea and wind take up more room. Go out into nature, seek out arts and crafts and warm meals, or let Christmas markets and small winter experiences become part of your days.
You can plan your holiday on Bornholm according to the season, but also according to the pace you need.
Christmas island: The Bornholm winter tip
In November and December, Bornholm takes on a special winter warmth. Around the island, you can find Christmas markets with local craft, Bornholm flavours, small stalls and gift ideas with a little more island character.
In Nexø, Bornholms Julemarked becomes a regular part of Advent, with wooden stalls, Christmas lights and the harbour close by. Elsewhere, you can meet Christmas in galleries, workshops, old farm settings or towns where the festive feeling fills the place in its own way.
That makes the Christmas markets a lovely reason to plan a holiday on Bornholm outside the high season. Take a winter weekend, go out into the fresh air and come back inside to warm drinks, craft and Christmas atmosphere.
Which holiday suits you?
On Bornholm, your holiday can take shape around the people you travel with and what you want to get closer to. A family holiday can mean sand between your toes, ice cream at the harbour and small adventures at a child’s pace. If you are travelling as a couple, the days can leave more room for good meals, long walks and evenings that need nothing more than sea air and each other.
If you are travelling without children, an adults’ holiday on Bornholm can make room for art, local flavours, small towns and days out with no fixed plan. And if you prefer to be outside, nature is close almost everywhere. Coastal paths, cycling routes, shelters, forests and cliffs make it easy to let your holiday follow the weather, your body and what you feel like doing.
The good thing about Bornholm is that you do not have to stick to one kind of holiday. An active day can end slowly. A family holiday can still leave room for quiet moments. And a short break can feel like much more once you are here.
Find your way into your holiday
When you plan a holiday on Bornholm, not everything has to be decided in advance. It can be enough to choose a travel route, find a place to stay and have a handful of experiences in mind.
The rest may happen along the way. A beach where you stay a little longer. A town you fall for. A flavour, a view or a path that draws you on. On Bornholm, the holiday is close once you give it room.
Bornholm is easy to start exploring, and there is always more to come back for.
Did you know? On Bornholm, you can stand in the middle of time
On Bornholm, the landscape is part of the holiday experience. At NaturBornholm in Aakirkeby, you can visit one of the island’s distinctive geological sites. Here, the old bedrock of northern Bornholm and the younger sandstone layers of southern Bornholm meet so clearly that you can almost stand with one foot in each geological age.