Experience Svaneke
Market life, glassblowers and sweet temptations
Life is meant to be lived slowly in Svaneke
Svaneke is Denmark’s easternmost market town, and the town has a very special, creative soul. Between beautiful old half-timbered houses and historic merchants’ yards, you will find a lively world of local artisans and small specialist shops.
Here, the cosy atmosphere around the raw rock harbour meets a calm and present mood that invites you to slow right down and simply enjoy life.
Parking in Svaneke
During the summer, Svaneke can have many visitors. That is why there are large designated parking areas above the town, where it makes sense to park and walk the last stretch in.
It also gives you a lovely arrival in Svaneke. You take in the streets, the houses and the atmosphere before you find yourself in the middle of the market life or down by the coast. The parking spaces close to the harbour are best left for people with reduced mobility.
The lively market life in Svaneke
Svaneke Torv is the natural heart of the town, and here you quickly sense the warm local atmosphere. On market days especially, the square hums with life as the stalls are set up and the scent of fresh produce and Bornholm specialities drifts through the historic surroundings.
This is also where people gather for very local traditions, such as the time-honoured Hønseskidning, when the whole square waits in suspense to see which field the hen will choose. It is the perfect place to sit down, listen to the conversations and enjoy the cheerful, informal community that makes Svaneke something quite special.
Sweet temptations in Svaneke
It is hard to walk through Svaneke’s sunny streets without being tempted. The town is nothing less than a little haven for anyone with a sweet tooth, and you can safely let the scent lead the way. Here you can step inside local producers who care deeply about good craftsmanship, and taste everything from handmade sweets, creamy dairy ice cream and soft liquorice to filled chocolates. It is the taste of true Bornholm indulgence, best enjoyed on a bench in the sun with a view of the glittering sea.
Get closer to the taste of Svaneke hereSvaneke tastes of more
Once you have visited the small producers, the food experiences continue in the streets and down by the harbour. Here, uncompromising quality and local ingredients go hand in hand.
In the middle of the square, you will find one of the town’s great meeting places: Svaneke Bryghus. As one of Denmark’s first microbreweries, it has shaped Bornholm’s beer culture for many years. Here you can sit down in historic surroundings for lunch or dinner, accompanied by a locally brewed draught beer.
The brewery is not alone, though. If you go exploring, you will find everything from the traditional herring smokehouse to cosy cafés and innovative restaurants tucked behind the warm half-timbered facades. Whether you are looking for a quick bite in the sun or a full dinner, the town offers plenty of good food experiences.
Kildefesten and Svaneke’s living cultural heritage
Every year on 23 June, Svaneke becomes the setting for a truly special tradition. Svaneke is the only place in Denmark where people have continuously kept alive the old, pagan tradition of celebrating Kildefest on Midsummer’s Eve. A tradition so distinctive that it has been mentioned in connection with UNESCO’s work on intangible cultural heritage.
Arts, crafts and glassblowing in Svaneke
Svaneke has attracted creative souls for decades, and the town is known for its very high standard of one-off pieces and local design. When you explore the cosy workshops and galleries, you can often get close to the working process, as when the glassblowers tame the glowing mass in front of the hot furnaces.
Here you will not find streamlined chain stores, but instead a tempting selection of handmade ceramics, glass art, textiles and jewellery. Every little shop holds its own story and invites you to take a piece of Bornholm home with you.
Visit the artisans in Svaneke
Come closer
Accommodation in Svaneke
If you feel like letting the day stretch out and staying a little longer, Svaneke and the surrounding area offer many good ways to spend the night. You can check in at one of the town’s atmospheric hotels, find peace at a cosy guesthouse or a local bed and breakfast. You can also settle in and create your own base in a holiday home, a holiday apartment, at the cosy hostel or on the campsite right down by the rocky coast. No matter where you choose to rest your head, you are never more than a short walk from the market life, the harbour and the fresh sea air.
Read moreExplore Svaneke
If you enjoy close, personal cultural experiences, do not miss a visit to Svanekegaarden. One of the town’s beautiful old merchants’ yards forms the setting for a lively cultural centre, where you can experience intimate concerts, theatre and changing art exhibitions all year round.
A few kilometres inland, you will find Brændesgårdshaven. Denmark’s oldest amusement park is a real gathering place for families, and here the hours fly by with everything from water park and nostalgic rides to the cosy animal park and green oases.
There is plenty to experience in and around Svaneke. The difficult part may be choosing.
A hidden architectural gem
Did you know that Svaneke hides an early masterpiece by the man behind the Sydney Opera House?
The striking three-legged water tower on the edge of town was designed by the world-famous Danish architect Jørn Utzon. He found his inspiration in the old, classic sea marks that have helped sailors safely into harbour for centuries.