Explore 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.
At Svaneke Harbour, rocks, boats, old houses and everyday life come together in a mix that gives the town its distinctive character. To the south, Svaneke Lighthouse forms part of the coastal landscape, marking the transition from the town to the rocks and the sea.
Parking in Svaneke
During the summer, Svaneke can be busy with visitors. This is why there are large designated parking areas above the town, where it makes sense to park and walk the final stretch into the centre.
This also makes for a pleasant arrival in Svaneke. You take in the streets, the houses and the atmosphere before you find yourself amid the life of the market square or down by the coast. The parking spaces close to the harbour are particularly suitable for people with reduced mobility.
The lively market life in Svaneke
Svaneke Torv is the natural heart of the town. 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 between the historic houses.
Here you also get a sense of the strong community spirit that characterises Svaneke. Locals and visitors meet around the square, and the town’s traditions live on, including the time-honoured Hønseskidning, when the whole square waits in suspense to see which square the hen chooses.
Sweet temptations in Svaneke
It is hard to walk through Svaneke’s sunny streets without being tempted. The town is nothing less than a mecca for anyone with a sweet tooth, and you can simply let the scent lead the way. Here you can visit local producers who take pride in good craftsmanship and taste everything from handmade sweets and creamy ice cream to soft liquorice and 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.
Come closer to the flavours of SvanekeSvaneke tastes of more
Once you have visited the small producers, there is more to taste 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 authentic herring smokehouse to cosy cafés and innovative restaurants tucked behind the warm half-timbered façades. 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. The tradition is so distinctive that it is included in Denmark’s national inventory of intangible cultural heritage as part of the work under UNESCO’s Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage.
Arts, crafts and glassblowing in Svaneke
Svaneke has attracted creative souls for decades, and the town is known for the very high standard of its arts and crafts 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
Come closer
Svanekegaarden - East Bornholm’s cultural centre
In the heart of Svaneke, Svanekegaarden is housed in one of the town’s old merchants’ yards. Here, the creative spirit takes shape in concerts, theatre, exhibitions and small-scale cultural experiences in historic surroundings. Svanekegaarden has a concert hall, theatre, exhibition spaces and artists’ residences for working artists. Drop by if you would like a closer look at Svaneke’s active cultural life.
Come closerSmall adventures around Svaneke
Svaneke is a good place to explore at a child’s pace. Bring a fishing net and look for small creatures at the water’s edge, find room to play among the rocks, build sandcastles and take a little break with an ice cream or some sweets in hand.
A few kilometres from the town, Brændesgårdshaven awaits. The old amusement park has been a gathering place for Bornholm families and visitors to the island since 1933. Time moves a little more slowly here among carousels, rowing boats, animals, a water park and green oases, with room for imagination and exploration.
This makes Svaneke a good base for a day with room for rocks, curiosity and a classic summer holiday atmosphere.
Accommodation in Svaneke
If you would like to stay a little longer in Svaneke, the town and surrounding area offer many good places to stay. 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 at 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 life of the market square, the harbour and the fresh sea air.
Read moreSmall fishing villages around Svaneke
Several small fishing villages lie within easy reach of Svaneke along the east coast. Listed and Bølshavn lie to the north, while Aarsdale lies to the south with its harbour, smokehouse and old mill.
Here, the atmosphere shifts from market town to coastal life. The small fishing villages make natural detours if you would like to experience more of Bornholm’s east coast and the places where everyday life, the sea and old harbour settings still lie close together.
Take your time in Svaneke
Svaneke is at its best when you give the town a little time. On the market square, in the workshops, by the rocky harbour, among the sweet temptations and on short trips to the fishing villages close to town.
Follow whatever catches your attention along the way. Perhaps you end up by the sea, perhaps in a shop, a gallery or a church, or with an ice cream in hand. Below you will find more experiences that can open up new ways into Svaneke and the surrounding area.
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 old, classic navigation marks, which seafarers used to determine their position and stay on the right course.