Bornholm: the Danish Island That Smells of Smoked Fish and Granite

Bornholm is a geographical anomaly: Danish by nationality, Baltic by character, with dark granite that recalls Sweden more than the flat Danish mainland. Located about 160 kilometres east of Copenhagen and forty from the Swedish coast, this island of almost forty thousand inhabitants functions as a world of its own, with a gastronomic, artistic and architectural tradition unmatched in the rest of Denmark.

The Rundkirker and the mills

Bornholm's four round churches — Østerlars, Nylars, Olsker and Nyker — are unique in Scandinavia. Built between the 12th and 13th centuries, these massive multi-storey structures served both as places of worship and as refuges in case of attack. Østerlars is the largest and best preserved: its medieval frescoes, restored in the 20th century, depict biblical scenes with a surprising chromatic vividness. The interior also houses a wooden model of the Viking ship found in the island's waters.

Smoke and granite

Bornholm is famous for røgeost, a fresh cheese smoked over alder wood sold at all local markets and in a network of small artisan smokehouses — the røgerier — that also produce herring, mackerel and salmon. Smoking is so deeply rooted in the island's identity that some of Denmark's most renowned chefs come here to source ingredients. The villages of Svaneke and Gudhjem, with their picturesque brick houses and miniature harbours, are the ideal places to taste these specialities straight from the source.

When to go

Bornholm is visitable from May to September, with July and August slightly more crowded than other months — but nothing comparable to Copenhagen's queues. Ferries depart from Copenhagen with an overnight crossing, or from Ystad in Sweden in just one hour and twenty minutes. The island is cyclable thanks to a well-maintained network of bike paths connecting all the main villages. A stay of three to four days is enough to explore it at a relaxed pace.