A lot of Danes visit Bornholm during their time in school, because the trip is mandatory in the curriculum. Some return later in life, spending their holiday on the island.

But you do not necessarily have to spend an entire week to explore the island. Bornholm is also excellent for weekend trips. So, then, what are you to do in these 48 hours? Good question.

What can you do on Bornholm?

We went on a weekend trip to Bornholm to be able to give you our tips on where you can stay and eat, but also what you can do and experience from Friday to Sunday on Bornholm.

You can follow our plan to the letter or merely let yourself be inspired for your next weekend on Bornholm. Should a weekend trip prove too short, coming back at later time for a longer stay is always possible!

 

Day 1: Ferry crossing, The Falcon Hotel, and dinner at Nordlandet

We drive from Copenhagen around 3 PM to catch the ferry from Ystad to Rønne at 4:30 PM.

The crossing takes about 1 hour and 20 minutes; adding the 30 minutes it takes us to drive from Rønne to our first night's stay in Sandvig, the trip has taken us 3 and a half hours door to door.

Overnight stay at the Falcon Hotel in Sandvig

We spend the weekend's first night at The Falcon Hotel in Sandvig in northern Bornholm. The Falcon Hotel is a relatively new boutique hotel that exudes personality and adventure throughout its interior and atmosphere. If you've ever asked yourself, "wonder what it would look like if Karen Blixen and Indiana Jones lived together?" You can bet that The Falcon Hotel will give you a great example.

Dinner at Nordlandet

After having checked in at the hotel, it's time for dinner. This time we've chosen to have dinner at Nordlandet, only 2 minutes away from the hotel.

Sandvig offers a whole lot of other fine restaurants as well, and we can, among others, recommend Strandhotellet or Kokkenberg. We actually tried to get a table at Ølstauan in Allinge, but they were fully booked (so remember to make a reservation a good while beforehand!).

After dinner at Nordlandet, we round off the day with a few drinks in The Falcon Hotels own lounge, The Savannah Lounge. Are you more in the mood for a night on the town, Pilen in Allinge is the perfect place to quench your thirst.

Weekendforkælelse på Bornholm

Weekend break on Bornholm

Do you want to experience Bornholm over a weekend and spend the night at the two hotels we have visited on this trip? Then our package trip Weekend Break on Bornholm is the perfect match for you.

With this package, you'll be staying at two of the most charming and popular hotels on Bornholm at the moment - in just one weekend. The first night is at The Falcon Hotel in Sandvig and the following night at Hotel Siemsens Gaard in Svaneke.

The package includes:

  • One night at The Falcon Hotel (incl. breakfast)
  • One night at Hotel Siemsens Gaard (incl. breakfast)
  • Return ferry Ystad-Rønne (choose from all available departures)

Book weekend break

Day 2: Nature, art, and flavours

A stroll in Hammerknuden

We begin the day with a stroll in Hammerknuden, or Hammeren, as the area is also called. Aside from the exercise, you can get some culture historic input here, for the promenade takes you past Salomons Kapel (Salomon's Chapel).

Salomons Kapel is a beautiful ruin of a small chapel built in the 1300s. The chapel was primarily visited by Bornholmer fishermen who got their catch of the day blessed. Enjoy the view and imagine how it looked several hundred years ago.

A refreshing swim

After the stroll we are of a mind to go swimming. Depending on the weather and enthusiasm, there are several spots around Hammeren and Allinge-Sandvig where you can go for a swim. We decide to dive into the harbour bath in Sandvig on our way back to the hotel. Easy, quick, and refreshing!

After having checked out at the hotel, we drive along the east coast towards Svaneke. There are a lot of exciting stops along the way from Sandvig to Svaneke; one of which being Bornholm's Art museum.

Bornholm's art museum and Helligdomsklipperne

Regardless of being interested in art or not, Bornholm's art museum is worth the visit. In the museum, you are free to go on an exploration of Bornholmer-related art, ranging from the Danish Golden Age to modern day. They've got both lasting exhibits and temporary ones, meaning there's always something new to explore.

The building itself is quite interesting - in particular the interior - but, it's the scenery surrounding the museum that is unique. The area is called Helligdomsklipperne, and here you can spend a whole lot of time simply walking along the cliffs, or take the steps down to the water and explore the cliffs from there.

Lunch at Provianten in Gudhjem

Gudhjem is only a 10 minute drive away from Bornholm's Art museum, and is one of the island's "summer pearls".

We eat lunch at the fantastic Provianten by the harbour. The atmosphere at Provianten is something special, and the place's interior is full of cozy and whacky finds (the rafters are adorned in hundreds of corkscrews in different shapes and colours). The list on the menu might be short, but the dishes are oh so delicious, and they've got a handful of barsnacks to pick from. If you can't get a table at Provianten, we recommend having lunch at Nørresan instead. Uncomplicated, flavourful food, with wonderful people behind the bar.

With its narrow, meandering streets Gudhjem can be hard to access with a car - especially when it's teeming with tourists. You can easily park outisde of town, and then walk the rest of the way. In fact, this is the best way to experience Gudhjem.

Overnight stay at Hotel Siemsens Gaard in Svaneke

After Gudhjem our trip takes us to Svaneke. We check in at Hotel Siemsens Gaard, a cozy hotel right by the harbour that used to be a merchant's house. There are rooms in two of the wings, whereas the third houses the kitchen and restaurant.

Svaneke is another favourite on Bornholm. You can read our guide to Svaneke, but the most important thing to know is that there's lots to do and see by simply walking down the town's narrow streets, i.e. visiting the arts and crafts boutiques, try out a few samples of various foods, and a whole lot more.

A stroll to Listed and refreshments at Bay Frost

Before dinner we take a stroll from Svaneke to Listed, which is a small fishing spot about 3 km north of Svaneke, and here we find, i.a, Bay Frost.

Bay Frost is a bar that serves everything from coffee and cakes to snacks and drinks. All of which can be enjoyed either inside or outside with a view of the harbour. It's perfect when you're in the mood for something lesser to eat, or, as in our case, for a glass of wine after the 20 minutes walk, before dinner back in Svaneke.

Dinner at Vinøst

Just like Gudhjem, Svaneke has several splendid restaurants. To name a few: Siemsens own restaurant, Njôrd, naboen 1b, or Vinøst,  where we have chosen to eat.

Vinøst is a bistro and wine bar, right by Svaneke harbour. They have a large sortiment of wines, of which you can also purchase a bottle or two to bring home with you. On the menu is a variety of snacks and medium portion dishes, so you can try a little bit of everything.

Day 3: Ceramics, canon bunkers, and lunch in Rønne

The third and last day day on sunshine island. We have booked the afternoon ferry from Rønne, 4:30 PM, giving us plenty of time for a few extra experiences still, before our trip home.

Morning swim in Svaneke

If the weather shows its bright side, it's a given to start the day with a morning swim. In Svaneke there are two harbour baths, both of which located 2 minutes from Hotel Siemsens Gaard. One is free, and the other costs 50 DKK for entry; however, the second gives you access to sauna and outdoor showers. We choose the latter, because it's nice to take a shower after having been in the ocean.

Matter: House of Craft in Nexø

After checking out from the hotel, we drive south to Nexø, Bornholms second largest town. For a long time the town has kind off been struggling to find itself, lacking services and entertainments, but it is undergoing rapid change with the addition of new restaurants and exciting shops.

We make a pit stop at Matter: House of Craft, which is located in a big industrial building right by the harbour. Matter is an artisan workshop with a gallery, shop, and open workshops. You can buy glass from Zelmer Olsen and ceramics from Oh Oak. Even if you aren't at a loss of material goods, Matter is worth a visit.

Canon bunkers in Dueodde

From Nexø we follow the coast, slowly making our way to Rønne and the ferry. Although, on the way we make a stop in Dueodde. Not for the beach, which a lot of people associate Dueodde with, but to explore the canon bunkers in the area.

In the pine forest you will find remnants of the Second World War, fully accessible to the public: two canon bunkers that may indeed be inspected and climbed. To your heart's content. It's a perfect cultural activity, where you can easily bring your kids.

Lunch at Râzapâz in Rønne and return journey

Before the ferry departure from Rønne, 4.30 PM, we have lunch at one of better places in Rønne.

The restaurant Râzapâz, which is open at lunch and in the evening. The menu varies, but you can get anything from sandwiches and tapas to exciting, more creative dishes. If you feel like having a glass of wine to your dinner, it's not possible to choose from a wine menu; instead you will have ask the staff, who then finds you a suitable wine for your food.

These 48 hours fly by just as fast as it takes you to read this article. The days pass in a flash, and there is so much to do! Thus our conclusion must be that Bornholm has more than enough to offer for a 48 hours trip - and whether you're travelling with a partner or family, young or old, that fact doesn't change. 

Have a nice trip!

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