Swimming spots on Bornholm

On Bornholm you are never too far from water, in fact you are never more than 15 minutes away from the crystal clear water of the baltic sea.

There is however a largely varying nature along the coastline. On the south side of the island you'll find wide, sandy beaches. The northern side offers cliffs and hidden gems among the formations, which you can jump from. 

On this page, we have selected some of our favourite swimming spots on Bornholm. There are beaches, rocky coasts and harbour baths - it's just up for you to decide where you'd like to jump in the water from. 

Beaches on Bornholm

Galløkken strand, Rønne

On the outskirts of Rønne you'll find two larger beaches. In the south there's Galløkken, besides being the name of the beach it also refers to the forest-area that's found by the beach. The beach is made up of 3-5 smaller bays that are all protected by stone walls in the water. The sand is smooth and water is clear. Some smaller stones and pebbles can be found at the edge of the water, further out you'll find larger boulders to jump from. 

There are no toilets, and also no possibilities to buy food and drinks nearby. The beach is within walking distance of Rønne Vandrerhjem.

Address and facilities

Strandvejen, 3700 Rønne

 Good parking facilities several places on Strandvejen
 No public restrooms nearby
 No shops or cafées nearby

Antoinette beach, Rønne

Antoinette beach is one of Rønne's largest beaches and a popular one among both locals and guests. The beach is a long and sandy beach with plenty of room and lots of areas to lie down in cover from potential wind. During the summer, there are often life guards on the beach. 

Behind Antoinette beach there is a lovely forest, Nordskoven, the cycling and hiking path, Kyststien, loads on to Hasle. Both the forest and the beach also go all the way to Hasle, so there is a very good chance you'll be able to find a lovely and peaceful spot to settle down on the beach.

From Antoinette beach you have a view of the activities in Rønne harbour, so you are able to follow the ferry trafic to and from Rønne. Due to the location of the beach in relation to the harbour, there may be waves from the ferry between Ystad and Rønne, so be aware of this, especially if you have smaller children with you on the beach. 

Nordskoven Strand Camping is located just behind Antoinette beach, and in the campsites café you can buy ice cream, drinks and a small selection of sandwiches.

Address and facilities

Antoinettevej, 3700 Rønne

 Good parking facilities on Antoinettevej
 Public restrooms by one of the walkways to the beach
 Café by Nordskoven Strand Camping

Sandvig beach, Allinge-Sandvig

Sandvig beach is probably the most popular swimming spot on North Bornholm and there are several great reasons for that. The beach has soft sand, sandy seafloor well out into the water, a nice jetty and good facilities such as restrooms, outdoor shower, beach volleyball court and a playground. And the beach has a fantastic location with the beautiful natural area, Hammerknuden, to one side and the town of Sandvig to the other. 

For this reason, you have basically everything you would need on Sandvig beach. In Sandvig you can find ice cream parlours, cafées, restaurants, hotels and shops. Due to the beach's location, the beach is always full of life in the summer, where both young and old play at the water's edge, jump in from the cliffs, play ball or just enjoy the sun's warm rays. 

There are life guards on the beach in the summer.

Be aware that there can be quite a bit of current in the water, and there may be large waves with onshore wind.

Address and facilities

Sandlinien 30, 3770 Allinge

 Great parking facilities at Hammerknuden parkering
 Public restrooms, changing rooms and outdoor shower
 Shops, cafés and restaurants in Sandvig

Næs beach, Allinge

Right by Allinge Badehotel in the sourthernmost part of Allinge is the cosy, small Næs beach. This is where especially the locals like to swim when the hot summer months and many hours of sunshine come knocking. The beach is to the smaller side but definitely worth a visit. 

The sand at Næs beach is a little coarse but still comfortable to lie on and walk barefoot on. From the beach you can go directly in the water, which is quite shallow and therefore particularly suitable for smaller children. You can also jump into the water from the large concrete platform, which also has a ladder down into the water.

The beach isn't far from Nordbornholms Røgeri (smokehouse), where you can pick up your lunch for the day and enjoy it on your blanket in the sand. The rest of Allinge with its shops and cafées is just a 5-10 minute walk from the beach.

Address and facilities

Løsebækgade 13, 3770 Allinge

 Several parking facilities on Løsebækgade
 Public restrooms by the beach
 Shops, cafées and restaurants in Allinge

Sandkås beach, Sandkås

Sandkås beach is located on North Bornholm between Allinge and Tejn and is such a lovely sandy beach with several sections. When you stand in the parking lot by Sandkaas Strandbar, you can choose to walk down to the little lovely bay to your left or to the long beach to your right. Both beaches are Sandkås beach; some describe them as big and small Sandkås.

Big Sandkås is a great little bay with white sand and is surrounded by tall cliff sides, that add a very special atmosphere to the bay area. Small Sandkås is a long beach and has a long jetty with several ladders leading down into the water. Large rocks have been placed in the water to create some kind of enclosure that breaks the big waves and makes the water more child-friendly. The sand is also nice and soft here.

By the parking lot is a small beach bar, Sandkaas Strandbar, which is open in the summer months.

Address and facilities

Gilbertstræde, 3770 Allinge

 Parking facilities by the beach bar
 Public restrooms by the beach 
 Sandkaas Strandbar

Balka beach, Balka

Balka beach is a very popular beach, especially for the locals who live on the southeastern part of the island, but also for the many summer house owners in the area. Balka is often described as one of the best beaches on Bornholm, so there is always lots of life and good vibes on the beach in the summer. There are life guards on the beach in the summer. 

The beach is one kilometer long and stretches from Balka in the north to Snogebæk in the south. Behind the beach is a forest that provides shelter from west wind. The sand on Balka is fine and the water is shallow for a long way out. For this reason, Balka beach is a favourite for many families with children.

Balka beach is a really awesome beach if you're interested in different kinds of water sports activities. You can e.g. learn to surf at Surf Bornholm or windsurf, kitesurf or stand on a SUP board at Eastwind. Both places offer guided tours and courses for both beginners and more experienced. 

In both ends of the beach you'll find shops, restaurants and cafées, so you can easily pick up ice cream, drinks and lunch for the day.

Address and facilities

Boulevarden 14, 3730 Nexø

 Parking facilities in Balka
 Public restrooms in Balka
 Cafées and restaurants in Balka and Snogebæk. Eco Beach Camp by Eastwind.

Hullehavn, Svaneke

South of Svaneke you'll find this little gem of a beach. Hullehavn is an old harbour which has been transformed to a wonderful beach with white sand and a pier, where you can jump into the water from the springboard or just get in from the pier itself. The youngest can play by the water's edge where the water is shallow. 

The beach is surrounded by cliffs to all sides, where you can sit and enjoy the view of the water. On the beach there is a beach volleyball court so remember to bring a ball for your beach day.

Right by the beach is the beach bar, Syd-Øst for Paradis, which is open in the summer months. The bar serves cold drinks, ice cream and light lunch dishes like tapas, sandwiches and toasts. Syd-Øst for Paradis also has live music several nights a week, so you can easily spend a whole day on Hullehavn beach. 

Address anD facilities

Skovgade 34, 3740 Svaneke

 Parking spaces behind the beach bar
 Public restrooms by the beach bar
 The beach bar Syd-Øst for Paradis right by the beach

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