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Visit the Bornholm Smoke Houses
Bornholm’s sights are unique. Whether you visit the rocky Sanctuary Cliffs at Helligdommen, Northern Europes largest castle ruin Hammershus or the white round churches from the 12th century – you can choose your favorite. Many of theses places are open all year round.
Hammershus is the largest castle ruin in Northern Europe and is the most popular attraction on Bornholm. In the 17th Century Hammershus castle ruin set the stage for a dramatic escape when the imprisoned princess Leonora Christina tried to escape Hammershus down the steep rock walls.
The round church in Østerlars is the largest round church on Bornholm and in Denmark and is the best-known of the four round churches on Bornholm. Here you can experience the unique murals, the beautiful church, and enjoy a moment in tranquility.
Experience Hammershus castle ruin in an entirely new way from the Hammershus Visitor Center. The new visitor center has won several awards and shows you the dramatic history of Hammershus. You can try a delicious Danish meal in the restaurant while enjoying the breathtaking view of the landscape, the Baltic Sea, and of Hammershus.
The scenic Sanctuary Cliffs are more than 1700 million years old and are found nearby Bornholm’s Art Museum. The Sanctuary Cliffs are one of Denmark’s most spectacular coastlines with rocky cliffs and picture-postcard motifs. In the cracks of the cliffs you can enter the popular caves, where you can see the famous cave spider that creates egg sacs that looks like small Chinese lanterns.
There are three rocking stones on Bornholm – brought to their location by the ice cap in the Ice Age. The largest and most famous rocking stone is found in Paradisbakkerne (the Paradise hills). Try to see if you can get it to rock.
Ekkodalen in Almindingen is the largest rift valley on the island and is approx. 2km long. When you visit Ekkodalen you can probably hear a lot of Danes shouting “Hvad drikker Møller?” (meaning “What does mr Møller drink?). The echo shouts back: “Øller!” which means “Beer”.
Did you know that the biggest waterfall in Denmark is right here on Bornholm? In the rift valley Døndalen the Døndale stream falls approx. 20 meters (or 65ft) and that makes it the biggest waterfall in Denmark. Bring your family on a lovely walk through the forest to see the beautiful waterfall. It is highly recommended to see the waterfall in winter or spring where the water flow is higher.
Rytterknægten in Almindingen is the highest point on Bornholm. Here you will find the tower Kongemindet (King’s Memorial) build in 1856. The tower is made of granite and steel and gives you an amazing view of Bornholm from 184 meters (600ft) above sea level. In clear weather you can even see the small island Christiansø and Sweden.
Dueodde beach is one of Europe’s finest sandy beaches. The sand is so fine that it has been used to make hourglasses. The beach can be found on most southern side of Bornholm and is several km long. The beach is easily accessible because of the 500m (1600ft) long wooden ramp from the parking lot through the hills of sand to the beach.
If you descend the approx. 150 steps to Jons Kapel (Jon’s Chapel), you will find a cave inside a large rock shaped by the waves. According to legend the monk Jon told bible stories to the people of Bornholm inside the cave. At Jon’s Chapel you can experience the beautiful view of the rocky coastline and a magnificent nature.
