Bornholm, 200km east of Copenhagen, is a slow-paced island that makes for a delightful getaway. The centre of the island is a mix of wheat fields and forests, the coast is dotted with small fishing villages, and there's a scattering of 12th-century round churches. The main transport hub, Ronne, has little to offer; catch the first bus to Gudhjem. In summer, bus No 7 leaves from the Ronne ferry terminal every two hours (from 8 am to 4 pm) and goes anticlockwise around the island, stopping at all major coastal villages.
GUDHJEM
Gudhjem is a pretty seaside village with half-timbered houses and sloping streets. The harbour was one of the settings for Bornholm novelist Martin Andersen Nexo's Oscar-winning film Pelle the Conqueror. The tourist office (56 48 52 10), Abogade 7, is a block inland from the harbour.
Things to See & Do
At the dockside Glasrageri you can watch glass being hand blown. Stroll the footpath running south-east from the harbour for a pleasant coastal view. Gudhjem's shoreline is rocky, though sunbathers will find a small sandy beach at Melsted, 1km east. A bike path leads 4km south (inland) from Gudhjem to Osterlars Rundkirke, the most impressive of the island's round churches; bus Nos 3 and 9 also go by the church.
SANDVIG
Sandvig, a quiet village of attractive older houses, has a nice sandy beach right in town. Three kilometres south is Bornholm's best known sight, Hammershus Slot. These impressive castle ruins, dramatically perched on top of a sea cliff, date from the 13th century and are the largest in Scandinavia. There's an hourly bus to the ruins, but the best way to get there from Sandvig is via footpaths through the heather-covered hills of Hammeren - a wonderful hour-long hike. The trail begins down by the camping ground.
CHRISTIANSO
Tiny Christianso is a charming 17th-century fortress island an hour's sail north-east of Bornholm. A seasonal fishing hamlet since the Middle Ages, Christianso fell briefly into Swedish hands in 1658, after which Christian V decided to turn the island into an invincible naval fortress. By the 1850s the island was no longer needed as a forward base against Sweden and the navy withdrew. Soldiers who wanted to stay on as fishermen were allowed to live as free tenants in the old cottages. Their offspring, and a few latter-day fisherfolk and artists, currently constitute Christianso's 100 residents. The entire island is an unspoiled reserve - there are no cats or dogs, no cars, and no modern buildings.
Christianso is connected to a smaller island, Frederikso, by a footbridge.
There's a local history museum in Frederikso tower and a great 360° view from Christianso lighthouse. Otherwise the main activity is walking the footpaths along the fortified walls and batteries that skirt the island.
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