> Hike the full Bornholm Coast Trail in 8 days
> Explore dramatic cliffs, fishing villages, and white-sand beaches
> Accommodation before and after in Rønne included
Bornholm is Denmark’s island surprise a Baltic beauty with cliffs that rival the Faroes, beaches that belong in the Caribbean, and villages where time seems to stand still. On this eight-day trek around the island, you’ll follow the rugged coastline step by step, circling lighthouses, tasting smoked herring, and sleeping in cozy seaside hotels. This is Denmark, but not as you know it.
The Bornholm Coast Trail is perfect for intermediate hikers looking for an island loop full of variety. You’ll walk from Rønne through Hasle, Gudhjem, Svaneke, Balka, and Boderne before finishing back where you started. From granite cliffs to white dunes, each day reveals a new face of Bornholm. With accommodation before and after included, all you have to do is show up and start walking.
Today is all about landing gently on the island. Bornholm, Denmark’s rocky pearl in the Baltic Sea, greets you as you step ashore in Rønne. There is no rush yet, just time to arrive, breathe and let your head schak over van thuis naar vakantie. The rest of the journey is waiting for you, but for now it is enough to simply be here.
From the ferry or bus stop you wander into the centre, past the harbor and small shops. Maybe you grab a coffee or your first smoked fish from a local smokehouse. If your legs are itching, you can stretch them along the seafront or take a short stroll into Nordskoven. It is a relaxed start, perfect to shake out any travel stiffness and tune into the slower Bornholm rhythm.
Later you make your way to the accommodation in or near the town centre. Once the bag is dropped, everything wordt meteen lichter. You might explore a few more streets, sit by the water or simply rest on your bed and listen to the seagulls outside. An early night is tempting, but a small evening walk along the harbor is hard to resist when the light softens over the Baltic Sea.
From the island’s main town you wander quietly into the forest and along the water. The day feels like a gentle warm up, with wide paths, calm lakes and the Baltic Sea never far away. You pass small cliffs, a surreal landscape of old coal tips and finally reach a cosy coastal village. With its red roofs and white church above the harbor, it is an inviting place to arrive, grab a drink and let island time slowly take over.
You leave the town on forest paths through Nordskoven, where playful side trails wind between the pines. Soon the trees open and you get a fine view back over the harbor. The route continues past the boathouses at Muleby and an old coastal cannon, before the atmosphere softens at Pytitsøen and Pyritsøen. After the Little Cliffs and a bench with big sea views, a gentle rise leads onto the strange man made hills of Kultippen with their sandy craters.
From Kultippen you follow a friendly path along the shore as houses and gardens appear more often beside you. The sea stays close while you walk the last easy stretch into the village. Through the harbor streets you are almost guided straight to the white church. Here you can stroll a little, visit the church if it is open and then sink into a café chair or shop bench, metering out the rest of the day in slow sips.
This day feels rougher and more adventurous. The coastline turns rocky, waves come closer and the paths gain more ups and downs. You walk past old quarries, steep walls and big granite blocks scattered beside the trail. Further north you climb higher above the sea until the lighthouse at the point appears. You finish in a colourful village full of traditional houses and cosy corners, the kind of place where you easily drift from a quick stop into a slow evening.
You leave the village along the water and soon pick up the narrow coastal path to Vang. Between the trees old quarry walls suddenly appear, reminders of busy stonecutters. The trail rises and falls, sometimes almost at sea level, then again over higher rock slabs. In clear weather you can glimpse Sweden across the water. Views of Hammershus and the Hammeren coast make it hard not to stop every few minutes for one more photo.
After the giant rock formations around Hammeren a final climb brings you to the lighthouse at the northern tip. From there you descend gently, passing grazing sheep and open heathland, towards Sandvig. The first colourful houses appear and the mood instantly becomes more relaxed. Following the beach and traditional streets you continue towards Allinge, where the harbor and the unusual Allinge Dome lie close to your accommodation and the smell of smoked fish hangs in the air.
This day is a joyful mix of lively coastal towns and wild nature. You start between colourful houses and smoke from fish smokers and finish in a charming harbor town that seems glued to the hillside. Along the way you pass small ports, old smokehouses and quiet stretches of forested coast, with the dramatic Helligdom cliffs as the natural highlight. It is a day of frequent pauses, short photos and the constant choice between walking on or grabbing another snack.
You begin among the traditional houses of Sandvig and soon follow the water towards Allinge. Here you pass the futuristic Allinge Dome, the blasted harbor and tempting smokehouses and cafés by the beach. Afterwards things quieten down. The path follows the rocky shoreline, past an old smokehouse and small coves, while the sea stays close at your side. Through woodland and across rock slabs you approach the famous Helligdom cliffs, with stairways and paths to viewpoints and caves.
Beyond Helligdom the trail softens and leads between fields and low rocks towards Gudhjem. The first red and yellow roofs peek over the trees and you descend steadily to the harbor. Among smokehouses, narrow alleys and the pier the atmosphere turns instantly cosy. Your accommodation lies within walking distance of the water, perfect for ending the day with an ice cream, a drink or a slow stroll watching the boats bob in the harbor.
Today you walk from one charming coastal town to another, always with the rocky east coast nearby. The route starts dramatically among cliffs and granite blocks and gradually becomes friendlier. Small bays, quiet stretches of shoreline and the occasional smokehouse or cannon recall older times. At the end a particularly cosy town awaits, full of energy yet still wonderfully relaxed, where the harbor is the natural gathering point for the evening.
From the edge of Gudhjem you follow the coastal path between the cliffs. The trail rolls with the rocks and constantly reveals new sea views. At the impressive formations just outside town you wind between stone and heather before the way becomes broader and easier. Further on you join the coastal trail among large boulders and pass the smokehouse with its old cannons, a fine place to pause and soak up the mix of sea air and history.
The final stretch to Svaneke follows varied shoreline, with sections of forest and open fields. Gradually more houses and gardens appear, and you feel a town coming closer. Through small streets you reach the harbor, where terraces, galleries and little shops compete for attention. Your accommodation sits in or near the centre, ideal for an evening wander, another tasting of smoked fish or even a refreshing jump from the harbor steps.
This stage feels light and sunny, with mostly gentle paths along the east coast. You combine lively harbors, a sturdy lighthouse and long beaches where the wind can do its thing. The terrain is less rugged than in the north and invites you to sit down often and simply watch the water. At the end you arrive at a tiny harbor tucked against the dunes, a calm corner that suits the easy tone of the day.
You leave the snug harbor of Svaneke and follow the shoreline past rocky sections and the lighthouse with its colourful rocks below. From there you head south towards Aarsdale, a small working fishing harbor with typical houses grouped around the water. The route continues on quiet lanes and paths until you reach the beach at Svenskehavn, where the landscape turns softer, with more sand, low dunes and long views along the coast.
Beyond Nexø’s ferry pier you stay close to the sea as the beach grows wider and wider. The last kilometres run behind the dunes on a peaceful track with the sound of waves just over the sand. Eventually Balka appears, with its pocket sized harbor and cluster of fishermen’s huts at the end of the bay. Your accommodation is within walking distance, perfect for an evening paddle or slow stroll along the shoreline.
The final walking day is a celebration of sand. You follow long beaches, wander through dunes and soak up the relaxed mood of the south coast one last time. The showpiece is huge Dueodde Beach, where the sand is so fine it almost runs like water through your fingers. Later the world becomes quieter and more spacious until you finish at a small harbor that feels like a hidden corner of the island.
From Balka you step straight onto the sand for a panoramic beach walk towards Snogebæk. Sea to your left, dunes to your right and firm sand underfoot. Next comes the wide open expanse of Dueodde, backed by high dunes and pines. You leave the beach near a picnic spot with toilets and turn inland, following a peaceful nature trail through the Raghammar area. Where necessary you take the signed detour around the shooting range on quiet forest tracks.
The last kilometres lead along silent paths and minor roads towards Boderne. Somewhere along the way a café with homemade ice cream tempts you to pause and toast the trip in miniature. Afterwards it is only a short way to the final bends down to the shore and the small harbor. A few boats, a broad sweep of sand and a lot of sky create a calm stage for closing this coastal journey.
The last day has a quiet, almost gentle feel. The walking is done, your legs have earned their rest, and now it is time to say goodbye to the coast. Boderne feels wide and calm, with a big sky over the beach and just a few boats in the small harbor. It is the perfect place to let the whole trip simmer in your mind once more before you really leave Bornholm.
In the morning you can step onto the sand one last time for a short stroll along the waterline. Maybe you grab a final coffee or ice cream, or simply sit on a bench watching the waves come and go. Then you pack your things at an easy pace and make sure shells, photos and stories are all tucked away safely. The way back will happen anyway, there is no need to rush.
After that you walk to the bus stop or your arranged pickup point. As the landscape slowly slides past the window, you notice how much of the coast you have taken with you. Wind, salt, light, they stay with you for a while yet. Maybe you secretly start dreaming of a next visit, but for now it is enough to enjoy the afterglow and watch the island slip away behind you.
