Granite cliffs and smoked herring on Denmark's Bornholm island

By Soenke Moehl Apr 27, 2010, 15:06 GMT

Ronne, Denmark - On a warm summer's day, Bornholm is an idyllic tourist destination.

The Danish island in the Baltic Sea offers its visitors peace and quiet, cycling and hiking routes, as well as stunning natural beaches and, of course, the local delicacy - smoked herring.

Bornholm is home to 40,000 people. The 600-square-kilometre island's greatest treasure is its natural beauty, made up of craggy granite cliffs, dark valleys, deep woods, rolling hills and meadows, and some of the best beaches in northern Europe.

Ideally situated within travelling distance of Scandinavia and Central Europe, Bornholm can be easily reached from Germany by a ferry that runs from Ruegen to Ronne.

The majority of visitors generally leave the island's capital for holiday home settlements, like those between Somarken und Snogebaek.

When the sun shines, Dueodde offers turquoise-coloured waters and white sandy beaches that rival those anywhere in the Mediterranean. The island is ideal suited for cyclists. Many roads have separate cycling lanes, while old railway lines are now solely reserved for bicycles.

A day trip to the Almindingen forest is a small sporting challenge as, at its peak, the route is 160 metres above sea level. Visitors can then scale a 20-metre-high viewing tower which, on a clear day, offers panoramic views of the whole island.

The north of the island is rocky, with the remains of the once mighty Hammershus fortress jutting out above the cliffs. The Hammerknude can be negotiated in a couple of hours. The Ekkodalen on the edge of Almindingen in the centre of Bornholm is also worth a visit. The compact valley is bordered on its north-western side by an abrupt cliff face.

Those interested in learning more about the island can visit Bornholm's Natural History Museum, which even offers the opportunity to stand with one foot in Scandinavia and the other in Central Europe as the border lies directly beside the museum in Aakirkeby.

A visit to one of Bornholm's smokehouses to taste the local smoked herring and salmon is also well worthwhile. The traditional meal of Sol over Gudhjem, a smoked herring fillet on black bread with radish, dill and egg yolk, is highly recommended.

Apart from the culinary attractions, art and crafts also have a large role to play on the island. Glassblowers have a good reputation and can be viewed hard at work while in Bornholm's art museum, which is spectacularly situated on the Helligdom cliff between Gudhjem and Tejn, painting and ceramics also hold centre stage.

The highlight of any visit to Bornholm has to be a flying trip to the small neighbouring island group called Ertholmene, Denmark's most easterly point.