Rønne on Bornholm

The gateway to the island

Rønne sits on the west coast and is Bornholm's largest town and administrative centre. If you're arriving by ferry, this is almost certainly where you'll land: Rønne harbour is the main gateway across the Baltic, with crossings from Ystad in Sweden, from Sassnitz on Rügen in Germany, and from Køge near Copenhagen. The island's bus network is also centred on Rønne, so it's a convenient base for reaching every corner of Bornholm.

The town centre is within walking distance of the ferry terminal, so Rønne is more than just an arrival point. Old town, market squares, museums and harbour can all be combined on foot in a single day, without a car. If you're here purely for the beach, the separate guide to Rønne's beaches covers Antoinette, Galløkken, Nørrekås and Stampen directly.

Through the old town

The historic old town begins right behind the harbour. Around the two market squares, Store Torv and Lille Torv, colourful half-timbered houses line cobbled lanes whose layout has changed little since the 17th century. Because distances are short, the centre is best explored on foot, with small shops, cafés and craft workshops inviting you to wander.

Right by the harbour stands Sankt Nicolai Kirke, Rønne's town church. A little further up, above the harbour entrance, the Rønne Lighthouse, built in 1880, marks the coastline.

The Svenskehuse

A piece of wartime history still shapes the townscape today. On 7 and 8 May 1945, just after the end of the war, Soviet aircraft bombed Rønne and neighbouring Nexø, because the German occupying forces on Bornholm had not yet surrendered. Large parts of the town were destroyed. As emergency aid, Sweden donated around 300 prefabricated timber houses to the Bornholmers – about 225 of them went up in Rønne, the rest in Nexø. These pastel-coloured "Svenskehuse" (Swedish houses), in blue, green, yellow and pink, still stand today and have become a popular residential area.

Museums and theatre

Rønne is also the island's cultural centre. The Bornholms Museum traces the island's history from the Viking Age to the present day. At Hjorths Fabrik, a 19th-century ceramics workshop, pottery is still demonstrated by hand – a reflection of Bornholm's long craft tradition. The Bornholms Forsvarsmuseum, in the old fortress, is devoted to the island's military history.

One curiosity is the Rønne Theatre: opened in 1823, it's considered Denmark's oldest theatre still in use, and celebrated its 200th anniversary in 2023.

Rønne in a day

For a first visit, a compact loop works well and keeps backtracking to a minimum:

1. Morning – harbour and old town: start at Sankt Nicolai Kirke, then walk through the small lanes to Lille Torv and on to Store Torv.
2. Midday – market and cafés: Store Torv has the widest choice for a break. Afterwards, choose between the Bornholms Museum and Hjorths Fabrik, depending on your interests.
3. Afternoon – coast: head back to the harbour and on to Nørrekås for a short look at the water. For a longer stay at the beach, go on to Antoinette or Galløkken.

If you only have a few hours between two ferry crossings, focus on the harbour, Sankt Nicolai Kirke and the old town. With a full day, add a museum and finish with a stretch of coastline.

Beaches and nature

You don't need to leave Rønne to go for a swim either. Antoinette beach lies to the north, Galløkken to the south, and Nørrekås is the small, central bay by the marina. Facilities, character and how to get to each are compared on the guide to Rønne's beaches. Along the coast, a cycle path also runs through the pine woods of Blykobbe Plantage. From Rønne, the rest of the island is easy to reach by car, bicycle or bus.