Rønne Parish: Culture and nature on Bornholm

In Rønne, Rønne Parish brings together historic houses and museums, music events, and Galløkken Beach. Whether you would rather focus on culture or nature during your stay, there are different options here: a merchant’s house and several cultural venues sit alongside a beach in an open natural area. The mix of local history, culture and time at the beach you are looking for is therefore a good starting point when choosing your destination.

Historic houses and culture in Rønne

Erichsens Gård in Rønne’s old town is a well-preserved 19th-century merchant’s house that now serves as a museum. The painters Kristian Zahrtmann and Holger Drachmann lived here; Drachmann was also a poet. This place brings together the history of a merchant’s house and the biographies of two artists.

Hjorths Fabrik offers a different focus: alongside its permanent exhibition, the museum presents changing displays of artists’ work. The permanent exhibition and the changing displays offer different perspectives; the temporary presentations may change.

Musikhuzet, Bornholm’s largest indoor music venue, is located at Store Torv. Concerts, talks and other events are held there in an intimate setting, often bringing you close to the artists. Rønne Theatre has been in daily use since 1823 and is associated with dialect comedies and plays written and performed in Bornholm’s original language.

Galløkken: beach and natural area

Galløkken Beach is located about one kilometre south of central Rønne, in the open natural area of Galløkken. Maintained paths run through the area and are accessible to families with pushchairs and people with reduced mobility. There is also direct access to a newly established bathing beach.

This offers different possibilities for planning a trip: historic cultural sites in Rønne and time at the beach in Galløkken.

Bornholm: getting there, landscape and island history

Bornholm can be reached by ferry, plane, bus or train. The ferry crossing from Ystad in Sweden to Bornholm takes one hour and 20 minutes. Check the current timetable for your travel dates, as routes and connections may change.

Bornholm’s landscape and history offer further distinct themes. Ekkodalen in Almindingen is Bornholm’s largest rift valley. From the cliffs above Opal Lake, you can look out over the surrounding area, the Baltic Sea and the ruins of Hammershus Castle; the Hammershus visitor centre also offers panoramic views of Hammershus. You can choose between different views of the landscape and perspectives on the castle ruins.

The museums also focus on different periods. Bornholms Middelaldercenter is a 15-hectare open-air museum that brings 14th-century Bornholm to life in an engaging and interactive way. At the NaturBornholm experience centre, you can see dinosaurs, live crocodiles, an aquarium and a bison exhibition; the exhibitions may change. Alongside the 19th-century merchant’s house in Rønne, the Middelaldercenter offers a different perspective on Bornholm’s history in the 14th century.

Herring smoking is part of Bornholm’s food culture: the island’s first smokehouse opened in Gudhjem in 1866, and herring has been smoked there ever since. Hasle Smokehouse is the last smokehouse on Bornholm where smoking is done in the traditional way, using open chimneys and alder wood. This island tradition complements the museums and natural attractions with a distinct culinary focus.

Discover more destinations: Balka, Listed, Østerlars, Ertholmene, Sose, Hasle, Sandkås, Rø.

For the overview of the wider area, see: Bornholm.