Balka: Coast, Beach and Water Sports

Balka puts the coast centre stage: the Kyststien, Balka Beach and water sports offer practical starting points for a varied holiday. If you’re looking for a holiday apartment, you can first consider whether you’d rather include a longer walk, time at the beach or water sports in your itinerary.

Coastal Walks, Beach and Water Sports

The fifth stage of the Kyststien follows an approximately 16 km coastal route from Svaneke to Snogebæk, passing through Årsdale and Nexø and by Balka Beach. This makes Balka part of a longer stretch of coastline with several named stops. The approximate distance makes this stage a distinct focus when planning: you can include a longer walk or focus your stay more on the beach and water sports.

In summer, you can hire kayaks, SUP boards and small dinghies in Balka. A water sports centre right by Balka Beach offers equipment hire and short introductory courses, including sea kayaking, SUP and sailing small boats. The courses add a distinct option alongside equipment hire: they provide a brief introduction to the activities. Check whether the water sports centre is open before your trip; the listed rental options in Balka are a summer offering.

The coastline itself also offers a variety of impressions. In the southern part of Balka, there is a natural stretch of coast with dunes and small, sheltered coves. When the weather is suitable, Balka Beach is a lovely place for a swim. When planning your day, you can choose between a walk, water sports and time at the beach, without treating the weather-dependent opportunity to swim as a given.

Bornholm: Landscapes, Culture and Local Flavours

Bornholm offers further opportunities to enjoy its landscapes and culture. Ekkodalen in Almindingen is Bornholm’s largest rift valley. From the cliffs above Opal Lake, you can see the surrounding area, the Baltic Sea and the ruins of Hammershus Castle; the Hammershus visitor centre offers panoramic views of Hammershus. These places each have a different focus: Ekkodalen is defined by its landscape, while the two viewpoints look out over their respective surroundings and Hammershus.

Bornholm’s Medieval Centre is a 15-hectare open-air museum that brings 14th-century Bornholm to life in an engaging, interactive way. The NaturBornholm experience centre offers a different kind of experience, with dinosaurs, live crocodiles, an aquarium and a bison exhibition. Exhibitions may change over time. For your Bornholm itinerary, historical and nature-focused topics are therefore available side by side, clearly distinct from the coastal activities in Balka.

Bornholm’s smoking tradition also has specific places associated with it: 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 fish is smoked in the traditional way, using open chimneys and alder wood. Gudhjem thus represents the historic beginnings of this tradition, while Hasle is known for a distinctive smoking method that is still practised today.

Getting to Bornholm and Choosing a Holiday Apartment

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 timetables before you travel. When choosing a holiday apartment in Balka, you can then weigh up whether the coastal walk, the beach or the water sports on offer will shape your stay most. This way, your choice reflects the experiences you actually plan to enjoy in Balka.

Discover more destinations: Snogebæk, Vester Sømarken, Ertholmene, Gudhjem, Østermarie, Sandkås, Olsker, Nylars.

Go to the main travel overview: Bornholm.