Antoinette Beach

Antoinette Strand is one of Bornholm's most popular bathing beaches, stretching for roughly 2.5 kilometres along the island's west coast just north of the harbour town of Rønne. Locals often call it simply "Nordstranden" (the North Beach). Its light, fine-grained sand, gentle dunes and low sandy bluffs make it feel like a small slice of paradise on a warm summer day, and because the beach runs for such a long distance, there is always room to spread out and it is easy to find a sheltered spot out of the wind.

The beach backs onto Blykobbe Plantage, also known as Nordskoven, a coastal forest with a fascinating history. The whole area was once open, shifting drift-sand — a "sandflugt" landscape that buried farmland — until it was painstakingly planted with pine in the 1800s to fix the dunes. Where the sand meets the woodland today you can still sense what that old windblown landscape looked like, and stands of the original nineteenth-century Scots pine survive among the trees. Just inland lie other traces of the past: Bronze Age burial mounds, coastal redoubts (skanser) that formed part of Bornholm's defences since the Middle Ages, and even zig-zag trenches dug during the Second World War.

The sand is pale and fine underfoot, though there are some larger stones in the shallows right at the water's edge, so water shoes are handy for small children. Antoinette is one of the Bornholm beaches — along with Balka and Sandvig — that has lifeguards on duty during the summer season, which makes it a reassuring choice for families. One thing to keep in mind: in calm weather the wake from the high-speed ferries running between Rønne and Ystad can roll in unexpectedly, so keep an eye on toddlers playing at the shoreline. A small stretch at the northern end is traditionally used by naturists.

The visiting experience is relaxed and unpretentious. There are no shops or cafés directly on the sand, but a campsite close by offers restrooms and refreshments, and Rønne — with its full range of shops, restaurants and the island's main ferry harbour — is only a few minutes away. The gentle, wide profile of the beach and the firm sand make it easy to walk along, and the nearby forest offers shade and marked paths for a change of scenery.

Antoinette Strand faces west, which makes it a wonderful place to watch the sun set over the Baltic Sea — one of the beach's great pleasures on a summer evening. The best season is from June to August, when the water is warmest and the lifeguards are on duty, though the long sandy sweep is a fine place for a bracing walk in any season.

Getting there is straightforward. From Rønne, head north on Strandvejen; several small roads lead down to the beach just north of town, each with good parking. It is only about three kilometres from Rønne's ferry terminal and airport, easily reached by car or bicycle, and the flat coastal terrain makes cycling a pleasant option. Whether you come for a family swim, a long shoreline stroll or a quiet sunset, Antoinette Strand is one of the west coast's most rewarding stops.