Frederiksø is the smaller of the two inhabited islands of Ertholmene, Denmark's easternmost group of islands, set in the Baltic Sea northeast of Bornholm. Together with the neighbouring island of Christiansø, to which it is joined by a short footbridge, it forms the heart of a remarkable naval fortress begun in 1684 under Christian V to give the Danish fleet a foothold in the eastern seas. The island's landmark is the Lilletårn, a round granite gun tower that today houses a small museum devoted to the islands' history as a fortress, fishing community and lighthouse station. Around the tower stand old barracks and gun batteries, several of which are still used by the tiny local community. The whole of Ertholmene is administered directly by the Danish Ministry of Defence and is protected, which has preserved its low, unspoilt landscape of rock, meadow and abundant birdlife. There are no cars; you move on foot along paths and across the rocks, and the quiet is almost complete, broken only by gulls, eider ducks and waves washing against the granite. Frederiksø is reached by passenger boat from Gudhjem, Allinge or Svaneke on Bornholm, and the crossing offers a rare glimpse of a living yet secluded world in the middle of the sea. From the island's edges the view stretches far across the Baltic, and the narrow sounds between the islands invite a refreshing swim in clear water. Visitors should bring what they need, as facilities are few and deliberately simple. A day on Frederiksø is a journey back in time: defensive architecture from the age of absolutism, salt sea air and a stillness hard to find elsewhere in Denmark. The island is ideal for walkers, history enthusiasts and anyone seeking an authentic experience far from the crowds, in one of the realm's most characterful and best-preserved coastal settings.
