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Once a meaningless place with difficult conditions, the resort of Snogebaek on the east coast of the island of Bornholm in Denmark has become a popular tourist destination. The sandy and rocky soils, the silted bay of Balka and Bro, and the marshy wetland Hundsemyre once represented economic disadvantages. However, since the advent of tourism in the 19th century, Snogebaek gained a significant advantage due to its geographical location. Although earlier attempts to establish a large trading port on the Baltic Sea failed due to silting and sandbanks off the coast, today they do not stand in the way of Bornholm’s two most popular sandy beaches, Balka and Dueodde. Instead, the picturesque little harbor at the end of a long jetty in the sea is an attraction worth seeing, dividing the beaches like a natural reef and blending harmoniously into the landscape.
Proximity to many highlights
Snogebaek also benefits from its proximity to the island’s second largest town, Nexø, with its harbor, as well as the Dueodde landscape reserve and dune area, Bornholm’s longest beach. Already around 1900 there existed numerous cottages and summer residences, cleverly integrated into the wooded surroundings. The cottage resorts in Snogebaek, Balka and Bro, built since the 1960s, follow this careful and officially supervised approach, which is why the region is still considered one of the most popular places in Denmark for an authentic beach vacation. Dueodde dune area also offers a camping site, a youth hostel, a restaurant and a spacious parking lot. In July and August, it can be a bit busier on the beach and the wooden boardwalks, as well as at the 48-meter high Dueodde Fyr lighthouse. However, the planned construction of a vacation park called Dueodde Ferieland currently seems to be on hold. However, there is already existing accommodation such as Strandhotel Balka Søbad and FDM Camping Balka Strand in the immediate vicinity.
A recommended destination north of Snogebaek is the heath landscape Balke Lyng, one of the largest closed heath areas in Europe with an area of about 25 hectares. Here also grows the rare small orchid. In the bird sanctuary Hundsemyre, a former wetland, you can observe songbirds like the marsupial tit or cormorants in the wild. Also popular among sporty guests and tourists are deep-sea cruises with charter boats of local fishermen. These know best where the best fishing opportunities are on the east coast of Bornholm, which is known for its rich salmon resources.
Celebration in Snogebaek
The highlight of the festive year in Snogebaek is the annual summer harbor festival in July, which has been lavishly celebrated since 1973. The festival area between the fishermen’s huts and smokehouses around the harbor offers a varied program, including the beach run “Snogebæk-Løbet”, a fish pond, various games and entertainment for children such as ball and dart throwing, shooting stands, a raffle, the wheel of fortune and a bouncy castle. Both adults and children enjoy live music, with show stars such as Robbie Williams having already performed. Regional specialties such as smoked fish from the local “Snogebæk Røgeri” and chocolate from the small manufactory “Kjærstrup Chokolade” from Nexø are also abundantly enjoyed at the festival. Other delicacies include smoked herring on rye bread with onions, chives and an egg yolk (known as “Kraksild”) and apple slices fried in hot fat (“Æbleskiver”).
