This wilder tempestuous northern sea will steal your heart and is truly at its best in late May and early June when the days are the longest and the chicks are beginning to hatch in the local bird reserves. If you try out our recommended Baltic sailing route, you'll not only get to enjoy Rügen, Bornholm, Copenhagen, but more importantly, a thrilling sailing experience.
Recommended Baltic sailing route: from Rügen via Sweden to Denmark
We have prepared for you a sailing route of 350 to 400 NM. If you want to sail hard, it can be done in one week, if you want a more relaxed cruise, set aside 14 days.
Route: Breege – Bornholm (Svaneke) – Christiansø – Bornholm (Hammerhavn) – Kåseberga – Nyhavn/Copenhagen – Helsingør – Rødvig – Hiddensee (Kloster)
Exhilarating Baltic sailing: from Rujana to the Danish island of Bornholm
Start your Baltic voyage in the port of Breege on Rügen or in the port of Stralsund in Greifswald Bay. When leaving the port, head straight towards the Danish island of Bornholm, 90 to 110 NM.
Where to anchor? On Bornholm, all the harbours are beautiful. If you want to rent a car or motorbike, dock in the capital Ronne or Dueodde harbour, as there are no such options in the other harbours.
But we recommend sailing to the small port of Svaneke on the east coast. Svaneke is a small town full of half-timbered, red-tiled houses along the coast. There are also a number of pottery and glass workshops here, and you can even watch glass-blowing in a workshop in the centre of town. And because the wind is always blowing, you'll find numerous windmills. Round churches dating back to the 12th century (rundkirke) are also a typical sight in Bornholm.
In the small harbours, you can usually rent a bike and take a fantastic bike tour of the island. Bornholm is partly wooded and has Denmark's highest mountain. So, you can take a challenging mountain bike ride up to 162 m above sea level.
Bird reserve on the islands of Christiansø and Frederiksø
From Svaneke, sail to the small island of Christiansø, one of the most beautiful and remote places in the Baltic. There are two islands, Christiansø and Frederiksø, connected by a footbridge and a small harbour between them. Both islands are part of an important bird reserve and the most amazing time to visit is May and the beginning of June, when geese, ducks, eider ducks and guillemots are hatching and baby birds can be literally seen everywhere.
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Christiansø is surrounded by a wall and was once a strategically important island. Originally a medieval fishing village, the despotic King Kristian V turned it into an invincible naval fortress, a sort of outpost of the Danish navy in the Baltic.
Now, however, it will be the most romantic stop on your journey. Enjoy its atmosphere and its moss-covered rocks, historic stone houses and 17th-century forts. Of course, don't forget to sample the island's fragrant and fresh smoked fish, with herring being the most for Denmark.
From Christiansø, head west, and when you pass the northernmost tip of Bornholm, stop at Hammerhaven harbour, from where you can take a beautiful hike to the ruins of one of the largest crusader castles in northern Europe, Hammerhus Slot. Entrance is free.
Swedish Stonehenge: Ales Stenar is shaped like a Viking ship
Sailing further leads you west along the Swedish coast. The first port on the way is called Kåseberga. It's a pretty little harbour and in the meadows on the cliff, high above the sea, you'll find the sacred Celtic site of Ales Stenar (Ale's Stones).
Here the Swedes have their very own Stonehenge — a collection of large stones built in the shape of a Viking ship. The entire ship is 67 metres long and consists of 59 boulders, weighing up to 1.8 tons each. It is estimated that this megalithic formation was created in the Iron Age, more than 1,400 years ago.
If you're lucky enough to have a clear moonlit night, visit this site at night. In the moonlight, it has an amazing and truly mystical atmosphere.
Other popular sailing destinations:
Setting course for Copenhagen
The other ports on the southern coast of Sweden are not quite as interesting. These are the large industrial ports of Ystad and Trelleborg. Leave them on your starboard side and after passing through the Falsterbo channel (there is a drawbridge and it is a good idea to radio in your arrival) head straight for Copenhagen.
Navigation on the approach to Copenhagen is rather interesting, as you sail through the canals between the shallows. Navigating at night to Copenhagen in particular is a genuine treat and can be a little confusing due to the many fairways.
In Copenhagen, stop either at the Langelinie marina by the Little Mermaid statue, where you'll find the Royal Yachting Club, or right on the canal in the city's Nyhavn harbour.
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In both cases you find yourself docking right in the city. If you manage to anchor at Nyhavn, it’s like parking on a city’s main square, only the scenery will be much more picturesque with brightly coloured houses.
From Copenhagen, sail about 20 NM north to the pretty port of Helsingør. Here, be sure to visit the royal castle of Kronborg and also the large Gothic church with its hanging sailing ship. It was Kronborg Castle that served as the inspiration for the home of William Shakespeare’s tragic hero, Hamlet, the Danish prince. Shakespeare, however, rechristened the castle "Elsinore."
In the castle's casemates lies a statue of Denmark's national hero, Ogier the Dane (Holger Danske), the legendary knight of Emperor Charlemagne. When the country is in its darkest days, legend claims that he will wake from his sleep and help drive away Denmark's enemies.
From Helsingor, turn the bow back south and, after stopping off at Rødvig, return in the direction of Germany to Hiddensee, where you’ll find the small port of Kloster.
The low sandy island of Hiddensee, shaped like a seahorse, is the largest island in the Bay of Pomerania (Vorpommersche Boddenlandschaft) and its traditional thatched-roof houses are charming. The island is dominated by the magnificent Dornbusch lighthouse. There are hardly any cars on the island, so the air is beautifully clean.
Make sure to sample the delights of a local pub; enjoy any of the fish specialities or sample products and delicacies made from golden sea buckthorn, which is cultivated on the island.
If you have some time left, visit Stralsund Harbour. If you venture further to Greifswald Bay, take note beforehand of the opening hours of the Stralsund Bridge.
What to be on the lookout for when sailing the Baltic
- Most sailors who are used to sunnier Croatia may worry about the cold, wind, rough seas and rain. Certainly, in the Baltic, there tend to be cooler waters and stronger winds, but it's not an absolute rule.
- In the Baltic Sea, there are many shallows that require careful attention, and it is navigationally complex — you’re likely to encounter a number of fairways, channels and cardinal marks.
- In this area, there is also dense traffic of cargo ships, to which you will need to pay attention.
- The harbours are reasonably priced and exceptionally beautiful, and sailors tend to use them, so you don't have to worry about anchoring offshore.
- The crossings are longer here, you will encounter considerably fewer marinas along the way than in Croatia (where there are marinas, buoys or islands almost every step of the way), and so you may find yourself having to sail further even when fatigued.
- Be sure to take advantage of the incredible variety of local fish. It’s always perfectly fresh, whether smoked, fried, pickled, baked or simply in a baguette.
Tempted by the rugged yet romantic atmosphere? There's really nothing easier than checking for available boats in our search portal or contacting us.
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