Pottery on Bornholm – 4 Workshops and Personal Favorites

Bornholm ignited my passion for pottery

My passion for Danish pottery began on Bornholm – on a bike ride around the island in 1999, I discovered the small pottery workshops and the feeling of being in a workshop and sensing the person behind the pottery. Five years later, I started unika-k.dk.

Today, Bornholm is a mecca for pottery lovers. The raw cliffs of nature, the colors of the sea, and the special Bornholm light leave clear traces in the pottery – and Bornholm pottery is now a strong concept associated with craftsmanship and quality.

My 4 pottery stops on Bornholm

When I visit the island – which I happily do several times a year – I have several regular pottery visits:

1. Oh Oak – pottery workshop in Nexø

Oh Oak is very special to me. I started selling Sarah's pottery on unika-k.dk in 2016 when she had a workshop in Den Brune Værksted in Nexø.

Today, you can find Oh Oak at Matter by the harbor in Nexø, where she shares a workshop and shop with glassblower Maj-Britt Zelmer. A visit here is a sensual experience – a space filled with form, structure, and material sensation.

👉 You can also experience and shop Oh Oak ceramics here in the unika:k webshop.

2. Eva Brandt – ceramist in Rønne

Eva Brandt ceramics was my very first encounter with unique ceramics back in 1999 when I visited her small workshop and shop in Rønne during my bike tour around Bornholm. I clearly remember the feeling of being in that small room and closely examining her beautiful hand-thrown cups – that’s where my fascination with handmade pottery truly began.

Today, I almost always stop by when I'm on Bornholm, and over the years, a warm friendship has developed. In the first years of unika:k's existence, I sold Eva's beautiful cups and bowls in the webshop. Later, her own shop and production grew, and she began creating more large unique jars and works, which made it difficult to keep up with deliveries for the webshop.

Even though you won't find Eva Brandt on unika-k.dk today, I always recommend a visit to her shop in Rønne. It is a beautiful and peaceful experience. Remember to check opening hours. And if you're lucky, you can experience her works on exhibition – for example, at Grønbechs Gård.

3. Julie Høm – ceramic art on Bornholm

It is especially in the last couple of years that I have truly become aware of Julie Høm's ceramics. Her works are sensual and artistic – often in beautiful color combinations and with forms that can stand alone or hang on the wall as ceramic art.

If you visit Bornholm, I recommend keeping an eye out for her exhibitions. Her unique ceramics must be experienced in person.

4. Hejdesign in Rønne

I have known Rikke Wulff, the ceramist behind hejdesign, for many years. Her cups fit well into our Nordic and colorful ceramic universe. Rikke Wulff has also created the workshop hejfabrik in Rønne – a workshop and course center where you can try your hand at ceramics. See the beautiful Bornholm POP ceramic cups

Bornholm favorites

When we talk about Bornholm, I can't help but share other Bornholm favorites. Therefore, below you can read my best tips for the Sunshine Island – my favorite island.

Experiences on Bornholm:

• Grønbechs Gård – center for arts and crafts and changing exhibitions
• Hjorths Fabrik – ceramics museum and opportunity to try your hand at clay yourself
• Sunset at Hammershus – magical light over the cliffs and sun over the water
• Concerts at Gæstgiveren – intimate music experiences with an indescribable atmosphere. Book tickets as soon as they are released – they sell out quickly
• Kayak trip from Hammerhavn and along the cliffs with Hammershus. The kiosk at Hammerhavn usually serves a good sandwich
• In spring: find wild garlic in the forest and make a wild garlic pesto with pine nuts, Parmesan, and olive oil. You can also experience the beautiful yellow anemone, which is not found in many places in Denmark
• In August: the annual Wonderfestiwall festival in northern Bornholm – highly recommended
• The beautiful beaches in the south – the finest sand on the island

Cafe / restaurant / shop:

• Nexø Gamle Røgeri – authentic Bornholm atmosphere and quality selection
• Bager Dam in Aakirkeby – treat myself to their Öland wheat bread
• Norresan in Gudhjem – the best coffee with the best view. Highly recommended
• Drinks or food at Nordlandet in Sandvig – summer atmosphere with the best sea view
• Hullehavn in Svaneke – relaxed summer atmosphere and good coffee. Also a perfect place to swim
• The bookstore in Rønne – a really good shop if you need a summer book or just want to be inspired
• Charlotte Thorup ceramics in Svaneke – unique works with fine details. The workshop is beautifully located with an herb garden and the most beautiful view over Svaneke
• Kalas ice cream in Allinge-Sandvig – a must. Fantastic ice cream and location. Come early or late in the day during high season
• Bornholms ice cream parlor in Svaneke – a must when you are in Svaneke. Also see the cozy courtyard behind the ice cream shop

Hikes on Bornholm:

• From Svaneke to Listed – start at Svaneke old harbor. A lovely trip with beautiful views over the cliffs and the water. Appropriate length back and forth
• From Sandkås to Allinge-Sandvig – a beautiful trip along the cliffs with great views all the way. Perhaps start with a swim at Sandkås beach
• From Hullehavn to Årsdale – start at the cozy Hullehavn and end with a Mikkeller beer in Årsdale
• Opalsøen – take a walk around the beautiful blue-green lake in the sun