The beach is located in Årsdale, south of Svaneke on the east coast of Bornholm. The beach is not large and there is a slightly reddish coarse sand.
The water is quite deep, so it is not so suitable for smaller children compared to the shallow and fine-grained beaches to the south. On the other hand, you can jump into the water from the rocks at the beach.
At the beach itself, there are parking spaces, a toilet and a local shop. There is a tourist information point, smokehouse, playground, harbour and the longest-running mill in all of Denmark.
The beach is not suitable for disabled people.
While strolling through the small streets of Aarsdale, we come across the old herring smokehouse. Here we can eat hot smoked fish specialities on site or take them home. Piles of firewood in front of the smokehouse signal that this is where the town's working smokehouse is located. The smokehouse is open all year round, along with a fish restaurant and a fish shop. At Årsdale Silderøgeri you can buy smoked fish specialities all year round. For several generations, fish has been smoked and cooked using old recipes. The tradition dates back to 1900, when fish smoking began in Årsdale.
Aarsdale Mill has been in operation since it was built in 1877 and is still working. The windmill is located on top of a hill on the southern edge of Årsdale, 3 km south of Svaneke. Among Dutch windmills, Årsdale is the uncrowned queen and is the only mill in Denmark that has been in continuous operation since it was built, and in which grain is still ground today.
You can see the Årsdale mill from the inside and buy fresh flour in the shop next door, it has been a listed building since 1959.
There are many great opportunities for excursions both on foot and by bike near Årsdale. It is not far to the picturesque village of Svaneke, which is approximately 4 km away, or to the Paradisbakkerne Hills, which are approximately 4.2 km away. The church of St. James in Ibsker is also worth a visit, approx. 3.5 km.
The unique atmosphere of the town attracts many artists who have their galleries here. Due to the fact that the town has retained its old character, Svaneke was awarded the European Gold Medal in 1975, because the preserved houses and even whole streets look like they are from the 16th and 17th centuries.
Svaneke is home to the local Bryghuset brewery, the only one on the island, and the "caramel factory" - the most visited and most popular place in town. In addition to being able to taste them, it is also worth taking a look at how they are made. Many Danes consider Svaneke to be one of the prettiest towns in Denmark.
Paradisbakkerne, or Paradise Hills, is a rocky, hilly area in the east of Bornholm, between Svaneke and Nexø, which owes its shape to the Ice Age.
Rokkestenen, one of the famous rocky outcrops on Bornholm, attracts many tourists to this romantic forest area.
As Paradisbakkerne is privately owned, you are only allowed to stay between 6am and sunset on marked footpaths, cycle paths or horseback riding trails. Cars are forbidden to enter. A distance of 150 m from buildings must be kept. It is possible to pick mushrooms and berries in the whole area for your own use.
Aarsdale Kirkevej leads to St. James Church, one of the oldest on the island, which has the second-largest tower, after the Aa Church in Aakirkeby. The whitewashed church of St. James is located near Svaneke. Its tower can already be seen from a distance.
The remains of the limestone paintings discovered during renovation work could unfortunately not be restored. The oldest part of the church is the baptismal font, which comes from Gotland. The bell tower contains two bells from 1773 and 1822.
On the outer walls of the church and cemetery, you can see typical iron rings to which the believers attached their horses.
