There were once 18 herring smokehouses in Tejn, spread along the streets around the coast and the old harbour. This history offers a distinctive way to discover the town, alongside its harbour development, beer production and maritime activities. If you are looking for a holiday apartment in Tejn, you can shape your stay around these interests, focusing on local history, beer culture or experiences on the Baltic Sea.
Smokehouse history and the harbour
Tejn was a small fishing village for a long time, without a proper harbour. The fishermen used to bring their catch ashore at a simpler, unprotected spot on the coast; a proper harbour was built in 1868. The construction of the harbour thus marks a specific turning point in the history of the fishing village, which had previously had no harbour.
Another trace of the former fishing industry is the old Isværk at the end of the breakwater at Tejn Harbour. Ice used to be made there for the fishermen’s catch. Together with the history of the smokehouses, the Isværk shows how different activities were involved in handling the catch.
The Røgerinoen route runs through Tejn and tells the story of the old smokehouses with signs, photographs and QR codes. This means you can explore the smokehouse theme not only through the number of smokehouses that once existed, but also by following a route through the town.
Beer production and maritime experiences
At the Penyllan brewery, wooden barrels, slow maturation and its own yeast cultures are part of the beer-making process. Thousands of litres of beer mature over an extended period in the large cellars. Specific production details may change. When the bar and shop are open, visitors can sample the beer where it is made, close to the boats and harbour buildings. Check the latest opening arrangements in advance if you are planning a tasting.
At ivandet in Tejn Harbour, visitors can explore the Baltic Sea’s underwater world and wildlife with marine biologists. Maritime activities for the whole family are also available there. During the holidays and on public holidays, waders, fishing nets, water viewers or snorkelling equipment can be used to explore fish, algae, small creatures and life in the harbour at close range. Check the latest activities and dates if you want these experiences to be part of your stay.
The harbour also has a particular significance for recreational boaters: Tejn Harbour is a good stopover along Bornholm’s north coast. Local conditions may vary. This connection to the harbour adds a practical perspective to the town’s history for travellers out on a recreational boat.
Bornholm in a wider perspective
Elsewhere on Bornholm, other smokehouse stories sit alongside Tejn’s former smokehouses. Bornholm’s first smokehouse opened in Gudhjem in 1866, and herring has been smoked there ever since. Hasle Smokehouse is the last smokehouse on Bornholm where fish is smoked in the traditional way, using open chimneys and alder wood. Gudhjem, Hasle and Tejn therefore offer different points of reference for understanding the island’s smoking tradition.
Bornholm can be reached by ferry, plane, bus or train. The ferry crossing from Ystad in Sweden to Bornholm takes one hour and 20 minutes. Routes and timetables may change; check the latest connections before travelling.
Discover more destinations: Nyker, Balka, Klemensker, Knudsker, Rønne Sogn, Allinge-Sandvig, Vang, Listed.
Go to the main travel overview: Bornholm.
