From Nørrebro to Bornholm: A Family’s Move to More Space, Nature and Time

A good life in the city — but also on the move

We lived in a fourth-floor apartment in Nørrebro. Our everyday life was built around both of us working and our child being in childcare. We were happy living in Nørrebro and enjoyed what the city had to offer, while also having friends and parts of the family nearby.

Many weekends were spent travelling around the country to visit family and friends, and we were often away.

The summer that changed how we saw everyday life

Neither of us is originally from Bornholm. We are from North Jutland and West Jutland, but since 2021, several family members have moved to the island, and Amalie’s parents bought a house here.

After many visits — and after becoming parents — we stood in Rønne one summer day and felt how much it meant to be able to walk straight from town to forest and beach. At the same time, family was closer, and we could see our daughter spending time with her grandparents in a completely different way than in Copenhagen.

It became clear to us that the setting we wanted as a family might actually suit Bornholm better than city life.

We fell in love with a house — and took the leap

We began looking at houses in Rønne and fell in love with one of them. At the same time, we explored other options — especially Aarhus, which we had otherwise imagined as the next step after Copenhagen.

But house prices were high, and we could feel that Bornholm and the house in Rønne gave us the best setting.

At the beginning of autumn 2024, we decided that we would make an offer on the house if one of us could get a job on Bornholm.

The job came first — and then everything else fell into place

Amalie got a job first, in January 2025. The day she was invited to an interview, we made an offer on the house — and luckily, we got it.

I made a resignation agreement with my workplace in Copenhagen and was able to work remotely until summer 2025. During that period, I spent time having coffee meetings with relevant companies and applying for jobs. One of those coffee meetings turned into a job.

Today, we both work within walking distance of our home. We feel that we have much more time than before, and we are both very happy with our jobs — in fact, they are almost dream positions for us.

A calm start with family close by

When we moved, we stayed for a period with Amalie’s parents until we could take over our own house. The municipality found a childminder place for our child, which meant that we quickly got an everyday routine up and running that worked for us.

Building a community — with open doors

Our network is still developing, but it has been a great help to have family close by. And because we have a house with room for guests, we often have visitors from elsewhere.

Both of our workplaces have been very good at welcoming us. We have experienced a strong interest in helping newcomers settle well. In my case, there have been welcome dinners and almost weekly opportunities for social activities with colleagues.

I have also sought out the football community and feel part of the community around football in Rønne.

For Amalie, family and colleagues have opened doors to reading groups and networks, and several people have actively reached out to build relationships.

It became clear to us that the setting we wanted as a family might actually suit Bornholm better than city life.

A better everyday family life

Amalie’s working hours are fixed, while mine are often outside normal office hours. That gives us more flexibility as a family — both in terms of drop-off and pick-up and all the practical things.

Having grandparents close by is a major value in everyday life. And because we now have space for family to stay with us, we actually see the rest of the family more than before. People come to us now, instead of us always travelling around.

Galløkken just outside the garden gate

One of the things we enjoy most is the short distance to both work and nature.

We have forest, beach and a winter bathing club close by, and we use it every day. We also enjoy being close to town, with shops and experiences, while the sea and the forest are never far away.

In summer, Bornholm has a very special atmosphere. There are hidden beaches, spectacular nature and a calmness that you quickly get used to. And we can feel that every season has its own charm — from summer beaches and festivals to winter Christmas markets.

The surprise: how welcome we have felt

What has surprised us is how genuinely happy Bornholmers are about newcomers — and how good people are at welcoming you and reaching out.

The difficult part: distance in difficult times

Of course, there are also challenges. When illness occurs in the family, and your closest relatives are far away, the distance can be felt — especially in winter, when there are fewer ferry departures.

And even though our friends are good at visiting, we do miss them in everyday life.

Help making it all come together

We used Tilflytterservice in connection with financial questions, and it helped us in the process.

Our advice to others considering Bornholm

You have to get used to there being fewer options in everyday life — from entertainment to shopping. You can imagine that in advance, but it is different to experience it in everyday life.

At the same time, it is worth remembering that the distance often feels greatest to those who do not live here. Copenhagen does not feel far away when you are standing in Rønne.

And Bornholm has more to offer than you might expect — and often a more direct path to the life you are dreaming of. on, it’s not some strange place, it’s just Bornholm, for heaven’s sake!