Malmö, an Old Town with a Timeless Soul

Sweden’s third largest city, affectionately know as the City of Parks

Malmö may be one of the most cosmopolitan and edgiest of all the Swedish cities and the most similar to mainland European cities, a place where Middle Eastern markets, Italian coffee culture and edgy, gritty bars challenge Nordic stereotypes on every corner.

Historical Malmö

Take a walk through the medieval parts of Malmö and explore its history and culture.. Start at the Town Hall, built in 1546 and located in the main square Stortorget. From there, it’s an easy stroll to St Petri church; designs were originally based on the layout of the St Mary’s church in Lübeck, Germany – a sign of the close connection between these two parts of Europe, in centuries past. Turning back towards Slottsparken (The Castle Park), one of the Malmö’s numerous beautiful parks; you’ll find Malmöhus Castle, built 1537, used mainly as a prison until it was turned into a Museum. It houses a wide range of historical artefacts but also has a modern exhibition, all waiting to be perused.

Turning torso

Take a trip to old harbour in Malmö, now redeveloped; one of the coolest places to hang out in the city. Its crowning glory is the impressive 52 floor-high building, “Turning Torso”, designed by Santiago Calatrava. Around the “Torso” there are modern residential buildings, emerging tech companies and great choice of restaurants and cafes. Walk along the sea front promenade and visit the former ship yard, now converted into one of the world’s best skate parks, Stapelbädden, hosting events throughout the year. During summertime this is the perfect place to people watch and of course, a nice dip in the ocean!

Öresunds bridge

Opened in 2000, the bridge connecting Sweden with Denmark and Copenhagen offers a spectacular horizon visible from the shore in Malmö. Spanning an astounding 16 km, the connection makes travelling by car or train between Copenhagen and Malmö so much easier. If you are a TV buff then you’ll recognize that this is the scene for many a well-known “Scandi Noir” crime drama, most notably, “The Bridge”.

Best coffee in Malmö

Drop into the Solde coffee bar on Regementsgatan for one of Malmös best espressos. Chat to one of the guys behind the counter about the latest news within the coffee community and take a peek at the current art work by local artists that cover the walls. Keen cyclist? Make sure to free up some extra time in your schedule for a quick ride around the city, this is another interest of the friendly owners, and they’ll give you the best routes.

How to get there

Planning on travelling from Northern Europe to the south of Sweden? You can sail with Stena Line Ferries from the Northern German port of Rostock, to the Swedish port of Trelleborg. From here you can explore all that South Sweden has to offer. Why not base yourself in Malmö just a 30 minute drive or bus ride away?