Hälsningar från Sverige! I’m back in spring-time Sweden with my boyfriend Isak. He is basically working every day and I’m trying to come up with things to do. A proper housewife hell for me, haha! Just before we went on this trip, Isak found out that he got a new job so he wasn’t able to take any days off. Luckily the company has an office here in Southern Sweden as well, so he could go to Malmö to get his work laptop and meet his new colleagues. I, on the other hand, used this opportunity to explore the city.
Yellow flowers growing in Malmö.
Read more on our trips to the Skåne region.
Malmö is the 3rd largest town in Sweden
Malmö is located in the southwestern part of Sweden, just 50 kilometres from the Danish capital of Copenhagen. The two cities are connected by the huge Öresund Bridge, which allows both towns to form one metropolitan area with a total of 4 million inhabitants. Malmö is very international: over a third of its 350 000 people are born outside of Sweden. Even though Malmö is a cute and interesting town, it is also notorious for its escalating gang violence that often reaches local and international headlines. According to Reuters, there are three times more murders in Malmö per capita than in London.
Anyways, for a regular tourist, there’s nothing to worry about. What makes Malmö an interesting place to visit is its proximity to Copenhagen, relaxed Scandinavian atmosphere and bohemian-hipster vibe. No wonder many people call Malmö Sweden’s largest small town.
What to see in Malmö?
I only had around six hours to wander around the city while Isak was at work. This is what I could recommend based on my first experience of Malmö:
Visit the old town
Lilla Torg is packed with little cafes and restaurants. Loved by locals and visitors, this spot is very popular during the summer times.
The old town is the most popular and charming neighbourhood in Malmö. Located next to the main railway station, the old town is ready to take you back in time with its cobblestone alleys and beautiful old buildings. Spot Lilla Torg, a little square that’s packed with cute cafes and small restaurants. Take a peek at Form/Design Center which is a place for exhibitions and workshops on design and architecture. Stortorget is the oldest square in Malmö, and in the centre of it, you can see the horseback statue of King Karl X Gustav. From Stortorget you can continue along the shopping street Södergatan and end up at Gustav Adolfs Torg, named after the 19th century King Gustav Adolf IV, who was the last king of both Sweden and Finland.
Visit Moderna Museet
If you are looking for some contemporary art, pop into Malmö’s museum of modern art. The museum is located in an old industrial power plant and it’s small enough for a quick tour. During the time I visited it, the museum cafe and some exhibition areas were closed but there was no entrance fee. Personally, I prefer classical art but this was an interesting visit anyways.
Enter St Petri Kyrka
It’s very easy to navigate around the old town – thanks to St Petri Kyrka and its 100-meter long tower that you can see from far away. The constructions of the church began in the 12th century, which makes this the oldest church in Malmö. When you go inside, you can see old paintings from the 16th century and the largest wooden altar in the Nordics.
Walk in Kungsparken and Slottsparken
Before the large green areas, you will walk through this old cemetery.
One of the things that makes Malmö feel like a small town, is the amount of green space right in the middle of the city. Two parks, called in English “King’s park” and “Castle Park” are basically one big park area, offering you lakes, a botanical flower garden and little walking trails.
You can also spot the old Castle Mill and Malmöhus Slott with several museums to visit.
Visit picturesque cafes
I forgot to take a cafe picture in Malmö. These lovely waffles can be found in Karlshamn.
Swedes love their coffee almost as much as we Finns do ours. So, while you are in Sweden, you will need to experience the real Swedish fika, which basically just means having coffee with something small to eat. There are plenty of great coffee shops to visit in Malmö. They offer a perfect opportunity to rest your feet and get your afternoon caffeine intake. Try especially these Swedish delicacies:
- Semla. A sweet bun with whipped cream and almond paste. As a Finn, I need to recommend our version as well (laskiaispulla), you will find options with almond paste or raspberry jam.
- Kanelbulle. A sweet rolled-up bun with cinnamon and sugar. The Finnish version has more cardamom.
- Prinsesstårta. The princess cake is a delicious sponge cake with pastry cream, raspberry jam and a green marzipan cover.
- Chokladball is a small chocolate ball that has oats and cacao, and it’s covered with coconut flakes.
Have you visited Malmö? What would you recommend seeing in the town?
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