Malmö is the center of the province of Skåne, one of the richest farming regions in Sweden. It is a small, pretty and very friendly town where almost everything is within walking distance. Not so long ago, the city “won” the land from the sea and built new quarters with interesting modern architecture on it. In addition, the city has its own beaches: in Ribersborg, Sibbarp, Klagshamn and Skaniabadet. And the majestic Oresund Bridge, which opened in 2000, links Malmö with the Danish capital Copenhagen (which can now be reached in just 20 minutes).
Note: according to allcitypopulation, the population of Sweden is 10.42 million (2021).
How to get to Malmö
There are two airports near Malmö – Malmö Airport itself and Copenhagen Airport (located in Copenhagen). You can get from Malmö Airport by taxi or Flygbussarna buses, from Copenhagen Airport by train or bus (cheaper).
Daily trains from Copenhagen to Malmö leave from København H (central railway station) and take 35 minutes. High-speed daily train X2000 connects Malmö with Stockholm, on the way 4.5 hours. In addition, trains depart every hour to Helsingborg and Gothenburg (via Oslo), as well as night trains to Berlin (every other night or every night, depending on the season).
The beaches of Malmö
Malmö’s most popular beach is Ribbersborg, 2.5 km long, often referred to as the “Scandinavian Copacabana “. There is a nudist beach, an area for dogs, as well as an equipped swimming area for the disabled. Ribbersborg Pier is a local landmark that leads to a cold bath. In addition, there is the Ribersborg Kallbadhus, a men’s and women’s swimming complex built in 1898. The wooden building of the complex rises at the end of the pier in the Öresund Strait. The men’s and women’s sections are separate and each has two wood-fired and steam saunas, as well as a solarium, massage parlour, and a 1900s-style café.
The new deep sea bath in Västra hamnen (Western Harbor) is another popular place to stay. There are high piers, wooden decks and many young and well-dressed bathers.
It is also worth getting to the beaches outside the city, for example, in the Skanör Falsterbo area – a cozy resort ideal for walking (20 minutes drive from the center of Malmö). Within 45 minutes are the long and wide beaches of Ljunghusen, Stenhammaren, Åhus and Stenshuvud, located within the national park.
Cuisine and restaurants
In the province of Skåne, nutritious dishes are common: roast goose, smoked eel or egg cake. Most restaurants, cafes and eateries in the city are located around Möllevongtorget Square (Möllevångstorget). It’s worth checking out Tempo or Metro – stylish and popular restaurants with reasonable prices (lunch around 70 SEK).
In the Västra Hamnen area, the Twisted Torso restaurant is recommended, which is located at the foot of the Turning Torso skyscraper. His concept of white, black and “twisted” (Twisted) menu attracts many gourmets. Other famous restaurants are Salt & Brygga, Smak (“Taste”, located in the Malmö Art Gallery), Trappa ner, Bloom and Årstiden (“The Season”).
Fine dining restaurants are Vendel på Sturehof and Atmosfär.
Shopping: Malmö shops
Shops are open: from Monday to Friday – from 10:00 to 18:00-19:00, on Saturday – from 10:00 to 15:00, on Sunday – from 12:00 to 16:00.
There are really a lot of shops, boutiques, shopping centers and miniature shops in Malmo (according to conservative estimates, there are about 800 of them). The route where most of the city’s shops are located is from Stora Torget Square to the Triangeln Shopping Center.
Authentic handicrafts and Swedish design souvenirs can be found on Engelbrektsgatan, Lilla Torg and David Hall in Norrgavel, David design, Moderna möbelklassiker and Olsson & Gerthel gallery. And in the oldest design center in Sweden, Form Design Center, which is located in a 19th-century trading house near Lilla Torg Square, interesting temporary exhibitions are held, and trinkets that interest tourists can be bought at a local store.
City shopping centers: Hansa, Triangeln, Caroli, Balthazar City, Storgatan, Åhléns and Mobilia. In them you can find stores of the largest Swedish retail chains: H&M, Kitsch and Meloa (home furnishings), Begär (bags and shoes), Tjallamalla (retro clothing).
In addition, in Sweden you can buy wonderful clothes made from sustainable materials at reasonable prices as a gift: at Uma Bazaar in Per Weijersgatan, Fiber fin, Helles Textil, Ingrid af maglehem and Blingo.
Entertainment and attractions in Malmo
The old center of Malmö – small and cozy – is centered around the Stora Torget (Large Square), Lilla Torg (Little Square), Gustav Adolf and David Hall squares..
In the Västra hamnen (Western Harbor) district is the main attraction of the city – the 190-meter skyscraper Turning Torso (Turning Torso, “Turning Torso”), designed by the legendary Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava. In addition, from this area you can admire the magnificent view of the Öresund Bridge (8 km) and the coast of Denmark.
Malmö is famous for its numerous parks: Slottsparken (Slottsparken, Palace Park) was opened in 1900; nearby is the even older park Kungsparken (Kungsparken, Royal Park). Pildammsparken is a popular park area for walks and picnics. It is also home to the Queen Silvia Rose Garden, the Garden of the Senses, Crown Princess Margaret’s Avenue of Flowers and the beautiful “garden rooms”. In Trädgårdspaletten (Garden Palette), in the Kulladal district in the southern part of the city, a tropical greenhouse is interesting, which has ponds with turtles, parrots and tropical birds.
Malmö has a vibrant nightlife (usually bubbling up until 3 am). Most of the clubs and restaurants are located around the Lilla Torje square, which turns into one continuous open-air party in summer. Popular clubs: Bodoni, Slakthuset (“Slaughterhouse”, the largest dance floor in Scandinavia), Centiliter & gram, Classic Etage.
Museums in Malmö
Malmö is a city of art, home to several world-class museums and galleries. The most famous museums of the city are located in the Malmöhus Slott Palace: the Art Museum (Malmö Konstmuseum), the City Museum and the Museum of Natural History. The Malmö Museums that unites them also includes the Maritime Museum and the Museum of Science and Technology and several others.
The Malmö Art Gallery (Malmö Konsthall) presents one of Europe’s largest collections of contemporary art. In addition, there are about 50 interesting galleries in the city.
