We were waiting for this city break so bad and we were extremely enthusiastic because it appeared randomly in our plans. We couldn’t find a good flight to Copenhagen, our main destination. So kiwi suggested us to fly to Malmö first and…ok, let’s do that!
We land. Cool and cold wind. The airport is as „big” as a supermarket and we immediately went straight to the bus to the city center. It is the fastest and cheapest way to get to Malmö Center: 40 minutes, SEK 115 (€ 11.5). If you take the ticket online, it costs SEK 105 (€ 10.5).
Tour through the clouds
After we left our luggage at our accommodation (I’ll tell you later about our super accommodation on Airbnb), we made a plan so we could see the center, the cathedrals, the tower and some parks. As Malmö is not so big, we have not had problems with time management. The clouds were the only ones making us some trouble. The clouds were passing so fast like we were watching a fast forward movie. A sunshine followed by a torrential rain of 3-4 minutes, after which an annoying storm comes when you think it stopped. Then another ray of sun that makes you take off your coat for two minutes, then a gust of cold wind with a winter smell comes. Brrr! That’s the weather here! So, we learned to slip through the drops of rain, which at times I had the feeling of turning into snowflakes.
Kungsparken (Castle Park)
A garden touched by the colors of the autumn, quiet. You can only hear the ducks on the lake and a few bikes that pass on the paved path. We hurried from one tree to another, because it was starting to rain again, but we returned here the next morning when just the wind bothered us. Then we also visited Slottsträdgården, an integral part of this park where vegetables, aromatic plants and fruit trees are grown so that the kids could learn how the fruits and vegetables they take from the shops are grown.
Malmöhus (Malmö Castle)
It’s not the most beautiful castle I’ve ever seen. It’s a strong fortress from 1400 that looks more like a prison. Surrounded by water, the building has two short and round towers – the stars of the photos made here.
This castle has been inhabited the kings of Denmark (Malmö belonged to Denmark until 1658) and in 1914 became a military prison. Today it is a museum – of art, history and nature (aquarium) – and the space for cultural and artistic events in Malmö. The access fee is about 5 euros for a walk in history, to the Vikings! The ticket also includes entry to the Technical Museum and a walk at the Swedish windmill, today a historic monument.
Malmö Konsthall
It is one of the largest exhibition centers of contemporary art in Europe. It was opened in 1975 and the entrance is free. The museum is very interesting: inside it has its original exhibits and outside the small square in front of it. With three golden columns that rise, makes an amazing contrast to the Tower of St. John’s, the red-haired tower that rises behind the market. We did not know the meaning of the columns, but the visual impact is not negligible regardless of the weather.
St. John’s Cathedral
The Lutheran church built in 1903 is closed this season for rehabilitation works. What’s special about it is that 20 types of natural stones have been used for its ornaments, easily identified by their nuances. I also know that in the pulpit is a famous oak sculpture in five sections describing the life of Jesus.
A walk through the Old Center
It’s really impressive. Extremely clean markets, quiet atmosphere, neat buildings, and bicycles leaning on pillars made me fall in love with this Scandinavian world. In Stororget we saw the famous houses of the 17th century, preserved impeccably. But that’s not all. Behind St. Peter’s Cathedral is Ostergatan Street, where you can admire older and more beautiful houses. Here, at number 8, you will find Thottska, the oldest house in Malmö, built in 1558!
St. Peter’s Cathedral
It is one of the oldest buildings in the city, but it has suffered many modifications over time and today it does not have the original appearance. Originally built in brick in the 14th century in the Gothic style, after the model of a German church, was heavily damaged by the weather and partly rebuilt. What we can see today is the version of the 1890s. What I liked most was the atmosphere inside. At the entrance, to the left, as you go to the oldest part of the church that has been preserved until today, there are several chairs, armchairs and tables, where the elderly stood to talk. There are also coffee and tea thermos, from which anyone can take. Behind, there is a small library containing religious books, and you can stay there to read.
David Hall Bridge
It’s also in the Old Center, next to Cine Royal. Here the bridge itself is not famous, it is the work of art on it. On both sides, there are pairs of bronze shoes, 19 in total. They are the shoes of famous Swedish artists and they are here as a tribute.
Folkets Park
It is the oldest theme park in the city, inaugurated in 1891. It seemed chaotic to me, with Asian gates, children’s playgrounds, statues, a plastic rose, a bright and colorful terrain, a wheel, concert stages… I liked the Maur Pavilion in the park turned into a ballroom. There is also a reptile exhibition, where you can see chameleons. Yeah, it’s the park for anything!
Central Railway station
The heart of the rail and road transports of Malmö was built in 1856 and rebuilt after a strong fire in 1872. More than 17 million passengers pass each year through here. Inside, I found all the comforts: restaurants, boutiques, banks, warmth and impeccable cleanliness!
Old Lighthouse
The little lighthouse on the seafront testifies that Malmö has been an important port since the 12th century. From the station you can see the lighthouse, there is not much to walk.
Turning Torso
The most famous building in Malmö, the Twisted Tower is also the tallest building in Scandinavia (190 meters). And obviously, the first skyscraper twisted out of the world. Why? Because it was possible. And the architect is Spanish! The strangest thing is that it’s a residential building. It has 54 floors and 147 suites. The construction started in 2001 and ended in 2015. And it cannot be visited, although it would have been interesting to make a restaurant or viewpoint on the top floor.
City Beach
From Turning Torso you can reach the beach, separated from the city by a long park with grass and lakes. On the beach, the wind actually took us. But the view was amazing. On the right you have Turning Tower, on the left is the Øresund Bridge. At the end of a dike, you find Ribersborgs Kallbadhus – a historic building opened in 1898, with outdoor public baths, spa and sauna. There is also a well-known restaurant.
Pildamms Park
Perhaps the most beautiful park I’ve seen in the city. Here, I lived and something at least strange. Sunny. We got to the gates of the park and stopped to look at the map at the entrance to the park. Suddenly, we saw a water curtain that was coming right to us. It was a torrential rain. We ran to the nearest tree to find shelter just before that summer’s full-flowing rain came to us. Our luck? The rain lasted two minutes and the sun has not disappeared from the sky.
Øresund Bridge
Øresund is a new road and rail bridge (open in July 2000) and has a unique architecture in the world. The bridge linking Sweden to Denmark turns into a tunnel… somewhere by sea, on an artificial island… That means it crosses the sea, then it goes under the sea!
The bridge is 8 kilometers and starts from Malmö and ends on the artificial island of Pepparholm (4km), which is in the middle of the strait. Here, the road turns into a tunnel (4.5 km) that exits to the island of Amager, which belongs to Copenhagen. Why a tunnel? Because a bridge would have been very high (not to be affected by storms at sea), and that could affect the planes taking off and landing in Copenhagen – the airport is near the bridge.
The toll pass for a private car is 43 euros.
And a wow accommodation
As Booking did not find for us something below 100€ per night for that period, we chose to stay with Airbnb. We found a nice accommodation between the beach and the old center, a location that did not force us to go by bus even once. Our host, a super open-minded Portuguese granny, offered us a really nice, Scandinavian-style room. I leave the link here if you are planning a city break in Malmö.
Local Curiosities:
- In Sweden, you will not find alcohol in stores. Only beer up to 3.5% alcohol. I saw only beer and cider with “low alcohol” or “non-alcoholic”. For a bottle of something, you have to go to a specialized shop, Systembolaget. That’s because the Swedes have serious alcohol problems and the state has decided to restrict sales points. For example, there are only four such stores in Malmö. But somebody wanted to sell us grass at the Stororget Square in the Old Center!
- You can pay with the card everywhere. Sellers do not get your hands on your card unless you’re not able to put it in the POS. But I was disappointed to find in many places without contactless devices.
- They greet you with [hai] not because they know that you are a tourist, but because to them “Hi!”, written [Hej], is pronounced as in English.
- Until late in the night, the sky was somewhat bright, although it was dark outside. A kind of twilight. Strange.
- I had the feeling that there was a fast food at every step, at any corner of the street. Even so, the Swedes are not fat, they ride a bicycle every day and run much in the morning.
- From Sweden we have IKEA, Avicii, Ericsson, Absolut Vodka, H&M, Electrolux, Nordea, Oriflame, The Pirate Bay, Spotify and Tetra Pak.
Malmö in photos