Malmoe

Introduction

Malmö sits on the Öresund strait on Sweden's southwestern coast, the largest city in Scania and the seat of Skåne County. It is one of Sweden's major cities, and its metropolitan region extends well beyond the municipal boundaries.

The city received its privileges in the mid-fourteenth century, and that long history shapes the character of the place you'll explore today.

Before you go

Malmö began as a fortified port founded in 1272, a day's walk from Lund, and for centuries it was Danish. It grew wealthy as a Hanseatic trading hub and dominated Skåne until Copenhagen overtook it, and it passed to Sweden in 1658 under the Second Treaty of Roskilde. Because Copenhagen suffered devastating fires and bombardments, Malmö is now an unusually good place to see Danish Renaissance architecture. Industrialisation made it one of Scandinavia's earliest industrial cities, and for much of the last century it was seen as a dull workers' town next to Lund and Copenhagen. The opening of the Öresund Bridge-tunnel in 2000 revived its Hanseatic port character, and the landmark later appeared in the Nordic noir series The Bridge.

Today roughly a third of residents come from other countries, making Malmö the most cosmopolitan city in Sweden, with a rich cultural life and plenty of exotic and fine food. The old industrial city has given way to middle-class suburbs and modern eco-friendly neighbourhoods. On safety: the overall crime rate is moderate by European standards, and the city centre — anything within a 15–20 minute walk of the central train station — is very safe if you avoid trouble. Outlying areas vary in safety but rarely interest tourists. As elsewhere in Sweden, the most common risks are drunk brawls, bicycle thefts and pickpocketing, and anti-Semitic hate crimes have been reported, mostly tied to pro-Palestinian demonstrations. In traffic, watch for bicycles, since cyclists expect others to yield.

Getting there

Most international visitors arrive via Copenhagen Airport, just across the Öresund bridge in Denmark. It is Scandinavia's largest aviation hub, with a wide range of European and intercontinental connections on major flag carriers and international airlines. From the station inside the airport terminal, frequent Øresundståg trains cross the bridge to Malmö in about 20 minutes, calling at Hyllie, Triangeln and Malmö Central; daytime departures run roughly every 15 minutes, thinning to about hourly in the middle of the night. Buses across the Öresund are slightly cheaper but slower and less frequent, and taxis wait outside in separate Danish and Swedish queues. With Swedish taxis, check the window sticker or agree the fare with the driver before boarding, since fares are unregulated and drivers generally speak good English.

Malmö Airport, roughly 30 km from the centre, is served mainly by low-fare, charter and regional carriers, with domestic links from Stockholm and scheduled international flights on WizzAir to cities in central, eastern and southeastern Europe. Flygbussarna coaches run to the city centre in about 40 minutes, though Saturday service is limited, so check the schedule; a taxi is far more expensive. By train, Malmö is well connected: regional and commuter services run throughout Scania, long-distance trains come from Gothenburg and Stockholm, and Øresundståg cross from Copenhagen at least every half hour, calling at Østerport, Nørreport and Copenhagen Central before the airport. From Copenhagen Central to Malmö Central takes about 40 minutes including possible border checks at Hyllie. Pågatåg commuter trains link Lund, Helsingborg, Höör and Ystad, while SJ high-speed trains from Stockholm take about 4½ hours and Snälltåget offers a slower, cheaper alternative. Limited night trains run too, including a summer service from Berlin and a winter service to Åre. The main stations are Malmö Central, with a refurbished historic terminal holding shops, food and lockers, Triangeln underground in the southern centre near Möllevångstorget, and Hyllie beside the Malmö Arena, Malmömässan and Emporia, where Swedish-bound trains from Denmark stop for passport checks.

Driving across the Øresund bridge and tunnel is possible, but it is a toll road charged in both directions and a motorway, so you cannot turn back after the last exit in Denmark and cannot stop except in an emergency; there is no public access to Peberholm. The view is less obstructed by car than by train. FlixBus connects Copenhagen, Oslo, Stockholm and other places, with Copenhagen buses taking over an hour and running much less frequently than trains. Finnlines runs a ferry from Travemünde in northern Germany to a terminal in the northern part of Malmö Harbour, about 10 km from the centre, with a bus to Malmö Central that accepts contactless card payment; the crossing takes nine hours and is aimed mainly at trucks and cars, though pedestrians can book. Trelleborg and Ystad offer alternative ferry connections from Germany and Poland.

Getting around

Malmö is compact and flat, and much of what you will want to see sits within easy reach of the centre. From Malmö Central Station you can walk to most points of interest, including the Old Town just to the south and the Västra Hamnen waterfront and the Turning Torso to the east. Cycling is the preferred way to get around here, and the city is interlaced with plenty of bicycle roads. Bikes can be rented right in front of the central station, and Malmö by Bike lets you pick up a bike at any time by typing a code into an unmanned station. The official bike map is available from bike rentals and the tourist office, and guided bike tours run during the summer.

Skånetrafiken runs public transport across Malmö and all of Scania. Green stadsbuss routes stay within the city, while yellow buses are regional services to other Scanian towns. You cannot pay with cash on buses or trains, but VISA, VISA Electron, MasterCard and Maestro cards are accepted, and tickets can also be bought in advance from vending machines, Skånetrafiken customer centres, service partners or the smartphone app, which has an English version. A single fare is valid for one hour from the moment it is printed, scanned or activated, with unlimited transfers within that hour, and fares include train rides between Malmö Central, Triangeln and Hyllie stations, served by the violet Pågatågen and silver Øresundstågen. Malmö has no metro and no tram network; its rail backbone is the City Tunnel, and the three central stations are the ones that matter most to visitors. Buses fan out from Malmö Central Station to every part of the city, and a bus links the Finnlines ferry terminal in the northern harbour to the station. Taxis are widely available, but the market is unregulated and some independent drivers charge high prices, so check the price tag in the window, prefer well known companies, and always ask for the price of your trip before getting in.

Where to stay

Malmö has a wider selection of places to stay than most Swedish cities, though prices are high and tend to vary little between properties. Staying here can still work out better than basing yourself elsewhere in the region, since hotels are generally expensive throughout Sweden and even more so across the bridge in Copenhagen. As elsewhere in Sweden, breakfast and Wi-Fi are usually included in the room rate, but check rates for your specific dates, as they swing widely with local events and the time of year. The highest season falls around the end of May and in June, when the days are longest and the weather at its best.

• Rut and Ragnars Hostel on Nobelvägen is a straightforward budget option with basic furniture.
• For mid-range stays, central choices include Hotel Astoria on Gråbrödersgatan, the Best Western Plus Hotel Noble House and Best Western Hotel Royal, the Elite Plaza Hotel Malmö, Elite Hotel Residens, Elite Hotel Savoy opposite the train station, the Mayfair Hotel Tunneln, the boutique Moment Hotels near the central station, the Grand Hotel Garden with its rooftop garden, and Teaterhotellet across from the Opera.
• Comfort Hotel Malmö occupies a refurbished building north of the Centralstation, with a gym in a historic room with gilded pilasters; economy rooms are small and basic, while standard rooms have modern decor.
• First Hotel Jörgen Kock, a short walk from the Central Station, is known for unusually large rooms by Scandinavian standards, with simple, comfortable decor.
• Park Inn by Radisson is the only hotel in Västra Hamnen, set among offices and industry but reasonably close to the station, and rents out bikes.
• Scandic Segevång sits in the meadows of Segevång, a suburban sports and leisure hotel with outdoor and indoor pools, near a golf course.
• Good Morning+ Malmö, near the sports and conference venues, is removed from the centre.
• Ängavallen, an ecological hotel with just twelve rooms and a cosy atmosphere, lies twenty minutes south of Malmö on the road to Trelleborg.
• Among the splurge options are the Clarion Collection Hotel Temperance, Hotel Continental Malmö, Hotel Duxiana Malmö, The More Hotel Mazetti, Hotel Mäster Johan, the Radisson Blu Hotel with suite-sized bedrooms, and the boutique-style Elite Hotel Esplanade just off Lilla Torg.
• Scandic hotels include Kramer on Stortorget, Malmö City with kitchenettes in large rooms, S:t Jörgen with views over Gustav Adolfs torg, and Triangeln, a huge building towering over the Triangeln shopping centre with city views from higher floors and a top-floor gym.
• Nordic Choice Quality Hotel View is a tall tower in Hyllie, in front of the Malmö Arena, with views over the city and the Öresund Strait.

Food & drink

Malmö's budget eating is strongest around Möllevångstorget, where many kitchens cater to thrifty diners: falafel, Indian, Thai, Middle Eastern and Chinese meals are all easy to find, and the surrounding streets hold places like The Vegan Bar for vegan burgers, Krua Thai for inexpensive Thai food, Restaurang Asien for Vietnamese dishes such as pho and spring rolls, and Ganesha for affordable Indian food served canteen-style. In the city centre you can try Vegegården for Asian vegetarian cooking, Korvhuset for bratwurst and mashed potatoes, Malmö City Pizzeria for classic Swedish pizza, or Nguyen's Sandwiches for a spicy Vietnamese sandwich or a bowl of pho. Around Triangeln, look to Davidshall for pizza, Jalla Jalla for falafel, Burritofriends for vegan-friendly burritos, and Tamnack Thai for a small, simple Thai spot. Further south, Özen Allfrukt serves Balkan fast food such as burek, ćevapčići and pljeskavica alongside groceries, while Aras offers Persian kebabs with basmati rice and salade Olivier.

For mid-range meals, Lilla torg has plenty of restaurants with outdoor seating heated year-round, including Mello Yello for Swedish and European food, Steak House, and Ses På Paddy's for Swedish cooking in an Irish bar. Elsewhere you'll find Elysée for all-you-can-eat bouillon fondue, Atmosfär, Di Penco for homemade pasta, Lemongrass for Asian crossover dishes, Maguro Sushibar and Yukai for sushi, Metro for food and club nights, Restaurang Möllan for steaks, Två Krögare - Bullen for traditional Swedish husmanskost, and the lively Malmö Saluhall food hall. Bloom is the splurge option. For something sweet, try Dolce Sicilia for homemade ice cream, or the patisseries Hollandia and Konditori Katarina; around Christmas, look for pepparkakor with glögg. Drinking out is expensive, so many people drink at home first and stock up at a Systembolaget. Lilla Torg is the nightlife epicentre but pricey, while Möllevångstorget offers better value among its many bars and cafés. Nightlife clusters around Friday and Saturday except in high summer; venues include Étage, the Irish pub Fagans, Izakaya Koi, the former slaughterhouse club Slagthuset, Babel and Inkonst for concerts and clubs, and 1998 Coffee Shop for coffee and speciality beans.

What to see and do

Start in Gamla Staden, the historic centre, where three squares anchor the old town. Stortorget is the central plaza, with a statue of King Karl X Gustav at its middle, the ornate City Hall on its east side, and Kockska Huset in the north-west corner. Lilla torg, connected to Stortorget at one corner, is the place for socializing and dining, with restaurants setting out outdoor tables around the square's edge. Gustav Adolfs torg is surrounded on three sides by shops, and a cemetery on its south side leads through to Slottsparken, the park surrounding Malmöhus. A pedestrian-only shopping street links the three squares.

Beyond the centre, Möllevångstorget has a bustling open-air market on weekends, and its surrounding neighbourhood is full of inexpensive Asian and Middle Eastern shops, restaurants and grocery stores. Davidshallstorg, by contrast, has a posh atmosphere with design shops, clothes stores and restaurants, with similar shops on nearby Davidshallsgatan. Gamla Väster, between Lilla torget and Malmöhus, is quiet and sophisticated, with galleries, design shops and restaurants. For architecture, S:t Petri kyrka is the city's oldest church, and Turning Torso, the tallest building in Scandinavia, is best admired from afar, with a waterfront promenade, an open-sea bath and a skateboarding park nearby. Museums include the free Form/Design Center, Malmö Konsthall with its contemporary art, the free Museum of Modern Art, and the Technology and Maritime Museum west of the castle, where you can walk through a 1943 Swedish submarine. Malmö Stadsbibliotek is worth a look for architecture buffs, and Malmö Live is a concert hall. Katrinetorp is a country manor with a garden, cafe and antique store.

For parks, Pildammsparken offers woodlands, a lake, gardens, sculptures and playgrounds, with buildings from the 1914 Baltic exhibition still standing, and it connects south to the Stadium Area. Kungsparken is a historic central park connecting to the smaller Slottsträdgården and Malmöhus Castle, while Slottsträdgården is an organic community garden with themed gardens and a volunteer-run cafe. Folkets park has a terrarium, pony rides and places to eat and drink, with free entrance. Ribersborgsstranden is the largest and most popular beachpark, with a long sandy beach, child-friendly stretches, winter ice swimming, and the old Ribersborgs Kallbadshus seabath structure. The Stadium Area, next to Pildammsparken, holds four stadiums and a stadium park with a Walk of Fame; Malmö stadion is the home ground of Malmö FF. Golfers have courses around the flat Skåne landscape, and skateboarders have six venues, including the indoor Bryggeriet Malmö Skatepark and the outdoor Stapelbäddsparken.

When to go

Three days in Malmoe

Day one: Begin in Malmö itself, the city at the heart of Skåne County in southern Sweden. Because Copenhagen lies so close, Malmö has long been shaped by Danish and Hanseatic influences, and you can trace that layered past through the old streets before the city opens into its Danish Renaissance and industrial chapters. Spend your first hours getting your bearings on foot, then let the evening settle in around you.

• Malmö Central is your natural starting point, with Hyllie and Triangeln also serving the city.
• Buses and trains connect you onward, and Swedish is spoken alongside English.

Day two: Cross into Denmark, since Copenhagen is only a short journey away. The Bridge links Malmö with Copenhagen Airport and Denmark, making a day trip straightforward. In Copenhagen you can follow the story back through the Second Treaty of Roskilde and the wider Danish past that once bound this region together. Return to Malmö in the evening, when the Nordic light lingers.

Day three: Look outward from the city. Malmö Airport and Copenhagen Airport both sit within reach, so your final day can be shaped around departure or a slower loop through Scania. Lund is nearby if you want another stop in Skåne, and the European connections that run through this corner of Scandinavia make it easy to extend your route. End where you began, in Malmö, with the Öresund fixed in your mind.