Destinations > Sweden > Skåne

Skåne (Scania)

The southern province of Skåne - called Scania on some older maps - is one the country's most visited regions. For most travellers, Skåne is the first part of Sweden they see and many people spend a few days here and visit Malmö and Lund.

Malmö

Located around half an hour from Copenhagen, Sweden's thrid-largest city is a lively place with a quaint old town. Malmö's attractions are situated in the old town around Stortorget Square and the nearby Malmöhus castle.

Practical Information

Malmö Tourist Office

Central Station

Tel (040) 30 01 50

Website www.malmo.com

Position Skåne - Skåne Tourist Office

Stortorget 9, Malmö

Tel (040) 20 96 00

Website www.skane.com

Coming & Going

Malmö is conveniently located less than an hour from Copenhagen with frequent bus, train and ferry connections.

AIR

Malmö is served by two airports.

Malmö Sturup (website www.lfv.se) is 30km southeast of the city. Buses operated by Flygbussarna (website www.flygbussarna.com) take 40 minutes and cost cost SEK 90.

Because of the close proximity between the two cities, Copenhagen's airport is often regarded as a more convenient gateway to Malmö than Malmö's own airport. Copenhagen Airport (website www.cph.dk) is accessible by frequent trains from Malmö Centralstation. The train to Copenhagen Airport runs every 20 minutes, takes around 25 minutes and costs SEK 70.

BUS

There are frequent buses to Copenhagen including the Copenhagen Intercitybus 999, leaves from N. Vallgatan in Malmö to Tivoli / Copenhagen Centralstation.

TRAIN

Trains to other destinations in Sweden terminate at Malmö Centralstation however it is often more convenient to take the train into Copenhagen and change there for international services. The centre of Copenhagen is only 35 minutes away by train; the one-way train fare to Copenhagen is SEK 70.

CAR

The Öresund Bridge (website http://osb.oeresundsbron.dk) cuts the travelling time to Denmark to just 15 minutes. The toll is SEK 285 each way. In Sweden you must always drive with your headlights on.

FERRY

The closest ferry port is Trelleborg, about 30 minutes south of Malmö. Ferries go from here to Travemünde in Germany, however the opening of the Öresund bridge in 2000 means that the ferry is not anywhere near as popular as it once was.

Local Transport

Despite being Sweden's third largest city, Malmö is a small city which can easily be explored on foot.

Skånetrafiken (tel 46 46 15 28 40; website www.skanetrafiken.com) run the local bus service, which has frequent bus services throughout the city and the Skåne region. Bus tickets are valid for one hour and cost SEK 15.

Accommodation

Bosses Gästvåningar & Vandrarhem

Södra Förstadsgatan 110 B, 214 28 Malmö

Tel (040) 32 62 50

Bruksgårdens Vandrarhem

Bruksvägen 15, 235 92 Vellinge

Tel (040) 46 90 95

Limhamns Gästvåningar

Idrottsgatan 31, 216 14 Malmö

Tel (040) 14 01 53

Malmö STF Vandrarhem

Backavägen 18, 214 32 Malmö

Bus 21

Tel (040) 822 20

Sights

Form Design Center

This design museum has exhibits on Swedish design and architecture.

Lilla Torg 9,203 14 Malmö

Tel (040) 664 51 50

Website www.formdesigncenter.com

Admission free

Open Tue-Wed 11am-5pm, Thu 11am-6pm, Fri 11am-5pm, Sat 11am-4pm, Sun noon-4pm

Malmöhus

This castle dates from the 1520s and it is Malmö's main attraction. Since 1937, Malmöhus has been home to an art museum and a museum cronicling the city's history.

Malmöhusvägen, 211 18 Malmö

Tel (040) 34 10 00

Open Jan-May noon-4pm daily; Jun-Aug 10am-4pm daily; Sep-Dec noon-4pm daily

The Stage and Ring Museum

This specialist museum features exhibits and displays of circus and the theatre.

Kalendegatan 5 C, 211 35 Malmö

Tel (040) 12 48 83

Open Tue, Fri-Sun 1pm-4pm

Lund

This 1000-year-old university city is an easy day trip from Malmö, or from Copenhagen. It is a fascinating place with a great atmosphere and it is worth staying here overnight.

One of Lund's highlights is the cathedral, which dates from 1145 and which features a 14th century astronomical clock. There are also several important museums.

Practical Information

Lund Tourist Information Centre

Kyrkogatan 11, 221 00 Lund

Tel (046) 35 50 40

Website www.lund.se

Accommodation

The Train

Bjeredsparken, 222 37 Lund

Tel (046) 14 28 20

Sights

Kulturen

Scandinavians love their open-air museums and this one is the world's second-oldest. There are around 40 houses and large collections of artefacts that depict daily life in southern Sweden from the Middle Ages to the present day.

Tegnérsplatsen, 221 04 Lund

Tel (046) 350400

Website www.kulturen.com/eng/

Admission SEK 50

Open Mon-Thu 11.30am-1am, Fri 11.30am-2am, Sat noon-2am, Sun noon-6pm

Lund Cathedral

Inaugurated in 1145, Lund Cathedral is Scandinavia's principal example of Romanesque architecture. The cathedral's 14th-century astronomical clock is one of its most well-known features.

Lundagård, Lund

Open Mon-Sat 8am-6pm, Sun 9am-6pm

Lund Museum of History

Founded in 1805, the Lund Museum of History is Sweden's second-largest archaeological museum, with exhibits from the Stone, Bronze and Iron Ages.

Lundagård, Lund

Admission SEK 30

Open Tue-Fri 11am-4pm, Sun 1pm-4pm

Ystad

This small town on Sweden's south coast is known for its well preserved architecture that includes over 300 half-timbered houses. The ancient stone circle outside town is the other main attraction here.

Practical Information

Ystad Tourist Information Centre

St Knuts torg, 27142 Ystad

Tel (0411) 577681

Website www.visitystad.com

Coming & Going

Many travellers pass through Ystad to catch the ferry (tel (0411) 558700; website www.bornholmferries.dk/english/) to the Danish island of Bornholm. Ferries operated by Unity Line (tel (0411) 16010; website www.unityline.pl) ply the route between Ystad and Swinoujscie, Poland.

Ystad is well connected to the rest of Skåne with hourly trains to Malmö.

Accommodation

Österlens Gästhärbärge

Trumlevägen 7, 270 21 Glemmingebro

Tel (0411) 52 28 80

Vandrarhemmet Stationen Ystad

Järnvägsstationen, 271 39 Ystad

Tel (0708) 57 79 95

Ystad STF Vandrarhem

Kantarellen, Ystads sandskog, 271 60 Ystad

Tel (0411) 665 66

Sights

Ales Stenar (Ale's Stones)

The origins of this ancient stone circle 30 minutes outside town remains a mystery. Ales Stenar is the largest stone circle in Sweden and is comprised of 58 vertical stones, although it is believed that there were originally 60.

Kåseberga, 27142 Ystad

Bus 322

Tel (0411) 577681

Helsingborg

Most travellers visit this seaside city to take the ferry between Helsingborg and Helsingør, Denmark, which is only 25 minutes away. Good transport connections mean that it is easy to shoot through town very quickly, however there are a few interesting sights if you want to spend a little more time here.

Practical Information

Helsingborg Tourist Information Centre

Knutpunkten, Helsingborg

Tel (042) 120310

Website www.helsingborg.se

Coming & Going

Helsingborg's busy port has frequent ferries to Denmark. There is a choice of several ferry companies that run ferries across the Øresund with competition keeping prices low.

You can use your railpass to travel on the Scandlines (tel (042) 18 63 00; website www.english.scandlines.se) ferry, which departs from the Knutpunkten complex above the train station. If you don't have a rail pass, then take the HH-Ferries (tel (042) 19 80 00; website www.hhferries.se) service as it is the cheapest option between Helsingborg and Helsingør.

DFDS Seaways (tel (042) 24 10 00; website www.dfdsseaways.co.uk) run ferries between Helsingborg and Oslo.

Accommodation

Helsingborg Villa Thalassa

Dag Hammarskjölds väg, 254 33 Helsingborg

Tel (042) 38 06 60

Helsingborgs Vandrarhem

Järnvägsgatan 39, 252 25 Helsingborg

Tel (042) 14 58 50 or 14 58 59

KFUM Nyckelbo

Scoutstigen, 252 84 Helsingborg

Tel (042) 920 05

Miatorp STF Vandrarhem

Planteringsvägen 69-71, 252 30 Helsingborg

Tel (042) 13 11 30

Sights

Henry Dunker Culture Centre

This new cultural centre, opened in April 2002, features an international art museum, a town museum and a concert hall.

Kungsgatan 11, 252 21 Helsingborg

Tel (042) 10 74 00

Website www.dunkerskulturhus.com

Open Tue-Wed 10am-5pm, Thu 10am-8pm, Fri-Sat 10am-5pm

Sofiero Castle

Helsingborg's biggest attraction is the Sofiero castle, built in 1885 by Crown Prince Oscar and his wife Sofia. The castle has been restored and you can wander around and see how royalty spent their summers.

Sofiero Slott och Slottspark, S-251 89 Helsingborg

Tel (042) 13 74 00

Admission SEK 50

Open Apr-Sep 10am-6pm