Malmö is a city located in the South of Sweden. As it lies relatively close to Copenhagen, many tourists that visit the Danish capital also pay a visit to Malmö. Traveling from Copenhagen to Malmö by train will only take you some 30 to 40 minutes, making it a great destination for a day trip while visiting the Danish capital. But which spots in Malmö should you visit then? Based on my own experience visiting the city this summer, I hereby present you 10 spots that should be on your radar.
1. The Knotted Gun
Just a few meters outside central station stands this statue of a revolver with a knotted barrel. The message of this piece of art is about non-violence and has been initiated by artist Carl Fredrik Reuterswärd. What is interesting is that statues of The Knotted Gun can be found in many cities across Sweden. Furthermore, a very-well known version of The Knotted Gun can be found in front of the United Nations headquarters in New York.
2. Stortorget
Another location pretty close to the central station is the central square (stortorget). Located in the middle of the city, the history of this square goes back to 1540, making it the oldest square in Malmö. In the middle of the square stands a 19th-century statue of king Charles X Gusta, who reigned Sweden between 1654-1660. The statue itself is facing the town hall, which is in fact the largest town hall in all of Scandinavia! Its interesting 16th-century architecture makes it definitely worth a visit.
3. Disgusting Food Museum
If you would like a different experience than your standard visit to the local history or art museum, you might be interested to know that Malmö has a museum fully dedicated to… disgusting food! Some of the food on display are roasted guinea pig and Surströmming (fermented herring). Tickets can be bought for 195 Swedish krona per adult (approximately 18 euro/17,5 dollar). Knife and fork not included.
4. Saluhall
If you would like to get some food that you can enjoy instead, the Malmö Saluhall is your place to go. Located within a range of 600 meters from the central station, Saluhall offers you the opportunity to buy some of the best local delicacies. Besides fresh fish, meat and vegetables, the food hall also includes a bakery, chocolate store and ice cream store. For more information, have a look at their website.
5. Saint Peter’s Church
While strolling through the city center of Malmö, you will notice from a distance the 105-meter-high church tower of the Sankt Petri kyrka (Saint Peter’s Church). The 14th-century Gothic church is already an impressive sight to behold from the outside, but the interior of the church is worth a visit as well. Besides the multiple relics which are on display, what makes the church especially interesting are the medieval murals, of which the oldest originate from the 15th century.
6. Malmö Castle
Another prominent historical site is Malmö Castle (Malmöhus). Although there was already a citadel located on this site in 1434, it was demolished and the current castle originates from a century later. Its construction was ordered in 1536 by the Danish king Christian III. Interestingly, if you visit the castle during the evening, you might notice silhouettes appearing behind the windows at the forefront of the castle, which are generated using light projections. During the day, you can visit the castle and castle museum itself. Also make sure to check out the beautiful garden surrounding the castle, where you can get some great Swedish pastry while enjoying the scenery.
7. Pildammsparken
When you visit Malmö, you will encounter a few large and beautiful parks within the city. One of the most interesting is Pildammsparken. This park was created to house the Baltic Exhibition of 1914. Some of the pavilions of the exhibition, most notably the Margareta Pavilion, are preserved and can be visited. Besides a huge pond, containing multiple fountains that spread their water well across the area, another interesting point in the park is a forest to the west of the pond, of which the high willow trees are neatly cut. Both parts of the park provide you with amazing scenery to enjoy while having a relaxing walk.
8. Turning Torso
One of the most well-known buildings of Malmö is the Turning Torso. The building was constructed between 2001–2005. As the name of the building suggests, the design of the building has been inspired on the image of a human torso turning, as the building itself twists 90 degrees. The building has a height of 190 meters and consists of multiple compartments, counting a total of 54 floors. It contains both office spaces and residential apartments. Conference rooms are located in the top two floors, which must provide attendents one of the best views over the city.
9. Titanic Lovelock Point
If you are looking for the best spot near Malmö with a view over the Øresund, the sea strait between Denmark and Sweden, look no further than the Titanic Lovelock Point, which is located near the Turning Torso. Especially when the weather is clear, this spot will allow you to take beautiful photographs of the Øresund, as well as the 8-kilometer-long Øresund Bridge (the longest bridge in Europe) which you probably already crossed if you traveled to Malmö via Copenhagen. Although there is also another viewpoint to see the bridge located southwest of Malmö, walking there from Malmö will take you well over an hour. The Titanic Lovelock Point is located within Malmö itself and will provide you with a good view of the bridge as well.
10. And finally… the beach!
To top it all off, what makes Malmö especially a great city to visit in the summer is its location near the beach. Southwest of Malmö you will find the Ribersborgsstranden, a beach area stretching around 1,5 kilometers. Make sure to bring your towel, suncream, and swimming gear, and blend in with the locals. Besides a beautiful view over the Øresund, the beach also provides a cinematic view of Malmö as well.