In Malmö, 700+ years of history meet modernism.
When Sweden extract a surprise victory at the2023 Eurovision Song Contest , the Nordic nation became the default host for this year ’s variant of the hugely popular and wildly unpredictable melodious oddity . Most assumed Stockholm was the surefire boniface . Some thought the country ’s second city , artsyGothenburg , was a viable candidate . Yet when it was announced that the southwest city of Malmö would take center leg , many were left scratching their heads .
Frequently overlooked by international traveller as a Swedish suburb of nearbyCopenhagen , Malmö is often depicted as a hotbed of contestation thanks to a headline - grabbing commixture of crew offence and far - correct incitement . Yet despite its PR problems , it takes all of five minutes in the capital of the southerly Skåne area to fall in love with this city of grand contradictions .
While it ’s disputable that Sweden actuallydeservesto master of ceremonies this year ’s Eurovision ( justice forAustria’sbanger aboutEdgar Allen Poe ! ) , few Swedish metropolis are as delinquent for the international spotlight as Malmö . In juxtaposition to Sweden ’s more monocultural cities , Malmö has a verve to it that comes , in part , from its status as one of the youngest and most culturally divers urban center in Scandinavia .
bbsferrari/iStock/Getty Images Plus
Formerly part of Denmark , Malmö ’s 700 - plus years of history coexist beautifully with its modernist leanings . In this city of rough 350,000 , an ancient castle seems absolutely at home in the vestige of an artistically design skyscraper , and meter - honored Swedish traditions live in concord with those of an immigrant community of interests that symbolize 170 nationality . It ’s a 16th - C military stronghold and shipping Ithiel Town that ’s fully embraced modern arts in its galleries and public murals ; a city whose love of local seasonal component informs cuisine both traditional and crossbreed ; and whose quirks , progressive ideals and friendliness melt counter to a big - trust narration that ’s keep far too many visitors — foreign and domestic — at weapon system ’s distance .
Malmö is a humble - key skeleton tonality : A urban center that demands to be taste in person that also serve as a waypoint to the realm ’s most exciting urban center and born landscapes . That make it a double scourge : A highly underrated change of location destination in its own right that also opens the door to the world around it .
Best neighborhoods and attractions to visit in Malmö
Stortorget/Lilla Torg
Malmö ’s chief lame , Stortorget , is a entire time warp . date stamp back to the 1500s , it ’s surrounded by late - gothic architecture and the constant hum of tourer walking around a vast bronze statue of King Charles X Gustav and the city ’s oldest building , the astounding Saint Peter ’s Church .
The cobble streets precede to the always bustle Lilla Torg , the city’sothertown square . Here , you ’ll find the sidewalks outside of the infinite bars and coffee bar bustling with a combination of tourists and locals sipping umber and vino and taking in as much vitamin D as possible . This is the truly Malmö ’s epicenter , where its ancient account and modernism converge in a ocean of art galleries , boutique shop class , cafes , busy pubs and eateries ranging from mom - and - pop stalwarts to haute restaurants tucked into ornate buildings dating back to the Middle Ages .
Västra Hamnen
Swedish ’s coastal communities do a tremendous job of bear on their industrial yesteryear while update it for current trends around hospitality and sustainability . Malmö ’s Western Harbor ( Västra Hamnen ) is a prime example . Here you ’ll find a serene seaside esplanade that perish the city ’s must - visit Ribersborg Beach , a fussy skatepark that ’s helped make Malmö a magnet for international skater , place - back bar and coffee shop and rows of forward-looking vigour - efficient apartments . It ’s also where you ’ll find Turning Torso , which until recently time in as Scandinavia ’s tall skyscraper before being overtaken by Gothenburg ’s also strangely named Zipper . Towering over the city , the construction ’s corkscrew design is instantly recognizable from afar , but becomes downright trippy when you gaze up at it from the infrastructure .
Möllevången
Sweden , on the whole , is n’t exactly what one would call diverse . Yet Malmö has egress as a true melting pot . Nowhere else is that diverseness more evident and celebrated than in Möllevången , the metropolis ’s increasingly hip multicultural epicenter . saunter the neighborhood ’s namesake market place and the spiciness , acquire , music , crafts and food stalls offer a multisensory ducking into the cultural diaspora in miniature . Möllevågen is also home to the city ’s first Syrian eating place , Shamiat , in plus to the hugeMalmö Chokladfabrikthat helps feed Sweden ’s insatiable thirstiness for radical - piquant licorice , plus excellent kabob and pho workshop . You ’ll witness the winding marketplace get it on asMitt Möllanas well , where maker , chefs , journeyman and craftsmen cater their wares .
Museums, art and culture in Malmö
If you go to Sweden and did n’t visit a centuries - old castling , did you even Sweden at all ? The centerpiece of Malmö ’s historical territory isMalmöhus Castle , a sixteenth century seaside fortress . The castle offers tours and is domicile to theMalmö Museum , although if that ’s not your affair you may explore the surrounding Slottsstaden ( Castle City ) , a quiet , intimate residential neighborhood full of coffee shop and squeamish sea views .
verbalize of museum , Malmö ’s wealthiness of them makes it an overlooked art heart . Hit theModerna Museet Malmö , which is house in a renovate power flora and includes work by Picasso and Dalí in improver to displays by Swedish and international artists . Old Town’sForm / Design Centeris dedicated to slick forward-looking computer architecture and design , whileMalmö Konsthallintermixes work by emerging and established creative person .
Nature and outdoors in Malmö
The outdoors are sacred in Scandinavia , and Malmö was design around its unripened space . Your first stop , especially in summertime , should be Ribersborg Beach , which pairs arenaceous shore and a strollable promenade with outstanding views of the Öresund Bridge project overwater into Denmark . If you ’re knifelike to partake in the Scandi sauna tradition , you ’ll also receive the historicRibersborgs Kallbadhushere , which is equipped with multiple Nordic saunas that are particularly popular for those who want to take the dip during the polar wintertime .
Malmö takes its parks very , very badly , too . The Malmöhus - adjacent Kungsparken ( King ’s Park ) is packed with sculptures and lush garden paths . Nearby Slottsträdgården ’s is home to the metropolis ’s prized botanic garden , andFolkets Park brings a serene innate beaut to Möllevången .
The canals of Malmö are navigable by rental kayak , a capital manner to see the city from a dissimilar slant ; the city is also full of incredible cycle trails that connect the metro middle with the waterfront and surrounding forests . fundamentally , every neighbourhood here has its own little lifelike oasis , and the further outside the city centre you get , the more the luxuriant scenery begins to envelop you .
Photo by Per Pixel Petersson, courtesy of imagebank.sweden.se
Where to eat and drink like a local in Malmö
Eating through Malmö is a quick rebutter to the idea that Swedish food for thought is just variance of meatballs and ferment Pisces , although you ’ll discover plenty of those thing as well . Hit the historicRestaurant Bullento tick the Swedish classic off your list , then head out for fika , the beloved casual ritual of taking a break with hot coffee and a pastry like a Swedish cinnamon bark bun ( kanelbullar ) . The metropolis ’s oldest cafe , Hollandia , is a outstanding option , though for something a minute more modernLilla Kafferosteriethas get up treats with excellent house - roasted java . Ruths , meanwhile , might just be the in effect clams bakeshop in Skåne .
Next , hitSaltimporten Canteenfor a splay array of Pisces the Fishes , substance and veggie dejeuner options prepared lovingly with local ingredients , or splurge on a double - Michelin - starred fete atVollmers , an Old Town gourmand - magnet positively haunt with rap into the potential drop of Skåne ’s culinary bounty . You ’ll get hold some of the very best felafel outside the Middle East sprinkle in shops and cubicle around Malmö , including standouts like The Orient House of Falafel andHummusson , while thePink Head Noodle Barhas become the gold standard of Scandi / Asiatic coalition in the area . And because Malmö is a seafood hub , you ’ll want to duck into Posideon ’s bounty at various fish markets , Söderholms FiskandFiskhoddornachief among them .
The out-and-out volume of pick can be overwhelming , so it ’s probably best to kick it at theMalmö Saluhalland sample off : This extremist - hip to nutrient hall is full of micro - restaurants that comprise a very no - gimcrack fashion to smack your way around the city ’s culinary influences , with the welcome plus of a groovy craft beer selection . Speaking of : For legal reasons , few restaurants properly showcase the greatness of Swedish beer , so strike up theMalmö Brewing Taproomfor a gustatory modality of what happens when modern brewers ’ predilection for seasonal ingredients meet Scandinavia ’s centuries - old brewing custom .
Moderna Museet Malmö
A prompt pro tip : Sweden is expensive , particularly at meal time . But there ’s a slap-up equalizer : Nearly every eatery offer a “ Dägens Lunch ” particular . This day-after-day lunch will include a fish , center or vegetarian choice and comes with coffee , salad and dessert . You ’ll find it at nearly every eating house — from kebab shops to otherwise restrictively expensive hot spots , usually for under $ 20 .
Malmö hotels and other great places to stay
Malmö is home to a fair share of sumptuosity and boutique hotel , including Lilla Torg ’s highly ornate and incredibly pink plaza - styleMJ’sand the luxeDuxiana , which comes with a peculiarly well - curated aggregation of mid - one C Scandi furniture . Both have incredible dining and bars on site .
I ’ve always been partial , though , to the more budget - friendlyClarion Hotel Malmö Live , which is housed in the same building as the Malmö Symphony Orchestra . As a bonus , it ’s near a “ melodious bridge ” that sort of sings as you walk across it — a particularly lovely , if jarring , have if you ’ve put back a few at the onsite bar .
For something a little less conventional in the summertime , you may engage a refurbished circus wagon courtesy of theGrand Circus Hotel , which answers the interrogation “ what if that weird Nevadaclown motelhad a baby with a glamping site , but with fancy Scandinavian amenities . ” It ’s a bit outside the city center , but each room comes with two gratis bikes to help oneself make up the distance .
Kentaroo Tryman/Moment/Getty Images
Another quick pro tip : Breakfast in Sweden is a pretty bland affair unless you ’re fond of cheese sandwiches . The elision is to eat where you sleep . Nearly every hotel offer complimentary breakfast buffets that let in charcuterie , live items , caviar , fresh fruit , scorched good and more . They ’re also the best place to project out whether you like pickle Clupea harangus or Norwegian dark-brown cheese without really purchasing them .
Easy day and overnight trips from Malmö
Malmö ’s unique geographic locating makes it the complete jumping - off point for other adventure in the region . For quick sidereal day trips , head to Ystad or Skanör , which are among Northern Europe ’s prime beach destinations and endearing small townspeople in their own right . Meanwhile , a short commuter train ride will get you to Lund , whose gothic namesake university gives the town the feel of a highly walkable Scandinavian cousin to Oxford .
Speaking of trains , Malmö ’s net of commuter trains means you may visit some of Scandinavia ’s best destination in a duck soup and on the cheap : You ’re only 30 instant from Copenhagen , yes , but there ’s so much more . journey about three hour , and you ’ll be in the heart of Gothenburg , whose commitment to environmentalism pairs attractively with its funky art and solid food scene ( from there , you’re able to get to the fjord of Oslo in just three hours by train or charabanc ) . And a five - hour train ride will tap you straight into Stockholm , that most quintessential destination for anyone seeking a quintessential Scandinavian uppercase experience that unquestionably includes wreck and ABBA .
What to know before you go to Malmö
Best times of the year to visit
From May - August , southern Sweden transforms into a summer paradise that never stops — literally in late June / early July , when the sun only sets for a few hours a Clarence Day . During this clock time , typically reserved rutabaga become downright gregarious in their effort to gazump up as much Sunday as potential , and they delight in showing off everything they love about their place .
Visit during the annual Midsommar fete , and you ’ll see what happens when rutabaga go risky — it ’s the country ’s biggest vacation and a marathon of snapps , pickled herring , maypole dance and general revel that will absolutely make you flow in love with the country . Midsommar ’s follow almost at once byMalmö Pridein July , while August sees the massiveMalmöfestivalentransform the urban center into Scandinavian SXSW .
The brief autumn month offer up a gorgeous panorama in the surrounding forests , but thing can turn torrential tight . Winter , meanwhile , is a slog of day-and-night rain and near changeless darkness . So , yeah , summer it is .
Lilla Kafferosteriet
Malmö time zone
Malmö is in the Central European Time Zone , which is six hours before of New York and nine beforehand of Los Angeles .
The weather and climate
summertime are sun - soak and temp hover around 70 level — the stark weather condition for biking , tramp , swim and spending long day outdoors . Autumn is parky but magical with a good hazard of rain . And wintertime ( all six calendar month of it ) is generally pissed , cold and forever dark . On the plus side , you might peep the aurora , theChristmas marketsare lovely and hotels tend to be cheaper because nobody wants to allow for home except to go to the sauna and complain about the rain .
Languages
babble - songy Swedish is the language of Malmö . However , Swedesloveto speak English and use with foreigners . It ’s rarified to be in a public distance where the great unwashed do n’t speak nigh - perfect English , draw Malmö and Sweden in oecumenical one of the easiest places for English speakers to impose without doing preparation .
How to get around
Malmö is a highly walkable city and also has an efficient system of commuter train and passenger vehicle . leverage ticket at the station , on board the vehicles or at any 7 - Eleven or the Swedish equivalent , Pressbryån .
The currency
Despite being in the EU , Sweden employ the kroner and does n’t accept the euro . At press time , the changeover rate interpret to 1 SEK = .097 USD . If you ’re doing math on the go , retrieve that 10SEK is basically $ 1 .
Sweden is a mostly cashless society , so while you might want to get some kronor just in grammatical case , keep in mind that most of it will stay in your notecase as a keepsake . Nearly every place you wish to expend money will accept your deferred payment and debit entry cards , just be prepared to show an ID at some plaza .
International adapters you’ll need
Sweden uses the Europlug types C and F and uses 230V/50Hz force . You ’ll need a standard converter , which is available at most electronics stores at home and in Malmö ( they ’re typically near train stations ) .
MJ’S Hotel
Kentaroo Tryman/Moment/Getty Images
Photo by Tina Axelsson, courtesy of imagebank.sweden.se
Photo by Werner Nystrand, courtesy of imagebank.sweden.se
