8 things to know about visiting southern Sweden for beginners
Southern Sweden is only a few hours ferry ride away from the German coast. With its sandy beaches, rapeseed fields and beech forests, Skåne is a typical entrance for those who come to Sweden.
Here are some tips to get you there and enjoy your holiday in Skåne.
1. Arrival by car
Many families choose to travel to Sweden by car. This really gives you flexibility, especially if you want to explore more remote corners.
Those who travel by car now have a number of different options. In addition to ferry connections, for example from Sassnitz on the island of Rügen, Lübeck or Rostock, it is also possible to drive into southern Sweden via Denmark and the Öresund Bridge – bridge fees are often cheaper than ferry tickets.
The tourist agency Visit Sweden has summarized all the usual car journeys online – including lesser-known routes, such as the ferry from Winouj Cie in Poland to Ystad.
Travel without a car
This is possible by flying to Copenhagen-Kastrup Airport in Denmark and from there by train over the Öresund Bridge. Of course you can also go directly by train to Malmö, Helsingborg, or Trelleborg. The journey from Hamburg to Malmö takes six hours. There are also night trains from Berlin to Malmö.
It is perfectly possible to travel around Skåne without a car. Public transport is well developed in the region, says Viveca Burkhardt from Visit Sweden.
Her tip is that if you travel more often in Skåne by bus and train with the regional traffic operator Skånetrafiken, it is easier to book your tickets when you travel using an app.
Good to know: On Skånetrafiken’s website, there is Google Translator in the upper right corner. Just click on “Translate” and select the language.
Accommodation
A holiday home by the sea is of course the ultimate for a summer holiday in southern Sweden. However, you can usually only book them every week from Saturday to Saturday. In addition, the best places are quickly picked up.
A good alternative is to stay at campsites. They are more flexible when it comes to bookings. The disadvantage, however, is that cabins on campsites are usually smaller, and are closer to others. The kitchens are not as well equipped as in a nice holiday home. In other words, a dishwasher is the exception rather than the rule.
Another option for families is to stay in a hostel. At Smygehuk Lighthouse Hostel between Trelleborg and Ystad, for example, families can live right next to a lighthouse near the lake.
4. Cities
Exploring Skåne’s coastal cities is also wonderful for families with children, especially in the summer, as the water is never far away. If the children start whining, you can simply take a dip. In Malmö, for example, you can take a dip and sauna in the Art Nouveau Ribersborgs cold bath house (cold bath house) or take a dip from the chic wooden terraces in Malmö’s western harbor (free admission).
Helsingborg has three cold bath houses. Kallbadhus Kallis also offers times for families on Tuesday (9-15) and Sunday (16-20).
Important to know: In Sweden, men and women usually visit saunas separately. In hot air baths where saunas are taken together – for example on a campsite – you leave your swimsuit on.
5. Museums
Sweden’s museums not only offer a lot for children in terms of content, but the prices are often family-friendly as well. In Malmö, for example, adults can visit several museums in one day for SEK 40 (RM18), while children go for free.
These include the City Museum, which includes the history of the region’s settlement, an art museum, the children’s popular natural history museum including an aquarium and an exciting technology and shipping museum. There are huge halls with airplane cockpits and submarines to explore.
Older children can enjoy the museum of disgusting food, which only opened in 2018. The price ranges from Swedish specialty sour herring (“stinking herring”) to the Sardinian maggot cheese casu marzu to grilled guinea pigs.
Families keeping guinea pigs as pets are hereby warned.
6. Folkets Parkin Malmö
Children can let loose on the two large playgrounds. There are snakes, lizards, turtles and mini monkeys to marvel at in a terrarium and free workshops, for example on skateboarding. But you can also just eat your ice cream in your spare time, stroll through flea markets and go to concerts.
There is also a mini golf course and a paddling pool in the park. Admission is free.
7. Naturums
A special feature of Sweden is the 33 visitor centers called naturums, which are spread all over the country. Admission is always free, you learn a lot about the area’s animals, plants, geology and cultural history, and there are often practical elements for children.
There are some particularly nice visitor centers in Skåne, such as nature at Strandhus on the Falsterbo Peninsula.
The nature at Kullaberg north of Helsingborg by the Sound is not only interesting, but is like Vattenriket which is located in Kristianstad one of Sweden’s most visited visitor centers.
Tip: Stop for a coffee and a cinnamon bun (cinnamon buns) or a sandwich, (smørrebrød) at one of the picturesque fishing villages such as Arild, Mölle and Viken.
8. Economics
Sweden is now almost completely cashless. Even small amounts at parking meters or kiosks can be paid by credit card.
Tip: Always pay by credit card, not by Maestro (or debit card). With the latter, fees of several euros per booking are often charged.
If you can travel with children during the low season, you will save a lot of money. The ideal time to visit is from mid-August, when Swedish children have to go back to school, until mid-September.