Helsingborg, Sweden Travel Guide: 11 Best Things To Do & See
Everything you need to know about Helsingborg in Sweden, including what to do, where to stay and our best tips | Hi! We're Alex & Victoria - a digital nomad couple from Copenhagen escaping 9-5 to chase adventures in our beautiful world. Learn more about us here. |
A charming historical city
Helsingborg – Sweden’s eighth largest city (and second largest city in Scania after Malmö) is also the closest to Denmark where we live.
It’s the perfect city to visit on a day trip or to spend a weekend.
The city is located just on the other side of Øresund from Helsingør, and it is easy to get there both by car and by public transport if you come from Denmark or any nearby Swedish city.
Beautiful half-timbered houses, an old castle tower and cosy shopping streets are simply some of the highlights in Helsingborg.
We have previously driven through the city when taking the ferry between Denmark and Sweden, and finally, we got the opportunity to experience a little more than the port when we decided to spend two nights in Helsingborg over New Year’s 2022-2023.
Despite grey winter weather and limited opening hours, we got to see a lot. We will just have to go back again during summer to (re)visit the sights, parks and streets on a sunny day.
We hope that you can use our travel guide to Helsingborg with the best experiences and sights, regardless of what time of year you visit the city. Enjoy!
Where to stay in Helsingborg?
- Budget: Dream – Luxury Hostel – Cheap, central location.
- Value for money: Elite Hotel Mollberg – Great 4-star amenities in the city centre.
- Luxury: Clarion Hotel Sea U – A pool with ocean views.
Search for the best value accommodation in Helsingborg here.
Table of contents
11 best things to do and see in Helsingborg
- Shopping and food in the old town
- Kärnan – 35-metre-high castle tower
- The Terrace Stairs and view of the city
- Helsingborg’s Red Town Hall
- Fredriksdal Museum & Gardens – Sweden’s largest open-air museum
- Mariakyrkan – Helsingborg’s oldest church
- The Landborg Promenade – Pleasant walking path
- Sofiero Castle and flower park – Royal summer palace
- Dunkers Culture House and the North Harbour
- Go to the beach
- Kallbadhus – Take a dip in the sea and sit in the sauna
1. Shopping and food in the old town
The biggest reason to visit Helsingborg is to walk around the city’s lovely streets, look at the shops and have coffee + cake breaks in a cosy café (what the Swedes call fika).
Sweden’s oldest pedestrian street, Kullagatan, is well worth a visit.
Located between the squares Stortorget and Sankt Jörgens Plats, you will find a large part of the city’s small shops as well as larger chain stores – and there is always a café nearby.
Later in this travel guide to Helsingborg, you can see some of the cafes and restaurants we can recommend.
Bruksgatan, which is a little south of Kullagatan, also has several specialty shops and small cafés – we especially liked Bruket Kaffebar.
In addition, the old town is characterized by charming old half-timbered houses, including the Danish Jacob Hansen’s red-washed house on Norra Storgatan, which dates back to 1641.
For some serious shopping, you can consider going to Southern Sweden’s largest shopping centre, Väla Centrum, where there are more than 200 stores. It is located northeast of Helsingborg, approximately 10 minutes away by car.
2. Kärnan – 35 metre-high castle tower
Helsingborg is one of the oldest cities in the Nordics and it was one of Denmark’s most important cities in the 14th century – especially because of the strong fortress, Kärnan (meaning The Core).
Today, it is only the 35-metre-high castle tower that remains but it is, however, one of Helsingborg’s most famous landmarks.
It’s a nice little area to walk around and it’s almost in the old town (in continuation of Stortorget) so there is no excuse not to pass by the historic tower.
The tower originally stood in the middle of the round fortification which also had a moat and was surrounded by two thick walls.
It is free to see Kärnan from the outside and walk around the area but it costs a little to get up in the tower where, in addition to a nice view, you can see an exhibition of the old fortress and learn more about its history.
It is open from March to December – at the beginning and the end of the season, it is only open at weekends, though.
See Kärnan’s opening hours and prices here (in Swedish but you can translate the page).
3. The Terrace Stairs and view of the city
When you come from the old town and Stortorget, you will see a broad staircase in stone leading upwards – first towards a small fountain and then through two towers forming a gate.
The stairs are called The Terrace Stairs and they lead up to Kärnan and the green park surrounding the tower.
You can freely climb the two round towers which form a perfect vantage point.
Here, you get a nice panoramic view of Helsingborg and Øresund, and if you look closely, you can even see the Danish Helsingør, which is just on the other side of the water.
4. Helsingborg’s red Town Hall
The city’s town hall can be seen as soon as you step out of the main railway station or enter the harbour by boat.
The building and not least the impressive 65-metre-high bell tower really stands out from the rest of Helsingborg.
In front stands a statue of the Swedish field marshal Magnus Stenbock as he won over Denmark at the last battle in Scania between Danes and Swedes: the Battle of Helsingborg in 1710.
On special days you can also get a guided tour at the Town Hall. Read more about the guided tours here (it’s in Swedish but you can translate the page).
5. Fredriksdal Museum & Gardens – Sweden’s largest open-air museum
Sweden’s largest open-air museum, Fredriksdal Museum & Gardens, is a really cool place to visit while in Helsingborg.
The outdoor museum contains a historic town with many old houses and nice walking paths around the area – everything looks like it must have looked a few hundred years ago in southern Sweden.
When we visited in the winter it was free to visit and we enjoyed strolling between the 50 historical buildings; including an old mill, a manor house and several small craft shops.
In summer, you can also enjoy the big rose garden with thousands of roses and more than 500 different species as well as a spice garden, fruit garden and kitchen gardens with vegetables that were grown in the 1800s. We would love to visit on a sunny day!
On the 36 hectares that constitute the museum, there is also a museum shop, an open-air theatre, a flower shop, a playground, the largest print museum in the Nordics “Det Grafiske Museum”, a garden café and several picnic areas where you can eat your own brought food.
In other words, a perfect experience in Helsingborg for families with children or those interested in the history of Southern Sweden.
At Christmas time, there is usually a large Christmas market which looks super cosy.
Read more about Fredriksdal’s events and prices on their website here (in Swedish but you can translate the page).
6. Mariakyrkan – Helsingborg’s oldest church
St. Mary’s Church (Mariakyrkan in Swedish) is Helsingborg’s oldest church and it originally dates back from the 12th century.
However, the church was rebuilt in its current gothic style in the 15th century where bricks from the old church were reused.
If you, like us, are fascinated by old buildings, you must take a look inside where you can also find a special altarpiece.
The square around the church has a lovely atmosphere with plenty of restaurants and bars.
7. Landborg Promenade – Pleasant walking path
From Rau’s Church in the south to Sofiero Castle in the north, the Landborg Promenade stretches 14 kilometres.
It is one of Helsingborg’s absolute most popular and pleasant hiking trails.
You don’t have to walk all 14 kilometres to experience the Landborg Promenade, though.
For example, we took the path from Kärnan going north to Öresundsparken and Vikingsberg which is only one kilometre more or less.
The next day, Alex ran further along the Landborg Promenade all the way to Sofiero Castle, and he can easily recommend walking further north to get a little away from the city and out into nature.
Along the way, you will experience several different beautiful beach and forest landscapes.
8. Sofiero Castle and Flower Park – Royal summer palace
Just 5 kilometres north of Helsingborg lies the charming, royal summer castle Sofiero with its flower park.
From the end of May to the middle of June around 10,000 rhododendrons bloom and it would be so special to visit the flower garden during this time. We will have to come back for this experience.
In the summer months, there are lots of exhibitions, shows, concerts and other activities in the castle park.
Sofiero Castle and the park are open all year round. However, the castle itself is closed off from October to April, but the garden is still open from 10 am to 4 pm. From April to September, the entire garden and castle are open daily from 10 am to 6 pm.
Read much more about what you can experience at Sofiero’s official website.
Transport to Sofiero Castle and Flower Park:
- 10-15 minutes away by car.
- 20 minutes by bus 8 from the centre or…
- Approximately an hour on foot.
Parking is free (except for large events).
9. Dunkers Culture House and the North Harbour
By the city’s north harbour is Helsingborg’s culture house Dunkers where you can find boats, Helsingborg’s tourist office, an art museum, a theatre, concerts and much more.
There are typically both free and paid exhibitions.
Dunker’s Culture House was designed by the Danish architect Kim Utzon (son of Jørn Utzon who designed the Sydney Opera House) and the architecture definitely stands out from the surrounding square-shaped buildings.
Norra Hamnen (the north harbour) is perfect for a walk along the water. For example, walk over the Kvickbron to Tropical Beach or continue north along the harbour to Gröningen.
10. Go to the beach
Who would have thought that there is a tropical beach this close to a Swedish city?
Well, Helsingborg’s Tropical Beach is of course not “tropical” all year round (unfortunately)…
But in summer, there are palm trees and on a hot summer day, you can dream yourself away to distant skies.
A little further north (a few hundred metres from the city centre) is Örestrandsbadet which is a larger beach.
If you want to go further from the city, you can also continue a little longer to Viking beach.
11. Kallbadhus – Take a dip in the sea and sit in the sauna
Do you prefer changing rooms and more facilities when you take a swim in the ocean?
Then it might be a good idea to check out Helsingborg’s three “kallbadhus” (cold bath houses):
- Pålsjöbaden (a little north of the city)
- Kallis (closest to the city)
- Rååbadet (south of the city)
In a kallbadhus it is especially popular to bathe in the nude and sit in a sauna (usually divided by gender).
Other experiences close to Helsingborg
We are pretty crazy about Southern Sweden and have visited several cities and areas near Helsingborg. There really is a lot to do down here.
- Malmo is Sweden’s third largest city, and if you haven’t been there yet, we really recommend that you go to Malmö on a day trip or even to stay a few nights.
- Lund is not far from Malmö (on the train route to Helsingborg) and the charming little university town has beautiful buildings and a wonderful, relaxing atmosphere.
- A little north of Helsingborg lies the Kullaberg nature area and the beautiful village of Mölle which we can recommend to nature lovers.
- Söderåsen National Park is also a (somewhat larger) natural area that is worth experiencing.
- Båstad is a pleasant holiday town to visit on a hot summer day or to go to stay at a spa hotel near the ocean.
Read everything we have written about Sweden here.
Christmas in Helsingborg
We visited Helsingborg from 30 December to 1 January and here much of the city’s Christmas lighting was still on.
Helsingborg is an obvious Christmas destination in December – whether it’s to buy Christmas presents or just to get away and enjoy the cold weather and Christmas spirit in a small, charming city.
There are thousands of Christmas lights in the centre of Helsingborg, including several large Christmas trees and other Christmas installations.
Jultåget (the Christmas train) runs from the end of November to the end of December completely free of charge and it is sure to be a hit with the little ones.
On the Kullagatan pedestrian street, it is also possible to meet Santa Claus on several days as well as bump into the Goblins of Kullagatan which hand out candy every Thursday to Sunday during the Christmas season.
From the 2nd to the 4th of December there is Christmas at Fredriksdal. The atmospheric Christmas market in the museum’s historic district is supposedly one of the best in Sweden.
Map
Helsingborg is located ~ 65 kilometres north of Malmö and just a short 45-minute drive or train ride away.
The city is also just opposite Helsingør in Denmark. Just 4 kilometres separate Denmark and Sweden.
Where to stay in Helsingborg
We spent two nights in Helsingborg ourselves, and we can easily recommend staying for a couple of nights to have enough time to experience all the best that the city (and this part of Scania) has to offer.
Staying within walking distance to the main train station will be optimal for most people as it also means that you live in the middle of the city – close to both the water, the pedestrian street and everything else that Helsingborg is known for.
The best places to stay in Helsingborg:
- The Vault Hotel – Luxurious rooms and a central location.
- Clarion Hotel Sea U – Access to a pool with a view to Denmark.
- Elite Hotel Mollberg – A solid option for a nice hotel in Helsingborg.
- Fleninge Classic Motel – Great motel for road trips. Free parking.
- Dream – A luxury hostel to save on costs.
Search for the best and cheapest hotels in Helsingborg here (adlink).
The Vault Hotel
The 4-star The Vault Hotel (which is part of WorldHotels Crafted) is located right in the middle of Helsingborg.
Besides those luxurious rooms and the central location, a stay at The Vault Hotel also gives you access to its unique bar, sauna, steam bath, 24-hour fitness centre and a terrace.
Check prices and availability at The Vault Hotel here (adlink).
Clarion Hotel Sea U
If you want to be as close to the water and the beach as possible in Helsingborg (and have access to a pool!), you should take a look at Clarion Hotel Sea U.
From here there is a direct view of the sea – and Denmark.
The roof terrace looks beautiful, the rooms are large, bright and modern, the fitness centre seems amazing and in fact, so does the whole hotel.
Check prices and availability at Clarion Hotel Sea U here (adlink).
Elite Hotel Mollberg
With a location right next to The Vault Hotel (described above), it’s not a matter of location that separates the two hotels…
The interior design is, however, slightly different and the prices are typically a bit lower as well.
There are several restaurants, a bar, a sauna and other facilities you would expect from a 4-star hotel.
In other words, a very solid option for a stay in Helsingborg.
Check prices and availability at Elite Hotel Mollberg here (adlink).
Fleninge Classic Motel
Are you travelling to Helsingborg by car?
Then Fleninge Classic Motel might be the right place for you to spend the night.
Here, you park for free, and the price for a room is also very reasonable.
The motel is located approximately 10 kilometres (or 10-15 minutes drive) from the centre of Helsingborg.
Check prices and availability at Fleninge Classic Motel here (adlink).
Dream – Luxury Hostel
If you are looking for a cheap stay in Helsingborg, we can recommend that you take a look at Dream – Luxury Hostel.
With a central location and nice rooms, the basics are covered.
You just have to be aware that the bathrooms are shared. On the other hand, there is also a shared kitchen which is great if you want to save on food costs.
Check prices and availability at Dream here (adlink).
Best restaurants and cafés in Helsingborg
There are plenty of good food options in Helsingborg and eating out in Sweden can be quite cheap compared to Denmark (especially if the exchange rate is good – we could take about ⅓ off the price!).
During our two days in the city, we got to try a number of exciting places to eat. Here are our favourites.
Chay Vegan
On our first evening in Helsingborg, we had a delightful Vietnamese dinner at Chay Vegan.
We got summer rolls with peanut sauce, spring rolls with sweet and sour sauce, a coconut soup with red curry, a slightly stronger red curry with rice and two shakes; one with mango and coconut and another with pineapple, fresh mint and coconut milk.
Everything tasted excellent and the atmosphere was super cosy.
Chay Vegan can definitely be recommended (even if you don’t eat plant-based).
Ginger Hälsobar
It’s a colourful sensation to enter the Ginger Hälsobar (Ginger Health Bar), located just behind Helsingborg’s Town Hall.
The chairs are pink and flowers adorn the entire back wall.
We really like smoothie bowls, so of course we had to try an açai bowl and a blue spirulina bowl.
Although we have to admit that they didn’t taste quite as freshly blended as we’ve experienced elsewhere in the world (and when we make them ourselves), we’re pretty impressed that Helsingborg is on board with the smoothie bowl trend and even making them with the right thick and icy consistency.
In the café, you can also get salads and many different “healthy” cakes in all the colours of the rainbow.
See Ginger Hälsobar’s colourful Instagram here.
Bruket Kaffebar
On the cute Bruksgatan in the middle of the town, you will find the lovely Bruket Kaffebar which, in addition to having really good coffee from specialty roasters, also serves breakfast all day and has a large selection of delicious baked goods.
The menu consists of seasonal, organic vegetarian and vegan dishes and snacks.
We tried a yummy, warming soup with yellow peas, accompanied by sourdough bread with hummus as well as a hummus bowl with white beans, beetroot, lentils and Brussels sprouts and more.
For dessert, we had a wonderful white chocolate mousse coated with chocolate and a cup of quality coffee. Delicious!
South Indian
We know the South Indian chain from Copenhagen and we love a good dosa, so we took the chance to get a South Indian dinner while in Helsingborg.
Their freshly made masala dosa (a large thin savoury pancake) with potato curry, sambar and chutney was just what we needed. So good!
Bastard Burgers
We have previously tried Bastard Burgers in Malmö and they also have two restaurants in Helsingborg.
The quality is better than the usual fast-food burger chains and we love their large vegan selection (and delicious sweet potato fries).
They use Beyond Meat or crispy “no chicken” fillets for their vegan steaks and all dips are plant-based.
Especially when compared to the burger prices in Copenhagen, Bastard Burgers is a relatively cheap treat.
How to get around Helsingborg
Helsingborg is a very small city so you can easily walk to everything.
You can also rent bicycles (or bring your own) and get around that way, but it’s not necessary.
If you want to visit Sofiero Castle (located approximately 5 kilometres north of Helsingborg), you can walk along a nice path in about an hour or take bus 8 for about 20 minutes.
How to get to Helsingborg
When we visited Helsingborg this time around, we took the train from Copenhagen, so we could make a food stop in Malmö and not have to worry about parking.
However, we have driven over the Øresund Bridge many times by car as well as taken the ferry between Helsingør and Helsingborg and both options are quite good, too.
The closest airport, Ängelholm-Helsingborg Airport, is only 30 minutes away and it has daily connections to Stockholm and other cities in Sweden and Europe.
For even more flight options, you might also consider Copenhagen Airport (Kastrup) and then take a train or car from there.
Search for the cheapest flights on Momondo (adlink).
Below, we will describe different ways to get to Helsingborg.
By car
If you choose to take the car to Helsingborg, it takes approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes from Copenhagen regardless of whether you go over the Øresund Bridge and drive past Malmö, or if you drive to Nordsjælland and take the ferry to Helsingborg from Helsingør.
Check the prices for driving over the Øresund Bridge here and check the ferry prices here.
From the rest of Sweden, it’s pretty easy by car with several motorways leading into the city; E6/E20 from Malmö in the south, E6 from Gothenburg in the north as well as E4 from Stockholm in the northeast.
By ferry from Denmark
If you visit Helsingborg from Denmark, you can take the ForSea ferry across the strait from Helsingør.
The boat trip takes 20 minutes and the ferries leave every 15 minutes.
Check the ferry prices here (both with and without a vehicle).
By bus
Buses (mostly Flixbus, Bus4You or Swebus) run regularly between Stockholm, Malmö, Gothenburg, Copenhagen and many other cities along those routes.
They can be slightly cheaper than trains but the journey usually takes longer.
By train
Helsingborg has great train connections to Malmö (45 minutes), Lund (35 minutes) and Gothenburg (2,5-3 hours).
Travelling from Stockholm, you will need to change trains at Hässleholm or Lund (usually the trip takes 5-6 hours in total).
From Copenhagen, the Øresund train goes directly to Helsingborg Central Station. It takes around 1 hour and 30 minutes.
The trains also stop in Malmö and Lund on the way and often drive on to Gothenburg.
Our best tips for visiting Helsingborg
- Drink tap water. The water quality in Helsingborg is excellent. You can safely drink water from the tap.
- Walk around. Helsingborg is a very compact city and walking from one place to another is often the best and most pleasant way to get around.
- Explore the parks. The parks in Helsingborg are good places to relax and breathe some fresh air.
- Don’t forget fika. Having a cup of coffee or a warm drink with something sweet is a great (and very Swedish) way to spend the afternoon.
- Credit cards can be used virtually anywhere, so you don’t need to carry cash. Many places actually don’t even accept cash.
- Consider staying at least one night in Helsingborg. You can certainly visit Helsingborg on a day trip but it’s a completely different experience to spend one or two nights in the city.
Minimise your impact
To minimise your impact during your visit, follow these guidelines:
- Bring your own drinking water in a refillable bottle.
- Avoid single-use plastics, including straws.
- Dispose of waste properly and never leave anything behind.
- Take only photos, leave only footprints. Let everything stay in its natural place.
- Be considerate of other visitors.
Thanks for reading
We hope that our travel guide to Helsingborg with the best things to do and see has been useful.
What do you think of Helsingborg? Which experiences and attractions are you looking forward to?
If you’ve already been there, it would be great to hear your best tips and tricks in the comments.
Don’t hesitate to ask us anything if you haven’t been to Helsingborg yet. We are happy to help.
Our favourite travel resources:
- Booking.com for cheap hotels.
- Momondo for the best flight deals.
- SafetyWing for travel insurance. We also like World Nomads and True Traveller. All three compared here.
Our camera gear:
- Panasonic GH5. Used for all of our photos and videos.
- DJI Mavic 2 Pro. Best drone out there!
- Sirui Tripod. Lightweight and strong.
- See all of our camera gear here.
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Thanks for sharing this informative guide to Helsingborg! It’s always great to discover new places to explore. The historical charm and various attractions in Helsingborg seem intriguing. I appreciate the recommendations for places to stay and things to do, especially the mention of the beautiful Terrace Stairs and the views from Kärnan Tower. It makes me want to plan a visit to this city soon, I hope this year 🙂