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A Complete Travel Guide to Malmö in Sweden + 20 Best Things to Do

A Complete Travel Guide to Malmö in Sweden + 20 Best Things to Do

Everything you need to know including what to do, when to visit, where to eat and where to stay
Alexander & VictoriaHi! 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.
Advertisement disclaimer: This guide is kindly sponsored by Malmö Tourism. As always, we share our honest opinion and everything is written by us.
A lovely city escape

Having lived in Copenhagen, Denmark for all our lives, we have been to Malmö, Sweden quite a few times. It’s so easy to get there from Copenhagen.

And one of our first dates was actually a day trip to Malmö!

We have visited the city in all seasons and simply love the atmosphere in the city.

This time we visited as part of a collaboration with Malmö Tourism and for the first time, we stayed for a whole weekend.

It gave us plenty of time to explore the beautiful squares, historical buildings and green areas.

Here are our best tips and things to do if you want to enjoy Malmö as much as we do.

Where to stay in Malmö?

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  • Budget: HOTEL N Hostel Malmö City – Centrally located hotel/hostel where you can choose between a double bed or a bunk bed if you want to save even more money.
  • Value for money: Best Western Plus Hotel Noble House – Where we’ve personally stayed. A very nice, quirky hotel with a gym and sauna in Malmö’s most lovely area.
  • Luxury: The Duxiana – Sleep in luxury beds from DUX. Probably the best hotel in town.

Search for the best and cheapest hotels in Malmö here.

Ribersborgs Kallbadshus

Don’t miss the colourful Ribersborgs Kallbadshus while in Malmö.

Why visit Malmö

Malmö is much smaller than Copenhagen or Stockholm but just as cute and cosy.

Old cobblestoned walking streets and canals make Malmö such a lovely city to stroll around in and because it’s so compact, it’s easy to walk everywhere.

Within a small area, you can visit churches, squares with food stalls, parks, shopping centres, a fortress, the tallest skyscraper in Scandinavia and even a wonderful beach.

The eco-friendly city is filled with great food, lots of vegan options, hipster cafés with specialty coffee and cheap falafel stands.

We promise you, Malmö has a lot to offer for both couples, groups of friends and families travelling with children.

Kärleksgatam
Kärleksgatan – “love street”, in central Malmö with flying jeans.
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Map

Malmö is the third-largest city in Sweden after Stockholm and Gothenburg.

It’s located in the southwestern part of Scania county (Skåne län in Swedish) – very close to the Danish capital, Copenhagen (yay, our hometown!).

What to do in Malmö

There’s so much to see and do in this little city. Here are our 20 favourite things to do in Malmö:

  1. Gamla Staden
  2. Stortorget
  3. Lilla Torg
  4. Gustav Adolfs Torg
  5. Sankt Petri Kyrka
  6. Västra Hamnen
  7. Turning Torso
  8. Malmo Old Lighthouse
  9. Kungsparken
  10. Slottsparken
  11. Slottsmöllan
  12. Slottsträdgården
  13. Malmöhus Castle
  14. Ebba’s House
  15. Ribersborg Beach
  16. Ribersborgs Kallbadhus
  17. Pildammsparken
  18. Folkets Park
  19. Möllevångstorget
  20. Malmö Saluhall

1. Gamla Staden

Gamla Staden means “the old town” and this is a very picturesque part of Malmö.

It’s divided into two parts; Väster (West) and Öster (East), also called the Caroli Quarter.

The western part, Gamla Väster is the most well-preserved part and it’s here you can find rows of old, colourful houses.

Gamla Staden has four beautiful squares, two shopping centres, many historical buildings as well as two impressive churches.

Gamla Staden in Malmö
Stroll around Gamla Staden hand in hand and soak up the relaxed vibe.

2. Stortorget

Literally meaning the big square, Stortorget is a square in Gamla Staden that you undoubtedly will see while in Malmö.

Here’s the old City Hall (dating back to the 16th century) and a horse statue paying tribute to King Karl X Gustav who conquered Scania, including Malmö, from Denmark.

You will also find the historical and beautiful pharmacy, Apoteket Lejonet.

If you travel from Copenhagen to Malmö by train, this is the first square you will meet when walking into the city from Malmö Central Station.

Stortorget
Stortorget – “the big square”.
Apoteket Lejonet
Apoteket Lejonet is worth a visit even if you don’t have any ailments.
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3. Lilla Torg

Not far from Stortorget, there’s a little square named Lilla Torg.

We really like this square for its restaurants and cafes!

Lilla Torg
Lilla Torg (little square) is appropriately named for its smaller size.
Victoria at Lilla Torg

4. Gustav Adolfs Torg

Gustav Adolfs Torg is just south of the two other squares, and usually, you will find market stalls with fresh fruits, vegetables and flowers.

The facade of an old neoclassical building that once was Malmö Theater is preserved and now houses the Swedish clothing-retail company H&M.

For this trip, we stayed at the four-star Best Western Plus Hotel Noble House (adlink) which is located at Gustav Adolfs Torg.

Gustav Adolfs Torg
Gustav Adolfs Torg (the square of Gustav Adolf) in Malmö is a bustling place.
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5. Sankt Petri Kyrka

Sankt Petri Kyrka (Saint Peter’s Church) is a Brick Gothic church built in the 14th century.

It’s famous for its altarpiece from 1611 which is one of the largest ones in Scandinavia.

The huge altarpiece inside Sankt Petri Kyrka
The huge altarpiece inside Sankt Petri Kyrka.
The church as seen from the outside
The church as seen from the outside.

6. Västra Hamnen

The neighbourhood of Västra Hamnen (meaning western harbour) used to be an industrial area.

Today, it’s the first carbon-neutral district in Europe and it’s the most exclusive and expensive neighbourhood in Malmö.

Västra Hamnen canal
Västra Hamnen with its canals and colourful houses.

7. Turning Torso

The most famous piece of architecture in Västra Hamnen is the neo-futurist residential skyscraper, Turning Torso, which is the tallest building in both Sweden and the rest of Scandinavia with a height of 190 metres.

Unfortunately, the top two floors are only open to visitors for three weeks of summer and unless you have booked a tour in advance, you will have to admire Turning Torso from the outside.

You can obviously see the building up close when visiting Västra Hamnen but you can spot the twisted skyscraper from almost anywhere in Malmö.

Our favourite place to photograph the building from was the Ribersborg Beach.

Turning Torso reflecting in the water as seen from Ribersborg Beach
Turning Torso reflecting in the water as seen from Ribersborg Beach.

8. Malmo Old Lighthouse

If you are strolling around Västra Hamnen, you should swing by the Old Lighthouse.

The around 20-metre tall lighthouse ceased to be used for real in 1983 but it still has its charm.

Malmo Old Lighthouse
Malmo Old Lighthouse at the harbour.

9. Kungsparken

Just west of Gamla Väster, you can enjoy Malmös oldest park, Kungsparken.

A Danish landscape architect designed the romantic park in the middle of the 19th century.

With an area of ​​8.4 hectares, it has two straight avenues as well as smaller paths, art and a fountain.

The fountain in Kungsparken
The fountain in Kungsparken.

10. Slottsparken

One of the larger central parks in the city, Slottsparken, is perfect for a sunny day out with its forest areas as well as open grass areas and two ponds.

The public Malmö City Library is located in the corner of the park, and if you like the mix of old and modern architecture, make sure to check it out.

Three bridges connect Slottsparken with Mölleplatsen and Kungsparken.

Slottsparken in Malmö
Slottsparken in Malmö.
The famous panorama window at Malmö City Library
The famous panorama window at Malmö City Library.
Victoria at the library
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11. Slottsmöllan

Crossing the bridge from Slottsparken towards Mölleplatsen, there’s an old Dutch type windmill called Slottsmöllan.

It was built in the middle of the 19th century but worked up until 1945.

Today it’s a part of Malmö Museer (Malmö Museums) which also includes Malmöhus Castle and the cute little Ebba’s House among other buildings.

Slottsmöllan
The charming old mill, Slottsmöllan.

12. Slottsträdgården

The open, organic garden, Slottsträdgården, is in the middle of Malmö right next to Slottsmöllan.

Walk around the beautiful garden and look at the many flowers and vegetables growing or grab some fika (the Swedish concept of enjoying a coffee and cake break together) at Slottsträdgårdens Kafé.

Slottsträdgården insect wall
Make sure to check out the 47 metres long insect hotel near Slottsträdgården – probably the world’s largest!
Sun over the open, organic garden at Slottsträdgården
Sun over the open, organic garden at Slottsträdgården.
The lovely greenhouse of Slottsträdgårdens Kafé
The lovely greenhouse of Slottsträdgårdens Kafé.

13. Malmöhus Castle

Close to both Slottsparken, Slottsmöllan and Slottsträdgården, you will find the historical fortress, Malmöhus Castle.

The original castle from 1434 was partially destroyed at the beginning of the 16th century and the castle we see today was built in its place by the Danish King Christian III in 1530 – at a time when this province was a part of Denmark.

Malmöhus Castle is a part of Malmö Museer and inside the castle, there are exhibitions about technology, shipping and history.

Malmöhus Castle just before sunset
Malmöhus Castle just before sunset.

14. Ebba’s House

Once inhabited by the twine maker Ebba Olsson, this old building (originally built in 1873) in the city centre is aptly named Ebbas Hus (Ebba’s House).

When the buildings around her changed in the 1960s, Ebba refused to sell her home and later, it was donated to Malmö Museer.

The house still has its original interior furnishing and it’s the smallest museum in the city.

Snapperupsgatan 10
Find this adorable house at Snapperupsgatan 10.

15. Ribersborg Beach

A beach? In the city? Yes!

And a beautiful one at that.

Ribergsborg Beach is a long stretch of sand west of Malmö – around 10 minutes on a bike or 30 minutes of walking from Gamla Staden.

This is the perfect place to chill on a hot summer day or go for a stroll in the evening.

From the beach, you will have excellent views of Turning Torso and the Öresund Bridge connecting Sweden and Denmark.

Ribergsborg Beach from above
Ribergsborg Beach from above. Öresundsbroen (the bridge connecting Denmark and Sweden) can be seen in the horizon.
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16. Ribersborgs Kallbadhus

On Ribersborg Beach, there’s an open-air public bath named Ribersborg Kallbadshus.

It’s open year-round with two separate areas for women and men wanting to skinny dip. Don’t worry, it was closed for the day and no one was there when we took this photo.

Both areas are equipped with saunas and warm water tubs.

A long bridge to Kalbadshuset
A long bridge connects the stunning pastel green bathing house with the beach.

17. Pildammsparken

The ponds in Pildammsparken were originally Malmö’s water reservoir but since then the green area has transformed into a lovely park with huge trees, a great pond, jogging paths and a pavilion.

Pildammsparken from up high
Pildammsparken from up high. A great place for a walk.
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18. Folkets Park

Folkets Park (the people’s park) is a nice green area in one of Malmö’s most densely populated neighbourhoods.

The park has playgrounds, picnic spots, skate ramps, a basketball court and, in the summer, a splash pond, mini golf and bouncy cushions.

It’s used for theatre performances and concerts as well and all kinds of people go here to have fun and relax.

We had two amazing vegan pizzas from Far i Hatten – a very cosy restaurant serving Neapolitan pizzas.

Folkets Park
Folkets Park is a great place to take the kids in Malmö.
Alex with our pizzas
Alex with our (vegan!) pizzas.

19. Möllevångstorget

Between Pimdammsparken and Folkets Park, Möllevångstorget is another square with market stalls that you might want to visit.

It’s the main square in the multicultural Möllevången neighbourhood.

The large number of restaurants surrounding the square makes it a popular meeting place in the evenings and during the day there’s a market with fruits, vegetables and lots of flowers.

Möllevångstorget
Möllevångstorget is lively around the clock.

20. Malmö Saluhall

Malmö Saluhall is an upscale food hall located in an old goods warehouse on Gibraltargatan.

Here you can find food stalls selling fresh fruits and vegetables, baked goods, ice cream, chocolates, salads, sandwiches, falafels, burgers, pizzas, noodles and more.

We even spotted a few vegan options at some of the stalls.

It’s possible to sit down and dine both inside and outside.

Cinnamon roll
We enjoyed a vegan cinnamon roll at Malmö Saluhall.
One half of the food hall,
One half of the food hall, which is split into two parts.
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Where to stay in Malmö

As Malmö is a relatively compact city, most hotel locations will get you in walking distance to all of Malmö’s primary attractions.

Staying in Gamla Staden (the old city) is very cosy and easily recommendable.

We can wholeheartedly recommend spending at least one night in Malmö. It allows you to experience much more of the city and venture a bit further away from the main thoroughfare.

Two nights will likely be perfect for most people.

Extend it to three nights if you also want to explore some of Skåne’s natural areas – or simply indulge in as much delicious food as we did when we visited the city!

Search for the best value accommodation in Malmö here (adlink).

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The best luxury hotels in Malmö:

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  • The Duxiana – Luxury beds from DUX in Gamla Väster (our favourite area).
  • MJ’s – Colourful and exclusive rooms in a cosy hotel.
  • Story Hotel Studio Malmo – “Work, stay, play” big city atmosphere with a view of Malmö’s roofs.
MJ's in Malmö
There is clearly a person at MJ’s who has a good handle on colours, patterns and materials. ©MJ’s (adlink)

The best value for money hotels in Malmö:

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Room at Best Western Plus Hotel Noble House
When we stayed in Malmö, we loved staying at Hotel Noble House. ©Best Western Plus Hotel Noble House (adlink)

The best budget accommodation in Malmö:

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  • HOTEL N Hostel Malmö City – Centrally located hotel/hostel with the option of either a double bed or a bunk bed.
  • Moment Hotels – Small double rooms by the canal in Gamla Staden serving good breakfast.
  • Good Morning+ Malmö – A nice place to save some money on accommodation if you don’t mind there being ~2 kilometres to the centre.
Moment Hotel room
The double rooms at Moment Hotels are quite small, so it’s likely a better choice if you don’t plan to spend much time at your hotel. They’re great value though. ©Moment Hotels (adlink)
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Where to eat in Malmö

Malmö is full of wonderful restaurants, cafés and bars.

And compared to Stockholm and Copenhagen, Malmö is a bit cheaper when it comes to eating out.

The scene for vegan and vegetarian food in Malmö is amazing with options ranging from smoothie bowls, salads and sweets made with local organic ingredients to fine raw dining, faux shawarma, vegan burgers that could fool anyone and some of the best pizzas ever.

During our four days in the city, we tried a lot of restaurants and cafés to sample a little bit of everything.

You can read all about it in our comprehensive vegan eating guide to Malmö with the best restaurants and cafés.

Here are our favourites:

Croissant from Leve
These were seriously some of the best baked sweets we have ever had – vegan or not. From Leve.
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A mixed plate for lunch at Hummusson
A mixed plate for lunch at Hummusson. You *have* to eat falafels (and hummus) in Malmö.

How to get around in Malmö

Malmö is really compact and it’s easy to walk everywhere.

It’s also a very bike-friendly city and we had two bikes during our stay.

Most of the time we walked around but the bikes were handy when we wanted to get to a restaurant faster or to the area around Västra Hamnen which is around 30 minutes walking from Gamla Staden.

We haven’t used it much ourselves, but the public transportation system in Malmö is very good and easy to use.

Bicycle in Malmö
Malmö is perfect to explore on bicycle.

How to get to Malmö

By car

For this trip, we drove to Malmö in our car and parked it at one of the many indoor parking spaces.

We paid around 160 SEK (~ 15.5 EUR / 18 USD) per 24 hours and didn’t use the car at all while staying in the city.

By train or bus

Trains and busses go to and from Malmö multiple times per hour (usually they continue to Lund and Helsingborg afterwards), year-round and the city is well connected to other big cities in Sweden and to Copenhagen in Denmark as well.

If you want to visit Malmö on a day trip from Copenhagen, you can travel from Copenhagen Central Station to Malmö Central Station in about 45 minutes.

Train tickets can be bought at the train stations and they are approximately 12 EUR / 14 USD each way per person.

Busses (mostly Flixbus) can be a bit cheaper but the travel time is about 1 hour and 15 minutes.

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By plane

Malmö city is actually midway between Malmö Airport and Copenhagen Airport (in Denmark).

While Malmö Airport is connected to most big cities in Europe, flights to Copenhagen Airport are often cheaper as there are more arrivals/departures to both Europe and the rest of the world.

It’s worth checking out fares to both airports if you plan to travel to Malmö by plane.

Search for the cheapest flights on Momondo (adlink).

Bike and bus in Malmö

When to visit Malmö

Being just on the opposite side of Øresund from Copenhagen, the weather is usually the same in Malmö as it is in our hometown.

That generally means short but very pleasant (and busy) summers, colourful autumns, not-too-cold but dark winters and lovely but kinda hit-and-miss springs.

The sun almost doesn’t set in June, and the tourist season hasn’t really started yet, so that’s a great month for visiting Malmö. May is also great but a bit colder.

When we visited the city in late August, we had some rain in-between but when the sun was shining we enjoyed walking around in shorts and t-shirts.

Tip: Bring a raincoat and a sweater whenever you’re visiting Scandinavia, no matter the season!

Average minimum and maximum temperatures in Malmö

Average min and max temperatures in Malmö, Sweden

Monthly sunshine hours in Malmö

Average monthly sunhours in Malmö, Sweden

Monthly rain in Malmö

Average precipitation (rain/snow) in Malmö, Sweden Average rainy days (rain/snow) in Malmö, Sweden
A sunny day in Malmö in late August
A sunny day in Malmö in late August.
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Our best tips for visiting Malmö

  • Drink tap water. The water quality in Malmö is excellent.
  • Walk around. Malmö is a very compact city and walking from one place to another is often the best option.
  • Explore the parks. The parks in Malmö are great places to unwind and breathe fresh air.
  • Eat falafel. The falafels in Malmö are known to be the best in Sweden.
  • Don’t forget fika. Having a cup of coffee and something sweet is a great way to spend the afternoon.
  • Take it slow. Malmö is a place to relax and enjoy life at a slower pace.
Victoria in Malmö
We hope you enjoyed this guide to Malmö and that you will have a lovely stay in the city!
Thanks for reading

Thanks for getting all the way to the end!

We hope this Malmö guide has been useful.

What do you think about Malmö?

If you’ve been there, it would be awesome to hear your best tips in the comments.

If you haven’t been yet, please don’t hesitate to ask us anything! We’re glad to help.

A Complete Travel Guide to Malmö in Sweden + 20 Best Things to Do
A Complete Travel Guide to Malmö in Sweden + 20 Best Things to Do
A Complete Travel Guide to Malmö in Sweden + 20 Best Things to Do

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2 thoughts on “A Complete Travel Guide to Malmö in Sweden + 20 Best Things to Do

  1. Thank you for your guide! It was really useful and interesting to read. Now I’m planning my day in Malmö and your guide helps me a lot.

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