Malmö

History Founded in 1272 as a fortified port a day's walk from Lund, Malmö was for centuries the second-largest city of Denmark. It served as a Hanseatic port and a very lucrative trade area. Malmö dominated Skåne as the largest market hub, until Copenhagen grew larger during the 16th century. In 1658, as a result of the Great Northern War, Denmark ceded the Scanian lands, including the city of Malmö, to Sweden in the Second Treaty of Roskilde. As Copenhagen experienced a series of devastating fires and bombardments, in particular through the 1700s, Malmö is surprisingly the best place in the world to see Danish Renaissance architecture. After an industrial revolution, Malmö grew rapidly and served as one of the earliest and most industrialized cities of Scandinavia. Until the turn of the millennium it was regarded more as a dull worker's city in the backdrop of Lund (a university and cathedral town) and Copenhagen. The opening of the Öresund Bridge-tunnel in 2000 reignited the soul of a bustling Hanseatic port that had lain dormant for so many centuries. Since 2011, this new landmark is featured in the acclaimed Swedish-Danish Nordic noir crime series The Bridge. Today about a third of the Malmö population are from various other countries, making the city the most cosmopolitan in Sweden. This has contributed to a rich cultural life and many exotic and fine food opportunities.

By plane Copenhagen Airport International visitors will find the best flight connections using Copenhagen Airport (CPH) in Denmark, just across the Öresund bridge from Malmö. It is Scandinavia's largest aviation hub and offers a multitude of European and intercontinental connections by most European flag carriers, as well as other major international airlines. There are frequent Øresundståg trains departing from a station inside the airport terminal that stop in stations in Malmö (Hyllie, Triangeln and Malmö Central). The journey from the airport across the bridge to Malmö takes about 20 minutes, and trains run every 15 minutes during the day, reducing to every hour or so in the middle of the night. You can also take a bus across the Oresund, which can be slightly cheaper (though slower and less frequent) than the train. Taxis are also available; signs in the arrivals hall direct you outside to two separate queues of Danish and Swedish taxis. Taxi fare to Malmö city centre should be about 650–750 SEK. As always with Swedish taxis, check the window sticker on the taxi to check the fare before boarding to avoid inadvertently selecting an overly expensive option (there is no limitation of taxi fares in Sweden and all taxis can charge anything they want as long as it is clearly indicated), or better yet, discuss the fare to Malmö with the driver before deciding – you can expect them to speak good English. Malmö Airport Malmö Airport is mostly served by low-fare, charter and regional carriers.

Bicycle Malmö is best experienced by bicycle, the city is interlaced with lots of bicycle roads. Malmö is known as a very bike-friendly city (and indeed, biking is the preferred method of transportation here). The official bike map can be found on bike rentals and the tourist office. The cheapest bike rental is Malmö by Bike at 200SEK / year for unlimited use, and bikes are picked up at any time by typing a code into an unmanned station (see the map of stations). There are guided bike tours in Malmö during the summer. Public transport Skånetrafiken is responsible for public transport in Malmö and all of Scania. The green buses (stadsbuss) all have routes within Malmö city, and the yellow buses are regional buses to other cities in Scania. VISA, VISA Electron, MasterCard and Maestro payment cards can be used as payment for tickets in both yellow and green buses. It is not possible to use cash as payment in buses and trains. Tickets or cards can also be purchased in advance, either in vending machines, at Skånetrafiken customer centres (kundcenter), at service partners (serviceombud or ombud) or via a smartphone app. The smartphone app also supports an English language version. The old JoJo-card system has been replaced by a "Reskort" which can only be purchased at Skånetrafiken customer centres and service partners, and can not be topped up with a cash balance, only loaded with tickets at a customer centre, service partner, or ticket machine. Generally speaking, prices with Reskort and the app are the same, so Reskort can only be recommended for those unable to use the app.

Main squares and streets The historic central parts of Malmö is called Gamla Staden ("Old Town"), and this area has three squares; Gustav Adolfs torg (Gustav Adolf's Square), Stortorget (Great Square) and Lilla torg (Little Square). Stortorget and Lilla Torg are directly connected at one corner, and a pedestrian-only shopping street connects them with Gustav Adolfs torg. Historic buildings and modern architecture Museums and cultural institutions

Malmö has a scene of independent arts, including stand-up comedy, hip hop and street art. Guided tours and sightseeing Bike tour with a guide at Malmö Bike Tours. About 2 hour tour with some 7 stops. Runs one or several days a week during summer. Open boat sightseeing Rundan. About 40–50 people per boat. 50 min. Runs several times per day from spring to fall. Parks Sports The Stadium Area (Stadionområdet) is a landmark area in Malmö in the central parts of the city next to Pildammsparken. With a total of four stadiums, a stadium park, including a Walk of Fame and other sports facilities, this is a must see for sport fanatics. The flat landscape of Skåne is ideal for golf. Around Malmö there are quite a few good courses. Malmö has six skateboarding venues. The first dedicated venue Bryggeriet Malmö Skatepark was built in 1998 as an indoor venue, and it is still the largest skatepark in the city. The other five parks are outdoor spots in concrete, all of world-class quality. The last addition to the Malmö skateboarding scene came in 2016, when Kroksbäck Skatepark was inaugurated. Swim in the sea or in one of Malmö's bathhouses. There is also a total of three outdoor pools around town, open for the public in the summer months of June through August. Four city parks offer paddling pools for the public, and they can be great fun if you are with small kids. The water quality is regularly surveyed. In the winter, outdoor ice skating is a popular pastime.

Street shopping The main shopping streets are Södergatan and Södra Förstadsgatan, where you can find all kinds of shops. Look out for Village, well designed homeware, at reasonable prices. Experience the multicultural area around Möllevångstorget. Here you can find exotic shops selling Asian and Middle Eastern foods and a wide selection of pubs and bars. In the mornings there is also an open market where you can buy fresh fruit and vegetables. Shopping centres Malmö has four shopping plazas in the centre, offering the usual mixture of town shopping with clothes, cameras, jewelry, electronics, books, movies etc. blended with eateries, both international fast food chains and local ones, as well as world famous Swedish glassware: There are also some shopping plazas outside the city centre, like:

Budget City centre Around Triangeln Around Möllevångstorget Many kitchen venues here cater to the budget option. Get a falafel (30-45 kr), Indian, Thai, Middle Eastern or Chinese meal from 60 kr. Plenty to choose from. South Malmö Mid-range There are a lot of restaurants in the Little Square with outdoor seating (with heating year-round). There are also lots of mid-range restaurants in other parts of town. Restaurang Tryck Krusegatan 19. Great daily lunch M–F 95 kr. Splurge Sweet Around Christmas time, look out for 'pepparkakor' (literally pepper-cakes), spicy crispy cookies flavoured with cinnamon, ginger, molasses and cloves. Traditional accompaniment to 'glögg' (mulled wine).

Most people drink at home prior to going out, as alcohol at licensed premises is expensive. Finding a Systembolaget is the best way of getting what you need, open usually M–F 10:00–19:00, Sa Su 11:00–15:00. Malmö has a vibrant night life, but prices are for the most part substantially higher than they are across the bridge in Copenhagen. Lilla Torg is the epicentre but prices are high, you could also try Möllevångstorget where any of the many bars, cafés and restaurants in this bustling part of town is good value. Like in Copenhagen, and indeed most of Scandinavia, expect most of the drinking to be limited to Friday and Saturday except at the height of summer where many Swedes have vacation. You can pick up the free Nöjesguiden and Dygnet Runt magazines in various stores to read more about Malmö's nightlife. They are only available in Swedish though.

less than 500 kr around 700-900 kr over 1000 kr While prices in Malmö may seem high, especially in the summer, and there is little variance in prices across properties, staying in the city may be your best option in the region, as hotels are generally expensive in Sweden (and even more so across the bridge in Copenhagen), while Malmö boasts a wide selection of properties unusual for other Swedish cities. As in the rest of Sweden, breakfast is generally included in room price, as is Wi-Fi. Do make sure to double-check the rates at different dates, as they may vary greatly depending on local events and time of year. The highest season is around the end of May and in June, when the days are the longest and the weather the best. Budget Mid-range Splurge

As of Sept 2021, Malmö has 4G from Net4Mobility/Tele2, and 5G from 3 Tre and Telia. Wi-Fi is widely available in public places.

While Malmö has a media picture of having issues with gang crime, the overall crime rate is moderate by European standards. Visitors who do not actively seek trouble are unlikely to be confronted by gangs. The city center, which can be described as anything within a 15-20 minute walk from the central train station, is very safe, so long as you do not do anything stupid. Areas on the outskirts have varying levels of insecurity, but they are rarely of interest to tourists. As in other Swedish cities, drunk brawls, bicycle thefts and pickpocketing are among the most common risk factors for visitors. Anti-Semitic hate crimes have also been reported in Malmö, mostly tied to the many pro-Palestinian demonstrations seen by some as implicitly anti-Semitic. In the traffic, keep an eye out for bicycles, as cyclists automatically expect others to yield.

Skånetrafiken's Around the Sound (Öresund Runt) ticket is a great way to see the surrounding region of Scania as well as North Zealand, Denmark (including Copenhagen). For 299 kr, you get unlimited train travel and one ferry trip, for two days. Catch a ferry and head to Travemünde, Germany.