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Why Visit Malmö
Malmö is unlikely to be a city high on your bucket list. It doesn’t have much of a claim to fame despite being the third biggest city in Sweden. So why visit Malmö? The answer is simply because you can. It is so easy to reach from Copenhagen that if the time allows, taking a trip across the water to a different city and a different country is a must.
How To Get From Copenhagen to Malmö
Getting from Copenhagen to Malmö is simple. Trains run every 10 to 15 minutes from Copenhagen Central Station to Malmo Central Station. Booking ahead isn’t necessary as these trains never sell out even if on occasion they travel overcapacity. Each leg of the journey will cost you approximately €12 and tickets can be bought at the station. Buying your ticket at the station allows you the opportunity to spend as long as you need in Malmö and return to Copenhagen when ready. I made the mistake of pre-booking my tickets and in the end, bought another return ticket to travel at an earlier time. This journey takes only 35 minutes.
Be sure to bring your passport with you, it might not feel like it but you are crossing a border. Immigration boarded my train from Copenhagen to Malmö and checked every passenger’s identification. This did not happen on the return leg of the journey but to be safe keep your passport on you at all times.
What To See in Malmö
There is not an awful lot to see and do Malmö. Don’t feel like you will be stuck for time and rushing around on your trip there. Malmö Castle is the best place to start. Built by the Danes in the 16th century, this fortress is Sweden’s oldest renaissance castle. After a fire in 1870, only the main building and two gun towers remained, both being restored in 1930. Nowadays, the castle hosts the Museum of Art and the Natural History Museum. Another sight that you will inevitably see is the Turning Torso Tower. This skyscraper at over 190 meters in height holds the title of Swedens tallest building.
St Peter’s Church, built in the early 14th century, is the oldest building in Malmö. This red-brick church has a 105-meter high tower, an impressive wooden altar from 1611 and many restored medieval wall paintings. Visiting Lilla Torg, a cobblestone square, filled with restaurants, bars and cafés in the city centre is a great way to relax in Malmö especially during the summer months. Kungsparken which is where you will find Malmö Castle is another place to enjoy should the weather permit.
Folkets Park is an amusement park and the oldest public park in the world. Enjoy the entertaining rides, walk around the flea market and see the animals that call the park home. In the winter, the large pool is converted into an ice skating rink. The amusement park is open from April to September and is free to enter.
I particularly enjoyed the Disgusting Foods Museum. This exhibit has 80 of the world’s most disgusting foods. The best part of the museum and what will make your entrance fee worth it is the tasting table at the end. You get the opportunity to try everything from crickets to stinky cheese to fermented shark meat. Vomiting is common so it might not be a place for someone with a weak stomach but I found the experience to be quite interesting.
What To Eat in Malmö
I didn’t eat a lot in Malmö. I had already had breakfast before leaving Copenhagen and after visiting the aforementioned Disgusting Foods Museum, I wasn’t in the mood for dinner. This meant that I only had lunch whilst I was there. That being said, what an amazing lunch it was. After doing my research, I visited Art of Spices for my only meal in Malmö. This was a small Indian restaurant in the Triangeln area of the city. It was a small restaurant that held only 12 people but oh my god was the food something special.
The menu consisted of some street food classics and also a lunch deal that cost just 79 Swedish Krona, about $8.50. This deal consisted of rice, dal and one of two daily specials. On this occasion, I got Palak Chana, a chickpea and spinach curry. I cannot overstate how good the food was. The dal was the best I have tasted and the Palak Chana was creamy with a little kick. Without a doubt, this hidden gem served up the best Indian food I have had outside of India. I could have absolutely despised Malmö yet this meal would have still made the trip worthwhile.
Is Malmö Worth Visiting?
Absolutely! Before travelling to Copenhagen I had never considered visiting Malmö. I have never seen cheap flights to there from Ireland and the fact that the city is approximately 7 hours from Stockholm, Swedens capital means the likelihood of me ever planning a trip to Malmö was minimal. This and the fact that Malmö is not exactly jam-packed with stuff to do means that the opportunity to see it on a day-trip makes the most sense. It is all Malmo really needs. Should the time allow, taking the half-hour train from Copenhagen to another city and another country is an excellent and easy day-trip.
To read my Copenhagen Travel Guide, click here!
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