Malmo is Sweden's third largest city, and it is connected to Copenhagen by the Oresund Bridge. We made our way to Malmo from Copenhagen by train, staying for a night before taking the 6-hour long train to Sweden's capital, Stockholm. The decision to stay-over in Malmo was actually an accidental one. Though we did plan to do a short day trip to Malmo before catching the overnight train to Stockholm, we didn't intend to stay for a night. We eventually had to because we didn't manage to get the tickets for the overnight train and had to take a day train instead.
With only less than 24 hours in Malmo, you might be wondering, what can you possibly see. Surprisingly, loads! Malmo is accessible by foot, bike, or their public transportation. Their trams and buses are pretty straight-forward and fuss-free. You can get to many of the attractions just by using their public transport.
1.Ribersborgs open-air bath
Ribersborgs, Malmo, Sweden
This is a must-go! Experience swimming in the open sea in a safe environment. The Ribersborgs is a public bath house located in the sea. Even during winter, there were many locals who made their way to the bath house for an refreshing experience. Like bath houses in Japan and Korea, you will have to bare your bodies and soak in the sea.
Ribersborgs open-air bath
Limhamnsvägen, Brygga 1, 217 59 Malmö, Sweden
Opening hours: 10am - 7pm
Getting here: Take Bus 7 from Malmo Central Station for 5 stops.
2. Turning Torso
Turning Torso shrouded in clouds
Even for those who do not dare expose themselves to the freezing sea, the pier of the Ribersborgs still makes a good photo spot, and on a cloudless day, you can have a nice view of the turning torso! It was unfortunate that it was a cloudy day that we were there but we thought that this scene added a mysterious feel of the turning torso.
The Turning Torso is a residential skyscraper and the tallest building in Scandinavia. It is designed by Santiago Calatrava, a Spanish architect. To get closer to the Turning Torso, head over to Lilla Varvsgatan. You will need to take the bus back to Malmo Central and change to bus number 2.
Turning Torso
Lilla Varvsgatan 14, 211 15 Malmö, Sweden
3. Malmö Castle
Exterior and Interior of the Malmo Castle
A short walk from Ribersborgs would take you to the Malmo Castle. The Malmo Castle was quite small in comparison to all the other palaces and castles that we've visited in Europe. Steeped in history, and known as the oldest surviving Renaissance Castle, it is still worth a visit!
Malmo Castle Malmöhusvägen 6, 211 18 Malmö, Sweden
4. Take in the view of the Canal from Malmo Central Station
As you head back to the central station, you may also want to take in the serenity of the canal. What we really appreciated about Malmo was that it was so quiet! Much like our other favourite city, Switzerland, there just weren't that many tourists.
5. Stortoget square - Sodergarten
Malmo's main square is bustling with activity at night. During the Christmas season, you will also find a Christmas market at the square. Here, you can find many restaurants, supermarkets, and their even some shopping malls. To complete walking down Sodergarten only takes about 15 minutes, so if you are looking for something to do at night, take a walk down this road all the way to Triangeln Station.
Triangln shopping mall
In the day, you can also find free walking tours at Stortoget!
6. Visit Emporia Shopping Centre
Emporia Shopping Centre, Malmo, Sweden
The Emporia Shopping Centre boosts a unique architecture. It is one of the biggest shopping mall in Scandinavia and is located near the Malmo Arena. To get here, you'll need to take a train from Malmo Central Station.
Swedish Train
The train ride was a wonderful experience, it was very huge, clean and quiet. You wouldn't hear much chattering in the trains and will be able to have a peaceful ride to your destination.
Christmas Tree inside Emporia Shopping Mall
Once you've reached Emporia, shop to your hearts content! Do not forget to visit the rooftop park where you'll be able to get a good view of Malmo, and the Oresund Bridge!
Emporia Shopping Mall
Hyllie Boulevard 19, 215 32 Malmö, Sweden
Opening Hours: 11am - 8pm
7. Eat Swedish Meatballs at Ikea!
You cannot miss visiting Ikea when you are in Sweden. While we were at Emporia, we had some time and decided to head to Ikea to take a look at their DIY furniture, home improvement electronics, and have a taste of the meatballs!
From Emporia, there is a direct bus to Ikea. Take bus 33 from Malmo Hyllie Station. Do check that you are taking the bus from the correct side of the road! If you're unsure, there are signages at the bus stop, or if all else fails, ask the locals! Most of them are very friendly and will offer to guide you.
On the way back from Ikea Malmo, we also spotted a Decathlon one stop away. We decided to get off the bus to explore it. There was a wider selection of items in Malmo Decathlon as it included snowboarding and ski equipment and wearables. Prices were more or less the same as Singapore. Still, it was quite exciting to explore a mall out of nowhere!
Ikea Malmo
Kulthusgatan 1, 215 86 Malmö, Sweden
Where to stay?
We stayed at Moment Hotels which was right in front of the Central Station. We wanted somewhere close to the Central Station as we will be taking the train to Stockholm the very next day.
We had a very pleasant stay here as the rooms were clean and the receptionist and staff were very courteous and polite. We also had free breakfast!
TIP: Always try to book hotels with free breakfast when in Scandinavia. As prices are more expensive, it would be good to stuff yourselves silly with their wonderful croissants, eggs, and juices before starting your day. In that way, you can also skip lunch!
Moment Hotel (SEK 690 on Booking.com)
Norra Vallgatan 54, 211 22 Malmö, Sweden
So there you go, we covered quite a bit in <24 hours in Malmo. It was an extremely enjoyable stay! Since Malmo is a much smaller city than Stockholm that most travellers do not plan to visit, head to Malmo if you wish to avoid the crowds! Check out this list of other underrated European cities while you're at it!
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