Bus to and from Malmoe from € 2,90

The Swedish city of Malmö is only about 30 minutes away from the Danish capital Copenhagen, but it should not be seen as just a "get away from Copenhagen". Malmö has a wonderful vibe and culture all her own that deserves to be seen. The Swedish city recently gained international attention for building mouse cafes and amusement parks, while the artist has currently dissembled the mouse-sized attractions there is gossip that a new mousy attraction could make an appearance this summer. Malmö could also be your first stop on a wonderful Swedish road trip.

If you enter Malmö from the Danish border crossing over the Öresund bridge, then one of the first buildings you may notice in the skyline is the Turning Torso. This white twisted skyscraper is the first of its kind, like the engineering marvel of the Öresund Bridge you just crossed over. Today the skyscraper holds apartments, but there is a viewing platform from which you can see both the Danish and Swedish coastlines. It is a wonderful picture taking point.

Another famous building residing in Malmö is the Malmö castle (or Malmöhus in Swedish) which was once an important strategic piece of the Danish king, King Christian III, when parts of Sweden laid under his rule. A fun fact about this castle is that it once imprisoned Mary Queen of Scots' third husband. Luckily for visitors and locals alike, the castle is practically in modern downtown Malmö making it very easy to visit and enjoy whenever. Entrance to the castle is 40 SEK, which is about $5. In the garden behind Malmö castle lies Slottsparken. During the spring and summer months, the park is full of families, friends, and people of all types just out enjoying the great Swedish sunshine. If the weather is nice during your visit, this is a prime spot to bring a packed lunch and just take a moment to relax. Within the park is a windmill, Slottsmöllan which was once a working windmill, however today it acts as a meet-up point for the city and place for open-air festivals and concerts during the warmer months.

Southern Sweden is not known for its great weather, so if you visit Sweden on one of the many rainy and cold days, consider visiting Moderna Museet – Malmö’s Modern Art Museum. Not only does this museum have an awesome collection of modern art and impressive rotating exhibitions, but the museum is free! No matter what weather or company Malmö brings you, you should spend some in this museum. For the quality of the exhibits, it is absurd to think that the museum could possibly not charge an entrance fee!

Malmö is one of the most culturally diverse cities in all of Sweden. The city celebrates their great diversity by hosting many different festivals throughout the year. It is highly likely that one will be scheduled during your visit. Just check on the Malmö city website to see a list of festivals or just come and hope to be greeted with your own personal festival. The largest festival is the Malmö Festival, which is usually held in August with many different food trucks, musical performances and local crafts to buy. Malmö also has a large music school that seems to always be holding concerts from all different genres. Tickets are usually very cheap and can be bought the day of the concert, so it could be beneficial to do some research prior to your visit if you want to hear some of Sweden’s rising music stars.

If you want to get a true Swedish welcome, visiting a sauna such as Malmö’s famous Ribersborgs Kallbadhus could do the trick. Open all year round, this sauna, spa and café complex was built in 1898. Visiting a sauna in a Nordic country should be on everyone's travel bucket list and the experience is like no other. Here in Malmö, you have the chance to experience the tradition of sauna while in a modern facility. Entrance to the sauna is 65 SEK and you can rent towels and other toiletries.

The world famous Swedish-Danish TV series, Bron, is partially filmed in Malmö, causing fans from all over to flock to the city. If you are also a fan of the Nordic Noir genre series, you have the ability to take a bus tour around Malmö to experience Saga’s turf. The tour is held in both English and Swedish running about two and a half hours.

The city of Malmö has an option for both tourists and locals alike to rent bikes around the city. If you want to experience Malmö like a Swede, then zooming on a bike around Malmö’s Old Town or Slottsparken is the best to do so. Continuing with the Swedish feel of the visit, you must take ample coffee or fika breaks with lots and lots of cinnamon buns!