Malmö: Cool, Cosmopolitan and Edgy

Home to the iconic ‘Turning Torso’, Malmö is a cultured, diverse and lively city.

Its superb location along the South Swedish coast benefits from spectacular views of the ocean and has become a popular place to live. For those working in Copenhagen due to the Øresund bridge that has connected Denmark with Sweden since 2000. It, therefore, comes as no surprise that Danes make up the second largest inhabitants of Malmö after Swedes.

Visitors also enjoy the accessibility to and from both cities, taking under 45 minutes. The chance to explore two cities offering completely different things to see and do is all within arm's reach. Yet like Yin and Yang, they complement each other extremely well. 

Crossing the bridge is somewhat of a star attraction in itself, 16 km in length and built to last. This spectacular feat of engineering juts out from the sea like a steel dragon. 

© Janus Langhorn/imagebank.sweden.se

In recent years, the Øresund Bridge and the region that surrounds it – in particular Malmö – has been thrown into the limelight as the latest hip destination to go after the success of Nordic Noir TV series, The Bridge, came onto our screens in late 2011.

For those of you who’ve not yet watched the crime drama which has recently begun airing its 3rd series. The first ever episode opens to the discovery of a dead body on the Øresund bridge and the premise of the entire 1st series seeks to discover who did it and why. It’s extremely intelligent and ideal for those who like to get their teeth into meaty plot lines with a political slant. 

The success of The Bridge has attracted a new wave of visitors to Malmö, who perhaps would otherwise have overlooked the city in favour of Stockholm, Gothenburg and its Danish neighbour, Copenhagen.

The growth of Malmö’s popularity has not gone unrecognised by investors who’ve renovated areas of the city, most drastically being Western harbour, a showcase for modern architecture. Including Santiago Calatrava's distinctive twisted building, the Turning Torso. During the summer, holiday goers and locals alike flock to Western Harbour to relax on the boardwalk. Take in the glistening views of the Øresund and more recently, fans of the series arrive to catch a glimpse of the infamous bridge and other nearby areas that make an appearance in the TV drama. 

Turning Torso © Justin Brown/Imagebank.sweden.se

As with all great cities, places to enjoy good food are an abundance in Malmö. More and more cafes and restaurants are cropping up in the city which are redefining the way we think about food and our relationship with it.

One of the surprising things about Malmö is how picturesque it is. After watching The Bridge, it's easy to imagine the city as an industrial grey chasm of bleakness but that perception couldn't be furthur from the truth. A stroll through the old town completely rebuffs this notion as it can charm the socks off anyone with its cobbled streets, colourful houses and leafy parks. 

In keeping with many cities in Scandinavia, Malmö has a huge bicyle culture which also probably explains why toned legs are part of the landscape in this neck of the woods. 

In constrast, Malmö is not without its urban chic, with street art, exhibition centres and pop-up bars throwing a smattering of grit into the mix.

As well as Copenhagen, Malmö has many other places of interest all within an hour's reach of the city by train, including the historical university town of Lund, the beautiful harbour city of Helsingborg, and Ystad - arguably Sweden's prettiest town.

Quite frankly, you're spoilt for choice when you choose to visit Malmö! 

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For more inspiration on what you can see and do here, take a look at our latest holiday: A Taste of Skane.