What to do in Malmo for a day
Aside from the super cheap plane ticket, another thing that really drew me to Copenhagen was the ability to cross not one, but two countries off my list! Sweden is just a hop, skip, and a jump away from Denmark…literally. By boarding a train at Copenhagen Central Station you can be in the beautiful city of Malmo, Sweden in about 20 minutes.
Seriously. Going from Copenhagen to Malmo is really that easy.
Malmo is the third largest city in Sweden and it is truly mesmerizing. Like many European cities, there is a ton of old architecture to admire. But, unlike most European cities, it is also known for its modern architecture. At any point in time you can be looking at a building from the 16th century standing immediately next to a building so new and modern it looks like it must be out of some futuristic utopian movie.
If you wander a little ways past the waterfront you will see a lot more of the “old town”. Prior to my trip, the amount of information I could find on what to do in Malmo for a day was extremely limited, so I made it a point to visit the most “popular” sites I had read about, as well as wander a bit more.
Disclaimer: I had read that you really don’t need more than about six hours in Malmo, so I did not spend a ton of time at any of these spots, but that also means that a day trip to Malmo, Sweden is a quick and easy way to get out of Denmark!
The Most Popular Sites
1.) Stortorget
Stortorget is easily one of the most well known spots in Malmo. It is the giant “town square” where you can find the City Hall, which is a beautifully intricate building, and a massive bronze fountain. Stortorget is the only place in Malmo that I was able to find a souvenir shop, and it is extremely tiny and easy to miss so if you are looking for a Swedish horse to bring home, keep your eye out.
I visited Malmo early on a chilly morning in the middle of the week, so it was honestly kind of boring. Great photo ops, but that was about it. I would imagine it is significantly more lively on the weekends. Also, beware of pickpockets. It did not happen to me but I did see a couple attempts here and there.
2.) Sankt Petri Kyrka (St. Peter’s Cathedral)
Around the corner from Stortorget is St. Peter’s Cathedral, the oldest building in Malmo and seemingly the most popular. I walked by this building about 4 times, and each time there was an entirely new tour group standing outside of it.
I’m a sucker for anything with a tower, whether it be a church, a castle, or a clock, so I spent quite a bit of time wandering around the outside of this beautiful building. (Unfortunately there was a service going on so I was unable to go inside.) It was built in the 14th century in the Gothic style and is still used regularly today.
3.) Lilla Torg
Lilla Torg is a couple blocks away from Stortorget and it is the older and smaller town square. Lilla Torg transports you back to a simpler time with its cobblestone streets and big wooden beams on the buildings. The buildings are painted in brilliant hues, and there seemed to be a ton of wonderful restaurants in this square (though sadly they were not open yet when I was there).
4.) Turning Torso
The Turning Torso is “an architectural wonder”. It is a tall, white winding building standing above the city. It was completed in 2005 and is the tallest building in Scandinavia. It’s cool to look at…but I wouldn’t go out of my way to get all the way up to it because it is a residential building only. You can take plenty of great pictures while still staying near all of the other tourist sites.
5.) Malmohus Slott
Malmohus is a non-stereotypical castle not too far from the train station. It was originally built in the 1400s, but was destroyed about a century later. The castle was then rebuilt by the Danish king…but like most Danish castles, it burned down. Lol. It was rebuilt in the mid-1900s and is currently home to a museum (that was also not open when I was there). Today, the castle looks kind of like a large red brick factory, which is super different from all the castles I had seen in Copenhagen.
My Hidden Gems
After wandering the grounds of Malmohus, I spotted a giant windmill in the distance and decided to go find it. Whether they are old and wooden or new and made of steel, I have always found peace in the shadow of a windmill. And truth be told, this was the first legitimately old windmill I had ever seen.
Research tells me that this windmill is called the Slottsmöllan Windmill and it was built in 1851…that’s pretty much all I could find…
But the windmill isn’t the hidden gem! My journey to the windmill led me to the most beautiful garden I have ever seen! It is filled with individual plots filled with flowers, plants, and vegetables in every color imaginable! As a little girl I was obsessed with the movie The Secret Garden and have been easily enchanted by large gardens ever since. This garden was no different…but what really captured my heart was the little cafe at the end of the rows of plants.
As you walk along the plants, you will come to the rose garden, which is where you will find a little shack of a cafe called Slottstradgardens Kafe. Their sign out front describes it as:
“…an oasis, a place where you can get a break from everyday life all year round. In this harmonious space we create a relaxing venue with quality food and beverage. We’re thinking globally but buying locally when it comes to our food. And our menu always follows the seasons.”
This description could only be better enhanced with it saying, “a little slice of heaven”. Outside you will find chairs and picnic tables with fleece blankets for when it gets chilly. If it’s still too cold for you, there is a little greenhouse that I wish I could have taken home with me. It was filled with old rugs, odds and ends of furniture, pillows, and greenery. If I could work here every day of my life, I would never want for inspiration.
Not only was it beautifully peaceful, but it also had incredible cinnamon rolls! By the time I reached Malmo I had tried cinnamon rolls from at least three other places in Denmark…now it was time to try Swedish cinnamon rolls.
Oh. My. Goodness.
Sweet, fluffy heaven.
Rather than being lathered in a super sweet glaze like those in the States, this cinnamon roll had butter and some light sugar on top. It was sweet, buttery, and lighter than air, made better by the fact that it had literally just come out of the oven. I could have easily eaten three more.
The next hidden gem was actually a chocolate shop. How can you go all the way to Sweden and not get chocolate?! Well, believe it or not, I actually struggled a little bit to find a chocolate shop. But when I did, I know I hit the jackpot. Across from St. Peter’s Cathedral is a tiny little shop called Cacaofoni. It is a family business, run by a woman and her mother, and they are the sweetest people you will ever meet. They sell these little square truffles with flavors ranging from something as simple as salted caramel to crazy things like earl grey or black licorice (which is actually super popular in Scandinavia) and each truffle is intricately decorated. I am not really a chocolate person, but my fiance’s dad is so I knew I needed to get him some and I couldn’t just not try it.
As soon as I took my first bite into a raspberry truffle, I had my very first out of body experience. The chocolate melts in your mouth like butter on a hot pan and blends seamlessly with whatever flavor is contained inside. This chocolate was so unbelievable that I actually started crying. I truly believe that this is the best chocolate in the world.
Malmo, Sweden stole a little piece of my heart, and I wish I had allocated more time to visit. You can definitely go from Copenhagen to Malmo and see the the main attractions in about 6 hours, but if you can spend more time there I definitely think you should. I am already trying to plan a weekend getaway there the next time I am in Scandinavia.
If you have any more tips on what to do in Malmo for a day (or a weekend) I would love to hear about them for my next trip!
Looking for more daytrips to take from Copenhagen? Two other great options are going to Hans Christian Andersen’s hometown of Odense or going castle-hopping!
The Stickered Suitcase says
Malmo seems lovely! I haven’t been to Sweden yet, but it’s definitely on my list of places to visit. The garden that you found was a wonderful hidden gem. I will have to try and find it when I go one day. #gltLove