Copenhagen, Denmark and Malmo, Sweden are connected by the Øresund Bridge which barely takes 20mins of travel. A perfect quick escape from one country to the other!
Copenhagen
Copenhagen, Denmark’s capital, is a unique city characterized by its canals, cycling culture, strong economy and happy locals. It forms part of Northern Europe’s Nordic countries and
Scandinavian culture. Copenhagen has a very interesting history. It gets its name from the Danish København which means “merchant’s harbour”. Originally, it was a fishing village called Havn(port) and eventually became a trading town after the Copenhagen castle was built. Copenhagen is today one of the most dynamic cities in Europe and the second largest city in Scandinavia.
Did you know that Copenhagen takes its place in the list of happiest cities in the world? Yes, they have shorter work days, free tuition and more vacation days. Cool, isn’t it? Who wouldn’t want to live in such a place?
Getting around Copenhagen
Copenhagen is one of the most cycle friendly cities in the world. And do you know what that means? You can find dedicated bike lanes everywhere. You might ask if it’s safe to ride a bike. The answer is “Absolutely yes”. The best alternative to bikes is walking. The very popular Bycyklen bike-share program provides access to more than 2,000 bicycles throughout the city for visitor use. Rentals cost just about 30 Danish Kroner ($5) per hour. Alternatively, you can jump onto the city’s all hours metro. If you purchase a Copenhagen Card, you’ll receive free rides on buses, the metro and local trains. If not, you can buy a single ticket or a timed city pass. Tickets can be bought at ticket vending machines at metro stations or at the airport. Fees for one-way single tickets vary by the number of zones you travel in but start at 24 kroner ($4) per adult. Single tickets are valid for one to two hours of rides on any form of public transportation and are sold on buses and from metro and train station vending machines. Although, we suggest buying a 24 hour city pass that would cost you just you about 80 kroner ($13).
Top things to do in Copenhagen
Copenhagen is a beautiful place with amazing architecture, food, design and culture. The city is speckled with top notch museums, palaces and parks that draw visitors around the world. There is an endless number of places to visit here. However, if you want to get right to it, here is our list of top 5 things to do that you can cover in a single day.
Boost your adrenaline at Tivoli Gardens
Tivoli Gardens is the second oldest operating amusement park in the world. It is the most visited theme park in Scandinavia. Scary rides, open air theatres, yummy local food, games, live music – Tivoli has it all. It is a perfect spot for visitors of all ages. Your won’t exit from here without a huge smile on your face. You can get into Tivoli for free with a Copenhagen card though you would have to pay for the rides separately.
Enjoy the colourful visual treat at Nyhavn
Nyhavn is a small port in the center of Copenhagen with beautiful, colourful little houses. Also a popular place for dining alongside the harbour. This is a perfect Insta photo spot. Make sure to snap a picture of the charm and color here.
Admire the royal Christianborg palace
The Christianborg palace is a royal masterpiece with extravagant architectural designs. The interriors here are absolutely stunning. The royal reception rooms and the Great Hall with beautiful tapestries are a visual treat to the eyes. Make sure to visit the ruins under the castle and the kitchen here.
Marvel at Rosenborg castle
Rosenborg castle is one of the prettiest castles in Copenhagen that was built during the Dutch renaissance. It houses plenty of royal jewels and artifacts that are a must see. The beautiful castle makes for some great exterior photos.
Take a sunset boat tour around the harbour
Copenhagen is well known for its canal tours. This is a wonderful way to experience the vibrant Danish city from the water. You also get to learn a little bit about the history of the city and Danish culture in general. We highly recommend doing this during sunset. You wouldn’t want to miss the jaw dropping sunset views over the harbour.
From Copenhagen to Malmo
The mighty Øresund Bridge connects the Danish capital Copenhagen and the Swedish city of Malmo. The bridge is a feat of engineering and a masterpiece. It stretches almost 7.5 miles long and incorporates a stretch that dips into a tunnel. You can get a glimpse of this stunning bridge when you land into the Copenhagen airport.
Visiting Malmo is one of the easiest day trips from Copenhagen. You can travel by bus, train or by car. The train ride is interesting and fun as you get some beautiful views while on the Øresund bridge. The train ride takes 35 minutes and tickets start at €11 each way. Trains from here run every 30 minutes and run throughout the day. These trains can get a little crowded but are of the most convenient way to get to Malmo. Keep in mind that you are crossing borders – so make sure you carry all your travel documents with you.
About Malmo
Malmo is a beautiful city with lovely big trees, lakes and pretty bridges. It was founded in the 13th century on herring fishing. Unfortunately, the ship industry collapsed in the 18th century but Malmo converted itself into an eco friendly city with bikes and mostly powered by renewable energy. Malmo stands as Sweden’s third largest city and is now a hub for young families and tech startups. It has had a major transformation in the recent years producing new architecture developments and is slowly moving towards becoming the epicenter of creativity and innovation. Do you know that Malmo was named the happiest city in Sweden in 2016?
Getting around Malmo
Malmo, like Copenhagen, is a great cycling city with cycling paths everywhere and plenty of places to park your bike. Cycling is a great way to explore the city. Walking and public transport are very good alternatives too. Malmo’s public transportation is extremely efficient. But please make sure you buy your tickets beforehand as you can’t use cash to purchase tickets in buses. The Jojo card is the best option and you can download the Skånetrafiken app to navigate the city with timetables and bus routes all at your fingertips. You can also find a lot of useful information here.
Top things to do in Malmo
Malmo is a young, inquisitive and creative city. It is one of the most underrated cities. But, not many know that it’s beautiful architecture and iconic buildings are just a visual treat. Historic buildings and cobblestone streets to modern tall buildings – Malmo has everything!! There are lots of places to visit here. However, here is our top 5 things that you can cover in a single day.
Visit St. Peter’s church
St.Peter’s church was built in the 14th century and is the oldest building in Malmo. This red bricked Gothic style church stands tall at 105 metres. As you walk towards the church, it gets impressive and bigger. The architecture and details here are just mind blowing. The pipe organ here is a real piece of art and the acoustics are amazing. If you are lucky, you might catch a free concert here!!
Take a stroll in Stortorget
Stortorget is the largest square in Malmo and was constructed around 1530. It is surrounded by old historic buildings, statues and a charming fountain. The equestrian statue of King Karl X Gustav makes this place more fascinating. The main attraction here is the city hall building. Walking along city hall, you will enter Sodergatan Street, the main pedestrian shopping street. There are many restaurants here if you want to grab a quick bite. “Shawarma King”, for example, is a very good place among locals.
Take a peek at Malmo’s history at Malmöhus Castle
Malmo castle was built in the 1530s and stands as the oldest renaissance castle in the region. The castle was partially demolished in the 16th century but was rebuilt. This is not like one of the regular castles you might have visited. The building features the old castle, art, history, an aquarium, interactive games and other interesting exhibitions.
Admire the stunning Turning Torso
The Turning Torso is a striking skyscraper and a modern masterpiece. It currently holds the title of the tallest building in Sweden. It was built in 2005 and twists 90 degrees from the bottom to the top.The 147 apartments on this building are spread out across 54 floors. The views of this building seem to pop up on the skyline no matter where you are in Malmo. Unfortunately, there is no observation deck here and this is open to the public only for three weeks in summer.
Relax at Kungsparken
Kungsparken is Malmo’s oldest park, created in the 1800s. This land used to be part of the fortifications until the castle became obsolete as a defence and the space was turned into a Romantic English-style garden. The garden has a cozy cafe that gives you good views of the Turning Torso. The park has a very pleasant atmosphere and fits in perfectly to any hectic itinerary. You can also combine your visit here to the Malmo museum, which is a 5 minutes walk from here.
“Copenhagen and Malmo” is the perfect weekend getaway where you get to experience the cultures of two different countries. Copenhagen is a big city and Malmo is a modern suburb. The architecture in both places is amazing and the people here are just so open minded and friendly. All the places above were part of our itinerary and doable within two days at a relaxing pace. We definitely plan to get back here again!!
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Happy & Safe Travels!!
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