Malmö for a day, here's what to do and where to go in Sweden for a few hours. The saunas, the square, the history and the culture to be discovered in a low cost trip.
January, blue sky, Sun shining. I go, crossing the sea, towards the Sweden. From Copenhagen with a super fast and super comfortable train you get to Malmo.
The move, between the two enchanting cities, is wonderful because it takes place in the middle of the blue waters above the bridge of Æresund, an engineering and technological creation that has just turned 15.
If like me coming from Copenhagen follow these two little tips:
If you buy the return train ticket, keep it because it is also valid for the use of public transport in the other state, just show it to the driver.
Don't change Swedish kronor, if your stay is for one day, pay for everything with your credit card.
Malmo it is tranquility, minimal, dynamic, but it is also a "beautiful living room" between heaven and earth.
Leaving the train station I took the bus and went to visit the three most important squares.
The first is the majestic Gustav Adolfs Torg, you can go shopping, listen to street artists and participate in happenings. There are benches and you can sit down to rest. Many buses also pass nearby for major destinations in the surrounding area. Thus, the square is one of the hubs of the city and is almost impossible to miss.
Not far away is the central Stortorget where you can visit the town hall and from where the main streets start and there are some characteristic places. It is interesting to enjoy the architecture of the many surrounding buildings. Often the buildings are different from each other and built at different times. Each with its charm and its history.
And finally, walking a few more meters there is the small and cobbled one Lilla torg.
Arriving in this square is equivalent to taking a leap in time. It is as if you entered a small village where people gather to drink a good draft beer and stay in the sun during the day. It is full of clubs and the atmosphere is reminiscent of the medieval Viking village of Malmö, as evidenced by the brown brick houses with black stripes that surround it.
At this point I headed towards the port area and went to admire a true delight of contemporary architecture: the Turning Torso by Santiago Calatrava. This tower is 190 meters high and houses apartments and conference rooms.
Its peculiarity lies in the fact that from the ground floor up to the forty-fifth floor it performs a 90 degree twist proceeding from the bottom up: the effect is extraordinary, especially if you look at it from the base, which stands out above a thin veil of water.
Unfortunately it is not open to the public, but can only be admired from the outside. However, you can walk around its entire perimeter and be enchanted by every "twist" of the various levels.
Walking on the seafront I took a deep breath of the cold northern air, the sun beats down but does not warm and a strong wind ruffles my hair on the walkways and on the beach.
This walk, observing the distance of the ilresund, allowed me to arrive in a corner of paradise: la Ribergsborgs Kallbadhus. This is a real piece of Swedish culture alive and true that you must not miss in your tours in Malmö.
It is a beautiful wooden building on pillars resting on the beach and in the sea. Swedes come here to take a sauna, relax, swim in the ocean, sunbathe or enjoy some light meals.
You have to be prepared, no costumes here, le people are naked (men separated from women) and inside you can breathe a real feeling of natural beauty.
You can choose between three saunas. One is with a crater with slowly burning wood and is for the warmest. Another is a quiet room where you speak very softly and has a large window that opens your gaze to the sea. Finally, there is a steam sauna which is shared between men and women.
I would not only recommend a visit, but I would advise you to experience the pleasant warmth of the sauna and the captivating ice of the north sea.
At this point the darkness is covering the Swedish beauty and a bitter cold will begin to arrive from the sea so I have taken the train back to Copenhagen. You can do the same or continue to discover Sweden.
