Guide of Malmö

Malmö is a city in southern Sweden; it lies at the eastern end of the famous Öresund Bridge that runs from Copenhagen in Denmark to Malmö in Sweden. With a population of around 300,000; it is the third-largest city in Sweden and was one of the earliest industrialised towns in Scandinavia.

A brief history of Malmö

The earliest recorded history of Malmö dates back to 1275 when it was just a small fortified quay. The town was initially called Malmhaug, meaning ''Gravel pile'' or ''Ore Hill''. During the 15th century, the city grew in importance, and the 17th century, Malmö and the Scanian region came under the control of Sweden following the Treaty of Roskilde, signed in 1658. The following centuries saw wars and the plague which killed a large proportion of the population and it wasn't until the development of the shipyards in the 1840s, that the city became one of the largest in the world. The construction of the railways allowed the city to become a hub for the mechanical and textile industries. The town continued to prosper until the 1970s when Sweden had an economic recession that hit the shipyards and manufacturing industries hard. Kockums shipyard, the city's biggest employer, ceased operations in 1986 and the financial crises of the early 1990s also exacerbated Malmö's decline and depopulation. Then in 1994, under the leadership of a new mayor, they decided to develop the economy as a new centre of culture and knowledge. The Øresund Bridge was completed three months ahead of schedule and opened for public road and rail traffic in 2000 and partly thanks to this new bridge, Malmö underwent a significant transformation; modern architecture appeared to new IT and biotech companies, the establishment of Malmö University in 1998 also brought an influx of students to the city.

What to do in Malmö

You cannot visit the city without taking a trip along the Øresund Bridge over to Denmark; the bridge is a feat of modern engineering. It is the longest combined road and rail bridge in Europe and connects the road and rail networks of the Scandinavian Peninsula with those of Central and Western Europe. Afterwards, why not splash some cash in Emporia, one of the biggest and most modern shopping malls in the world, it is full of shops, restaurants and a cinema, you can easily spend the day here shopping until you drop! In terms of other modern architecture, it's worth going to see the Twisting Torso residential tower, it was designed in a neo-futurist style by Spanish architect, the structural engineer, sculptor and painter Santiago Calatrava and it opened in 2005 as the tallest building in Sweden. The centre of the city, known as Lilla Torg, is historic and characterised by old wooden framed buildings and pretty squares, it's a perfect area to relax and have a coffee. For some culture, why not visit the modern and contemporary art museum, Moderna Museet Malmö. Malmö Castle is also worth visiting, built in1434 by King Eric of Pomerania; it features a fortress and a moat. The original castle was destroyed and then rebuilt in the 1530s.

Beaches around Malmö

Right in the centre of the city is Malmo Urban Beach, it's a bit crowded during the warm summer months, but there are plenty of sports facilities to enjoy, including volleyball, table tennis and basketball to enjoy and it's super easy to find. The next beach is Ribersborg, which is within walking or biking distance of the city centre, there is a cycle path that leads there. The water is clean and shallow, and there are lots of volleyball nets. A little further away is Klagshamnsstranden beach, which has a lovely view of the Øresund Bridge and there's a beautiful little bathing area with a floating deck.