10 Free Things to do in Skåne, Sweden
BUDGET TRAVEL IN SWEDEN
When we start planning a trip, a lot of the decisions we make are made based on the price and how much money we’ll have to spend on flights, accommodation, food and activities. Travelling can be pretty expensive at times, so when doing our research I always try and find places to visit and activities to do that are free, which then make our trips more attainable.
Skåne is the southernmost county in Sweden, knitted together by green fields, white sandy beaches and lush national parks. While on our trip we visited many places that were free so I’ve put together this list, so hopefully if you’d like to visit this amazing location in the future it can help you too.
So below is our list of our top 10 free things to do in Skåne.
1. See the famous Ales Stenar
Ales Stenar, known as the ‘English Stone Henge’ is located on the hill of Kåseberga and is one of the most intriguing locations in Sweden. The attraction is made up of 59 impressive boulders, standing in a ship-like formation and overlooking the Baltic sea.
No one really knows why they are there, some believe they are the resting place of a king and were used as a burial ground and others believe it’s an ancient astronomical clock.
2. Visit the most Instagramable beach
This kilometre-long beach lines the Skanör-Falsterbo peninsula and is located on the very southwest tip of Skåne. The landscape is filled with candy-coloured beach huts which are dotted along the coastline, overlooking the sea. You could spend all day taking photos of each individual beach hut!
3. Explore a city on 2 wheels
Lund is a university city, the 3rd biggest in Skane and is located in the South of the county. While in the city you can rent a bike with their “30-minute rule”. This rule is to give everybody the opportunity to use the service and allows you to rent a bike for 30 minutes for free. So basically the first half-hour of your ride is free, regardless of the number of times you rent out a bike. So you can borrow a bike 10 times in one day but each trip can be completely free as long as you don’t exceed the 30 minutes per bike.
In half an hour you can ride about 7km at a slow pace, so renting a bike can be the perfect way to spend your afternoon exploring the city.
More free things to do while in Lund
Botanical Garden (See number 9)
Stadsparken park
Skrylle Nature reserve Jakriborg
4. Jump into the world of modern art
Malmö is the biggest city in Skåne and is filled with galleries, museums and an abundance of Scandinavian art and design.
The Moderna Museet Malmö is a modern and contemporary art museum. Housed in a 20th-century electricity plant, offering rotating exhibitions and collections from some of the most famous artists in the modern art world like Andy Warhol and Piet Mondrian, and more local Swedish artists like Siri Derkert and Hilma af Klint.
Malmö Konsthall is one of the biggest exhibition halls in the whole of Europe for contemporary art. They show a high level of international artists but also smaller national artists, with around 10 changing exhibitions every year from modernism to current experiments.
Since opening in 1975 they have featured the works of Van Gogh, Edvard Munch, David Shrigley and many more incredible artists.
If you’re a lover of art and design then check out our article “A Must See List for local Art and Design Lovers in Skåne, Sweden”
5. Go cave hunting at the Kullerberg nature reserve
Kullaberg nature reserve, located by the scenic harbour of Mölle, in the northwest of Skåne, is a stunning nature reserve and the perfect hotspot to watch the sunset from the dramatic cliff line! Filled with over 20 unique caves, great for exploring, and trails to go hiking, this is a great location for outdoor lovers.
Keep your eyes out for porpoises in the sea as they’re often spotted off the coastline and on porpoise safari!
6. Explore Söderåsen National Park
Söderåsen National Park has been named ‘a hikers paradise’ by National Geographic and you’d quickly see why. Skåne is rather flat so it can be refreshing to experience the hills and deep-cut valleys of this national park.
The dramatic and diverse landscape of Söderåsen is the result of a collision between tectonic plates, with the highest point sitting at 212 m. Pretty cool huh!
You can hike to the highest viewpoint called Kopparhatten, also known as Skåne’s ‘Grand canyon’. This has a height of 200m and gives you a stunning view of the cliffs and rocky ravines.
7. Discover Malmö with a guided walking tour
One of our favourite ways to discover a new location is by doing a free walking tour. It can be a great way of learning unique information and discovering hidden gems, and also it helps you to become quickly acquainted with the city you’re in.
With the Malmö Walking Tours they provide daily tours from a local, which are roughly 2 hours long. On the tour you walk around the city centre, seeing the main sights, and learning about the history and the life of the city. During the tour, you see and learn about many of the popular sights such as Gustav Adolf’s Square, Malmöhus Castle and Kings Park.
8. Pretend you’re in the Caribbean at ‘Sweden’s best beach’
Sandhammaren, located in the most southeast part of the country, has been awarded Sweden’s best beach because of its Caribbean-like white sand. It’s the perfect location for a hot summers day, to relax in the sea and walk along the white sand.
9. Explore the Botanical garden in Lund
The botanical garden is at Lund University. They have 8 hectares of land with over 7000 species of plants. With a greenhouse representing nine different climate zones, from rainforest to desert, this botanical garden has plants from all over the world, waiting to be explored.
10. Hike the 400 Hectares of Stenshuvuds National park
Sweden’s most southernmost national park has 400 hectares of land, including 80 hectares of sea. Here you can hike up the 97 metre-high viewpoint overlooking the coastline or relax on the sandy beach and paddle in the sea.
The mountain here has 3 peaks, which are popular hiking spots, offering an amazing view. There are 6 trails to choose from, spanning from 0.5km to over 4km.
The Stenshuvud beach is known as Skane’s most exotic beach, offering fine, white sand and a shallow coastline. Take your hiking boots off and treat yourself to a walk along the sand and listen to the waves.
We found this national park was special because of the diverse landscape. Where else can you go for a walk in the forest whilst hearing the waves crashing from the sea all in one place!
