How To Make the Most of a Weekend in Malmö, Sweden

Morning

Start the day at Lilla Kafferosteriet, a roomy café in the centre of town that has great coffee and a nice outdoor space for summer breakfasts. There’s a set menu for breakfast, with a selection of drinks and scones, but the real winner is the yoghurt (or porridge) with mushy pear jam. The café and coffee roastery is located in a charming 16th-century building that’s conveniently close to one of the city’s main shopping areas. Once breakfast is finished you can head into the hustle and bustle of the city centre without having to travel far.

Afternoon

Make your way up to the Malmö Konsthall art gallery, which is only a 15-minute walk away. Founded in 1975, the gallery space is beautifully light, in a low concrete building designed by Swedish architect Klas Anshelm. In 1995, it was renovated to create a bigger space for more exhibitions. The gallery hosts a number of exhibitions every year featuring international and Swedish artists, with a focus on modernist and contemporary art. Note that entrance is free to the gallery. After admiring the art, move over to restaurant Smak in the same building for coffee or a delicious lunch. The lunch menu is well-priced and the simple, tasty dishes are made from Malmö’s best produce – and there’s always one meat, one fish and one vegetarian option to choose from.

Not too far from Malmö Konsthall is the creative Möllan area, which is famous for its bar and restaurant scene. Malmö Brewing is the place to go for beer connoisseurs; the tap room and brewery has a wide selection of beers on tap and is a popular meeting place for the local craft beer community. Another nearby artisan space is also worth a visit: the Malmö Chocolate Factory. Malmö has been famous for its chocolate-making since the 19th century, when the Mazzetti factory opened here, and the Chocolate Factory carries on this tradition. Make sure you buy a delicious souvenir in its shop, but note that it’s closed on Sundays and Mondays.

Evening

For dinner, Mineral is a good option. The vegetarian restaurant is close to Möllan but in a quieter, more residential area, and has a great selection of natural wines. The food menu has innovative takes on simple ingredients, featuring dishes such as dumplings made from jerusalem artichokes, and a beetroot tartare. If you’re not hungry, just relax with a glass of orange wine and some snacks and enjoy Mineral’s continental, laid-back vibe. In the summertime, the restaurant’s outdoor area is one of the nicest places to relax in the city. End the night at live music venue and nightclub KB or bar and nightclub Grand, both of which are within easy walking distance from Mineral.

Morning

Ease into your Sunday with breakfast at the iconic Malmö café Hollandia, which has an extensive selection of pastries and cakes but also makes delicious sandwiches. Note that it is open from 9am on weekends. The opulent, historic interior gives the patisserie its charm, but the cakes and sandwiches more than live up to the surroundings. Follow the breakfast with a sightseeing tour by boat around Malmö’s canals to see the city from a different perspective.

Afternoon

Ribersborgs Kallbadhus, called Kallis by locals, is a gorgeous old-fashioned open-air bathhouse by the beach in Malmö. A scenic twenty-minute walk from the centre of town, it’s a must-visit in the summertime, but Swedes famously come here to swim all year round. Bathing suits are optional and if you visit in autumn or winter, you can have an authentic Swedish bathing experience: jump into the freezing water and run straight into one of Kallis’ five saunas (two each on the men’s and women’s sides, and one mixed). It’s a reviving, life-affirming experience that will stay with you. Kallis is open year-round and also has its own restaurant.

Evening

Cinema Spegeln has been located on Malmö’s largest square, Stortorget, since 1934 (though it has had many different names). In 2014, it became the first cinema bar in Sweden, and it’s a great spot to end the weekend. Make sure to book tickets for Spegeln’s Bar Deco, an Art Deco cinema salon where you can eat and drink while watching the film. The salon seats 30 and has comfy armchairs and small tables for food, which ranges from mussels in wine served with potatoes to wild boar ragu. You can also order less-formal comfort food, like a sweet potato chilli or a caesar salad. A second salon, Salong Camera, also has food options, but with a focus on cheese and meat boards. Bar Deco also serves wine, beer and spirits, and the salon bar is open throughout the film. It’s the perfect way to wind down after a weekend of sightseeing and discovering Malmö.

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