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Malmö

Malmö – the gateway to Sweden. Malmö is where Sweden begins.

Malmö

About Malmö

Malmö was a small fishing village, that turned into an industrial hub, that turned into a young and international city of experiences. The compact city centre not only offers a pleasant atmosphere, it also makes it possible to experience the whole city in one day.

Some of Malmös unique qualities include:

  • Shops are open 362/365 days.
  • The Malmö University hosts about 24,000 students from all over the world.
  • Half of Malmös residents are younger than 35 and about 150 languages buzz in the air.
  • It is well known that Malmö is a multicultural city – out of 350,000 residents, Malmö has more than 180 nationalities represented.
  • Malmö is one of the world’s top 10 bike cities and rental bike stations are everywhere.

There is great access to cuisines from all around the world in the city. Last year, National Geographic named Malmö a “UN of food”. Visit the new Market Hall (Malmö Saluhall) to savour global and local flavours. It’s located between downtown and the renowned Western Harbor eco-district.

Welcome to Malmö!

What makes Malmö, Sweden a Sustainable Place?

Micael Nord, Business Director – City of Malmö

Malmö – committed to a sustainable future.

“As one both living and working in Malmö – I love to see how the city works towards being a model for the future, deeply committed to advancing environmental stewardship and sustainable development. The city’s steadfast dedication to achieving carbon neutrality by 2030 is one testament to our proactive approach in mitigating climate change. The Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda are the blueprint to achieve a better future for us all, and Malmö is fully onboard.

We who work for the city itself don’t just try and make the city itself more adapted to the future, but also strive to make the choices towards sustainability easier for all who live and work here!

For instance, one thing central to Malmö’s sustainability agenda, is the city’s robust public transportation infrastructure. The integration of buses, trains and bicycles facilitate a paradigm shift towards reducing reliance on individual vehicles, thereby curbing carbon emissions, and promoting eco-friendly mobility solutions.

Our urban planning strategies emphasise green spaces and parks, not merely as aesthetic features but as vital contributors to biodiversity and air quality improvement. Concurrently, the city’s architectural landscape prioritises eco-conscious designs and energy-efficient structures, exemplifying a commitment to sustainable building practices. For instance, the widely renowned Western Harbour area stands as a great example of this. Green roofs, water recycling and waste-to-energy management underscore our ethos of resource optimisation and commitment to making better choices easier for all.

The success of Malmö’s sustainability initiatives is rooted in a culture of civic engagement and awareness. The collaborative efforts of governmental bodies, businesses, and the community at large foster a collective responsibility for environmental preservation and sustainability. And thus – social sustainability is also high up on our agenda and has been for a long time. The independent Commission for a Socially Sustainable Malmö, or the “Malmö Commission” with specific areas of expertise within the domains of social sciences, health economy, urban studies and the city itself finished their work already in 2013. The work that started then lay one of the foundations for the renewed work on various social challenges we face today and onwards.

The city itself works as a testbed for various environmental – and socially sustainable projects in many areas and cleantech and circular economy are staples in our trade – and industry thinking. Among the many innovative commercial businesses in our city, you as a consumer can contribute without effort – from shopping second-hand, eating in restaurants that provide high dining based on food that would otherwise have been wasted to stores that sell unpackaged foods and a multitude of recycling options – the choice to sustain a better future have never been easier than they are in our city.

We continue our ongoing work to make Malmö stand as an example of the impact achievable through concerted efforts for cities worldwide seeking to embrace eco – and socially conscious practices for a more sustainable future. Welcome to Malmö!”

See it for yourself

Malmö Gallery

Malmö

Quick Facts

When to Visit Sustainably

Suggested Season

Time Zone

(GMT+1)

How to Get There: Fast / Slow

Currency

The monetary unit in Sweden is the krona (SEK). Please note that many shops, museums and restaurants now only accept credit cards or mobile payments. Major credit cards (some restriction may apply to American Express) are widely accepted throughout Sweden at banks, hotels, stores, restaurants, taxis, car rental companies, and for air, ship and rail tickets.

Tipping Etiquette

Tipping in Sweden isn't as established as in many other countries. It's always welcomed but not expected.

Your Peace of Mind

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Sustainable Highlights

  • Västra Hamnen

    Västra Hamnen or ‘The Western Harbour’ in English, is a sustainable neighbourhood with its famous skyscraper Turning Torso. Go here for stunning views of the city beach and the Öresund bridge. Bo01 was the starting point for the new district of the Western Harbor, located on old industrial and harbour land north of the natural shoreline. The area contains housing, various businesses, a high school and university. About 9000 people live in the Western Harbor today. The “Sundspromenaden” has become one of the Malmö inhabitants’ favourite summer strolls. Here is the spectacular Ralph Erskine House and a harbour with about fourty moorings where also some houseboats are moored. If you walk past the “Daniaparken” you come to the Ribersborg beach. When visiting Västra Hamnen you will not miss Turning Torso, designed by the Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava.

  • Book a boat

    Explore Malmö by going on the canal in an environmental friendly electric boat. Bring your own picnic and something nice to drink and enjoy the nice summer with family and friends!

  • Disgusting Food Museum

    Food is so much more than sustenance. Curious foods from exotic cultures have always fascinated us. Unfamiliar foods can be delicious, or they can be more of an acquired taste. While cultural differences often separate us and create boundaries, food can also connect us. Sharing a meal is the best way to turn strangers into friends. Disgusting Food Museum invites visitors to explore the world of food and challenge their notions of what is and what isn’t edible. Could changing our ideas of disgust help us embrace the environmentally sustainable foods of the future? The exhibit has 80 of the world’s most disgusting foods. Adventurous visitors will appreciate the opportunity to smell and taste some of these notorious foods.

  • Malmö All-Included Bike Tour

    People will always want to travel, visit, and explore new places in the world. When thinking of sustainable tourism, one usually thinks of the journey to the destination and how the journey can be more sustainable. When you arrive at your destination you are dependent on what is offered, sights, accommodation, transportation, and other experiences. Most often the sights are in the city centre and the few others struggle with attracting visitors. That is why it is so important for a destination to have sustainable products to offer and show what there is to see outside the city centre. Malmö’s ambition with this bike tour is that the citizens of Malmö feel included. And they hope you feel included as well.  This tour is sold by Travelshop in Malmö.

  • Explore Malmö by bike

    Malmö is linked by 560 kilometers of bicycle paths, containing more bicycle pathways than any other Swedish city. Bicycling in Malmö is on the rise, increasing steadily over the last decade, with some 26 percent of total transport occurring on a bicycle. In many intersections in Malmö a sensor system has been installed to grant cyclists priority.  As cyclists approach an intersection, which is not already crowded by car traffic, the lights quickly turn green to favour the cyclist. Malmö has also installed special paper baskets designed for cyclists, bicycle tire pumps and bicycle counters along the vast bicycle path system in the city, so it’s easy to go by bike in Malmö.

  • Ribersborgs Kallbadhus/open-air-bath

    Looking for unique things to do in Malmö? Ribersborgs Kallbadhus, or Kallis as the locals call it, will be a memorable experience. This open air-bath is an oasis for both locals and visitors wanting to experience Swedish traditions such as sauna bathing and ice-swimming. The building is an interesting example of Swedish architecture from the late 19th century, and it is a must-visit for anyone wishing to experience Swedish traditions in tune with nature. There are five saunas, two sea water pools, two wood-fired hot tubs and a sun deck available here. The facilities are divided into two sections, for males and females, with one shared sauna. Kallis is open all year round – and for a truly Nordic style sauna experience, we recommend ice swimming in the winter. This is proved to enhance your mood as it increases endorphins in your body.

  • Restaurant Spill

    After working at the Michelin rewarded restaurant Daniel Berlin for over 10 years, Erik Andersson and Ellinor Lindblom decided to open their own lunch restaurant. Their goal is to change the food industry by making sustainable dishes out of a minimum of 70% food waste (most often more than 90%) – that otherwise would have been thrown away but still are perfectly fine to eat. Over time, Spill (a Swedish word for waste) has become the lunch joint to go for all office workers in the Dockan area. If you’re lucky, there are nice fruits in the fridge to enjoy for dessert or to bring home – you simply pay what they’re worth to you.

  • A Slice of Swedish Hospitality

    Learn a bit about Sweden – eat with locals. As a visitor, you would not normally be granted a peek behind the scenes of a country. In Skåne however, the south part of Sweden, A Slice of Swedish Hospitality offers visitors a unique chance to discover the everyday life of the area by having dinner with a local family. A Slice of Swedish Hospitality is simple – eat with locals. You can choose a Swedish host family and enjoy a dinner in their home. This will give you a chance to sample seasonal Swedish delicacies and your host’s own preferences in the kitchen and have a chat about everyday life.

  • Naturum Öresund

    Naturum (a room of the nature) can be found all over Sweden and acts as a gateway to your local nature. They are open to everyone and provide an opportunity for all ages to learn more about nature and the environment. In a Naturum you will learn more about the animals, plants, geology and cultural history that shaped the area you are in. At Naturum Öresund, they focus on the sea and life below the surface. Here, the Öresund’s fantastic diversity becomes visible and you can get to know the Öresund’s inhabitants by netting and snorkelling with them, or by exploring their interactive exhibition with aquariums, stereo magnifiers, VR snorkelling and much more.

  • Botildenborg

    Botildenborg is a prize-winning meeting place and an urban farm located in Malmö. As the social gastronomy hub of the Nordics, Botildenborg uses food and farming as tools to create a welcoming and extraordinary place for visitors drawn to gastronomic experiences that revolve around social and environmental sustainability. This newly preserved Malmö heritage is a unique place for having meetings, conferences and unforgettable farm-to-table events. The food is harvested fresh by the farmer Saba, only minutes before it’s served on shared plates presented by the creative chef. Botildenborg works with a lot of different projects and tries to contribute to the integration in Swedish society. At Botildenborg you can enjoy a tour in the Urban farming garden and a Swedish: “Fika”, (coffee and cake) or a nice lunch with homegrown vegetables harvested the same day you eat them.

Malmö

Where in the World?

A group of people holding their bikes in Malmö, Sweden

3 day Malmö Itinerary

  • Day 1

    Take a stroll and explore the city of Malmö, and go for lunch in Malmö Saluhall. Malmö ‘Saluhall’ Food market
    Before you leave visit St. Jakobs Stenugnsbageri and buy some coffee and newly baked ‘kanelbullar‘ cinnamon buns and bring them as a picnic to enjoy at your next stop. Take a boat trip on the canal by Electric Boat
    After the boat trip visit one of our museums in the city for example the Disgusting Food Museum. A museum you never will forget! The museum is about sustainability and culture and makes you start thinking about what we are eating. What you may think of as disgusting, someone else may think of it as a delicacy.
    For dinner, we’d suggest Johan P, BiSe, or Plocke-pinn.

  • Day 2

    Rent some bikes at Travelshop and explore Malmö by bike. Start by visiting the ‘Västra Hamnen’ Western harbour a new modern part of Malmö where everything is built sustainably.
    Lunch suggestion Fiskehoddorna, the small fisherman’s houses
    Follow the coastline and bike along the coast and enjoy the view of the bridge. In the evening visit the neighbourhood Möllevångstorget or Möllan as the locals say.
    You find a lot of nice restaurants like Lyran, Grand, Far i hatten, and Asino.
    Before the dinner visit Folkets Park. In summer we recommend you visit Mikkeller pop-up bar for a tipple.

  • Day 3

    Start the day by visiting Ribersborgs Kallbadhus, and have a unique experience taking a dip in the sea and sauna baths with a fantastic view of the sea, ice-cold sea baths in winter, refreshing baths in summer, wood-burning bathtubs and more.
    Take a stroll in one of Malmö’s lovely parks, for example, Slottsträdgården, where you can have a nice lunch at the Slottsträdgården Cafe.

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See it for yourself

Malmö Gallery

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