Skåne: Coasts, Hiking Trails and Culture

Skåne combines cliff-lined coasts and beaches with forests and lakes. It also offers museums, historic sites and hiking trails that pass through a wide variety of landscapes. To plan your trip, first consider whether you want to focus on nature, culture or both: the region offers plenty of ways to do so.

Coastal Views and Trails Through Nature

In Stenshuvud National Park, coastal hills, deciduous forest, heathland and beaches come together. Trails lead to viewpoints overlooking the sea. The highest peak is 97 metres high and offers a view across Hanö Bay; on a clear day, Bornholm is visible. Naturum Stenshuvud, the national park visitor centre, is located at the main entrance. It has an exhibition about the park, and staff are on hand to answer questions. Opening hours and visiting conditions can change, so it is worth checking the latest information before your visit.

At Kullaberg, you can also combine trails with the coast. Marked routes lead from the lighthouse at the tip of the peninsula towards Arild or Mölle, through lush deciduous forests and flower-filled pastures. Diving, snorkelling and kayaking are possible along the coast, although local rules and conditions may apply. Harbour porpoises can be spotted from the cliffs, but sightings are seasonal and not guaranteed. The shores of Hallands Väderö Nature Reserve provide nesting sites for seabirds; harbour seals are often seen on the rocks. Wildlife sightings like these also vary with the season.

If you are planning longer hikes, the Skåneleden offers a different way to explore than shorter circular trails. The hiking trail system runs throughout Skåne and covers 1,600 kilometres, six sub-trails and 113 orange-marked sections. The Skånska Landskap Foundation’s recreation areas also have 400 kilometres of trails of varying lengths and more than 100 circular routes, including paths through coastal meadows, ravines and beech forests. Information about Skåneleden may change; check the official hiking planner before your trip. The latest map is a useful planning resource for the trails in the recreation areas.

Historic Sites and Art

The region’s cultural history is reflected in a variety of sites. Trelleborgen is a partial reconstruction of the former Viking ring fortress that King Harald Bluetooth had built here in the 10th century; the town of Trelleborg is named after the fortress. Ales stenar is an Iron Age stone setting made up of 59 large boulders. Arranged in the shape of a 67-metre-long ship, they date from approximately 500 to 1000 AD. The two sites offer different perspectives: a reconstructed Viking fortress on the one hand, and a large stone ship formation on the other.

You can explore Glimmingehus on a guided tour or independently. The rooms have sensor-controlled information panels and a digital guide. There is also a museum, a visitor shop and Café Borggården, which is open seasonally. The east wing, known as the Roaster’s House, hosts workshops on medieval crafts and public activities. Dates may change, so check the current programme if you are interested.

There are several ways to discover art: Skissernas Museum houses the world’s largest collection of sketches and preliminary works for public art. Free public tours of the temporary exhibition and collection are offered every week in Swedish and English; they are included in the admission price. As the programme may change, it is worth checking the latest tour schedule. Wanås Konst combines a sculpture park featuring more than 50 permanent works by international contemporary artists with additional guest exhibitions. Kulturen in Lund, meanwhile, is an open-air museum with historic houses and gardens, as well as around twenty exhibitions on local and global culture.

On Ven, the Tycho Brahe Memorial Sites include archaeological remains of Uranienborg Castle and the Stjärneborg observatory, Uranienborg’s reconstructed Renaissance garden, and Allhelgonakyrkan church. The Tycho Brahe Museum presents the astronomer’s life and significance to the history of science through models, films and animations. You can reach Ven by ferry from Landskrona; once there, you can rent bicycles, including tandems and bikes with trailers or child seats. Check the latest ferry and rental options in advance.

Gardens, Exhibitions and Local Cuisine

Bosjökloster brings together 900 years of history, with exhibitions in the castle and outbuildings, animal enclosures and gardens by Lake Ringsjön. The park is also home to a thousand-year-old oak. Those interested in performing arts and crafts can find exhibitions on nature, animals, culture and art at Fredriksdal, as well as theatre performances and walking shows. Several types of courses and lectures are held there every year, on topics such as restoring historic windows, traditional garden care and cooking. Specific event dates may change.

Food culture is also part of Skåne’s character. Regional traditions include Spettekaka, goose, smoked eel, Äggakaka and herring prepared with a variety of seasonings. To make Spettekaka, batter is drizzled onto a rotating wooden spit. Traditionally, the cake was baked over an open fire; today, special rotating ovens are used. This single pastry shows how a traditional preparation method can coexist with a modern one.

Tailor Your Stay to Your Interests

When choosing a hotel in Skåne, it helps to start by prioritising the experiences you have planned. If hiking is the focus of your trip, the trails and landscapes described here may be the deciding factor; for a cultural stay, you might focus on museums, historic sites and art. If you want to combine the two, the region’s variety offers plenty of themes to shape your plans around. Check current opening hours and event dates for individual visits, as well as the transport connections you plan to use.

Discover More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Höganäs, Svalöv, Nymölla, Perstorp, Saxtorp, Örkelljunga, Eslöv, Malmö, Lund, Åstorp, Svedala, Burlöv, Bjuv, Hörby, Farhult, Landskrona, Ystad, Staffanstorp, Vellinge, Tomelilla, Bromölla, Ängelholm, Smedstorp, Osby, Båstad, Trelleborg, Simrishamn, Hässleholm, Skurup, Kristianstad, Kävlinge, Lomma, Sjöbo, Östra Göinge, Helsingborg, Falsterbo, Klippan, Glemmingebro and Höör.

For the main travel overview: Sweden.