Båstad – Coastal Trails, Art and History

Båstad offers a range of options for your trip: paths near the coast, nature on Hallandsåsen, and themes of art and history in the town. If you’re looking for a hotel in Båstad, you can consider which of these interests you’d like to shape your stay. The trails vary in activity and route; the cultural sites tell stories of tennis, crafts and the town’s history.

Nature and trails around Båstad

Axelstorps skogar Nature Reserve lies south of Båstad on the northwestern slope of Hallandsåsen. Beech forest and stream ravines define the reserve’s landscape. The Axeltorpsslingan starts in Båstad; the nature reserve is a separate point of interest south of the town.

The routes described offer different options for cycling and hiking. Buktenleden is a 20-kilometre coastal mountain biking route between Båstad and Laholm. Kustslingan, by contrast, is a hiking trail close to the sea that loops around the eastern part of Båstad. These offer two different possibilities: a longer cycling route between two places and a trail around part of the town.

The cultural walk follows its own route: it passes through and around Båstad, from the old town district to Malenskogen. Lilla konstslingan is a public art trail through the town centre. When planning a tour, you can therefore choose between a coastal mountain biking route, a hiking trail by the eastern part of town, an art trail in the centre, and the cultural walk from the old town district to Malenskogen.

Art, tennis and the history of the town

Båstad’s older town layout is concentrated along Agardhsgatan, the square, Köpmansgatan and the harbour. It consists mainly of 19th-century buildings, with some buildings from the 18th century as well. Mariakyrkan was built in the mid-15th century. It bears witness to Båstad’s prosperity during the lucrative herring fishery of the 15th and 16th centuries. The church’s construction history and the fishery thus offer two points of reference for the town’s development.

Sveriges Tennismuseum in Båstad has collections of objects and documents covering the entire history of tennis in Sweden. Its main purpose is to document this history and make it accessible to the public. The museum offers a different cultural focus from the town’s historic buildings and trails: its focus is the development of tennis in Sweden.

Another cultural highlight is Märta Måås-Fjetterström’s studio in Båstad. Handwoven carpets and tapestries are made there. Together with the tennis museum and historic sites, the studio broadens the range of themes you can consider when planning a stay—from sports history and older town architecture to textile crafts.

Tourist information

Båstad Visitor Center & Shop at the harbour is open to visitors during the summer months. At other times of year, tourist information is available online and at an unattended visitor centre. When planning your travel dates, you can take these seasonal options for tourist information into account.

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