Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Top Destinations to Visit in Sweden in 2018
Sofiero Castle. Press photo
Get the weekend vibe all week Charming, perfectly sized, and full of ways to just kick back and relax, Helsingborg is a small city at the foot of Sweden that truly offers the best of both worlds: urban shopping and dining experiences combined with sandy beaches, nature reserves and a ferry that takes you to Denmark in just 20 minutes. This is where culture vultures, nature lovers and weekend escapees meet to just unwind and enjoy life. By Linnea Dunne
“If you ask Swedes where they’d live if not in their current hometown, a huge amount of them say Helsingborg. And it’s funny, because some of them mightn’t even have been here – but there’s something about the location: the closeness to Denmark and the continent, and the fact that we’ve got a beach in the heart of town,” says Helen Långdahl, marketing coordinator at Visit Helsingborg. Indeed, the city is currently one of the fastest growing in Sweden, and it is already among the country’s ten biggest cities. But Långdahl insists that it does not feel that way. “Everything’s close,” she says. 46 | Issue 108 | January 2018
“It’s a city, yet small – it’s very manageable somehow. The town centre is charming, the shopping streets atmospheric; and we have great shopping with a range of boutiques and independent designers. Moreover, Helsingborg is one of Sweden’s most restaurant dense cities.” Långdahl talks about her hometown having ‘extra everything’, which makes a lot of sense as she describes the offering: a concert hall with its very own permanent symphony orchestra, an arena with countless big gigs and events, Dunkers culture house with everything from fasci-
nating art exhibitions to music and dance tuition – a buzzing culture offering, in other words. Culinary enthusiasts and those who like to kick back with a nice quality drink will also be spoilt for choice, not least considering the surrounding areas boast vineyards and micro-breweries as well as farm shops.
Unwind in nature Still, while Helsingborg sure has enough excitement and charm to keep you busy if you so wish, its real strength is in the relaxing effect it has on those who come here. “Because of our location down south, spring comes here before it comes to the rest of Sweden,” says Långdahl. “And spring is a really beautiful time here.” Sweden’s best visitor attraction according to TripAdvisor, Sofiero Castle makes the perfect destination for some springtime