Scan Magazineâ |â Special Themeâ |â Top Destinations to Visit in Sweden in 2019
Photo: Lisa Wikstrand
Sea baths, saunas, and superb shopping in Helsingborg, Sweden's buzzing big town Charming, perfectly sized, and full of ways to just kick back and relax, Helsingborg is a large town 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 three popular sea baths. This is where culture vultures, nature lovers and weekend escapees meet to just unwind and enjoy life. By Linnea Dunne
âIf you ask Swedes where theyâd live if not in their current hometown, a huge amount of them say Helsingborg. And itâs funny, because some of them mightnât even have been here â but thereâs something about the location: the closeness to Denmark and the continent, and the fact that weâve got a beach in the heart of the town,â says Helen Back, marketing coordinator at Visit Helsingborg. Complementing the town beach, and very much central to the town's identity, are three sea baths: RĂĽĂĽbaden to the south, the brand-new Kallis right by the beach in the town centre, and PĂĽlsjĂśbaden slightly further north. 50â |â Issue 120â |â January 2019
âThe sea bathing tradition here in Helsingborg goes back to the 1800s,â Back explains. âStill, early in the mornings, way into the late autumn and sometimes early winter, youâll see people strolling down to the sea baths in their bath robes for a cold morning dip followed by a sauna. It has plenty of health benefits too; a cold bath has the same effects on the body as a five-kilometre run!â She pauses. âThereâs something about the meetings that take place in our saunas⌠Youâre offline and completely naked, it doesnât matter what class youâre of or what clothes you have â in the sauna, everyoneâs equal.â
In fact, nature lovers are spoilt for choice in and around Helsingborg, including plenty of options for raising the pulse and reaping all the benefits of both fresh air and an active lifestyle. âBecause of our location down south, spring comes here before it comes to the rest of Sweden,â says Back. âAnd spring is a really beautiful time here.â If you are into walking, you will be able to really take it all in, thanks to the Kullaleden walking trail, which brings you all the way from Helsingborg up to Ăngelholm. If you prefer wheels, try Kattegattleden,
Photo: Lisa Wikstrand