Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Swedish Destinations Not to Miss in 2017
Photo: Louise Nordström Pettersson
Enjoy an active holiday in southwest Sweden There are plenty of reasons for booking a trip to the coastal town of Båstad and the peninsula of Bjärehalvön this year. The region offers everything you need for an active holiday: tennis, golf, sailing, and excellent conditions for hiking and biking.
ways to relax and unwind. The region has two spa hotels – Torekov Hotel and Hotel Skansen – and a long tradition.
By Ellinor Thunberg
“As a complement to hiking and biking, we also have hotels where you can take care of your health and wellness. Båstad is an old health resort and people have been coming here for that reason ever since the early 20th century,” says Svensson.
You do not have to be a professional to enjoy hiking or biking in the region around the peninsula of Bjärehalvön, where stunning nature leads the way. “We have amazing hiking trails here at Bjärehalvön: Skåneleden along the coast and peninsula, but also two trails leading across Hallandsåsen, plus a number of shorter routes. There is something for everyone and I specifically recommend my own favourite trail, Grevie Backar. It feels like stepping into a hobbit world in Lord of the Rings,” says Gunilla Svensson at Båstad Tourism & Trade. She paints a beautiful picture of hiking from boulder ridges and remains from 80 | Issue 96 | January 2017
the Ice Age to green hills, small creeks and beech woods, where pasque flowers bloom in spring. In fact, the varied scenery is seen in many places around the area, with everything from dramatic landscapes and hills to lush forests. Some might say it even reminds them of Italy. “We have a stretch of road called the Italian road. It got its name because it, just like Italian serpentine roads, winds up the mountain with views of the sea,” she says.
Spa and wellness After a day of al fresco activities, it is good to know that there are plenty of
The healthy lifestyle is accompanied by good local food, and spring is a particularly good time to visit if you want to enjoy the fresh spring vegetables and early new potatoes. “Many visitors come here just to eat the early spring vegetables,” Svensson adds. Food walks and classes including sausage making are also on offer in the region, for instance at Lindegrens farm. Their cattle, of the old breed Rödkulla,