Plan the Best Day Trip to Malmo From Copenhagen

Malmö and Lund are two amazing destinations in Sweden that you can easily visit in one day. I took a day trip to Malmo from Copenhagen and then ventured over to Lund afterwards for the perfect day in Sweden. Follow the travel plans that I showcase here to enjoy really fun urban adventures for the day.

I visited Malmo and Lund on a day trip from Copenhagen. During my time in Denmark, I spent three days in Copenhagen, as well as one day in Malmo and Lund. It’s simple to travel to two countries in one trip, experiencing three exciting destinations on the way.

In this Lund and Malmo travel guide, I’ll tell you everything you need to know for your self-guided day trip excursion. This includes an easy transportation guide, the best things to do in Malmo and Lund, and how to spend the best day in both places before returning to Copenhagen.

How to Get From Copenhagen to Malmo

There are a few different modes of transportation to consider when planning a day trip to Malmo from Copenhagen. First, and easiest, if you have a car, drive across the Oresund Bridge to travel between Copenhagen and Malmo. It’s the longest combined road and rail bridge in Europe.

However, you might want to rethink driving across the bridge as the bridge toll is super expensive at €61 (DKK 455, SEK 683). If you’re going to be driving back and forth a whole bunch of times, I recommend purchasing a Bropas (bridge pass). It’s €48 (DKK 359) per year and you’ll pay less than half price for the crossing with the bridge pass.

If you are thinking about taking a road trip around Denmark and Sweden, consider renting a car. I love using Discover Cars to find the best rates on car rentals. Compare car rental prices between the various companies to find the best prices. Browse and book your car rental here.

The Best Way to Get From Copenhagen to Malmo

If you’re looking how to get from Copenhagen to Malmo, the fastest and most cost effective way is by train. I bought my train tickets locally from a ticket booth, and the prices start at approximately €12 (SEK 144, DKK 96).

The train stops at various locations around Copenhagen, as well as the Copenhagen Kastrup Airport. It takes about 35 minutes to get from Copenhagen to Malmo from the airport, and you can depart the train right in town.

If you’ve purchased the Copenhagen City Card (and I highly recommend that you do!), all transportation costs within Copenhagen itself are covered. This includes the trip to the Copenhagen Airport. I recommend using your city card to get to the Copenhagen Airport, and then purchase your ticket to Malmo from there.

Be Prepared for Possible Passport Checks

It’s really important to bring your passport with you when you travel between Copenhagen and Malmo. There can be passport checks on the train in Denmark before you enter Sweden. If you forget your passport, you may be denied entry to Sweden.

When I went on my Malmo day trip, our train stopped for passport checks. However, no one came into our train car to check the passports. So, I could have gotten away with not bringing my passport, but it’s not worth the risk.

Strict passport checks between the countries ended in 2017 (might be the reason why mine was not checked), but there’s always the possibility that they could be reinstated or happen on occasion.

Other Ways to Visit Malmo From Copenhagen

If you’re looking to get from the Copenhagen Airport to the Malmo Airport, there’s a bus that connects both destinations. Traveling by bus is the cheapest form of transportation for a one way trip. The bus takes about 1 hour 15 minutes to get downtown, so it’s significantly slower than taking the train.

To reach the Malmo Airport, it takes over 2 hours from the Copenhagen Airport. There are over 20 buses a day, operated by Flixbus and Nettbuss.

If you don’t want to go to Malmo on your own, you can book a guided tour of Malmo and Lund from Copenhagen if you want to experience both cities in nine hours. You’ll tour both Lund and Malmo, take a ferry trip past the Øresund, visit Hamlet’s Castle and have some free time in Helsingør.

Things to Do in Malmo in a Day

Alright, so you’re taking a day trip to Malmo from Copenhagen. What kinds of things are there to do in Malmo? How will you spend your day in Malmo? Malmo is the third largest city in Sweden, and one of the most eclectic places in the country.

It’s a combination of both the old and the new, with fascinating historical buildings and modern architecture. Malmo was once owned by Denmark, eventually becoming Swedish in 1658. Here are all the things to do in Malmo when taking a Malmo day trip from Copenhagen.

Stortorget

Stortorget is the main square in Malmo, developed back in 1540. It’s the largest and the oldest square in Malmo. When visiting Malmo in a day, you really can’t miss it.

There’s a good chance that you’ll wander through Stortorget at least once. Take some time to admire the buildings and statues in Stortorget, or perhaps you’ll visit during a town festival.

You’ll notice the huge equestrian statue of King Karl X Gustav who conquered former Danish provinces and united them with the Swedish empire in 1658. This statue lies in the middle of the square as a main focal point.

Another main building of Stortorget is the Malmö Rådhus, or historic town hall building. It was constructed in 1544-1547 with a new facade in 1860 in the Dutch Renaissance style.

Lilla Torg

Across the way from Stortorget is Lilla Torg, a smaller market square created in 1590. There are cute homes, restaurants with outdoor patios, and cozy shops around the edge of the square.

Gamla Väster

As you continue to walk around Old Town Malmo (Gamla Staden), you’ll come upon the Gamla Väster district in the west part of the old town. It’s a very picturesque area of town with many old, cozy houses.

Take a wander around each quiet street to admire the colorful cottages. I simply love old town areas of Europe, so a visit to Gamla Staden and Gamla Vaster made this day trip to Malmo from Copenhagen totally worth it.

Södergatan

Sodergatan is the main shopping street in Malmo where you’ll find all kinds of unique souvenirs and cozy items for your home. While you might be familiar with the Danish term, hygge, there’s another Swedish lifestyle buzz word: lagom.

While hygge (pronounced “hooga”) is all about relaxing and enjoying life’s little pleasures, often in a cozy environment, lagom essentially means “everything in moderation”. It’s all about finding a balance to stay healthy and happy.

Whether you seek hygge, lagom, or any other ideas denoting coziness and balance, you might find some products to assist your journey at Sodergatan. I loved browsing the shops and finding a few things that would easily fit into my suitcase to bring home with me.

St. Peter’s Church (St. Petri)

St. Peter’s Church is the oldest church in Malmo. It’s a brick Gothic church built in the 14th century. The interior of the church is very minimalist and whitewashed, giving an airy and bright sensation throughout the building. The altarpiece of the church is one of the biggest in the Nordic countries.

There are some very intriguing medieval frescos inside the church from the 1400s and 1500s. They’re very well preserved, covering both religious and secular themes across the walls and the ceiling. St. Peter’s Church is free to visit, simply wander inside to take a peek.

Malmo Castle (Malmöhus Castle)

One of the main attractions in Malmo is the Malmo Castle. I recommend walking around the castle grounds from the exterior if you have a chance. I didn’t go into the castle because it isn’t a museum devoted to the castle itself.

There’s a natural history museum and an aquarium inside Malmo Castle, and it costs 40 SEK (€4) to enter. I don’t believe in keeping animals or fish in captivity in this way, so I didn’t venture bother visiting.

However, there may be some interesting temporary exhibitions about art or history topics during your visit. Research this ahead of time to see if it’s worth visiting the Malmo Museum inside the castle.

Kungsparken (King’s Park) & Slottsträdgården (Castle Garden)

I visited Malmo in March, so I didn’t spend much time checking out the parks and gardens in the winter. However, if you’re visiting from spring through fall, it’s worth taking a look. You’ll find all of these parks around the Malmo Castle.

An interesting landmark in Malmo is the Slottsmöllan or Castle Mill. You’ll likely see this giant windmill from afar. The Castle Mill was built in 1851 and used up until 1945.

Breakfast or Lunch at Lotta Love Superfoodbar

I recommend stopping by the Lotta Love Superfoodbar for breakfast or lunch in Malmo. They specialize in acai bowls, various toasts (hummus, smashed avocado and others), and vegan lunches. They serve healthy vegan food and raw desserts.

When you travel to Sweden, I recommend bringing your credit card. Don’t even bother bringing cash with you. Almost every restaurant, cafe, or shop had signs up in the window that they were “cashless”, only accepting payment via cards.

I learned this the hard way at Lotta Love, first thing in the morning in Malmo. Unfortunately, my credit card company thought there was suspicious activity on my card and put a hold on it.

I wasn’t able to use my credit card all day throughout my adventures in Malmo and Lund, until their offices opened back at home in Canada (which was midday in Sweden). Thankfully, the lovely staff at Lotta Love accepted some of the cash that I had on hand in place of a credit card payment, due to my predicament. (Thank you so much for doing that!).

More Things to Do in Malmo, Sweden

There are many more Malmo attractions if you find yourself with more than a couple of hours in the city. Here are some more things to do in Malmo:

Where to stay in Malmo

If you decide to stay in Malmo for the night, I recommend staying at Hotel Garden. It’s right in Old Town, near all the main attractions and shopping streets for the perfect location. Hotel Garden is only 250 meters from Stortorget, and a five minute walk from Malmo Central Station.

Getting to Lund From Malmo

It’s easy to get to Lund from Malmo. Hop back on the train and it’s only a 15 minute train ride away. There are many trains running between Malmo and Lund every day, so it’s not something you need to book in advance. Just buy your ticket at the station.

Things to Do in Lund for a Day

Continuing on our day trip to Malmo from Copenhagen, we’re off to the town of Lund, Sweden. I can’t say whether or not I enjoyed Malmo or Lund more, but there’s really something that’s so charming about Lund. There’s history, historic streets, and it’s a university town with hip vibes.

It’s wonderful that it is possible to include both Malmo and Lund on the same day trip. Of course, you could easily fill a day with activities and attractions from either place, though I found it best to spend a half day in Malmo and a half day in Lund.

Lund Cathedral

The Lund Cathedral is one of the main attractions in Lund. Construction on this church began back in 1085, and there are still some surviving parts from the 1100s. The Lund Cathedral contrasts St. Peter’s Church in Malmo; it’s very dark inside with very little light passing through its windows.

Dating back to 1123, take a trip down to see the crypt of the Lund Cathedral. There are many massive pillars all around the crypt. The most iconic one has a statue of a man next to it; local legend states that it depicts Finn the Giant, who built the church.

You also can’t miss visiting Horologium mirabile Lundense, or the Lund astronomical clock inside the Lund Cathedral. It dates back to 1425 and was restored in 1923. The astronomical clock chimes twice daily, and it’s in perfect working order.

Lund University

I really love wandering around old universities when I travel, and Lund is no exception. Walking around the university property allows you to feel like part of a bustling university community while viewing magnificent architecture.

There’s one building, Kungshuset, that looks like a castle. It translates to mean “King’s House”. It was built by Danish King Frederick II in the 1500s and was meant to be a residence for the bishop of Lund. Back in 1688, King Charles XI of Sweden donated the building to the university.

Also on campus, you can visit the Lund University Historical Museum to see multiple exhibits featuring classic antiques, a cabinet of curiosities, medieval church art, and so much more. Admission is 50 SEK.

Historic Streets of Lund

When you travel to Lund, make sure to spend some time wandering around its cobblestone streets. Established back in 900, Lund is one of Sweden’s oldest cities and it feels like stepping back into another time.

There are many half-timbered houses and colorful buildings all around. Be sure to go for a wander and snap some photos along the way.

Lund Stortorget

The Stortorget, or main square, in Lund is the center of the town’s activity. There are restaurants and cafes facing the Stortorget. When I visited Lund, there were all kinds of little wicker huts set up in the main square.

I’m not sure what they were for (maybe for kids to play inside?), but it looked rather cute, especially as it just started to snow. Perhaps there are other festivals and events in Lund’s Stortorget in other months of the year. Let me know if you’ve visited during any unique events in town!

Lund Botanical Garden

I visited Lund in March and didn’t visit the botanical garden, although there are greenhouses that are open all long. There are 7000 species of plants here. When I return to Lund, I’d love to see the plants and flowers of the botanical garden as I hear it’s a spectacular and relaxing attraction in town.

Have Lunch (or Fika!) in Lund

When I traveled to Lund, I dined at a vegan cafe for lunch called Truefood Plant Based Cafe. Sadly, this cafe has since closed. It was the only vegan restaurant at the time in Lund. I am happy to report that there are now several vegan restaurants in Lund to choose from, and I’ll list them here for you.

Seeking fika? Fika in Sweden is all about taking a coffee break with your family or friends, having a sweet treat to go with your coffee or tea. Minù is a vegan cafe with a large selection of desserts that’s the perfect place for fika.

The Herbivore is an entirely vegan restaurant and cocktail bar with plant-based adaptations of classic comfort dishes. Try the seitan wings, ramen, tempeh burger or pad Thai. There’s a little something for every taste.

Hummus Bar is a vegetarian restaurant with vegan offerings featuring, you guessed it, hummus. Order falafel, a variety of hummus bowls with different toppings, and their refreshing mint lemonade.

Where to stay in Lund

For a place to stay in Lund, if you decide to spend the night, I recommend the Forenom Aparthotel Lund. It’s steps away from the Lund University and the Lund Cathedral. Plus, you’ll have your very own private, modern kitchen facilities.

Day Trip to Malmo From Copenhagen: Quick Tips

When you’re on a day trip to Malmo from Copenhagen, it’s important to remember that you’re visiting two countries. Therefore, both countries have different currencies (Danish krone and Swedish krona).

However, many places in Malmo and Lund don’t accept cash. It’s not necessary to switch over Danish krone to Swedish krona if you put everything on your credit card. I personally recommend simply using your credit card for all transactions in both countries.

Remember to bring your passport. While they aren’t as strict with passport control anymore, you never know if your passport might be checked as you enter Sweden or Denmark. Take it along with you just to be safe.

I highly recommend taking a day trip to Malmo from Copenhagen. You can visit both Malmo and Lund, Sweden in a day, making it back in Copenhagen for dinner time if you wish. Even if you simply wander the streets and admire some historic sites around town, it’s definitely worth the trip. Have fun in Malmo and Lund!