Sweden - Becky Ohlsen [123]
ART & DESIGN
At the time of research, the extraordinary Rooseum (Gasverksgatan 22), a turbine hall turned contemporary art gallery, was shut indefinitely. Contact the tourist office for updates.
Malmö Konsthall (34 12 94; www.konsthall.malmo.se; St Johannesgatan 7; admission free; 11am-5pm, to 9pm Wed during exhibitions only), south of central Malmö, is one of Europe’s largest contemporary art spaces, with exhibitions spanning both Swedish and foreign talent.
Form/Design Center (664 51 50; Lilla Torg 9; admission free; 11am-5pm Tue, Wed & Fri, 11am-6pm Thu, 11am-4pm Sat & Sun) showcases cutting-edge design, architecture and art against the 16th-century Hedmanska Gården. Pore over design magazines in the cafe or bag Scandi-cool design, fabrics and toys in the gallery shop.
The surrounding cobbled streets are restored pockets of the late-medieval town; the half-timbered houses now house galleries and boutiques selling some brilliant arts and crafts.
For emerging, lesser-known and Scanian artists, check out Galleri PingPong (12 10 59; www.galleripingpong.se; Rådmansgatan 7; 3-6pm Thu & Fri, noon-4pm Sat during exhibitions) and Skånes Konstförening (10 33 80; www.skaneskonst.se; Brag-egatan 15/Ystadvägen 22; 1-5pm Wed-Fri, 1-4pm Sat during exhibitions).
UNUSUAL BUILDINGS
The northwest harbour redevelopment is home to the Turning Torso, a striking skyscraper that twists through 90 degrees from bottom to top. Designed by Spaniard Santiago Calatrava and inaugurated in 2005, it’s now Sweden’s tallest building (190m).
For vintage veneers, head for the statue of King Karl X Gustav in the centre of Stortorget and spin around (clockwise from the northwestern corner) to see the following buildings. Kockska Huset (1524) is a stately pile that mayor Jörgen Kock had built for himself; it’s where Gustav Vasa stayed when he dropped into town. There’s a top-notch restaurant (Årstiderna; Click here) in the vaults beneath. The County Governor’s Residence is a grand, stuccoed masterpiece built in the 19th century but with a deceptively Renaissance style. Next door Rådhuset (the city hall) was originally built in 1546, but has since been altered. At the southeastern corner of the square, the city’s oldest pharmacy, Apoteket Lejonet, flaunts an exquisite art-nouveau interior, with carved wooden shelves, antique medicinal bottles and a glass-plated ceiling. Founded in 1571, the business originally occupied Rosenvingeskahuset on Västergatan.
Just off Östergatan, St Gertrud Quarter is a cute cluster of 19 buildings from the 16th to 19th centuries, with the mandatory mix of cobbled walkways, restaurants and bars. Across the road, Thottska Huset is Malmö’s oldest half-timbered house (1558). It’s now a restaurant, so peek inside!
OTHER SIGHTS
Koggmuseet (33 08 00; www.koggmuseet.se, in Swedish; Skeppsbron 10; adult/6-15yr Skr40/20; 11am-4pm Jun-Aug, 11am-4pm Tue-Sun Sep-May) is a small museum about cogs (14th-century trading vessels), with two beautiful reconstructed medieval ships moored outside. Weather permitting, you can enjoy a sailing on the small cog (adult/child Skr30/20; noon & 2pm Tue-Fri Apr-Sep).
Run by the Red Cross, Humanitetens Hus (32 65 40; Drottningtorget 8; admission free; noon-8pm Tue, noon-4pm Wed-Fri) has poignant exhibitions on the theme of courage and responsibility. Among the permanent fixtures is one of 36 famous ‘white buses’ used by the Swedish Red Cross in WWII to save 20,000 people from concentration camps.
Family-friendly Folkets Park (Amiralsgatan 37; park 7am-8pm year-round, attractions noon-7pm May–mid-Aug) boasts a fairground, pony rides and reptile house (30 52 37; adult/5-14yr Skr60/30; 10am-5pm Mon-Fri, noon-6pm Sat & Sun May & Jun; 10am-7pm Mon-Fri, noon-7pm Sat & Sun Jul & Aug; 10am-5pm Mon-Fri, noon-5pm Sat & Sun Sep-Apr).
Activities
Ask the tourist office for the free cycling map Cykla i Malmö. Click here for bike rental information.
Partly reopened in late 2008, and due to fully reopen in summer 2009, the restored Aq-va-kul (30 05 40; www.aq-va-kul.com,