Sweden - Becky Ohlsen [135]
Eating & Drinking
Book Café (134 03; Gåsegränd; Tue-Sat) Plunge into that Henning Mankell novel at this adorable cafe, complete with book-crammed living room, 18th-century courtyard, and a delicious array of focaccias, pastries and coffee.
Bröderna M (271 43; Hamngatan 11; pizzas Skr50-115) Relaxed and contemporary, this is your best bet for a decent pizza in Ystad. Upmarket varieties include a lip-licking bresaola, pecorino, rocket and roasted pine-nuts combo.
Bryggeriet (699 99; Långgatan 20; mains Skr80-190) Unique Bryggeriet is a relaxed meat-leaning restaurant-pub in an old brewery. The courtyard is an excellent spot to linger over a well-cooked meal and Ystad Färsköl, a beer brewed on the premises.
Store Thor (185 10; Stortorget; lunch around Skr85, mains Skr120-240; closed Sun winter) Ystad’s coolest spot to sip’n’sup, Store Thor occupies the arched cellar of the old town hall (1572). Nibble on tapas or tuck into succulent grilled meats and sterling dishes such as cognac raw-spiced salmon with dill-stewed potatoes. The square-side terrace is a hit with trendy summertime night owls.
Most budget eating places are on Stora Östergatan, the main pedestrian street, like busy Maltes Mackor (101 30; Mon-Sat) at No 12, with a great range of sandwiches and rolls. The Saluhallen (Stora Västergatan; 8am-8pm), behind the church, is handy for groceries. For alcohol, there’s Systembolaget (Stora Östergatan 13).
Entertainment
The extraordinary Ystads Teater (57 71 99; Skansgatan; tickets around Skr300) has remained virtually unchanged since opening in 1894 and its repertoire spans operas, musicals, tango and big-band gigs. Guided tours (usually in Swedish) of the building take place daily from late June to August. Contact the tourist office for details.
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INSPECTOR WALLANDER’S YSTAD
Fans of crime thrillers most likely know the name of Henning Mankell (1948–), author of the best-selling Inspector Wallander series. The books are set in the small, seemingly peaceful town of Ystad. The gloomy inspector paces its medieval streets, solving gruesome murders through his meticulous police work…but at a cost to his personal life, which is slowly and painfully disintegrating. The first book is Faceless Killers, but it’s generally agreed that Mankell really hit his stride in number four, The Man Who Smiled. Impressively, Mankell’s nail-biting stories have been translated into 36 languages.
Between 2005 and 2006, 13 Wallander films were shot in and around Ystad, starring Krister Henriksson in the lead role. The first, an adaptation of the latest Wallander novel, Before The Frost, is followed by 12 independent stories by Mankell. In 2008 a further 13 Wallander films were shot here, alongside a BBC-commissioned TV series starring Kenneth Branagh as Wallander.
Interactive film centre Cineteket (0411-57 70 57; www.cineteket.se; Elis Nilssons väg 8; adult/3-18yr/family Skr120/60/300; 10am-5pm mid-May–mid-Sep, times vary rest of year) runs guided tours at 11am daily (mid-May to mid-September) of the adjoining Ystad Studios, where sets include forensic detective Leif Nyberg’s laboratory and the inspector’s own apartment.
The Ystad tourist office provides a free map with featured locations in town. For a quirkier excursion around Wallander’s Ystad, the volunteer fire brigade runs tours on a veteran fire engine on Tuesday and Thursday evenings in Swedish and on Monday and Wednesday evenings in German, from late June to mid-August. Contact the tourist office for details, and book a few days in advance.
These days, Mankell spends much of his time in Maputo, Mozambique, where he juggles writing, running a theatre company and his AIDS education work. His wife, Eva Bergman, is the daughter of the late film director Ingmar Bergman.
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Getting There & Away
BOAT
Unity Line (55