When I close my eyes and imagine idyllic summer days, I think of blue skies, and sunshine, trees blowing in a gentle breeze, picnics, ice cream, afternoon naps and a dip in the sea to cool down. I found all this and more in Skåne. I am beyond grateful to Visit Skåne and Vejbystrand Hostel for inviting my Mum and I to experience this wonderful corner of South West Sweden for a few days in late June and I’m really excited to share my favourite experiences with you!
Villa Sigrid, where we stayed was absolutely perfect. There was so much to do, see and eat, but overall, it was the relaxed and welcoming vibe from the people and environment that we loved. We were pleasantly surprised to hear everyone around us speaking Swedish not English. This very much feels like a locals place, a secret they treasure but are equally happy to share. With an abundance of natural beauty, culinary and cultural experiences, it’s hard to choose a few reasons why Skåne is amazing, but I’ll give it my best shot:
1. Amazing beaches
Nothing says summer like a day at the beach! Sand in your toes, sun on your skin, the water dancing in the sunlight, fish and chips, ice cream, a glass of rosé with lunch and the horizon stretching out as far as the eye can see. Our cottage was situated in the town of Vejbystrand, which has an amazing white sandy beach. 5 minutes walk, or less on a bike, and you are there with everything you need. We loved our local beach and our fave was heading there during golden hour to watch the sunset. This could possibly be the highlight of the trip for me, sharing sunset swims with my Mum, more on this later! Also a great place for morning runs!
2. Fun at the lake
I’m a water baby at heart and being in, on or near the water brings me so much joy! Vastersjon lake is a 20 minute drive from Vejbystrand. In the same time it takes me to get from my house in London to the tube station, we went from the seaside to a lake with a beautiful drive through farmland and forests. How dreamy is that?! We bought a picnic lunch from the local supermarket and found a place where you can rent canoes (on an honesty box system) and swim in silky, smooth, clean lake water. To me, this is paradise!
3. A culinary experience
Skåne is peppered with the cutest and most delicious local places to eat. From farm shops to fika cafes and fish restaurants to pizza places. Food is super important to me when I travel because I want to maintain a healthy lifestyle and eat delicious, nutritious food, with a few treats! We dined on fresh fish, vegetables and ice cream, whilst making breakfasts and lunches in our cottage. Our favourite places were Mölle Krukmakeri, Ransvik Havsveranda and Bjare Fisk & Skaldjur.
4. Perfect place to chill
The last two months have felt pretty non-stop. I love my work and I’ve had some incredible experiences recently from organising my annual 24 hour London to Paris cycling challenge with 150 people, running a half marathon with my Special K team, and cycling 500 miles around the North Coast of Scotland, but after all that I really needed to chill. Five days in Skåne staying at Villa Sigrid with my Mum was just the ticket and extra special to celebrate her birthday here together!
Waking up with sun filtering through the windows, knowing we didn’t have to do anything, but with a sense of excitement for how the day could unfold, was divine! It was all so amazing and we spoke a lot about how much we’d love to bring my brother and his family here another time. This relaxed and welcoming part of the world gives you the space and freedom to do as much or as little as you’d like and enjoy it at your own pace.
One day we drove to Mölle on the Kullaberg Peninsula. Ate lunch at a restaurant right on the sea before exploring the stunning nature reserve and Kullaberg Lighthouse. We stopped for fika (cake) at a pottery cafe with birds and live music and on the way home we found our favourite restaurant, ate delicious fish and chips and went for an evening swim before settling into our cosy cottage for peaceful nights sleep. What memories!
5. Cycling, running and hiking routes
I love to keep active, especially when on holiday so I can eat more ice cream! There are 1000km of cycling routes along the coast in Skåne. Flat, scenic coastal roads with no cars. I rented a bike and cruised at a leisurely speed to get to know the area. This is how I discovered the Bjare fish restaurant that we loved and went to twice! If hiking is more your thing, visit the Kullaberg Nature reserve or Hovs Hallar Nature Reserve – you really can’t go wrong with the views around here! I always pack my running shoes when I travel as I love a morning run, and with trails right along the beach, it’s a perfect place to do that.
6. Golden Hour
Sunsets amaze me: they happen every day, are always different and completely free for us to experience. Of all the memories I have from our days in Skåne, watching the sunset on the beach with my Mum and going for sunset swims tops it all.
As I travel back to London, my heart is full with beautiful memories that I will keep with me forever. I read somewhere that Skåne is the type of place you’ll want to experience over and over again and I couldn’t agree more.
This trip was gifted by Visit Skåne.
To help you plan your trip:
Vejbystrands Hostel and Villa Sigrid:
https://www.vejbystrandsvandrarhem.se
https://www.vejbystrandsvandrarhem.se/en/villa-sigrid/
Bike rental:
https://travelshop.se/en/shop/produkter/bokningsbara-produkter/hyrcyklar
Kullaberg Nature Reserve:
http://www.kullabergsnatur.se/En/Pages/default.aspx
Hiking Info:
Skane:
Coastal Adventure Guides:
https://www.kullabergsguiderna.se/en/visit-kullaberg/
Canoe and camping adventures:
https://www.kanotcentralen.se/sv
Visit the Kilppan Factory Shop for amazing designer wool blankets heavily discounted! https://klippanyllefabrik.se/
Places to eat:
Ransviks Havsveranda in Mölle: https://www.facebook.com/ransvik.se/
Mölle Krukmakeri Pottery, Fika Cafe + Pizza: https://www.mollekrukmakeri.se/
How to get there:
1hr 50 min flight from London to Copenhagen, 25 minute train from Copenhagen to Malmö, Sweden. We rented a car and it’s a 1 hour drive from Malmö to Vejbystrand. Hassle-free journey!
Feel free to leave me a comment with any questions, suggestions or just to say hi. I love hearing from you and will reply!