Cycling along the canal, enjoying brunch spots with friends and indulging in all the Danish culture at the museums and castles are just a few wonderful things I did when I went on holiday to Copenhagen last month. However, one drawback of Denmark’s capital city is how busy it is, particularly when going to Nyhavn, famously known for its row of brightly coloured houses. 

Keen to explore the surrounding areas further from the city, I came across three cities that caught my eye, which turned out to be in another country, but they were not too far. These three cities were Helsingborg, Lund and Malmö, all located in Sweden and places that I hadn’t heard much about. Of these three places, it was Malmö that really appealed to me, and it was just 25 minutes away from Copenhagen.

Malmö is Sweden’s third-largest city and is connected to Copenhagen by the mighty Øresund Bridge (road and tunnel route) that spans 8km across the Øresund Strait.

The city boasts the perfect contrast of the old and the new, and is jam-packed with Dutch Renaissance buildings in the Old Town, as well as modern buildings along the waterfront.

To head to Malmö, I decided to take a guided tour to help me learn about the culture and the best spots to visit here.

The first stop in Malmö was Stortorget, a large square in the heart of the city where a mighty statue of King Karl X Gustav dominates, and there’s a lovely fountain as well. The square is surrounded by interesting historical buildings, including the town hall and a former palace.

Just a five-minute walk away led me to Gamlla Staden, a beautiful little medieval square. A lively hub for the stylish and sociable, this place is compact, picturesque and brimming with bars, restaurants and cafes. 

Built in 1592 as a market square, the mainly pedestrianised cobbled precinct is ringed by timbered houses and dining terraces and is a great spot for people-watching.

I got here in the late afternoon when people were enjoying a drink and having a stroll. It’s a good time of day to appreciate the architecture in relative quietness, especially when the sun comes out to say hello halfway through, which it did that day.

Just like in Copenhagen, many people living here are reliant on bikes, walking or public transport to get around.

Moving out of the centre of Malmö to Västra Hamnen, this is a new and ultra-modern district that was once a former shipyard area right beside the sea.

It was here that I visited one of Malmö’s most popular landmarks, the Turning Torso skyscraper. It is a fascinating architectural highlight that impresses with its unique design. 

For photography fans, it is a perfect subject that always offers new impressions from different perspectives. The surrounding area is just as beautiful and invites you to take a walk around.

Before leaving Malmö, I went to the Öresundsbron viewpoint, which is located close to the Øresund bridge. It’s a fantastic place to soak up the wonderful views of the sea and the bridge, particularly while the sun is still out.