12 hours in Lund

At barely 20 minutes from Malmö you will find the only city in the world that is not close to water and that could still conquer my heart. The university town of Lund is small enough to immediately make you feel at home, but large enough to discover new, nice addresses even after a few visits.

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Lund, a perfect day trip from Malmö

Lund is a perfect day trip from Malmö. The city has 115,000 inhabitants, 40,000 of which are students. In the summer months Lund can feel a bit empty. You have this in more Swedish cities when the inhabitants go to their summer houses, but because of the absence of the students you feel this even more in Lund.

In a few hours you can check off many highlights of the Swedish university city. Lund is a very relaxed city. Take your time to discover the town and Lund will certainly surprise you!

University town

We start our day with a walk in the university area of Lund. On Lundagård you can see both the main university building, Kunghuset (which was built in 1584 as the residence for the Danish king and later became the first main building of the university) and Lund Cathedral.

The university library is photogenic in all seasons.

Kulturen

In the morning we visit Kulturen. This is an open-air museum with also an indoor museum where you can learn more about how people used to live. Like a Skansen in miniature.

The astronomical clock

After Kulturen, continue walking towards Lund Cathedral. The building is not only impressive from the outside, the main reason for a visit can be found inside. Here you will find a unique astronomical clock. You can see the clock’s spectacle at 12 noon and 3 pm.

Have lunch in Saluhallen

For a nice lunch we go to Saluhallen. Here you can choose from various restaurants, anything from Asian to Swedish. For a quick bite or for a more extensive lunch.

Botaniska trädgården

Another place that is enchantingly beautiful in any season is the Lund Botanical Garden. Here you can discover many unique plant and flower species. On cold winter days you can warm up in the greenhouse and on hot summer days it is nice and cool in the shadow of the many trees.

Hökeriet

A real must see is Hökeriet. This is a small grocery store from a bygone era. You see old packaging on the shelves and you can also buy traditionally made sweets and juices.

Fika!

Of course you get a bit tired of all that discovering and walking around time. Ideal for a typical Swedish coffee break at St. Jakobs Stenugnsbageri. Order a kanelbulle with coffee or something else (personally I can really recommend the biskvier here).

Skissernas museum

Now that we regained some energy, we move on to the renovated Skissernas museum. This museum focuses on the artistic and creative process. Here, you will find, among other things, the largest collection of sketches in the world. Be sure to reserve enough time for a visit. The collections are spread over 6 buildings.

Stadsparken

Want to get some fresh air? Especially in the summer months it is light for a long time and you can take an evening walk in the city park. If you are in Lund with children, you can certainly spend several hours here.

Dinner

To end the day, we made diner reservations at Klostergatans vin- & delikatess (Klostergatan).

Practical information

How do you reach Lund?

From Malmö to Lund, it takes about 20 minutes. If you travel from Copenhagen with the Øresundståg, you can continue to Lund. You can of course also go to Lund by car. Parking in the center can be a bit more difficult. Most car parks are paying.

Tourist office

Be sure to visit the tourist office of Lund. They are happy to help you with all information and practical tips.

Hotels in Lund

I do a daytrip to Lund when I am in Malmö or in transit. But I once stayed the night in Winstrup. Other hotels that are on my list (but where I haven’t stayed myself yet) are Grand Hotel Lund and Scandic Hotel Star Lund.