The southwest - The Rough Guide to Sweden - page 143

5

The southwest
The southwestern provinces of Halland, Skåne and Blekinge were on the
frontiers of Swedish-Danish conflicts for more than three hundred years. In
the fourteenth to seventeenth centuries, the flatlands and fishing ports
south of Gothenburg were constantly traded between the two countries,
and the presence of several fortresses still bears witness to the area's status
as a buffer in medieval times.

Halland , a finger of land facing Denmark, has a coastline of smooth, sandy beaches and
bare, granite outcrops, punctuated by a number of small, distinctive towns. The most
charismatic of these is the old bathing resort of Varberg , dominated by its tremendous
thirteenth-century fortress; also notable is the small, beautifully intact medieval core of
Falkenberg , while the regional capital, Halmstad , is popular for its extensive beaches
and nightlife.
Further south, in the ancient province of Skåne , the coastline softens into curving
beaches backed by gently undulating fields. This was one of the first parts of the
country to be settled, and the scene of some of the bloodiest battles during the
medieval conflict with Denmark. Although Skåne was finally ceded to Sweden in the
late seventeenth century, Danish influence died hard and is still evident in the thick
Skåne accent - often incomprehensible to other Swedes and the butt of many a joke
- and in the province's architecture. Today Skåne is known as the breadbasket of
Sweden and its landscapes are those of slabs of yellow rape, crimson poppies and lush
green fields contrasting with charming white churches and black windmills. In the
north of the province, Båstad is renowned for glamorous living through its close links
to the country's tennis elite. One of Sweden's best areas for walking and cycling , the
Bjäre peninsula lies to the west of Båstad and comprises forested hill ranges,
spectacular rock formations and dramatic cliffs. To the south of the town, both
Helsingborg , with its laidback, cosmopolitan atmosphere, and bustling Malmö ,
Sweden's third city, have undergone some dramatic changes in recent years:
Helsingborg's harbour has been transformed by an influx of stylish bars, while Malmö
has seen the most significant development in recent Swedish history - the completion
of the 16km-long bridge linking the city to Copenhagen, and thus Sweden to the rest
of Europe via the Öresund Strait.
Just north of Malmö, the university town of Lund , with its wealth of classic
architecture, has a distinctive bohemian atmosphere that contrasts with Malmö's more
down-to-earth heritage, whilst east from Malmö, you'll encounter the pretty medieval
town of Ystad on the south coast, and then the splendid countryside of Österlen , whose
pastoral scenery is studded with Viking monuments, such as the “Swedish Stonehenge”
at Ales Stenar and the southwest's most alluring beaches. Beyond here to the east, the
ledge of land running to the Baltic is Blekinge province. Among its several small and
not particularly distinguished resorts, Karlskrona stands out, a Baroque beauty built on
a number of islands.

Varberg's nudist beaches p.150
Surfing in Varberg p.151
Swimming in Falkenberg p.153
Back and forth to Helsingør p.164
Lund orientation p.166
Malmö's parks p.174

The Öresund bridge p.176
The Malmö Card p.177
Skåne travel pass p.177
The Malmö Festival p.179
Wallander country p.183
The Night Bugler of Ystad p.183