Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
A few kilometres to the south of Skanör is Sweden's oldest nature reserve,
Näbben
,
one of twelve on the peninsula here. It's home to a huge population of birds - on a
good day in September or October you can spot more than fifty species. You can walk
southwards, towards the tip of the peninsula, passing the splendid
Ule näbbe beach
on
the way, to Sweden's oldest
lighthouse
, Kolabacken, whose beam was created by
burning charcoal. At the very tip is the
Måkläppen spit
, a nature reserve known as a
refuge for both grey and harbour seals (closed Feb-Oct).
5
Foteviken Viking Museum
Museivägen 24, Höllviken • May & early Sept Tues-Fri 10am-4pm, June-Aug daily 10am-4pm • 80kr •
T
040 33 08 00,
W
foteviken.se
Barely 9km east of Skanör, the
Foteviken Viking Museum
, just outside the village of
Höllviken (follow the signs), is reputedly located at a pagan sacrificial site,
Foteviken,
which was a market town and centre for herring fishing during Viking times. Today, the
whole area has been transformed into a working
Viking-style village
comprising houses,
workshops, a sacrificial temple and shipyard - a virtually self-sufficient settlement with
an astonishing ring of authenticity. The idea was to show the way of life here in the
twelfth century, but more than this, the place has become a magnet for people from all
over Europe who want to live as Vikings, together with a not inconsiderable number of
characters sporting wild beards and lots of beads, who firmly believe they
are
Vikings.
The village
The resulting atmosphere is that of a hippy commune in a time warp. Everyone dresses
entirely in home-spun garments of loose, coarse linen, coloured with dyes made from
local grasses and herbs. The villagers' simply crafted footwear is made from leather
which they cure themselves, and if you wander into the
cure-houses
you'll see the pelts
of locally caught mink - along with elk and wild-boar hides donated by local abattoirs.
Dotted around the ever-growing village are ant-hill-like
kilns
and
clay ovens
used to
bake bread and fire the bowls from which the villagers eat.
Weavers' cottage
Hidden in among the two dozen or so dwelling houses, look out for the
weavers' cottage
which contains the village's answer to the Bayeux Tapestry: a wall-hanging here depicts
the Battle of Foteviken of June 4, 1134, in which King Nils of Denmark is seen trying to
reconquer Skåne from the rebellious pretender Erik Emune. And it's worth heading down
to the shore where longships, based on the designs of excavated wrecks, are built.
ACCOMMODATION
SKANÖR AND AROUND
Fotevikens Stugby
Museivägen 24, Höllviken
T
040
33 08 05,
W
fotevikensstugby.se.
The holiday village next
to the Viking museum contains a number of comfortable
four- and eight-bed log cabins which can be rented by the
day or week
, each with kitchenette and bathroom.
670kr/770kr
Hotell Gässlingen
Rådhustorget 6
T
040 45 91 00,
W
hotel-gasslingen.com.
Located a few metres from
Skanör's town hall, this is an elegant and charming place to
stay with its own swimming pool and
fitness
centre.
Perfect for a taste of luxury close to nature.
1850kr
Spelabäcken
Mellangatan 58
T
040 47 53 00,
W
spelabacken.se.
A pleasant, small hotel which boasts a
sauna and solarium but is less ornate than its sister
establishment, the
Gässlingen
. It has a perfect lo
cation on
pretty Mellangatan right at the heart of the town.
1195kr
EATING
Fiskrögeri
Hamngatan
T
040 47 40 50.
This simple,
elegant restaurant at the harbour serves superb fish dishes,
with a remarkable range of smoked and pickled fish; 102kr
buys a plate of five varieties of herring.
April, May & Sept
Thurs & Fri 6-10pm, Sat noon-10pm, Sun noon-8pm;
June-Aug Mon-Sat noon-11pm, Sun noon-10pm.
Skanörs Gästgifvaregård
Mellangatan 13
T
040 47
56 90
. This restaurant has a reputation for well-prepared,
local produce served in sizeable proportions in a historic
setting including pan-fried halibut and duck breast with
chanterelle mushrooms; mains are 195-275kr.
Mon-Fri
11.30am-2pm & 5-10pm, Sat 1-10pm, Sun 1-8pm.
