Malmö, Sweden

The third largest city of Sweden is just across the Öresund bridge from Copenhagen, Denmark. Malmö has many large parks and a mix of historical buildings and new infrastructure. The city is very walkable and had lots of trees, murals, and trendy restaurants. Above is the Malmö castle which has been converted into a museum that includes aquariums, natural history, and modern art exhibits. We found that many shops don't open till just before noon and people are relaxed and friendly. In Sweden their favorite custom is called Fika which is when shopkeepers close up to have coffee and a cinnamon roll with a friend. We followed the tradition at the Bageri Leve which had the best vegan pastries I've ever tasted.

Some of the oldest buildings in Malmö are in Lilla Torg, little square, and are used to showcase local artists' work. I enjoyed the exhibit on architects who have converted old churches of all shapes into new usable spaces for the community, such as a concert hall and a yoga retreat while preserving the original structure of the building. The artists shop still has the original wood beams from 1592 and is maintained with the traditional red paint used for all Swedish historical buildings.

It was nice walking around Malmö finding street art on buildings and statues such as the optimistic orchestra added in the early 2000's soon after they opened Malmö University to attract young people and revitalize the city. Now the city is filled with young families, walking trails, bike paths, and shopping avenues.