← Helsingborg Marathon·2 nights

Malmö and Lund: One Base, Two Flat Days

Two nights in Sweden's southern port city, with a medieval university town an easy train ride away and Copenhagen Airport close by.

Duration2 nights
TransitÖresundståg regional train; check the journey time for your date
DepartsHelsingborg Central station

After the Helsingborg Marathon: Malmö and Lund

The Route: Helsingborg → Malmö → Lund → Copenhagen Airport Logistics: One regional train south, then walking. Malmö is compact and level, and Lund is a short rail hop. Marathon Month: September Duration: 2 nights

Helsingborg Central ──(Öresundståg)──> Malmö (2 nights) ──(short train)──> Lund ──(train)──> Copenhagen Airport (CPH)

Malmö is the third city on the Öresundståg line between Helsingborg and Copenhagen, and it is the one most runners skip. That is a mistake if you want to stay in one hotel, avoid changing beds and still have something to look at. The city centre is flat, the harbour is close to the station and the train to Copenhagen Airport runs across the Öresund Bridge.

September in Malmö. Early autumn is cool and the wind comes straight off the water. Parks and harbour paths are quiet, and the summer terraces start to close up. Check cafés and museums for shoulder-season hours.

Night one: the old town and the harbour

Stay within walking distance of Malmö Central. Compare cancellable rooms and ask about breakfast times and luggage storage.

The flat walk to start with is the canal and the harbour front, which link the station, the old town squares and the waterfront on level paving. Stortorget is the old market square, a short flat walk from the canal. The Turning Torso, a 190 m twisted tower, is the landmark on the western harbour, and it takes about 30 to 40 minutes on foot from the station on the flat. Check the route on a map before you leave.

Night two: Lund

Lund is a university town a short train ride from Malmö. Its cathedral was consecrated in 1145, and its centre is compact and walkable. Lund Cathedral's crypt and astronomical clock are the main interior attractions, but opening hours and clock times vary, so check the cathedral's website before you plan the trip. Journey times and fares are on the Skånetrafiken and rail operator sites.

Where to eat

Malmö has plenty of cafés and restaurants around the old town squares. Check what is open on the day you arrive, since Sunday opening hours are shorter and some kitchens close early.

Getting to the airport

Copenhagen Airport (CPH) is reached by direct train over the Öresund Bridge from Malmö Central. Check the journey time and the first trains of the morning for your date, and buy tickets in advance. Allow a generous margin for an international departure.