Malmö, Sweden’s third largest city, is host to Eurovision 2024 after Loreen’s epic win in Liverpool with ‘Tattoo’.
Malmö is a coastal city located in southern Sweden and has a population of around 350,000 and lies on the eastern side of the Øresund Strait.
Malmö has its own small international airport and is also accessible by rail from other parts of Sweden.
Many travelling to Malmö can also use the much larger Copenhagen Airport which is connected to Malmö via train which uses the famous Øresund Bridge reaching Malmö in just over 20 minutes.
For those staying in Copenhagen during the contest, there are trains to and from Malmö every 20 minutes.
Malmö is a fascinating city with loads to do, so let's have a look at some of the great attractions you can check out whilst in Malmö for the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest!
If you are wanting to know what Eurovision stuff to see, do and participate in while in the host city, we also have you covered with this one stop shop article about what is on for Eurovision fans in Malmö.
Disgusting Food Museum
While this may not be for everyone, Malmö's Disgusting Food Museum is one of the most popular attractions in the city. There are almost 80 exhibits of disgusting food from all over the world, with varying degrees of disgust, from simply unusual to downright repulsive!
Tickets for the museum are cleverly printed on the back of sick bags, as this is actually an interactive experience - you can also taste or smell many of these.. ah.. "delicacies". Some of the foods on display include fermented shark, roasted guinea pig, Chinese egg delicacies and vegemite (wait - what??), yep, vegemite.. This museum is very popular so book your tickets early! The question is.. do you have the stomach for it?
Turning Torso
The Turning Torso is not something you can miss. Standing at 190 metres, it holds the record for the tallest tower in a Scandinavian country (however, this is about to be surpassed by Karlatornet currently under construction in Gothenburg).
This clever architectural design has nine layers that twist at 90 degrees. The Turning Torso is mostly a residential building with two of its top floors dedicated to conference facilities. Generally,
it is not open to tourists, however on limited days in summer it can be open to the public (top floors only).
While opportunities to visit the tower itself may be rare, you can see the tower from just about everywhere in the city.
The Turning Torso is sure to be a feature in many promos for Malmö and the Song Contest in May as it is without a doubt, the most iconic building in the city.
Do Fika!
For Swedes, fika is as much of a tradition as the English afternoon tea.
So, what is fika? Well, it loosely translates to coffee break, and to "do" fika It is to stop and take a break, grab a coffee and something sweet on the side, and socialise. This can be done with friends, family or anyone and you can do fika anywhere and anytime you like!
Like Australia, Sweden is also a big coffee-drinking nation and the art of fika is a custom firmly rooted in the traditions of being a Swede and is a dearly loved past time.
The food part of fika is usually a cake or pastry and some favourite fika sweet treats are the cinnamon bun (the kanelbulle) and the sticky chocolate cake (the kladdkaka).
What better way to catch up and chat about the previous night's show or to get some sustenance in the afternoon for that evening show!
Malmö Castle
Who doesn't love a good castle? Originally built as a citadel in 1434, the Malmö Castle has been added to and restored since and now it is a Renaissance-style museum surrounded by a moat and grand parklands.
Today, it is home to the Malmö Art Museum, the Natural History Museum of Malmö and an aquarium. You can see all three in just one ticket - that is great value. Here you can also rent an audio guide to get the best out of the experience.
Malmö City Library
A visit to the library? Yep - the Malmö City Library is an absolute must for anyone who loves books and beautiful architecture. The library is a collection of three buildings joined together: the original old castle, "The Cylinder" (in the middle and the entrance) and the "Calendar of Light" (pictured below). The library is well positioned in a huge park amongst many other attractions in the city including the Malmö Castle and the food museum. If you feel like you need somewhere to just sit and "be", this is an excellent option!
Moderna Museet
If you are a fan of modern art, then this is the ultimate museum for you. Moderna Museet has some paintings from some of the big names here like Picasso and Dali but also has sculptures and installations and a vast collection of film, prints and photographs.
Visitors to the museum have the opportunity for interactive art experiences through workshops (a popular activity for kids) and art lovers can also do a guided tour to get the most out of their visit.
There is also a Moderna Museet in Stockholm so the art is often rotated between the two and both museums have exhibitions at any given time.
Gamla Staden
Gamla Staden is Malmö's charming historic old town and an Instagram dream! Here you can stroll along cobblestone streets lined by preserved medieval buildings.
This neighbourhood has many of Malmö's attractions including the Malmö Castle but is also well known for its squares (make sure to visit Lila Torg) and cafes with outdoor terraces where you can sit and watch the world go by.
Take a cruise on the canal
Seeing a city from the water is always a great opportunity to orientate yourself and see it from another angle. Malmö has over four kilometres of canals to explore.
There are many guided boats tours you can take, or if you are brave enough, you can hire one yourself. Alternatively, you can also hire kayaks or pedal boats or you can take a stand up paddle tour.
Visit Copenhagen
With Malmö so close to Denmark, why not take a day trip to Copenhagen? Denmark's capital city is just 28 kilometres away and with trains leaving regularly, you can reach central Copenhagen in just under 40 minutes via the train that goes over the Øresund Bridge and under the strait through a tunnel.
There are stacks of things to see and do here including the Tivoli Gardens Amusement Park, the neighbourhood of Nyhavn (pictured below), Rosenborg Castle (hosting a collection of royal family treasures), the iconic Little Mermaid statue, canal rides, as well as one of many Copenhagen museums and castles on offer.
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