Stenshuvud National Park
Granite coastal mountain crowned by hornbeam and oak forests
Hike through lush broadleaf canopies to a 97-metre coastal rock viewpoint commanding panoramas across white Baltic sands.
KivikCoastForest
Österlen, Sweden
Ideal: 2–4 daysBest: May–SepPrice: Expensive
In 60 seconds
Österlen in 60 seconds
The southeastern tip of Skåne is Sweden's gentlest pastoral haven: rolling hills of blossoming apple orchards in Kivik, the coastal oak canopy of Stenshuvud National Park, pagan megaliths perched over the sea at Ales stenar, and centuries-old white half-timbered farmsteads hosting ceramic ateliers and farm-to-table cideries.
BeachesCountryside
Best for
- Coast
- Food
- Art
Known for
- Stenshuvud National Park
- Kivik apple must
- Ales stenar megaliths
- Haväng sand dunes
Skip if
You want high-speed metro lines and late-night superclubs rather than winding country lanes, farm shops and early evening coastal walks.
Your match
Choose a few travel interests and we will show how well Österlen fits them. Choose interests
See
Must experience
The things that would make the trip incomplete without them.
Ales Stenar (Ale's Stones)
Iron Age ship-shaped megalithic stone circle above the sea
Stand before 59 massive standing quartzite boulders arranged as a Viking ship atop windy grassy bluffs overlooking the Baltic Sea.
KåsebergaCoastal cliffsIron Age
Kiviks Musteri & Apple Orchards
Fifth-generation family orchard & cider heritage centre
Stroll historic orchard rows and taste single-variety Swedish apple musts, dry ciders and seasonal fruit jams.
KivikApplesCider
Eat
Where to eat
A short list, kept short on purpose. Each entry answers one question: when is this the right choice?
More places to eat
Too few picks yet for their own heading, so they share this list.
Pastafabriken
ModerateHandcrafted pasta in a converted village brick workshop
Fresh extruded egg pasta paired with local Skåne vegetables, artisan butter and Italian wines in a sunlit industrial brick space.
IngelstorpArtisanalBistro
Vyn Restaurant
Very expensiveWorld-class terroir gastronomy overlooking the Baltic Sea
Chef Daniel Berlin's breathtaking coastal restaurant celebrating regional micro-seasonality and dramatic panoramic sea views.
GislövFine diningMichelin
Mellby Klockargård
ModerateCharming farmstead garden café and micro-bakery
Sip freshly brewed coffee beneath fruit trees while tasting warm cardamom rolls and seasonal rhubarb pies.
Södra MellbyCardamom bunsFika
Beyond the obvious
Hidden gems
Less obvious, rarely queued for, and usually the part people remember.
Haväng & Verkeån Nature Reserve
Wild grassy sand dunes and Bronze Age stone dolmen
A peaceful coastal sanctuary where the Verkeån stream snakes through wild sheep-grazed dunes to meet powdery white Baltic sand.
RavlundaDolmenSand dunes
Knäbäckshusen Thatched Village
Fairy-tale timbered cottages nestled beneath pine trees
Explore timbered half-timbered cottages with steep thatched roofs that lead straight down to a secluded white sand beach.
RörumBeachHistoric
After dark
Bars & nightlife
Kåseberga Hamn & Smokehouse
ModerateHarbourfront taproom and fresh smoked fish terrace
Enjoy crisp regional pilsners and smoked mackerel overlooking fishing boats bobbing in the shelter of the south coast bluffs.
KåsebergaCraft beerHarbour
Orientation
Neighbourhoods
How the city is actually divided, and what each part is for.
Kivik & Vitemölla
Historic coastal fishing village framed by rolling fruit hills
The cultural epicentre of the apple harvest, boasting winding lanes of timber fisherman's cabins and sea-facing gardens.
Simrishamn Old Town
Pastel-coloured pastel townhouses and active fishing harbour
The historic capital of Österlen, known for hand-carved decorative front doors, cobbled alleyways and tranquil courtyards.
Stay
Where to stay
Areas rather than hotels — pick the right one and the rest follows.
Kivik & Stenshuvud Countryside
ExpensiveFarmhouse B&Bs and country estates among the orchards
The ideal setting for morning walks into Stenshuvud National Park and tranquil evenings overlooking the Baltic waters.
CharmingNature
Simrishamn Harbour
ModerateCozy guesthouses within walking distance of trains and seafood
Convenient for travellers relying on regional bus connections and wanting restaurants and bakeries right on the doorstep.
HarbourTrain
Practical
Know before you go
- Getting in
- Pågatågen regional trains connect Malmö and Copenhagen to Simrishamn; cycling or a rental car is best for rural exploring.
- Art tour season
- During Easter week, the famous Konstrundan opens hundreds of private artists' studios and workshops across the countryside.
- Apple market
- Every September the Kivik Apple Market celebrates the fruit harvest with an enormous mosaic picture made entirely of apples.
- Bicycle routes
- The Sydostleden marked cycling trail passes directly through Kivik and Simrishamn along separated coastal paths.
Plan this trip — useful links
Context
History in 5 minutes
Enough to make what you are looking at legible.
- 1499
Construction begins on Glimmingehus as a heavily fortified stone stronghold in what was then eastern Denmark.
- 1658
Under the Treaty of Roskilde, the province of Skåne and Österlen are permanently ceded from Denmark to Sweden.
- 1986
Stenshuvud is declared a National Park, preserving primeval coastal broadleaf forests and rare sand flora.
Further out
Nearby escapes
Worth a day if you have one to spare.
Glimmingehus Medieval Stronghold
The best-preserved medieval castle keep in Scandinavia
Explore thick stone defense walls, secret trapdoors and defensive murder holes built in 1499 by Danish knight Jens Holgersen Ulfstand.
15 min by car from SimrishamnCastleHistory
Sandhammaren Lighthouse & Dunes
Expansive white sugar-sand beach and historic iron lighthouse
Wander Sweden's most famous fine-powder sand dunes stretching as far as the eye can see at the southern point of Skåne.
25 min by car from SimrishamnDunesLighthouse