Malmö – Journal of our Gay City Trip to Southern Sweden
A journal of our 4-day Gay City Trip to Malmö during Pride Weekend. Did we already mention, that we love Sweden? The Scandinavian country is one of our favorite European gay travel destinations that is currently ranking in the top position of this year’s Gay Travel Index together with Canada. Besides this encouraging data, we also experienced an ongoing welcoming and LGBTQ+ friendly environment be it in the bigger cities of Stockholm and Malmö or in the countryside of the South Swedish county Skåne.
Malmö was one destination on our gay travel bucket list for 2019 where we planned to experience the gay- and bike-friendly atmosphere on the eve of World Pride in 2021. And, of course, the inviting warm summer weather, the mild Baltic Sea, and the Architectural highlights of Malmö just waited to be discovered by bike and by boat. Join us on our Malmö Gay City Trip to Southern Sweden and experience the 5th most bike-friendly town in the world with photos, videos, stories, tips, and info through a Couple of Men‘s eyes.
– in paid collaboration –
Malmö Gay City Trip South Sweden Turning Torso Little Amsterdam © Coupleofmen.com/ Photo: Maartje Hensen
Summer in Sweden – Malmö Gay City Trip
On our Malmö Bucket List: Exploring Malmö by bike and boat, finding vegetarian- or vegan-friendly restaurants, enjoying relaxing hours in a Swedish sauna and at the Baltic Sea shoreline, meeting the local LGBTQ+ community and walking the Malmö Pride Parade 2019. A full program for the third biggest city in Sweden with a strong connection to its neighbor, the Danish capital city Copenhagen. The weather looked good when we arrived at Malmö Central Station by train crossing the world-famous Øresund Bridge. We walked to our gay-friendly bike hotel in Malmö’s Western Harbor area, unpacked and got ready for some exploring. It should stay dry the whole weekend with perfect conditions for the Malmö Pride Parade. Now let’s show you our Malmö!
Video of our Malmö Gay City Trip
Gay-friendly Bike Hotel Malmö © Coupleofmen.com
Gay-friendly Hotel in Malmö
Gay-friendly, bike-friendly, and centrally located – We stayed in a Scandinavian designed loft room at an LGBTQ+ friendly accommodation in Malmö’s Western Harbor, just 5-minutes from the beach as well as from the City Center. Read our Gay Couple Hotel Review, book your stay, and get complimentary bikes!
Biking to Malmö’s Architectural Highlights
Just around the corner from our accommodation, we found the first highlight of Malmö: Calatrava’s Turning Torso. The white skyscraper, visible even from the Øresund bridge, became Malmö’s landmark as the tallest building in the city and even in the whole Scandinavia. We loved looking at it from the residential area nicknamed Little Amsterdam due to a small canal and cute little Swedish garden houses. Next stop on our bike tour itinerary: the little blue houses close to Malmö Wake Park. From here it was just a short tour to another landmark of Malmö, Ribersborgs open-air bath and sauna. Definitely, a spot where we liked to spend a little extra quality time relaxing in the sauna and taking a swim in the Baltic Sea.
Top vegan Restaurant in Malmö
You know Daan is a vegetarian. Also, Karl loves some meat-free cuisine! During our trip to Malmö, we were looking for the best vegetarian place in town and found it south of the old town city center. The restaurant isn’t only vegetarian but vegan offering a diverse menu of organic all-plant based food, natural wines, beers & ciders.
Gay Couple Restaurant Review Mineral © Coupleofmen.com
Cruising around Malmö by Rental Boat
Exploring Malmö by bike is just one way of getting around. Another and also familiar way to us is by rental boat. We asked our friends and gay travel buddies Roxanne and Maartje from Onceuponajrny to join us for a gay couple cruise through Malmö with BookABoat. The large and modern boats are running on electricity and are easy to maneuver. We booked the rental boat online on the ‘bookabout’ website and received a link over which we could activate and end our trip via phone. Very convenient. The boat comes with a map and a captain’s hat and the option to connect your phone with a speaker for some extra atmospheric music for the trip. We loved to cruise by the old Lighthouses of Malmö, the view from the water at the parks and cemetery from the Rörsjökanalen, Södra Förstadskanalen, and the Malmöhus Slott. After two relaxing hours, we arrived back at the Bastion Älvsborg boat pier. When it is sunny, book a boat and enjoy it!
Best of Malmö Pride 2019 © Coupleofmen.com
Best of Malmö Pride 2019
Just two years left before Malmö is organizing World Pride 2021 together with Copenhagen! We walked the Malmö Pride Parade 2019 celebrating with the Swedish LGBTQ+ community the 25th anniversary of the rainbow festival. Check our article with our best photos and a video and plan your World Pride Trip for 2021.
Ribersborgs Kallbadhus – Skinny Dipping in a Swedish Sauna
The weather on our last day in Malmö wasn’t the best with cloudy and windy conditions. One might think that’s not good. But the opposite is the case. Bad weather means perfect conditions for a day at the Swedish sauna Ribersborgs Kallbadhus. Definitely, a spot where we liked to spend a little extra quality time relaxing in the sauna and taking a swim in the rough Baltic Sea. The open air bath is a nude sauna divided into two areas, one for women, one for men. The view out of the wooden saunas is spectacular and the skinny dipping after a long session more than refreshing. Put it on your list and don’t forget your towel and locker if you don’t want to pay for them. Our time at the Swedish sauna was a perfect ending for a wonderful trip to Malmö. Next stop: Skåne – Southern Sweden! Our Gay Sauna Malmö Review >
Malmö Gay City Trip South Sweden Ribersborgs Kallbadhus © Coupleofmen.com
Road Trip Southern Sweden to Skåne © Coupleofmen.com
Travel Journal Skåne – Southern Sweden
Our trip to Southern Sweden didn’t end in Malmö. Actually, it was just the beginning. We rented a car and started our 5-day road trip along the coast of the Swedish county Skåne. Stunning sunsets, incredibly beautiful nature, the gay couple owned cafés & restaurants and a clothing-optional gay beach – Sweden has it all.
Live Music at Malmo Titanic Lovelock Point for Good-bye
The best way to end a day or even a trip to Malmö is to buy a couple of beers, pack a jacket, and make your way to the Malmo Titanic Lovelock Point for sunset. This is a beautiful Instagram hotspot where you can stand on the small outlook above the rough surge. There are different dates where musicians will play live music here during summer. As LGBTQ+ travelers and a gay couple, we felt very welcome and could enjoy this wonderful romantic moment during a setting sun over the Baltic Sea.
Bye, Bye Malmö! It has been a pleasure! See you soon again, hopefully for World Pride in 2021!
Malmö Gay City Trip South Sweden A Gay Kiss during Sunset over the Baltic Sea © Coupleofmen.com/ Photo: Maartje Hensen
Our Summer Adventure in Malmö for Malmö Pride
In our opinion, Malmö will be a worthy co-host of World Pride 2021 together with Copenhagen. The city is very charming with a special multi-cultural touch. We especially liked the close connection to the Baltic Sea with stunning sunsets and a real vacation feeling due to multiple beaches and opportunities to go swimming. And, of course, the option to bike around the city and to drive a boat ourselves without a driver made us feel just like being home back in Amsterdam, a little bit at least.
Do you wanna know and see more of us gay couple travel bloggers? Stay tuned on Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and Facebook! See you around in Malmö, Sweden and on one of our next gay pride trips around the world!
Karl & Daan.
Please note: This trip was made possible in close collaboration with Tourism Malmö and Tourism Skåne as well as tips from our wonderful readers, followers, new and old friends from all over the world. Nevertheless, our photos, our videos, our opinions, and our writings are our own, as always.
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