Just a few reasons to see Helsingborg in the South of Sweden
Kärnan, Helsingborg, Sweden (ISO 100, 4.5 mm, f/2.8, 1/25 s)
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Helsingborg is a coastal city in the south of Sweden, otherwise known as Skåne. It sits just a few miles away from Helsingør, Denmark on the Øresund Strait. It is the 9th largest city in Sweden by population with about 112,000 inhabitants. It is one of the oldest cities in Sweden, as it was first permanently settled in 1085. It’s strategic position on the coastline was very important to Denmark, because controlling both sides of the Øresund Strait allowed the Danish King to tax transit through it.
Kärnan, Helsingborg, Sweden (ISO 110, 4.5 mm, f/2.8, 1/15 s)
Living in Sweden has taught me that all of these Scandinavian countries have owned parts of their neighbors from wars throughout the last millennium. I won’t bore you with the history lesson but to put it simply, the Swedes took Helsingborg from the Danes in 1657, the Danes took it back two more times but could not hold it, thus ultimately relinquishing it to Sweden. Nowadays, you can see Helsingør anytime you want as there are ferries constantly running to both sides of the strait.
If you like some of my photos that you have come across, just know that I have many prints showcasing a variety of landscapes, including Sweden, available for purchase below! (Sold as Posters, Canvas, or in Metal-Frames and Wooden-Frames).
What is perhaps really amazing is that many Jews were transported across the Øresund Strait to save them from peril during the second World War. My times here have spanned a few days and this coastal city is one of my favorites. It is rather small, so you can see most of it in about a day or two. You can get here by taking an SJ train (Sweden’s main train company) from other major Swedish cities like Malmö and Stockholm.
Check out my drone video of Helsingborg, Sweden below!
As an aside, if you find yourself with a lot more time in Sweden, try to see some of the other cities that make this country so great. I have summarized some of them in blog posts on this site. You can access them directly with the links below:
Stockholm (Blog Post Title: Why Stockholm is the best Scandinavian capital)
Stockholm Tunnelbana (Blog Post Title: The World’s Longest Art Gallery - Riding on the Stockholm Tunnelbana)
Gothenburg (Göteborg) (Blog Post Title: A Tour of Gothenburg: Sweden's 2nd Largest City)
Uppsala (Blog Post: Uppsala: the hidden gem just North of Stockholm)
Malmö (Blog Post: Take a weekend break in Malmö, Sweden)
Lund (Blog Post: A Day tour of the university town of Lund)
Kalmar (Blog Post: Kalmar: The town you should know more about in Sweden)
Öland (Blog Post: A Day Tour of the Swedish island of Öland)
Marstrand (Blog Post: A day trip to the Swedish island of Marstrand)
Swedish Castles (Blog Post: A Tour of Sweden’s Coolest Castles)
Fårö (Blog Post: A Guide to the Swedish Island of Fårö)
Visby (Blog Post: A Closer Look at the Hanseatic Town of Visby)
Gotland (Blog Post: A Guide to the Swedish Island of Gotland)
How to Get to Helsingborg
Helsingborg is located directly across the Öresund Strait from Helsingør, Denmark. It’s well connected by train, bus, ferry, and nearby airports.
Fly - The nearest major airports are:
Copenhagen Airport (CPH) – Located ~60 km away in Denmark, with frequent international flights.
Ängelholm-Helsingborg Airport (AGH) – A small regional airport ~35 km north of Helsingborg, with limited domestic flights.
From Copenhagen Airport (CPH) to Helsingborg
Train (Öresundståg)
Duration: ~1 hour
Route: CPH Airport → Malmö → Helsingborg Central Station
Cost: ~150–180 SEK
Frequency: Every 20–30 minutes
Tickets: Buy at airport ticket machines, on the Skånetrafiken app, or online
Car Rental
Duration: ~1 hour
Route: Via E20 across the Öresund Bridge, then north on E6
Notes: Öresund Bridge toll ~65–120 DKK (payable online or via license plate recognition)
From Ängelholm-Helsingborg Airport (AGH)
Bus + Train Combo
Take Skånetrafiken Bus 506 from the airport to Ängelholm Station
Transfer to an Öresundståg or Pågatågen train to Helsingborg
Duration: ~1 hour
Cost: ~100–120 SEK total
Tickets: Skånetrafiken app or onboard
Taxi
Duration: ~35 minutes
Cost: ~600–800 SEK depending on time of day
From Helsingør, Denmark (by Ferry)
Ferry (ForSea Ferries)
Duration: ~20 minutes
Route: Helsingør → Helsingborg
Frequency: Every 15–30 minutes
Cost: ~60–70 DKK for foot passengers (return), cars extra
Tickets: Available at the terminal or online
Notes: Walk-on passengers can easily connect between Denmark and Sweden this way
By Train (From Malmö or Gothenburg)
From Malmö (Pågatågen/Öresundståg)
Duration: ~40 minutes
Frequency: Multiple departures per hour
Cost: ~80–100 SEK
From Gothenburg (SJ or Öresundståg)
Duration: ~2.5 hours
Frequency: Every 1–2 hours
Cost: ~200–300 SEK
Helsingborg, Sweden (ISO 110, 4.5 mm, f/2.8, 1/40 s)
Within the city center, there are two main destinations that are quite pleasing to the eye. The first is Rådhuset. This is essentially the courthouse or city hall, usually something administrative. This building has a gorgeous reddish facade with aqua accents. This isn’t the only Rådhuset in Sweden however; these types of buildings, under the same name are usually in most major cities. This Neo-Gothic town hall was built in the 1890s is one of the distinguishing features of Helsingborg.
Kärnan, Helsingborg, Sweden (ISO 190, 4.5 mm, f/2.8, 1/13 s)
Right down the street from Rådhuset sits Kärnan, a medieval tower and a remnant of a larger fortress that was built by the Danes. Kärnan, along with Kronborg (the Danish fortress in Helsingør), were used to control the entranceway into the Øresund strait. Unfortunately, most of the complex surrounding Kärnan was ordered for demolition by Charles XI who found it too exposed to a Danish sneak attack. Some dating methods place the tower construction back to around 1310, though those findings are still in dispute.
The area around Kärnan is very tranquil park called Slottshagen. Even in the middle of winter, if the sun is out, expect quite a few Swedes on these walking paths, taking in all the Vitamin D they can.
Helsingborg, Sweden (ISO 100, 4.5 mm, f/2.8, 1/30 s)
Being a coastal town, Helsingborg also has a decent beach. In my experience, port towns with large harbors have no beaches, but towns with beaches MAY have harbors too. The Örestrandsbadet here is quite large and often adorned with palm trees in the summer time. This is without a doubt the most popular spot in town when the sun is out.
Also, along the harbor is the Helsingborg Lighthouse and Pilot House. Around 2017, the building was officially protected due to its “relatively lavish architecture and has been of great importance for shipping in the Öresund Denmark.”
Helsingborg, Sweden (ISO 100, 4.5 mm, f/2.8, 1/25 s)
