Summary of Attractions in Helsingborg
A port city on the Sound, Helsingborg is located on Sweden’s Lund Peninsula across the water from its Danish counterpart Helsingør. Denmark is remarkably close, and Helsingborg was under Danish control until the Treaty of Roskilde in the 17th century.
Kärnan, a medieval castle tower, dates back to the era when the Danes and Swedes were in conflict, while Sankta Maria Kyrka is a magnificent Gothic church adorned with medieval decorations. As is common for prominent cities, Helsingborg features an exceptional open-air museum, Fredriksdal, and expansive areas of lush parkland, including Sofiero, a former royal residence. In this well-maintained coastal city, visitors can enjoy seaside promenades and bathing during the warmer months.
Let’s examine the top attractions in Helsingborg:
1. Fredriksdal
The County of Skåne is represented in a sprawling outdoor museum encompassing 36 hectares, providing a thorough introduction to Scandinavian culture and history.
The topics explored are diverse, featuring botanical gardens sourced from across the county, including an arable farm, herb gardens, kitchen gardens, and a rose garden boasting hundreds of varieties.
Numerous 18th and 19th-century structures have been relocated here, featuring small museums and workshops.
This area is centered around a stately home from 1787, surrounded by French and English parks. Within its grounds is the Fredriksdal Theatre, inaugurated in 1932, recognized as one of Europe’s most beautiful outdoor theatres.
2. Kärnan
A lasting emblem for Helsingborg, this tower situated on elevated terrain behind the city’s center is one of the few remaining remnants of the original castle.
Constructed by the Danes in the 1300s, it became a focal point of conflict between the two nations during the tumultuous 17th century.
After definitively falling into Swedish hands in 1679, the castle was deemed indefensible and subsequently demolished, leaving only this 34-meter keep.
The tower consequently became a crucial beacon for ships navigating the Sound.
An audio guide is included with entry, and visitors can ascend the tower’s 146 steps for panoramic views across the water toward Helsingør.
3. Tropikariet
This indoor zoo offers a unique experience unlike any typical animal attraction.
Visitors navigate through synthetic tropical ecosystems inhabited by animals such as meerkats, lemurs, and pygmy marmosets (the world’s smallest monkey), which are free to roam as they wish.
Special experiences are available where visitors can interact with lemurs, feed them, or handle snakes or crocodiles under the supervision of qualified zoo personnel.
Tropikariet also features nocturnal zones with bats, terrariums containing leaf-cutter ants, and an aquarium with sharks.
After this animal adventure, guests can conclude their visit at the café and gift shop.
4. Sofiero
Regular bus services operate to this opulent royal residence and gardens located five kilometers north of the city.
This Neo-Renaissance palace was constructed incrementally in the 1860s and 1870s by Crown Prince Oscar of Sweden and his wife Sophia of Nassau.
The current appearance of the castle and its grounds is attributed to Gustaf VI Adolf and Crown Princess Margaret, who received the palace as a wedding gift in 1905. They restored the structure and planted the splendid rhododendron shrubs, a hallmark of the gardens.
Close to 500 distinct varieties can be found here, along with contemporary art installations.
The palace houses a restaurant and café and periodically hosts exhibitions.
5. Sankta Maria Kyrka
Initiated in the Romanesque style in the 12th century, this church in the heart of Helsingborg was among the largest in Denmark by the 14th century.
The original Romanesque design was transformed into Gothic style in the 1500s with the completion of the brick façade and crow-stepped gables.
Inside, numerous historically significant elements are present, including a baptismal font carved from grey Gotland limestone in the 1300s.
The altar cabinet, originating around the same time, features illustrations from the lives of Mary and Jesus on its doors.
In December, these depictions change to display scenes from the nativity.
6. Tura
This concept is nearly unique to Helsingborg.
The “Tura” is essentially a cruise on a Sandlines ferry across the Sound to Helsingør.
However, passengers participating in a Tura do not disembark at the Danish city; instead, they remain on board for the round trip.
Since the crossing takes approximately 20 minutes, a Tura offers an opportunity to enjoy the onboard restaurant and take in the sea views at leisure.
During peak periods such as Christmas and midsummer, availability is limited, and beverages such as beer or champagne are often provided in abundance.
7. Dunkers Kulturhus
Housed in a white building inspired by Renaissance castles, this cultural center serves multiple functions.
The Kulturhus was inaugurated in 1997 to promote creativity and culture within the city.
For brief visits, a permanent exhibition highlighting Helsingborg’s history is available, along with the city’s tourist office located here.
Temporary exhibitions cover a wide array of topics, primarily focusing on art and photography.
Additionally, the Kulturhus features a theatre, concert hall, restaurant, and art studios to nurture the next generation of Helsingborg’s creatives.
8. Ramlösa Brunnspark
For a stroll in a refined atmosphere, visitors can explore this historical health resort on the southern edge of the city.
The name Ramlösa may be familiar due to the mineral water brand, and this park is the original site of the spring.
During the 18th and 19th centuries, this resort attracted nobility, industrialists, and royalty, eager to partake of the renowned high-iron content waters.
Visitors can sample the water and observe how its iron content has stained the sandstone surrounding the main well red.
Scattered throughout the wooded area are stunning 19th-century spa facilities, including villas, a hospital, and a bathing house, which are now private residences.
9. Rådhuset
Helsingborg’s city hall is an operational municipal building, limiting general access to the interiors.
Exceptions to this are for weddings on weekends, and should an opportunity to view the interior arise, the stained-glass panels in the city council hall are captivating.
For others, it remains a striking sight from the street, representing one of Helsingborg’s significant landmarks.
The building, constructed in the 1890s, resulted from a design competition won by Alfred Hellerström, who was only 26 years old at the time.
This Neo-Gothic brick structure is topped by a 65-meter bell tower.
Outside, two stone memorials—one Norwegian and one Danish—express gratitude to Helsingborg for its efforts to shelter refugees escaping the Germans during World War II.
10. Raus Kyrka
Located just a few minutes from Helsingborg is one of Skåne’s best-preserved medieval churches, which is the oldest in the Helsingborg area.
This church was constructed in the mid-12th century and has been expanded several times over the following 400 years.
The nave, dating from the 1300s, features cross vaults adorned with biblical motifs and foliate patterns.
A medieval stone head believed to have served as a gargoyle is located on the church’s western staircase, intended to ward off evil spirits.
Be sure to observe the altar carved from oak in 1624, which includes boards with Latin inscriptions, and a medieval rood cross alongside a 15th-century statue of Mary.
11. Norra Hamnen
Situated just west of the city center, Helsingborg’s harbor was constructed in 1891 and inaugurated by King Oscar II. It served as a prominent shipping port until the 1960s, when the store terminal at Sydhamnen rendered it less crucial.
Starting in the 1980s, initiatives were implemented to rejuvenate the waterfront, culminating in the H99 housing fair prior to the millennium, which showcased innovative residential developments along the waterfront.
During the summer months, Norra Hamnen is a delightful area for leisurely walks by the sea, admiring an array of yachts in the marina and enjoying a moment at a café.
12. Kullagatan
In 1961, when the southern portions of Kullagatan were closed to traffic, it became Sweden’s first pedestrian street.
This initiative was inspired by the Lijnbaan in Rotterdam and proved so successful that the remainder of the street soon became car-free.
Kullagatan has served as Helsingborg’s primary shopping avenue since medieval times, hosting all major retail chains, including H&M.
Additionally, there are numerous cafes for the Swedish tradition of fika (coffee and cake), along with several independent shops interspersed among the well-known brands.
For sightseeing, the most picturesque area is at Södra Storgatan on the southern end, where one can enjoy lunch with a view of Sankta Maria Kyrka.
13. Gröningen
When the sun shines during summer, this verdant stretch of shoreline north of the harbor is brimming with families.
While Helsingborg boasts several sandy beaches, at Gröningen visitors can enjoy the seaside experience alongside a lush green lawn.
A waterside promenade is lined with pop-up cafes and ice cream stands.
A wooden walkway extends over the water, featuring stairs leading down to the sea for those wishing to swim.
Visitors can relax on deckchairs without charge, and younger children can explore the pirate ship playground.
14. Museum of Failure
Despite its straightforward title, this innovative technology museum in Helsingborg adopts a philosophical stance toward failure as a pathway to innovation.
The exhibition includes a variety of products that, for various reasons, did not succeed in the market.
Some, such as the Nokia N-gage, Betamax, and Google Glass, are well-known failures, while others include more obscure and amusing artifacts, such as a Donald Trump board game and Harley-Davidson perfume.
The museum also hosts special events featuring various activities such as tasting discontinued beers or enjoying concerts featuring discarded music.
15. Pålsjö Skog
On Helsingborg’s northern edge lies over 70 hectares of tranquil beech and oak woodland.
Many of the trees in this forest are over a century old, with some dating back 250 years.
The optimal time for hiking through these trails is in spring when the fields and forest floor are carpeted with white wood anemones.
As the forest is situated on elevated ground, visitors can enjoy impressive views of the Sound, and along one of the streams flowing down to the coastline, there is a mill that has stood at this location since the 17th century.
The park also features a castle from the 17th century, which was remodeled at the end of the 19th century and is currently privately owned.
