Location: Helsingborg
Top Things to do in Helsingborg
The 10 Best Things to Do in Helsingborg, Sweden
Helsingborg is southern Sweden’s city by the sea, where wonderful beaches, attractions, shopping and nature are all just moments away. Enjoy the gardens of Sofiero and Fredriksal, climb the stairs to the top of the tower Kärnan, then dip your toes in the sea… later, explore fascinating exhibitions at Dunkers Culture Hall, indulge in the unique offerings of the local stores, and savor cuisines from around the world in Helsingborg’s vast selection of restaurants.
Restaurants in Helsingborg
1. Tropikariet
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 339 reviews
Reviewed By 131GordonS - Copenhagen, Denmark
We loved the advertising about 'free roaming monkeys' (actually lemurs) but from the get go this rather peculiar place grabs you. At the ticket office you are faced with a very busy line of leaf cutter ants marching across a pool of water centimetres from you. As you move from room to room through heavy plastic curtains, you are met by Lemurs, toucans, skin nibbling fish (stick your hands in the tank! Go on I dare you!). And guess what the ants are patiently following you up through the floors... In the night-time zone you are in the same space as the night dwelling animals, just stand a while and you start to see them moving around you, and often very close indeed. From our four year old, 10 year old and 16 year old, up to grumpy old me, we all found something to wonder at. It is in a slightly strange location, but ignore that and let your inner curiosity take over. It is a great place to visit on a rainy day, but better than that it seems to do a better job that many zoos in bringing you closer to animals and bugs in a way that surely represents the wonderful interests of whoever curates it. It is not 'polished', but you hardly notice it. It certainly awakes the 'inner child' in adults, and excites the young rather well. They could have worked on the 'gift shop' as well as they did the exhibits (wormery anyone?) but that is to be a little harsh. Go back again? I rather think we will.
2. Sofiero Slott
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 484 reviews
Sofiero Palace was, until the 1970s, a summer residence for Swedish royalty. The magnificent heritage of thousands of rhododendrons, beds, borders and kitchen Gardens is carefully tended by a team of dedicated experts. In 2010, Sofiero was voted Europe’s Best Park.Sofiero is situated just north of the town of Helsingborg in southern Sweden. Interesting Exhibitions in the palace and a variety of exciting events and activities in the beautiful park and Gardens are some of the things you can look forward to when planning your visit. The season, during which the palace, shops, restaurant and café are open for visitors, starts March 31 and ends in September. However, you are welcome to visit Sofiero for a guided tour, a walk in the park and a chance to enjoy the view over the strait of Öresund to Denmark at any time of the year.
Reviewed By Phayao13 - Stockholm
All seasons have their excitement, of course, when Rhododendron is in bloom, it's most magical.Beautiful walks, nice exhibits, nice shop and a very good restaurant
3. Fredriksdal Open-Air Museum and Botanical Garden
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 150 reviews
Welcome to Fredriksdal museums and Gardens Nowhere in Europe will you find an equivalent to Fredriksdal. This is Skåne in miniature, with 360,000 square metres of unique settings, buildings and Gardens. Here, the history and diversity of the countryside are caringly kept alive. With its museums and Gardens, Fredriksdal offers interesting activities for all ages, all year round. Take an explanatory walk, watch the animals grazing or join the manor maids for an interesting tour. Buy a bag of old fashioned sweets in the old town quarter, or your favourite rose in the flower shop. Find answers to your questions on nature or folklore, or just lie back and relax in a hammock. With its historical parks and Gardens, houses and farms, animals, meadows, woods and pastures, all situated around an eighteenth century manor house, a visit to Fredriksdal is like making a journey back into the past.
Reviewed By 222Peter - Tewkesbury, United Kingdom
This museum was rather a disappointment.It is about 2 kilometres walk from Karnen across parkland. The route by bus is very poorly signposted from the road.The 19th century manor house is a pretty building but was closed for refurbishment. The grounds are impeccably gardened and farmed with animals grazing for children to see.The Gardens must be impressive when the roses are out. Throughout the grounds are farms and farm buildings such as water mills,smithies and malthouses brought from all over Sweden and rebuilt.However they are in the same derelict state as when they were relocated.so what was the point of moving them? Equally though there are some old shops and other premises in the little town nothing very much happens in them.A fascinating old print shop could surely be actually operating for visitors? I suggest a visit by the the operators to Beamish Open Air museum in County Durham. The is a very good cafe/restaurant on site.
4. Karnan – the keep of Helsingborg
Overall Ratings
4 based on 404 reviews
The Karnan tower is a place to visit for the whole family. In the beautiful Slottshagsparken above Terasstrapporna in the centre of Helsingborg you’ll find the medieval Karnan castle tower. Karnan is about 35 metres high and it’s worth every single step up the stairs to reach the top and enjoy the magnificent views over the harbour, Oresund and Helsingor. There is a long and adventurous, rather narrow spiral staircase leading to the top, but the stunning view makes it worth the effort. The Karnan tower was built in the early 1300s. The tower was part of a major castle site that had the status of “riksborg” (national castle) in the medieval and early Danish empire. Nowadays, it is the symbol and brand of the city of Helsingborg.
Reviewed By George A - Nicosia, Cyprus
All that is left from the castle is this medieval tower. It is the only part remaining of a larger Danish fortress which, along with the fortress Kronborg on the opposite of Øresund, controlled the entranceway between Kattegat and Øresund and further south the Baltic Sea.
5. Church of St. Mary
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 80 reviews
Reviewed By Yan C - Hong Kong, China
This Church, situated in the city center, is surrounded by other buildings. The exterior appearance is a bit commonplace, perhaps because it is in dark brown (or dark red?), which does really catch the eye. There is however a beautiful statue standing in front of the entrance. The interior is well decorated, but not in a luxurious style that places much emphasis on display of wealth. The inside has an atmosphere of warmth and dignity.
6. Scandlines
Overall Ratings
4 based on 706 reviews
Reviewed By Niels N - Sarasota, Florida
Remember to book online in advance or they charge you a fortune, because they know that by the time you are at the ticket point, it will cost you too much to turn around and take the bridge.
They are not trustworthy in the way that I use them lot, and they cheat with the departure times. Approx 20% of the times they change the scheduled depature to a later one as you sit there and watch.
Maybe because they want full loads.
Yes, their ads say every 15 minutes. But its not happening.
Goods onboard are more expensive than ashore. A tourist trap, sorry
And they dont use the FIFO principle when unloading the cars.
7. Radhuset
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 88 reviews
The Town HallBuilt in the 1890s in neo-Gothic style according to plans by Alfred Hellerström who subsequently became the city architect. Declared a listed building in 1967. The clock tower is 65 metres high, the façade richly decorated and the interiors magnificent. The stained glass windows with motifs from the city’s history are famed.
Reviewed By Bozeman-Dublin - Dublin, Ireland
The town hall is a beautiful, elegant building right on the Main Square Stortorget. It has a lovekybintricste red bricked facade and for me was by far the most beautiful building in the city.
I'm Not sure if you can go In, I didn't, I was happy enough to admire it from without!
8. Palsjo skog
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 38 reviews
In Pålsjö forest you can walk along a network of trails among old beech, oak and alder trees. Pålsjöbäcken stream winds through the area down to the pond at the Pålsjö mill.
Reviewed By Alice S
I absolutly love pålsjö skog. It is a green lush forest near the water and within walking distance from the city. During the spring it is magical with all the white flowers covering the forest floor. You can walk or run or just stroll along and they have three running tracks. 3, 5 and 10 if I remember correctly. I've spent so much time here finding a nice spot to read, I've run more kilometres than I want to know and biked through it more times than I can count. If you like a nice forest walk without having to go far away this is the place to go.
9. Kullagatan
Overall Ratings
4 based on 128 reviews
Reviewed By Mikael M - Helsingborg, Sweden
This is the main part of the shoppingstreet/path that goes throu the center of the city.
The part of Kullagatan is the part with the somewhat more upscale shops and cafés.
It is always busy, clean, safe and filled with good deals and big variation.
The walkingstreet has been improved and well maintained the last couple of years.
A lot of events and festivals are held here.
The shoppers are multicultural of all ages and the highend hotels in the close vicinity adds to it. Most tourists end up here. Althou they don´t sell the traditional tourists trinkets here.
It mostley focus on the natives shopping needs.
It is a popular thing to have a cup of coffee and pastry and just sit and "people-watching".
10. Dunkers Kulturhus
Overall Ratings
4 based on 77 reviews
Dunkers Kulturhus is southern Sweden's culture arena for artistic and creative experiences, learning and creation - a meeting place for culture in all forms!It features art gallery, Exhibitions, local history exhibition, international music scene, theater, dance, open cultural and educational activities for children and youth. The Dunkers culture you'll also find restaurant, bistro, fact room and tourist centre.
Reviewed By Trainbleu - Brussels
Upon arrival at Helsingborg Central Station, we went to the tourist office in Dunkers Kulturhus, which was very easy to find, we simply had to walk straight out along Kungsgata from the railway station. It’s a huge white glass and concrete building with totally different facades towards the square (Sundstorget) and towards the water. It was designed by Danish architect Kim Utzon, whose father designed the Sydney Opera House, but it is not so bold in style and we didn’t particularly like it.
Apart from the tourist office, the Kulturhus also houses a theatre, a concert hall, a conference room, rooms for all kinds of educational activities, a town museum and temporary Exhibitions, a restaurant and a shop, so it’s a good place to start the exploration of the city. The staff at the tourist office was very friendly and advised us on buying a two days combo ticket for the major sights in Helsingborg: Solfiero Castle, the open air museum Fredriksdal, Kärnan and the Exhibitions in Dunkers Kulturhus itself. We visited all of them and found the ticket to be very good value for money. We also found useful leaflets detailing walks in the neighbourhood.
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