Stortorget square in Malmo’s Old Town is lined with stately buildings
While city tours don’t usually have a strict dress code, the arctic waters and on this occasion a new kayak tour of the city, mean rubber is the way forward.
I squeeze my neoprene-swathed hips into the stubby yellow kayak and launch myself, rather unceremoniously, into the icy shallows of the Baltic Sea.
To warm up beforehand, I’ve cycled down to Ribersborgsstranden, a mile-long stretch of white sand beach known locally as the Malmo Riviera, where I meet Ram Silwal, who runs kayaking tours of the strait and the city’s canals.
After a quick briefing my guide for the morning, Joakim, leads me down to the water’s edge where he bravely demonstrates an eskimo roll in the icy waters.
“It’s good for you!” he grins, shaking frosty water out of his hair.
I think not, choosing instead to bob gently up and down, craning my neck to see the full extent of the iconic Oresund Bridge.
As my oar slices through the clear waters of the Oresund strait, Joakim points out the Ribersborgs Kallbadhus, an open-air pool perched at the end of a wooden pier.
This historic seawater bathhouse opened in 1898 and maintains the longstanding Nordic tradition of nude bathing.
As I glide under the pier, I spot a pair of cheery, ruddy-cheeked pensioners with rolled-up towels, striding purposefully towards the pale green lido.
Tracey Davies enjoys a kayak tour of the city’s canals and strait with views of the iconic Öresund
Although the pool is open all-year round, it’s especially popular in winter when brave Swedes poach themselves in wood-fired saunas before jumping into near-frozen waters.
From here we paddle inland towards Gamla Staden, Malmo’s historic old quarter.
Compact and easy to explore on foot, the city’s clutch of medieval squares is crammed with Danish and German-style half-timbered, gabled buildings which evoke the same charm as Copenhagen or Hamburg.
Paddling past the rouge-hued towers of Malmohus, the oldest renaissance castle in Sweden, we head down towards the Western Harbour.
Once the site of Kockums shipyard, it’s now a sustainable housing development and Europe’s first carbon-neutral neighbourhood.
It’s also home to the city’s landmark tower, the Turning Torso (locals either love it or hate it ).
At 623ft high it’s Scandinavia’s tallest building and twists a full 90 degrees from the bottom to top.
Paddling behind the Torso, the canals flow out to sea and past the harbour’s bleached-wood boardwalk, lined with cool bars and restaurants which boast the best views of the bridge.
I cycle back to the old town, where I decide I’ve earned my first fika of the day; the Swedish tradition of coffee and cake, which is religiously adhered to by locals.
Word on the ground is Lilla Kafferosteriet on Baltzarsgatan is one of the best in town.
The iconic Öresund Bridge
Run by coffee aficionado Filip Akerblom, who roasts his own beans and bakes the best cinnamon buns in the city.
I work off the carb-overload with a cycle over to Davidshall, a trendy quarter known for its vintage clothing stores and labyrinth-style antiques emporiums flogging retro Scandinavian kitchenware for a few kroner apiece.
It’s also home to several chi-chi bistros.
Malmo is fast becoming known for its gastro scene and Michelin awarded stars to three restaurants here in 2015, including Bloom in the Park, a trendy no-menu joint headed up by Titti Qvarnstrom.
For dinner, I chance a rare table at Vastergatan, an NYC-style neighbourhood restaurant currently making waves on the Malmo foodie scene.
Malmo’s landmark tower, the Turning Torso
Like Bloom In The Park it has no menu and serves only seasonal dishes determined by chef Olle Allenburg, who tonight serves up a tremendous Nordic feast of steak tartare dusted with sesame seeds, soft-braised pig cheeks and heavenly lingonberry ice cream.
Following dinner, I head to the bars which line Stortorget and Lilla Torg, and simply cannot resist having a nightcap at B*****d, a hip (and let’s face it, rather thrillingly named) restaurant and late-night cocktail bar on Master Johansgatan. I
nside the dark, cavernous bar, glamorous locals flock in for the organic sharing platters and inventive cocktails, while us Brits, well me, enjoy a rare opportunity to legitimately utter the word B*****d quite a lot.
Whatever angle you witness it from, Malmo is a true treasure, crammed with Scandi charm, good food, and ideal for a weekend break. Rubber outfits are entirely optional.
THE KNOWLEDGE
easyJet (0330 365 5000/easyjet.com) offer return flights from various UK airports from £53.
Raddison Blu Malmo (0800 374 411/radissonblu.com) offers doubles from £98 per night (two sharing), B&B.
Ram’s kayaking tours (dialling from the UK: 00 46 72 047 77 25/ramsilwal.com).
£70 for three hours,
Malmo tourism: malmo.com.