A coastal city with a 16th-century fortress on an island in the Öresund Strait. The fortress grounds include military exhibits and a small summer beach.
Landskrona stretches along Sweden's southwestern coast, where the Öresund strait creates a 4-kilometer waterfront. You can walk through the 16th-century citadel's double-moat system, cycle among wheat fields on the island of Ven, or view Nordic art exhibitions at the concrete-and-glass Landskrona Konsthall. The town's 1800s allotment gardens, Sweden's oldest, grow vegetables and flowers in neat rows near the city center.
Exploring the Citadel
The Landskrona Citadel dates from the 1550s, with its distinctive double-moat layout. The inner moat spans 70 meters across, while the outer moat ranges from 40 to 70 meters. You can walk the 2-kilometer path around the outer moat, passing through flower gardens and stopping at six artillery bastions. During summer months, daily guided tours take you through the castle's stone corridors, where you'll see former prison cells and military quarters with period furniture.
Discovering Ven Island
Take a 30-minute ferry ride from Landskrona's harbor to Ven, with nine daily departures (more frequent in July-August). The island's 12-kilometer circular road winds past wheat fields and yellow rapeseed crops. Rent bikes at the ferry terminal to cycle the route, which takes about an hour. Stop at Spirit of Hven distillery to see copper stills producing small-batch whiskey, or explore the stone foundations where astronomer Tycho Brahe built his observatory in the 1500s.
Art and Culture
The 1963 Landskrona Konsthall sits in the citadel park, its glass walls looking out over the moat water. Current Nordic artists display their work here, with new exhibitions every three months. As you walk through the park, you'll find 20 sculptures - look for Carl Milles' bronze figures and Lars Englund's steel constructions. The red-brick theater on Stora Norregatan, built in 1843, runs weekly performances, while the town museum displays ship models, fishing equipment, and photographs documenting local seafaring life.
Getting Around
Trains depart from Landskrona Station to Malmö (35 minutes), Copenhagen (55 minutes), and Gothenburg (2.5 hours). You'll find 4-6 departures per hour on weekdays, including both local Pågatågen and inter-regional Øresundståg trains. The town center is compact - it takes 10 minutes to walk from the station to the citadel. Local buses connect all main locations, with stops at the ferry terminal and the town's sandy beaches.
