Our visit to Hammershus was perhaps the highlight of Gayle's and my short 1-day visit (off a Viking…read moreCruise Ship) to Bornholm. Bornholm was on of Viking's consolation ports, after their Baltic Cruise dropped Helsinki, Tallin, and St. Petersburg off the itinerary thanks to Russia's invasion of the Ukraine. Actually, Bornholm is a cool little island, that is full of great scenery, and with a reputation of good food, accomplished artists, and popular cultural events. However, Viking forgot to mention in their post-Putin literature that except for a few restaurants and sights (like Hammershus), Bornholm is basically closed on Sunday. Our experience involved a long but scenic (in spots) bus ride to Hammershus and the trip back. We saw places we'd love to stop, but unfortunately we were on the express bus. The Hammershus stop was a welcome one for a break from the bus, the tour guide's monotone, the chance for a comfort break, and the opportunity to walk around and enjoy the castle ruins. Hammershus is the oldest castle ruin in Northern Europe and dates back to many battles among the Danes, Swedes, Kings, and even the Church. I didn't dig too deep into the history as it's hard to focus after seeing so many churches, castle ruins, etc. within a European trip. Yet, itt was fun to see, walk around, and enjoy the ocean view. The Visitor's center is also nice, which includes a gift shop and a Cafe.

Visiting Hammarshus Castle was like spending a day on the great ice wall in Westeros. It was an…read moreincredible experience. This is the oldest castle ruin in Northern Europe, overlooking the plunging cliffs of the northern coast of the Danish island of Bornholm. It dates back to at least the year 1200, occupied at various times by Danish Vikings, Kings, and Swedish invaders. Having visited many castles, I can say this is a unique one. It lacks the ornate design of many German castles, but makes up for this by being a truly functional medieval fortress, complete with drawbridge and a partial moat. It is also a botanical gem, with a unique flora built up by centuries of collecting plants from abroad. The signs are in Danish with English summaries, so you can understand what each structure was used for. The new visitor center was under construction when I visited, though the architectural drawings on display indicate that it will be incredible. The site is easily accessible by bus once you arrive in Rønne, and the bus drivers on Bornholm were all very helpful. Totally worth the trip, I highly recommend it!

It's been a few months, but I'm hoping that all my pictures from the beautiful afternoon spent here…read moreattach to this review. They say in so many images what I just couldn't in words. Ales Stenar, or "Ale's Stones," is a monolithic stone ship that dates back to the Nordic Iron Age. Located in Skåne (or Scania) on the Southern Swedish coast, Ales Stenar is oval in shape, and consists of many different sized standing stones that are also different in color. The bright pink one was my favorite. I had the absolute privilege of visiting them with an archaeologist, and it was one of the best days of my life. We stopped at several points of historic interest along the breathtaking coast during my trip. I also walked inside a stone circle leading into a caved in Stone Age tomb (a few days later in the trip I was able to actually walk all the way inside a tomb!!!), explored petroglyph sites, hiked to a burial site on the beach, and put my toes into the Baltic Sea, all on the same day!! You can't drive up to the site, but there is a gravel parking area in town with a map and friendly greeter kitty that will show you the way. If you walk toward the beach you need only keep right and follow the trail up to the stones. I recommend using Googlemaps if you don't have a Swedish friend with you. ;-) Yes you can actually touch the stones. Unlike that other stone monument... Please please PLEASE leave them as you left them and pack out what you pack in. May 2019, the best birthday month a girl could ask for. I apologize if my facts are not as accurate as they could be.

We visited this place, just because we stayed in the South of Sweden for a few days. Even I knew…read moreand read about it, I didn't expect much. But then it started at the (free) parking lot, which was quite huge, a lot bigger than expected. Then I knew this is not just a roadside attraction. There's an easy stroll up to the Ales Stenar. But be aware: For some parts it's a bit difficult if you have a stroller and nearly impossible if you rely on a wheelchair. The Megalith formation lies on top of this small hill, offering wonderful views of the surrounding coast. And for that only it's already worth to visit. The Megalith formation consists of 59 stones, circled up in an oval (ship) formation. And it's quite an impressive sight. It's not as big or as impressive as Stonehenge (which DOES hold up to the hype btw), but it's quite a sight nonetheless. There's no entrance fee, no fences or anything. Which is quite surprising. I only wished that people (not only kids) wouldn't climb around on these stones so much. Can't be good on the long run. We loved it. Was pretty busy on this morning, but still quite alright. We were also happy that dogs are allowed (on leash). Enjoy it as long as it lasts as it is. I quite believe fees and further restrictions will come up one day.

This building is kind of a strange structure to write a review about. Why? Because it's not a…read morelocation where you can actually go into. This structure is made up of apartments. Yes, you can take a virtual tour. But, people live here. So, though it is a very interesting structure, and has a very unique architectural design, all you can do is look at it from the outside. This being said, it is one of the most recognizable buildings in all of Malmö. You can pretty much see it from all areas of the city. This structure is very close to the shoreline in Malmö. So, it's a nice place to walk to either when you're coming from the ocean or going to the Malmö shoreline. Overall, it is what it is, an interesting structure, and one of the defining factors of Malmö, Sweden.

Cool building and structure & worth it to see up close although it is visible from many spots in…read moreMalmö. Although a residential building, looks like there is a restaurant and some shops. The area (Västra Hamnen) is nice with the Ribersborgs beach only a few steps away and a few restaurants and cafes in this trendy neighborhood. On a beautiful day, worth the 20 minute walk from Central station!

Like everyone else, The Knotted Gun is a lot smaller than anticipated. In fact we walked right by…read moreit on the way from the Malmö Central Station to the Malmö Castle. On the way back I specifically looked for it and still took some time to find exactly where it was. It is fairly close to the train station. From the train station walking along Norra Vallgatan Street towards Slottsgatan look to your left while on the bridge. To your right across the street you will see a lighthouse in the back. The knotted barrel of the gun is pointing towards the direction of the lighthouse. The handle of the gun points towards the direction of Lilla Torg. The Knotted Gun, also known as Non-Violence, was created made by Carl Fredrik Reuterswärd. It isn't your ordinary image of a gun, as the end of its barrel twists into a knot. On the other side of the road, you can see its companion, a large square sculpture with a hole in it. Reuterswärd was inspired to create this giant bronze depiction of a Colt Python .357 Magnum revolver after John Lennon was murdered. His artwork is both a symbol of and call for peace and non-violence. Now, the image is the symbol of the Non-Violence Project, which is a nonprofit that is dedicated to changing the world through peaceful means. There are various knotted guns scattered throughout the world. The most famous and most visited version stands outside the United Nations headquarters in New York City.

So I found a link to an itinerary for a walking tour of Malmö and The Knotted Gun was part of the…read moretour. Trying to find this gun was kind of hard as the photos make it look like it's a huge statue. It's quite the opposite! It's quite small and on a large pedestal. But it is quite close to the train station just west of it, across the bridge. If you blink you may just miss it. We were lucky enough to use our resources and eventually found it. It is small but a powerful message. If not anything, it'll be a good activity to try to find it. I know it was quite an adventure for us.

Went here for my 1st dinner in Malmo. Was highly recommended online plus it right in the center…read moreplaza. Cute with both indoor and patio seating. Sat outside with heat lamps. Very quaint especially at light when the lights are lite up. Nice & friendly services overall. Got fish & chip and a cocktail for my 1st meal in the city. Quite good and well fried. Overall nice place for foods and drinks and perfect spot to see the town plaza.

When looking up what to see in Malmo Lilla Torg comes highly recommended. This plaza is paved with…read morenatural stones and is lined with historic buildings that have been transformed into a combination of shops and restaurants. This 16th century town square sports impressive brick architecture, colorful houses dating from the 1600-1800's, and a peaceful courtyard. Known for its restaurants and nightlife, it is abundant with outdoor terraces. We hear it is very popular in the summertime and even though we were here on a weekday in the winter, the restaurants and bars were packed. Even with it raining there were couples strolling down the cobbled streets via lamplight or packing into the delicious smelling restaurants. It was definitely fun to see in the winter but we would love to return to enjoy it in the summertime.

Authentic as it gets! 10/10 would recommend. Dinner and drinks with some of the best food and…read morepeople watching in Malmo!

The worst tomato sauce I have ever had on pasta - straight tomato paste -uncooked tossed with luke…read morewarm seafood. The worst.

This place was eerie. How else do you describe underground church ruins, cold, dimly-lit, ghostly…read morequiet, finding yourself utterly alone after climbing down a spiral stone staircase? This reminded me of the type of place immortals would meet in the Highlander universe, you know, on holy ground in order to dispel any conflict. Not to nerd it up unnecessarily in here, but that just happened. I stayed in Lund for a couple weeks and went on a walking tour where I tried to hit a handful of places on the map I found at the Cathedral Information Center. The signage from the streets that led lil ol tourist me to get down here into a basement to view the ruins couldn't have been more clear. My Swedish is terrible so I relied on Google Translate to help me read the different displays and plaques. I did appreciate that the videos had an English option. They have a nicely organised timeline of Swedish history over the past thousand years down here as well as preserved items from the ruins. The only soul with a beating heart down here at the time was me, which made for a truly unique and interesting experience. Unsettling in the best way. Lund is an amazing city with much more to see than I could in the few days I gave myself to explore it. It is also a hub of archaeological study, my hostess and friend having earned her degrees at Lund University. This is so evident that I literally walked right by a busy dig site smack in the middle of the city during my wanderings. As I will repeat a million times as I work through my reviews from my Scandinavian travels: VISIT LUND!