6 Best Sights in Malmo, The South and the Kingdom of Glass

One of Sweden's most outstanding art museums is in a turn-of-the-20th-century brick building that was once a power plant. It has exhibitions of contemporary art and a quality selection of Nordic art.

You can learn about Scandinavian art and design at the Form/Design Center. The center is run by SvenskForm, a nonprofit association that promotes top-quality design in Sweden. Swedish and other Scandinavian artworks are on display throughout the center.

This cobblestone square has some of the city's oldest buildings, which date from the 17th and 18th centuries. It is clustered with cafés, restaurants, and bars; it's a great place to wander or watch the world go by. Walk into the side streets and see the traditional buildings, which were originally used mainly to store grain and produce. Check out the Saluhallen (food hall), which contains Kryddboden, one of Sweden's best coffee sellers.

The city's castle, Malmöhus, completed in 1542, was for many years used as a prison (James Hepburn, 4th Earl of Boswell and husband of Mary, Queen of Scots, was one of its notable inmates). Exhibits trace the dramatic history of the castle and the city of Malmö over the past 500 years. Malmöhus also houses the Malmö Art Museum and an aquarium, which together with the adjacent Technology and Maritime Museum are part of a complex called Malmö Museer. A single admission ticket gets you into all the museums.

The Rådhuset, dating from 1546, dominates Stortorget, a huge, cobbled market square in Gamla Staden, and makes an impressive spectacle when illuminated at night.

In Gamla Staden, the Old Town, look for the St. Petri Church, on Kalendegatan; dating from the 14th century, it is an impressive example of the Baltic Gothic style, with distinctive stepped gables. Inside there is a fine Renaissance altar.