Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Music and More in Malmo

The fabled Eurovision Song Contest is a delight for music lovers – and for travelers. Held each year since 1956, the contest accepts one song from each European nation, broadcasts them on television and radio, then lets the public and professional judges cast votes for the best. The contest is one of the world’s longest-running television shows, and some of the featured singers – like ABBA, Julio Iglesias and Céline Dion – have gone on to international fame. The winning country enjoys a year of bragging rights and gets to host the next contest.

This year’s host is the city of Malmö, located on the southernmost tip of Sweden. Most of the events will take place at Malmö Arena, which has already hosted the Swedish Idol contest and many concerts. While tickets for the final show are sold out, they are still available for the first and second semi-final rehearsals and live shows, held May 13-16.

In addition to special events surrounding the contest, visitors will find lots of other things to do and see in Malmö, a Scandinavian delight. A five-minute train ride through the City Tunnel will take you from Malmö Arena to the heart of the city. You can explore the surprisingly international restaurant scene, from classic Swedish fare (in addition to meatballs, think rhubarb soup, grilled rack of wild boar, or cod with lobster sauce), as well as French, Thai, Vietnamese and Persian specialties. After dinner, pub-hop at the Slagthuset entertainment complex.

Malmö has wonderful historic buildings, including Malmö Castle, a fortress built in the 1530s, and Saint Peter’s Church, built in early 14th century Gothic style. But you’ll also find plenty of more contemporary Scandinavian designs, along with Sweden’s tallest building, the HSB Turning Torso created by renowned architect Santiago Calatrava, who based this marvel on a sculpture called Twisting Torso. If the weather is fine, visit Malmo’s beaches – try Ribersborg beach, which offers 2.5 miles of sand and saunas for men and women. Bathing suits, while perfectly acceptable, are not required.

Malmö is also very well-connected: Copenhagen, Denmark, is easily accessible in less than a half hour via a train that runs across the impressive, five-mile long Öresund Bridge. Sweden’s motorways or short flights from the Malmö airport provide easy access to the Gothenburg, Stockholm and other Swedish cities.

To made plans for your visit to Malmö during the Eurovision contest or at any time, talk with your travel professional.