Ystad Saltsjöbad is a go-to resort for Swedish and Danish tourists and is a touch of five-star luxury right on the beach on Skane's south coast.
With a history that dates back to 1897, Ystad's Saltsjöbad resort is one of Skane's classic hotels. I stayed at the resort for 24 hours in June. One highlight for me was relaxing in the spa overlooking the sea, then opening the door directly on to the soft, sandy beach.
I had a very relaxing massage and my evening meal was delicious, as was the traditional Swedish prawn salad for lunch earlier. An interesting touch with dinner was the bread, served not on plates but in brown paper bags. Another highlight was sitting on the stylish terrace that linked the restaurant to the beach. The swimming pool area was undergoing an upgrade while I was there, but was impressive nevertheless.
Beautiful Ystad
I liked it so much that I decided to go back - and in some ways my second stay was even better, even though this was a winter visit. After a pretty dismal weekend weather-wise in Skane, the sun came out for my return to YSB (as it is also commonly known) and I was pleasantly surprised to find I was in a room with a stunning sea and beach view this time.
Curiously, while I am not aware of any bulk buy of new beds at the resort in between my visits, I was aware that the bed I slept in this time is one of the most comfortable I have ever slept in anywhere.
A nice little touch during dinner this time was the paper ring holding the napkin in place - complete with some hilarious 'translations' of Chinese phrases, proving that contrary to what you may have heard, the Swedes do have a sense of humour.
Good Links To Malmo And Copenhagen
Ystad Saltsjöbad is a short 60SKR (approximately £6) taxi ride from Ystad's train and bus station. Ystad is very easy to get to by road or public transport, with good links to Malmo and Copenhagen. For more information, visit the Ystad Saltsjöbad website.
Ystad is home to Kurt Wallander, the main character in the popular TV detective show (Wallander is played by Kenneth Branagh in the English version of the series).
But, more importantly, Ystad is best known for its beauty and history. A must-do while you are there is a walk around the centre of the town and its nooks and crannies. The pastel-coloured houses and historic buildings are a huge part of Ystad's appeal.
The atmosphere is relaxed and Ystad is packed full of coffee shops and restaurants. Although it is a popular tourist destination, I have visited many times and it has never seemed crowded. Ystad dates back to the 11th century and is also a major ferry port.
While You Are There
Ystad has plenty to offer, but if you fancy venturing further afield, just hop on a bus or train and do a little exploring. Tomelilla is just over 10 minutes away by train and has a lot to offer including one of Europe's biggest amusement parks, an eco park, one of the most popular warehouse stores in Sweden, a film museum and one of the world's smallest pubs.
Getting to Ystad from the UK is easy. There are regular flights from Heathrow and Gatwick to Copenhagen, with three trains an hour to Malmo from Copenhagen airport. Journey time to Malmo is just 20 minutes. When you arrive at Malmo Central station, take the train to Ystad.
The journey from Malmo to Ystad is 50 minutes and you'll be able to take in views of the sea and Skane's beautiful landscape along the way. Skanetrafiken.se is a very good resource to help you plan your journey. A Jo Jo card is pretty useful, it's a kind of top-up card for travel that makes it easier to buy train and bus tickets.
The Jo Jo card is easiest to use on bus trips - you just turn up and travel. But do make sure you use it to buy a ticket before you board if you are travelling by train - on some train journeys there's a nasty fine of 800SKR (about £80) if you forget!
Common Sense
Having said that, Scandinanvians do seem pretty switched on in the common sense department. On arrival at Copenhagen Airport on my way to Skane I asked for a return train ticket, to come back on Tuesday. I didn't check the ticket until after it was too late but it seems my 'Tuesday' sounded a bit like 'Thursday' so by the time I headed back to the airport the ticket was out of date.
I used the remaining credit on my Jo Jo card to buy a replacement return ticket and when I got back to the airport I explained the situation and showed my flights itinerary.
In the UK I might have expected to have been given short shrift and sent on my way. But the very helpful woman behind the counter could see that a genuine error had occured, that wasn't particularly anyone's fault, and duly refunded the extra amount I had shelled out for my return journey.
Mark Roach - I have 22 years of experience as a writer and editor and have been editor of several magazines.
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