Episode #46: Sweden Day Trip From Copenhagen: What to See in Lund and Malmö With Kids

Lund Cathedral

If you are visiting Copenhagen with kids, adding a day trip to Sweden is surprisingly easy and such a fun way to experience another country during the same vacation.

During our four nights in Copenhagen, we rented a car and spent one full day exploring southern Sweden with our five kids.

This day was especially meaningful for our family because several generations of my husband’s ancestors came from southern Sweden. We wanted to see some of the places connected to his family history while also giving our kids a chance to experience Sweden.

Our day took us across the Øresund Bridge to Lund, then to Eslöv for some family history, and finally to Malmö before driving back to Copenhagen that evening. We saw a nearly 1,000-year-old cathedral, watched an incredible astronomical clock, searched a Swedish cemetery for an ancestor, explored the grounds of Malmö Castle, found playgrounds and gardens, and somehow continued our European tradition of finding roly-polies everywhere we went.

Here is everything we did, plus what I would recommend if you are planning your own day trip from Copenhagen to Sweden with kids.

Driving From Copenhagen to Sweden

We started our morning in Copenhagen by picking up some danishes to eat in the car. If you are going to drive from Denmark to Sweden, eating Danish pastries along the way seems like an appropriate way to start.

We had already rented a car for our time in Copenhagen because we knew we wanted to visit Sweden and a few places outside the city. We loaded everyone into the car and headed toward the Øresund Bridge, which connects Denmark and Sweden.

One of the coolest parts about visiting Copenhagen is realizing how close you are to another country. Malmö is just across the water, and you can drive from central Copenhagen to Malmö in under an hour depending on traffic.

Our kids thought it was fun to know that we were literally driving from one country into another. Coming from the United States, where we can drive for hours and still be in the same state, there is something exciting about crossing a bridge and suddenly being in a different country.

What You Need to Know About the Øresund Bridge

The Øresund Bridge is a toll bridge, and this is one expense you need to include in your budget. It is not a cheap bridge crossing, especially if you plan to drive over and back on the same day.

When we picked up our rental car in Copenhagen, the employee explained that we could prepay for their electronic bridge option. She told us this would be less expensive than simply crossing the bridge and having the charges processed through the rental car company afterward.

We followed her recommendation and prepaid. I remember the cost being somewhere around $100 for our bridge travel, so this was still a significant expense for a day trip.

Prices and discount programs can change, so check the current Øresund Bridge rates before your trip. If you are renting a car, I would also ask the rental car company what they recommend before purchasing anything separately. Some rental companies have their own electronic toll options or discounted bridge arrangements.

Another important step is making sure your rental vehicle can legally be driven into Sweden. Do not assume that because Sweden is so close to Denmark, your rental agreement automatically allows you to cross the border. Ask the company about its cross-border policy when you pick up the car and find out whether there are any additional fees or insurance requirements.

Do You Need Your Passport to Drive From Denmark to Sweden?

We brought all seven of our passports with us, although no one asked to see them when we crossed the border.

Even though Denmark and Sweden are both part of the Schengen Area, I would still bring your passports. Sweden can conduct border checks on travelers arriving from Denmark, so you want to have the proper identification with you even if you are not stopped.

Keep your passports somewhere secure but easy to access rather than buried under everyone's luggage. We did not need ours during our particular crossing, but I would not make the drive without them.

Our First Stop: Lund, Sweden

Our first stop of the day was Lund, and I really liked this city. It felt much smaller and calmer than many of the major European cities we had visited during our trip, and the historic center was easy to explore on foot.

Our main reason for visiting Lund was Lund Cathedral. The oldest parts of the cathedral date back to the 11th century, so you are walking into a building with roughly 900 years of history.

Places like this always amaze me because that amount of history is difficult to comprehend. As Americans, we are not used to casually walking into buildings that have been standing for close to 1,000 years.

The cathedral itself is beautiful, but there was one thing in particular we were hoping to see.

The Astronomical Clock at Lund Cathedral

Inside Lund Cathedral is an incredible astronomical clock that dates back to the 1400s. The Horologium Mirabile Lundense is more than 500 years old and includes both a clock and an elaborate calendar.

The calendar portion was fascinating because it tracks the days of the year and includes religious and astronomical information. There are so many tiny details to look at that you could stand there for a long time trying to understand how everything works.

The best part for our kids was when the clock actually performed. At certain times of the day, small figures move as part of a short presentation.

We completely lucked out and walked into the cathedral right around the time it was going to happen. We had not intentionally planned our visit around the clock schedule, so we were surprised when the little figures started moving.

This immediately made the cathedral more interesting for the kids. Sometimes you can walk into a historic church and tell your children how old it is and how important the architecture is, but they are ready to leave after five minutes. Giving them something to actually watch made this visit much more memorable.

If you are visiting Lund, I would check the current schedule for the astronomical clock before you arrive. We got lucky, but it would be easy to plan your visit around one of the performances.

Exploring Lund With Kids

After visiting the cathedral, we spent some time walking around Lund. The historic center is compact and easy to explore without needing a complicated itinerary.

Eventually, everyone was hungry, so we started looking for somewhere to eat. You might think our first meal in Sweden would have involved Swedish meatballs or some amazing traditional Swedish food.

Instead, we found a little restaurant serving sushi and Asian food.

It was not exactly the authentic Swedish meal you might expect, but everyone ate and was happy. By this point, we were nearing the end of a 19-day European trip with five kids, so finding food everyone would eat was more important than making every meal a cultural experience.

Visiting Eslöv for Our Family History

After lunch, we drove from Lund to Eslöv. This was the most personal part of our day and one of the main reasons we wanted to visit southern Sweden.

My husband had done some family history research before the trip and learned that one of his ancestors from five generations back was buried in a cemetery in Eslöv.

We knew which cemetery he was buried in, but we did not know exactly where his grave was located.

Unfortunately, we were visiting on a Sunday and the cemetery office was closed. There was no one there who could tell us where to look, so we decided to search for the grave ourselves.

Searching a Swedish Cemetery for an Ancestor

We walked up and down the rows of graves looking at names and dates. We found several names that were very similar, and each time we would get excited until we realized the dates did not match.

We walked and walked but never found the exact grave.

Even though we did not find it, I am still really glad we went. There was something meaningful about standing in the area where my husband's family had lived generations earlier.

Travel can make family history feel much more real to kids. Telling your children that their ancestors came from Sweden is one thing. Taking them to the towns where those ancestors lived and walking through the cemetery where one of them was buried creates a completely different connection.

If you are planning a family history trip, I would do more preparation than we did. Contact the cemetery before your trip, ask whether they have a grave database, and see if they can give you a section or plot number. Also check the office hours before deciding which day to visit.

We were there on a Sunday, which made finding information much harder.

Our Very Swedish Sven Olaf Discovery

We may not have found the ancestor we were looking for, but we did find one gravestone that made all of us laugh.

The person's first name was Sven and his last name was Olaf.

Sven Olaf.

Apparently, we found where Disney got all of its Frozen inspiration.

Obviously, I am joking, but finding a Sven Olaf gravestone while standing in a Swedish cemetery felt pretty perfect. It was one of those completely random moments that gave the kids something funny to remember from the day.

Exploring Malmö With Kids

After Eslöv, we drove to Malmö. Malmö is Sweden's third-largest city and one of the easiest places to visit from Copenhagen because it sits right across the Øresund.

Our main stop was Malmö Castle, also known as Malmöhus Castle.

Unfortunately, the castle was closed when we arrived. Visiting on a Sunday was clearly not our best decision when it came to opening hours.

We could still see the outside of the castle and walk around the large moat that surrounds it. The area was beautiful, so we decided to spend our time exploring the grounds instead.

This is something we have learned over years of traveling with kids. You do not always need to go inside every attraction to enjoy it.

Sometimes walking around a castle, exploring the grounds, taking pictures, and letting the kids move around is enough.

Gardens, a Windmill, and More Roly-Polies

Behind Malmö Castle, we found beautiful gardens and walking paths. We spent time wandering through the area, and the kids had plenty of space to explore.

My boys also found more roly-polies.

If you listened to our Copenhagen episode, you know this somehow became a theme during the final part of our European trip. We could be standing next to a historic building that had survived for hundreds of years, and my boys would be crouched on the ground completely fascinated by the bugs they found underneath a rock.

Apparently, you can spend thousands of dollars taking your children across Europe, and one of their favorite activities will still be finding roly-polies in the dirt.

We also found a really cool old windmill near the gardens. The entire area around the castle was peaceful and gave us a chance to slow down after spending much of the day driving and sightseeing.

Finding a Playground in Malmö

Of course, we also found a playground.

By this point in our trip, we had become very good at finding playgrounds in European cities. We would visit the historical attraction, walk around for a while, and then give the kids time to do something that was completely for them.

I think this balance makes a huge difference when traveling with children. If we are asking our kids to walk through a cathedral, spend time in a cemetery, visit a castle, and sit in a car, I also want them to have time to run, climb, dig, and play.

It does not need to be an expensive attraction. Sometimes 30 minutes at a playground is exactly what everyone needs before getting back into the car.

More Family-Friendly Things to Do in Lund

If you have more time in Lund, there are several other family-friendly attractions worth adding to your itinerary.

Kulturen is an open-air museum in central Lund with historic buildings, gardens, exhibits, and family activities. Kids can learn what life was like in Sweden during different periods while exploring an environment that is much more interactive than a traditional museum.

Lund also has a beautiful Botanical Garden that would be easy to combine with the cathedral and historic center. If we had spent an entire day in Lund instead of continuing to Eslöv and Malmö, I would have added one or both of these.

The nice thing about Lund is that you do not need to pack your schedule. The historic center itself is worth walking through, and you can combine sightseeing with slower stops for food, parks, and outdoor time.

More Family-Friendly Things to Do in Malmö

If you have more time in Malmö, Folkets Park would be high on my list for families. It is free to enter and has play areas and different activities for children depending on the season.

Another option during warmer weather is Ribersborg Beach. Adding some beach time could be a nice break if your family has already spent several days visiting cities, museums, and historical sites.

Malmö also has plenty of parks and outdoor spaces, which makes it easy to balance sightseeing with time for kids to simply play.

If your children enjoy castles, you could plan your visit when Malmöhus Castle is actually open and spend more time exploring inside than we were able to.

How I Would Plan a Copenhagen to Sweden Day Trip

If I were planning this day again, I would still start early and drive directly from Copenhagen to Lund.

I would check the Lund Cathedral schedule ahead of time and plan our arrival around the astronomical clock. After visiting the cathedral, I would walk around Lund and have lunch there.

From Lund, I would choose your next stop based on what matters most to your family. Eslöv was important to us because of our family history, but most families could skip it and spend additional time in Lund or head directly to Malmö.

I would spend the second half of the day in Malmö. Visit Malmöhus Castle, explore the gardens, find a playground, have dinner, and then drive back across the Øresund Bridge to Copenhagen.

Trying to add too many additional towns would make the day feel rushed. Lund and Malmö alone can easily fill a day with kids.

Tips for Driving From Copenhagen to Sweden

The biggest thing I would recommend is planning the logistics before you pick up your rental car. Confirm that your rental company allows the vehicle to enter Sweden and ask about any additional fees or requirements.

Ask specifically about paying the Øresund Bridge toll. Your rental company may have a prepaid or electronic option that is less expensive than having the toll billed back to you later.

Bring everyone's passports even though you may not be asked to show them. Border checks can occur between Denmark and Sweden, and you want to have the proper identification with you.

I would also check opening hours for every attraction that matters to you. Visiting on a Sunday affected both our cemetery search and our ability to go inside Malmö Castle.

Most importantly, do not try to see everything. Pick a few places that matter most and leave room for food, playgrounds, bathroom stops, and unexpected finds.

Is a Day Trip From Copenhagen to Sweden Worth It?

For us, absolutely.

This was not a day filled with huge attractions or expensive experiences. We walked through an old cathedral, watched a 500-year-old astronomical clock, ate sushi, searched a cemetery, walked around the outside of a closed castle, found playgrounds, and drove across a really cool bridge.

It was also one of the most personal days of our European trip.

Visiting the area where my husband's ancestors lived made Sweden feel like more than another country we could add to our travel list. Our kids were able to physically be in a place connected to their family story.

I also loved showing them how close different countries can be in Europe. We left our apartment in Denmark that morning, drove across a bridge, spent the day experiencing another country, and returned to our same Copenhagen apartment that evening.

Should You Stay Overnight in Sweden?

If you are already staying in Copenhagen and only want to experience a little of southern Sweden, I do not think you need to switch hotels.

Keeping our apartment in Copenhagen and returning there that night was much easier than packing up everything for our family of seven and moving to another hotel for one night.

If you want to explore southern Sweden more deeply, I could easily see spending one or two nights here. You could spend more time in Lund, explore Malmö at a slower pace, add museums and parks, spend time at the beach, or venture farther into the smaller towns and countryside.

For us, one day was enough because Sweden was an addition to our larger European trip rather than the main destination.

Final Thoughts on Visiting Southern Sweden With Kids

We loved our day trip to Sweden, and I am so glad we added it to our Copenhagen itinerary. It was easy enough to drive over for the day, and it gave our kids a completely different experience without requiring another flight or hotel stay.

If you are already visiting Copenhagen, I would definitely look into whether a Sweden day trip makes sense for your family. With one full day, you can cross the Øresund Bridge, explore Lund, visit Malmö, experience centuries of history, and be back in Copenhagen that evening.

If you have family history anywhere nearby, take some time to research it before your trip. Find the towns, churches, cemeteries, and addresses connected to your ancestors. Contact cemetery or church offices ahead of time when possible.

Your kids may not completely understand the significance of it while they are young, but there is something special about standing together in a place that is part of your family's story.

Fast track your cruise planning with my all-in-one family cruising guide! Your future self will thank you for the hours saved!

Be sure to grab my FREE roadmap guide to start earning points for free travel below!

Grab my FREE guide on earning Points &. Miles for nearly free travel!