At the end of our West Sweden trip in autumn 2023, we sailed south through the Öresund to our winter berth at Dockan Marina. Malmö, at the gateway to the Baltic Sea, seemed perfect to us as a start to the 2024 season, in which we had East Sweden, Finland and the Baltics planned.
🧠Where exactly?
- At the southern tip of Sweden, opposite Copenhagen
- Malmö, Sweden
âš“ Why we love this place
For us, Malmö is an (almost) perfect city. It’s big enough to offer all the conveniences of a large city, and yet it still has a compact, lively city centre with plenty of historic buildings and modern high-rises. Across the whole city there’s a dense network of cycle paths and a super-cheap hire scheme (just under €30 a year).
And last but not least: Malmö is simply in a glorious spot on the Öresund, and the city has made the seafront promenade really inviting. The many lovely swimming spots are used by Swedes even in winter. We limited ourselves to walking and jogging.
Transport links both towards Germany (via Copenhagen and Hamburg you can be in Cologne in a few hours) and, of course, to destinations in Sweden are really fantastic. So you don’t necessarily have to fly. If you do, you can get there quickly via Malmö Airport or Copenhagen Airport.
⛵If you’re arriving with your own boat
Dockan Marina (055° 36.985′ N / 012° 59.345′ E)
- Easy to access and a large harbour right in the centre
- Perfect for crew changes (right by the station and therefore also quickly at the airport)
- Sanitary facilities with toilets, showers, and washing machines/dryers in one of the nearby buildings at the end of the harbour basin near the guest berths
- Relatively well protected from wind and swell, only subject to strong fluctuations in water level
- Excellent and professionally run by a friendly harbour team
Limhamn (055° 35.014′ N / 012° 54.868′ E)
- Further from the city centre, but with the bus connection or a hire bike you can still be there in half an hour
- Gorgeous view of the Ă–resund Bridge and lots of nature around it
- Boat chandlery with a good range right in the harbour
- Large boat lift (we were lifted and pressure-washed here for a total of around €60)
- However, it’s a bit more exposed to wind and waves
In addition, there’s a smaller harbour (Turbinenhamnen) a little east of Dockan Marina near the striking high-rise “Turning Torso”, which also has guest berths.
Sailing in East Sweden
Discover the best sailing East Sweden tips for cruising grounds, anchorages, and practical advice for your next sailing adventure along Sweden’s east coast .
❄️ Winter berth at Dockan Marina, Malmö
As a winter berth, Dockan Marina is well suited, apart from two weak points.
Pros
- The service facilities are good and close to the berth (in winter, boats that are being used can be moved to the end of the harbour basin)
- Electricity is inexpensive, and with the app you can always keep an eye on the meter reading
- The harbour is well protected
- The harbour master is on site during office hours
Cons
- There are no floating pontoons, which can potentially become a problem due to the sometimes strongly rising/falling water level if you’re not on site and can’t readjust the lines. The harbour master insists that you make provisions for this (e.g. ask a local resident to take care of it, or simply be on board)
- There’s no fuel station in the harbour and also no car petrol station nearby. If you want to heat with diesel, you’d have to go to Limhamn Marina to refuel
🏝️What you can do on land
- Sightseeing & shopping either on foot or by hire bike
- Go for a walk in one of the city’s beautiful parks
- Enjoy a special film night at the Spegeln cinema
- Visit the technology and maritime museum by the castle
- Take a photo at the Titanic viewpoint on a beach walk
💡 Two extra tips for a winter day in Malmö
If, like us, you’re there in winter and you enjoy ice-skating or have children with you, you should pay Folkets Park a visit. The whole park is beautifully lit and from November to February it’s criss-crossed by an ice rink. You can also borrow skates here free of charge.
Around Lent, and in some places even shortly after Christmas, you can find semla everywhere in Sweden: a bun filled with lots of whipped cream and almond paste.
We especially liked the vegan version at the café “Bröd och vänner”. Absolutely delicious!
with Turning Torso
