Overlooking a sparkling bay, Sölvesborg is a historically rich town on Sweden’s south-east coast. It was founded in the 12th century around St. Nicholas Church and is believed to have been named after the founder of the Sölvesborg Slott, Sölvitz. Once a centre for the manufacture of porcelain and glass, Sölvesborg is now a popular commuter town for workers in Kristiansund.
Things to do in Sölvesborg
You can learn about the people and events that have shaped the town at the Sölvesborgs Museum, which is housed within a 150-year-old corn and schnapps mill. Browse the archaeological finds dating back to the Stone Age and see artefacts uncovered from the Sölvesborg Slott, as well as objects from the former monastery of Sankt Nikolai Kyrka.
Opposite the museum is the Sölvesborgs Konsthall, a regional art gallery occupying a 19th-century warehouse where grain and potatoes were once stored. It hosts changing exhibitions featuring paintings, sculptural works and photography, as well as contemporary design and art installations.
A short stroll north-east of the town centre lies the ruins of Sölvesborg Slott, which was visited by Queen Margaret of Denmark and Erik of Pomerania during the 15th century. Alongside the red-brick ruins is a reconstruction of the castle in miniature and an early 19th-century stately mansion. The Sölvesborg Slott overlooks a scenic bay that is spanned by the multi-arched Sölvesborg Bridge, which is accessible to pedestrians and cyclists.
Getting around Sölvesborg
Sölvesborg is around 30 minutes’ drive from Kristianstad and 1.5 hours from Malmö Airport, which has flights to destinations across Europe. Trains connect east to Karlskrona and west to Copenhagen from the Sölvesborg railway station while the town centre is compact enough to explore on foot.