This blog post was written in paid collaboration with Visit Lund however all thoughts and opinions in this post are genuine.
Lund, most well-known for being a big university city, makes for the perfect weekend escape. Whether you are travelling from within Sweden, or visiting from elsewhere, there is so much to discover here that after two days you’ll be itching to come back! Located in the region of Skåne, the city is surrounded by picturesque farmland, small villages, and historical sites. Rather than just a city break, we wanted to see everything that Lund had to offer. So, we decided to hire bikes and explore the countryside, spending the first day exploring the nearby nature reserves and villages, and the second wandering around the city. It was the perfect way to take in the region.
This two-day itinerary is perfect for anyone wanting to see some beautiful southern Swedish nature without needing a car! We cycled or took public transport for the entirety of this trip; from the moment we left our apartment in Gothenburg to the minute we got back. It was the perfect start to summer and a trip I will never forget.
Below you will find our exact itinerary for a two-day cycle trip around Lund. So, let’s get started!
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How to get to Lund
Lund is a very well-connected city, with direct trains to Gothenburg, Malmö, Copenhagen, Stockholm, and many other cities in Southern Sweden. These trains are run by several different train providers. The best way to compare your options and find the best time and price is by using this site.
We travelled down to Lund from Gothenburg, a trip which takes 2 – 3 hours depending on whether you take the fast train or not. The trip is quite easy and relaxing, and the trains are comfortable. This is my favourite way to travel when possible, whether it’s the short trip down to Lund or further away to somewhere like Abisko. Plus, it has great environmental benefits too!
Bike Hire from Fridhems Cykel
For the two days we spent in Lund we only used public transport or bicyles. We hired bikes on our first morning from Fridhems Cykel in central Lund and returned them around lunch time the next day. The cost was quite reasonable considering how much use we got out of them and how much flexibility it gave us in our travels! They have several different bikes for hire, but for a standard bike it was 150kr per day per bike. The bikes were both a very quality brand and in really good condition.
Cycling is the perfect way to get around Lund – with very well maintained cycle paths both inside and outside of the city. We even found one cycle path with a free air-pump so you could maintain your bike along the way!
Where to Stay in Lund
We spent the night in the town of Dalby, just outside of Lund city, at the beautiful Dalby Gästis. This guesthouse has been around since the 1600’s as a place to house travellers, although the current owners have only had it for the last 4 years. They don’t have many rooms, but those they do have are very luxurious, with ornate furniture to match the history of the hotel, comfortable beds, and a nice outdoor terrace. Dinner is served in the restaurant downstairs (you will find my raving review further down in the itinerary), and breakfast is provided in the fridge to eat in your hotel room.
We really enjoyed our stay here and loved being a little outside of the city. It was the perfect stop on our itinerary before heading back into Lund to enjoy our second day.
Day 1: Flyinge, Skrylle, and Dalby
Take the train from Lund to Örtofta
We began our two-day trip to Lund by taking the train, with our rental bikes, to Örtofta. Here we joined the Cykelleden Skåne 103 cycling path. Örtofta is only a short ride from Lund Central (2 stops) and meant that we could cut out quite a bit of cycling and still do the same loop.
The best way to plan this part of the trip is to download the Skånetrafiken mobile app where you can find the timetables and buy your ticket. To find the right ticket for your trip, you can search for the journey on the app (Lund to Örtofta) and select the ticket that way. For this trip you will need to buy a “Small zone ink. city zone Lund” ticket single ticket for 48kr. The ticket is valid for 60 minutes after activation so you can buy it in advance and activate it when you are about to get on the train.
We arrived in Lund at 9.45am on the train down from Gothenburg, hired our bikes from Fridhems Cykel and walked back to the station in time to catch the train to Örtofta at 10.36am. If you are already in Lund or can arrive earlier, I would perhaps recommend taking a slightly earlier train, so you have more time to enjoy the nature reserve and national park later without feeling rushed cycling!
Note: There is a limit to the number of bikes allowed on board so it is possible you might have to wait for another train.
Cykelleden Skåne 103 from Örtofta to Flyinge
Throughout this whole itinerary we followed Cykelleden Skåne route 103. This is a 143km long cycle route which stretches from Lomma, on the West Coast, to Kristianstad in the North East of Skåne. The section we cycled was around 38km in total (from Örtofta to Lund over 2 days). While this sounds like a long bike ride, I think it was perfect for this trip! I don’t often ride my bike but still found this distance to be ok, especially as the second half was all down-hill.
One of the main benefits to cycling is that you are so much closer to the landscape than you are when you drive. We were always pointing out small details in the fields or noticing the smells of different grains as we travelled! In somewhere as beautiful as Lund we appreciated this.
The cykelleden Skåne 103 from Örtofta to Flyinge takes around 1.5 to 2 hours to cycle depending on your pace. The route heads through some beautiful countryside, including past Svenstorp Castle. This is a privately owned castle; however, you can enjoy the surroundings on your way past. To find the route and plan your trip check out this page!
Lunch at Gastro Gaspari
We stopped for lunch at Gastro Gaspari, a beautiful restaurant along the cykelleden Skåne 103 just a few hundred meters after you pass Flyinge Kungsgård. Located in the old black smith’s cottage of the stables next door, the restaurant has a super cosy and intimate atmosphere with a beautiful outdoor garden. We arrived around 12.30 and were lucky to get a table outside where we ordered locally produced alcohol-free beer and the sous-chef’s homemade kombucha!
The restaurant works with seasonal flavour and local products to create a menu that changes every week. Visiting on a Saturday, there were several options available, so we ordered the baked pointed cabbage (spetskål) with asparagus, pistachio nuts, and sandefjord sauce, and the beef tartar with chive mayonnaise, pickled cucumber and green asparagus. Both were delicious, and really showed off their attention to detail and different flavour combinations. This restaurant goes on my list of favourite lunch restaurants in Sweden!
You can find their menu on this page.
Visit Flyinge Kungsgård
After lunch we cycled back to Flyinge Kungsgård, one of Sweden’s three national equestrian centres, and a place that has been around since 1661. This makes it the world’s oldest stud farm still in operation today. The stables are open to visitors every day to explore, and even if you are not that into horses it is still worth a visit! The stables and the area itself are beautiful and there is a lot of history to learn here. Most buildings are labelled with information signs, however, if you are especially interested you can book a guided tour!
Just being in the town of Flyinge, you can tell how much of an influence the stables have on this area, with horses promenading down the main road and of into the fields. When we visited there was a competition going on so we were lucky enough to see some very skilled riders training and performing on the show ground.
Tip: When walking around, make sure to look up to the rooftops for the stork families that have nested there!
Skrylle Nature Reserve
Heading south along the 103-cycle path we arrive at Skrylle – a big nature area made up of several different nature reserve. Here, you will find lots of different hiking trails, grill areas, a playground and a nice café! As always, I recommend visiting Naturum as your first stop, the nature information centre where you can learn about the area, why it is a nature reserve, and about the different fauna and flora that live there.
There are 9 different trails to explore starting at Naturrum. We spent around an hour in the Nature Reserve and chose to walk the 3km long Myrstigen as we were told that this was a beautiful walk with quite varied areas. The hike heads in a loop around Skryllesjön, a beautiful bright blue lake surrounded by rolling hills.
Dalby Söderskog National Park
Dalby Söderskog National Park is the smallest National Park in Europe at only 36 hectares. The National Park was established in 1918 with the purpose of preserving a typical southern Swedish deciduous forest. What makes this park most interesting is that there is no human maintenance or conservation other than the clearing of pathways meaning that the forest will naturally change over time. You could tell this by the amount of deadwood on the forest floor – the perfect place for animal life to thrive!
The National Park is around a 10-minute cycle from Skrylle Nature Reserve and is best done by following the Cykelleden Skåne 103 into Dalby and then just taking a short detour along the main road. In the National Park there are two short walks – one at 600m and one at 2.5km. We only did the 600m walk as a thunderstorm started rolling in as we arrived, however, I would recommend the longer trail if you have the time! You can find a map of the National Park on this page.
Dinner at Dalby Gästis
Dinner at Dalby Gästis was one of the highlights of our trip and an experience that I thoroughly recommend! What I loved most about this place was that the food was all inspired by unique and seasonal flavours and that they work with local producers as much as possible. We ordered the alcohol-free drink package and loved tasting ciders from different parts of Skåne – from cider farms on Bjärehalvön and Österlen to a brewery down the road!
We love tasting different foods and I think that often the best way to experience a restaurant is to try their three-course menu as this is something they have put together to showcase what they can do! At the same time, we wanted to try as many different dishes as we could so one of us ended up ordering the menu while the other ordered à la carte.
As a starter, we had tuna tartar with cucumber water, coriander mayonnaise, and mizuna which was really nice and fresh. For the main, we had beef with parsnip cream and lilac velouté, and cider braised pork cheeks with Jerusalem artichoke cream, wild garlic, apple chutney and sauerkraut. Without sounding too over the top, I have to say that the second dish feels like it was made for me – all my favourite foods on one plate – so that definitely made the whole experience! For dessert we had elderflower cheesecake with rhubarb soup, and woodruff ice cream with white chocolate ganache and spruce syrup. Both were so tasty and with such unique flavours. You could tell that they really care about the dining experience.
The restaurant is open for dinner from Friday through to Sunday and lunch during weekdays. You can find their updated menus on this page!
Day 2: Dalby and Lund City
Dalby Kyrka
Just a two-minute cycle from Dalby Gästis you will find Dalby Kyrka (Dalby Church). The original structure built in 1060, Dalby Kyrka is considered to be the oldest stone church in Scandinavia still in use today. While the building has shrunk in size over the last 900 years, much of what remains was part of the old church – including the main hall and the crypt. The church as it is today based on a renovation in 1758. I recommend both walking around the graveyard and entering the church if its open. Inside there are a lot of other interesting things to see such as the baptismal font which dates back to the 12th century, and the old well in the crypt. During the summer, the church is open between 9 and 18, but just to be sure, you can find their opening times and more information on this page!
Cycle Path 103 from Dalby to Lund
After exploring the church, we continued our trip from Dalby back into Lund. It took us around 2 hours in total and this was one of my favourite bike sections of the trip. The trail was mostly downhill and very beautiful as we were constantly surrounded by fields of grain and picturesque farmhouses.
Note: When you arrive in Lund you will need to switch from 103 to follow the signs to Stortorget. We didn’t realise this and instead took a detour through Höjeådalen and had to go back! The detour was actually quite nice though as this area is used as farmland, so we saw some beautiful horses and sheep in the fields on our way past!
Skissernas Museum
The Museum of Artistic Process and Public Art is an old archive turned museum that today holds the world’s largest collection of sketches, models, and preparatory artwork. A small museum, Skissernas utilises all the space they have with art showcased from floor to ceiling. With a collection of Swedish art, international pieces (including Henri Matisse and Sonia Delaunay) as well as a Mexican hall and temporary exhibition, the range here is very interesting.
The temporary exhibition that was on while we were there (and will be on until the 22 September 2024) is Making Nature by Fredrik Strid, a collection of 257 wax candles modelling the bird species found in Sweden. This was my favourite part of the museum – especially as they not only had the finished pieces, but also the original moulds and plaster that they were made with!
We spent around 1.5 hours here looking through all the different exhibition rooms. The museum is open all days except Mondays. You can find the exact opening hours on this page.
Lunch at På Skissernas
På Skissernas, the museum’s restaurant, is a great lunch stop for anyone who takes joy in eating good food. Again, they use local ingredients and serve dishes guided by the season. The menu changes here on a weekly basis and on weekends they serve both individual dishes and a three-course menu.
Sitting outside on the terrace, we took the three-course menu which was slightly salted mackerel with tomato water and lobster oil, followed by halibut in a white wine sauce with unripen strawberries. For dessert we both had the most delicious sour cream flavoured ice cream with rhubarb and oats. This was my favourite dish of everything we ate – a unique and fresh flavour that I will forever be craving.
The restaurant is open for lunch daily, and dinner on Thursdays to Saturdays. You can find the menu for this week on this page.
Lund Cathedral
When we arrived in Lund, we dropped our bikes back at the hire shop and went straight to Lund Cathedral. While the exact age of the church is unknown, it is estimated that it was built in the latter half of the 11th century making it almost 1,000 years old. The cathedral is still very much in use today and is in fact one of the oldest stone buildings still in use in Sweden. Entering the church is free and something I recommend doing – the interior looks like something right out of Harry Potter.
Lund Cathedral is open for visitors on weekdays from 8 to 18, Saturdays from 9.30 to 17, and Sundays from 9.30 to 18. The cathedral is not open to the public during service (unless you want to take part) so it can be good to check and plan your day around this! When we visited on a Sunday, the church was closed between 12 and 13.30 for mass.
Lund Botanical Gardens
After the Cathedral we walked to Lund Botanical Gardens. These gardens have been around since 1867, although Lund had botanical gardens for several hundred years before this in various places around the city. The main focus of the gardens is to share knowledge about botany, horticulture and environmental issues their different exhibitions and garden spaces.
Visiting on a sunny Sunday, it felt like this was the place to be, with locals spread out throughout the gardens enjoying the weather. We did a loop walk, stopping off at the greenhouses and the café on our way around. There are some pretty spaces here – especially in the late spring/ early summer when everything is in bloom! I recommend spending at least an hour wandering around, perhaps taking a coffee or a picnic in the grass.
Lund Botanical Gardens are open from 6 to 21.30 in the late spring summer and 6 to 20 in the autumn and winter months.
Explore Lund’s Old Town
On your way back into the city centre, don’t miss wandering down some of Lund’s most picturesque streets. Adelgatan (map), Hjortgatan (map), and Lilla Sigridsgatan (map) are three that you don’t want to miss – all with colourful houses, cobblestones and roses climbing the walls.
Ice Cream from Syster Jakobs
Our last stop on this two-day Lund trip was at Syster Jakobs for an ice cream! This is a family run business tied to the sourdough bakery Broder Jakobs Stenugnsbageri next door. The ice cream flavours are all very special – I can recommend the sour cherry, lemon pie, and coconut and pineapple sorbet if they’re still on the menu when you visit! You can find all their flavours here.
Note: This is a very popular spot so expect to queue for a few minutes – it’s worth it though I promise!
This was the perfect early summer trip to Lund – with the most delicious food, beautiful nature, and peak into city life. Exploring by bike and public transport gave it more vacation vibes, with no stress about parking, and the possibility to be just that little bit closer to nature! This region has so much to offer that I will definitely be planning another trip back soon.
Continue Reading:
- Nearby areas: One Day in Malmö, Mölle and Kullaberg Nature Reserve, or Båstad and Bjärehalvön
- Trips like this: 2 Days in Dalsland, Weekend in Gothenburg Itinerary, and Kinnekulle Nature Reserve
- More from Skåne: Day trips from Malmö, Österlen and Ystad, Söderåsens National Park, Weekend Trip Ideas in Southern Sweden
