Simrishamn

Simrishamn grew as a fishing town on the east-facing Skane coast and the old quarter behind the harbour keeps low houses in white, ochre and pale pink with hollyhocks against the walls in summer - the look that has made Osterlen a summer destination for artists and Stockholmers. Sankt Nicolai church, the fisherman's church, stands above the streets. The harbour still lands fish, with a fish shop and smokehouse on the quay, and the Baltic here is genuinely open water rather than sheltered channel. Ferries run to Bornholm in season. Kivik, the apple district and Stenshuvud national park are north.

Background

Simrishamn is the seat of Simrishamn Municipality in Skåne and had 6,527 inhabitants at the end of 2010, though for historical reasons it is still usually called a city. The town is built around its main street, Storgatan, which passes the market square at its centre, on an area of 4.49 square kilometres. Warmed by the Gulf Stream and the Baltic, it has a mild climate, with a hardiness zone of 8a, comparable to that of Paris.

Source: Wikipedia, "Simrishamn"

What's there

• Pastel and white fishing houses - hollyhocks against the walls.
• A working harbour - fish landed, sold and smoked on the quay.
• Sankt Nicolai church - the fisherman's church above the town.
• Open Baltic water - the coast faces east into it.

When to go

May to September. Half a day.

Things to know

July fills the town and prices with it. Much of the charm is private houses. The wind off the Baltic is constant. Out of season it is very quiet.

Nearby

Stenshuvud is north; Kivik and the orchards are just beyond it.

Key facts