Halmstad
Halmstad (Swedish: Halmstad, [ˈhalmsta]) is a town in Halland on Sweden's west coast. Halmstad is the seat for Halmstad Municipality.
Understand
Halmstad is a popular tourist destination in the summer much because of the beaches Tylösand and Östra stranden but also for its nightlife, with many outside bars and restaurants that open in the summer. Most tourists come to visit the town in July and August.
Halmstad is also known as the "golf capital" of Sweden with 12 beautiful courses.
History
Halmstad has been a city since early 1307 and during the Middle Ages, Halmstad was said to have been the largest city on Halland's west coast.
Population
There is a population of around 90 000 in Halmstad Municipality.
Tourist information
- 1 Halmstad Tourist Office, Köpmansgatan 20, ☏ +46 35-120 200, info@tourist.halmstad.se. M-F 10:00-18:00, Sa 10:00-14:00. The Tourist Office will help you with sights, tickets, accommodation, activities and other issues.
Get in
Situated on the Swedish west coast, between Malmö and Göteborg, Halmstad is easy to travel to by both train, bus, bike or car.
By plane
There are a few daily flights from Stockholm Arlanda airport and some charter flights, but not much else. Alternatively, Malmö Sturup Airport and Gothenburg-Landvetter Airport are both within 2 hours' drive or an easy train journey and, for more international flights, Copenhagen Airport is within 3 hours of Halmstad.
- 1 Halmstad Airport (Halmstads flygplats), Tre Hjärtans väg 12. HAD IATA
By train
Halmstad is well-connected with both high-speed SJ trains as well as regional Öresundståg running between Gothenburg and Malmö/Copenhagen. There are seasonal direct trains from Stockholm as well. Local trains connect with the interior and smaller cities across Skåne and Halland.
- 2 Halmstad Central railway station (Halmstads centralstation), Stationsgatan 25-31 (A few minutes walk east of city centre).
By bus
National bus lines to Halmstad are run by FlixBus and VY, who have connections from most major cities in Sweden. Hallandstrafiken is the bus operator in Halland.
By car
The European road E6/E20 passes through Halmstad. Two other important roads to get there are national roads 25 and 26.
By ferry
There is an daily ferry from Grenå in Denmark, operated by Stena Line.
- 3 Port of Halmstad (Halmstad hamn), Turbingatan 22.
Get around
Public transportation in Halmstad city is run by Hallandstrafiken. The city transportation centre is called Österskans bus station. (See on map)
By taxi
Some taxi companies in Halmstad.
- Sverigetaxi, Phone: +46 20 - 20 20 20
- Sennans Taxi [dead link], Phone: +46 35 - 661 11
See
- 1 Halmstad slott, Aschebergsgatan 1, ☏ +46 35-13 70 00. A castle built by the Danish king Christian IV.
- 2 Fattighuset (the Poor House), Köpmansgatan 20. At Lilla Torg has various handicraft shops, a cafe, and a sports museum. The tourist office is in the same building.
- Look at nice old timberframe buildings, for instance close to S:t Nikolai kyrka (the church at Stora Torg).
Do
- Capital of Golf in Sweden (Golfhuvudstaden). Halmstad has twelve golf courses.
- 1 Tylösand, Tylöhusvägen 28 (some 8 km from central Halmstad), ☏ +46 35-305 00. A 7-km long beach, and in July thousands of people flock there when the weather is fine, making it one of Sweden's most crowded beaches. Tylösand is believed to be one of the best beaches in Sweden. Water sport such as windsurfing and kite boarding are quite popular, and courses are available.
Buy
Storgatan, Köpmansgatan, and nearby streets, give you various shopping opportunities.
Eat
- 1 Fridolfs Krog, Brogatan 26, ☏ +46 35-21 16 66. Good food, nice atmosphere.
- 2 Salt, Tylöudden (by Tylösand some 8 km from central Halmstad), ☏ +46 35 335 01. 17:30-01:00. Great food and cocktails on the waterside.
Drink
You can pick up the free Entré and Frotté magazines in various stores to read more about Halmstad's nightlife. They are only available in Swedish though. See Swedish phrasebook.
Sleep
- 1 Fox and Anchor, Köpmansgatan 41, ☏ +46 35-230 21 13.
- 2 First Camp Tylösand, Kungsvägen 3, ☏ +46 35 305 10. Cottages and camping at the beach of Tylösand, about 12 km from Halmstad. Wireless internet connection is available. Kids' club during the summer, adventure golf.
- 3 Way In Hotel, Strandvallen 7, ☏ +46 35-299 19 00. Walking distance from downtown.
Go next
- Radio Station Grimeton - The world's only remaining long wave radio station of its kind is on the UNESCO World Heritage List. 10 km east of Varberg.
- Helsingborg
| Routes through Halmstad |
| Gothenburg ← Varberg ← | N  S |
→ Båstad → Malmö |
| END ← | W  E |
→ Ljungby → Växjö |