Day 1 in the Nordics – Sweden: Helsingborg & Lund Adventures

Day 1 Itinerary: Athens ✈️ → Copenhagen (rental car) → Helsingborg, Sweden → Lund → Stay in Malmö (Pro tip: When renting a car in Copenhagen for cross-border travel to Sweden, tell the rental agency your full itinerary—they often offer ~20% discounts! 🚗💸 One-way cost: ~505 SEK, so the discount is SO worth it.) Helsingborg: Charming Small-Town Vibes Copenhagen to Helsingborg: 95km, 1hr drive. Use GPS to find Karnan Tower—park near the park (easy peasy!). Karnan Tower, built in 1320, is Helsingborg’s oldest surviving structure 😮. Sadly, it was closed during our visit—no interior access. The arched gateway is a must-see, but the 2nd-floor section belongs to a café—you’ll need to buy a coffee (or snack!) to explore it. The city is tiny, with most attractions clustered around the main square. By the fountain, we met super friendly Muslim girls who chatted with us—they loved China and raved about square watermelons from Guangdong (I’ve never tried one… curious now!). We tried to hunt down the trendy cake shop Fahlmans for sweet treats, but the GPS led us astray—couldn’t find it, so we pivoted to Lund. Lund: University Town Magic 🎓 Lund is a city fused with its university—one of Scandinavia’s oldest (founded 1666, with roots tracing back to 1425 as a Franciscan school next to Lund Cathedral!). Every building has its founding year displayed—history oozes from every corner. Library & Cathedral: Non-negotiable stops!! • The library is a historic gem, covered in lush ivy. A med school staffer we met insisted we check out the law and medical school buildings—they’re not flashy, but their age (and academic energy!) is unmatched. • The cathedral: We got lucky with golden sunset light pouring over its spires 🌅. Too late to go inside, but my friend sent photos later—stunningly beautiful. Evening in Lund: Food & Student Vibes Dinner at Krua Thau Restaurant (Thai food, Muslim-owned—only drinks, no alcohol 😅). We’d originally planned to go to Golden Dragon, but they didn’t have the Sichuan dishes my elderly companion craved—so Thai it was (still delicious!). The square’s bars were packed with young students—felt like stepping back into my own college days 👨🎓👩🎓. Bonus: The security guards at the bars were super good-looking (don’t judge, I noticed 😉). #SwedenTravel #Helsingborg #LundUniversity #Lund #Wanderlust