In October 2017, Hovs Hallar received the award — the Treasure Of European Film Culture. Hovs Hallar Nature Reserve is one of many treasures in southern Sweden. Ingmar Bergman chose to shoot the opening scene in his film Seventh Seal here. Beyond its cinematic success, the reserve featured impressive cliff faces that are home to a variety of seabirds.

With its romantic grounds, Sofiero Palace makes for a popular destination. The grounds are perhaps best known for their unparalleled rhododendrons, with an incredible 5,000 bushes bursting into flower in the spring. The fairytale of Sofiero began in 1864, when Crown Prince Oskar and his wife Sophia had their summer residence built here. In 1905, Oskar — by now King Oskar ll — gave the palace to his grandson Prince Gustav Adolf and his bride Princess Margareta as a wedding present. This is when the gardens literally flourished. Princess Margareta was a keen and creative gardener, and it was she who first laid out the grounds that we can enjoy to this day. She arranged flower beds and gardens, had paving laid and wasn’t afraid to get her hands dirty. Every summer, the Crown Prince couple travelled from Stockholm with their four young princes and Princess Ingrid, who eventually became Queen of Denmark. When Margareta died in 1920, Gustaf Adolf carried on the work in the garden, particularly with the rhododendrons. The palace was the summer residence of the Swedish royal family up until 1973, when it was given to the town of Helsingborg. This small palace, which lies like a jewel amid the extensive lawns, is home to a restaurant where the food is prepared by some of Sweden’s finest chefs. There’s also a café with views of the Öresund Sound and Denmark.

One of the city’s biggest parks provides the ideal rest in the shadow on a hot day. As you stroll through Karaalioğlu Park, you can take in major sights such as the mayor’s office, a city theatre and also the old tower — Hıdırlık Kulesi — is nearby.