Tag Archives: Lund

Lund, Sweden

Downtown Lund

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I would describe Lund as a large town. It definitely doesn’t have a “city” feel, but it’s a busy and bustling town with many shops and restaurants. As far as transportation, we walked everywhere. I really enjoyed not being in a car because it allowed us to really explore the streets and experience this adorable town. I have to say that I felt incredibly comfortable and safe walking around Lund by myself, which I did on a few different occasions. Both JJ and I also were pleased to find that most people speak English in Sweden and are really nice.

Lund has a few “main” squares, where you can find a market that sells fresh produce, and a shopping district that has H&M, a shopping mall, and the visitor’s center. JJ and I went to the visitor’s center on a number of occasions. They have free computers for you to use, and also sell traditional Swedish souvenirs.

Lund Cathedral is one of the major landmarks in town. It’s near the shopping area and is a really pretty church. I can’t tell you much about it’s history or anything since we didn’t go inside, but it kept us from getting lost on a number of occasions by serving as a marker to get our bearings straight.

Lund University is right in town, and is a pretty large campus. JJ and I walked from one end to the other so that we could meet up with a friend, and it seems like it took about 30 minutes or so. The library is gorgeous, and is reminiscent of an Ivy League campus.

We spent one of the days walking aimlessly around town. We discovered City Park, which is really green and beautiful. It’s a decent sized park and is frequented by a lot of families. A lot of people are just walking around or relaxing on benches to enjoy the scenery.

Inside the park, we found what I thought was a synagogue. It turns out that it is an observatory. There aren’t any signs (at least in English) that say what exactly it is, 0ther than one that says it is private property.

Overall, this is a beautiful town and I would highly recommend exploring it all on foot. This is easily manageable. If for some reason you have mobility issues or need to get somewhere quickly, there is a public bus system that is incredibly easy to navigate. You can buy a bus pass at the Pressbyrån convenience store.  Either way, I became very familiar with central Lund by day 4, and felt “at home” and comfortable with the area very quickly. I hope I get a chance to go back one day!

Lund, Sweden

Lund, Sweden: Hotels and Train Stations

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My good friend JJ moved to Lund last summer and I had the opportunity to go with her in June and visit. This was my first trip to Sweden, and we  flew into Copenhagen, Denmark, which is only a short train ride away from Lund.

It was really easy to get there by public transportation. The train station is actually in the airport and can take you directly into Sweden, stopping at Lund Central Station. As you can see below, most people either walk or take their bike throughout the town. The station also has a Pressbyrån, which is a convenience store that can be found on nearly every corner in Sweden. They sell magazines, newspapers, and of course, hot dogs. We stopped in here for sodas constantly.

For half of my trip, we stayed at a hostel, which was actually a converted sleeper train. It was really neat, actually! The hostel was literally a walk across the bridge from the train station, so it was an incredibly convenient place to stay.

The interior of the train has a dining cart, a central area for wifi use, shared bathrooms (you do have to pay for shower water), and TINY rooms with a bunk for two that are approximately 6 feet long by 3 feet wide. This was a really cool train and everyone was great, but I wouldn’t recommend staying here for long periods of time if you are claustrophobic. Unfortunately, I got really claustrophobic by Day 3, and stayed elsewhere for the rest of the trip, but the experience was definitely once in a lifetime and I would highly recommend trying it out, especially if you’re on a budget or just want a unique experience.

I stayed at the Grand Hotel in Lund for the last part of my stay. I loved this hotel. It’s about a two blocks away from the train station and is the biggest and most luxurious hotel in town. I actually stayed here by myself and was given a room on the top floor of the hotel. This meant that I had to take the elevator and then go up an extra flight of stairs with my luggage. I loved my little room and it was updated, but there is no air conditioning. This is fairly common in Europe, but being on the top floor with a lot of incoming light left me well overheated.  Nonetheless, room service was nice enough to open my windows for me and let some breeze inside the room.