Central Skåne is a gem in the heart of Skåne. It’s an area of unspoiled beauty, lakes and villages between the towns of Eslöv, Hörby and Höör. Ramble through forests, visit fantastic farm shops, fish and swim in pristine lakes, or play some great golf courses.

Explore the forests – even at night

Central Skåne’s forests are full of life, and plenty of trails to explore them through. There are shelters and windbreaks where you can stay overnight to really become one with the wilderness.

A hiking trail up among the trees
© Apelöga
Fulltofta Naturcentrum
A person heats a teapot over an open fire
© Apelöga

Fulltofta Naturcentrum is a nature reserve and visitor centre with beautiful hiking trails, a popular café and a detective trail where children can learn the tracks and traces of forest animals. The landscape is varying with deep woodland, open glades and pasture, wide heathland and mighty oak trees.

Frostavallen recreation area is full of beech woodlands, glittering lakes and an open landscape. Wood anemones cover the ground in springtime, adding to its beauty. There are remnants of old volcanoes from the Jurassic period by lake Dagstorpssjön where the landscape is more dramatic, with precipices and steep slopes. Take your sled in the winter and zoom down the snowy slopes. 

Rövarekulan (the Robbers’ Nest) takes its name after the robbers that used to terrorise the valley, ambushing travellers along the country road. The area is now a nature reserve consisting of a gorge that was formed 14,000 years ago when the inland ice melted. There are beech forests, and streams rich with animal and aquatic life. Facilities include a toilet, table and barbecue area at the car park, and protection from the wind along the trail.

Swim in a lake – or in a pool

Three women and a child look at a map next to a lake
© Apelöga
Ringsjön

Central Skåne is the place to go if you want to find your own cosy swimming spots. Lakes Dagtorpssjön, Kvesarumssjön, Ringsjön, Sätoftasjön, Tjörnarpasjön and Vaxsjön all have clean water and are excellent for swimming. Several have sandy beaches, ideal for children to play on. 

Höör indoor swimming pool has a children’s lagoon, waterslides, and a space ball. Hörby has both an outdoor and indoor pool with water slides, diving boards, climbing walls, and a light room. At Eslöv adventure swimming pool there is a wave machine and four water slides.

What to see in Central Skåne

Bosjökloster Castle
Spring at Bosjökloster Castle.

Bosjökloster’s castle and gardens 

The whitewashed Bosjökloster castle on the banks of lake Ringsjön was originally a medieval monastery. Today it’s a place where all generations can enjoy the building, beautiful gardens and 150,000 sq.m. park with its 1,000 year-old oak trees. Walk around parts of the castle and park all year around. You can hire a rowing boat and paddle around the lake. Events and exhibitions are held here throughout the year, with guided tours of the grounds during the summer. 

Skarhults slott

Skarhult is one of Sweden’s best-preserved castles from the renaissance era, built in the 1560s. Today the buildings tell the tale of life through history with specific focus on the women that lived at Skarhult. Take a guided tour through the lives of five women from five different centuries whose aspirations and destinies are retold. The castle features annual exhibitions with new and creative takes on history with a gender perspective. 

The Vicarage Park, Östra sallerup

The Vicarage Park showcases the stones of Karl XI, then king of Sweden. The park is about twelve acres in size, consists of four blocks separated by walkways and canals and is one of a few preserved 17th century parks in Europe. There is a model of the park in the adjoining Kulturhuset (Culture House) as well as pictures and information (in Swedish) about the vicar and Sallerup's squadron. There is also a café and a craft shop. 

What to do in Central Skåne

Embla Träd – how high can you climb a tree?  

All children love climbing trees, and Embla Träd offers adventurous climbing in a safe way. Using harnesses and safety ropes, kids of all ages can scoot up large trees, then lower themselves down again. If you fancy a night out in the wild you can sleep among the trees in specially prepared hammocks.

Children feed a elk calf at Skånes Djurpark
© Mickael Tannus
Watch bears up close at Skånes Djurpark
© Mickael Tannus
Watch bears up close at Skåne's Djurpark.
A child jumps long jump at Skånes djurpark
Four white tail deer grazing at Skånes Djurpark
© Mickael Tannus

Meet the animals at Skånes Djurpark

Skånes Djurpark (animal park) is home to more than a thousand wild and tame Nordic animals. Enjoy a picnic while watching majestic elks, look for foxes as they hide in the bushes and stroke and feed cuddly animals in the petting zoo. Don’t miss the world's first Shaun the Sheep theme park or “Expedition Up” with wooden bridges in the trees where you can watch the animals from above.

Two women canoeing on a river.
© Frits Meyst

Traverse the lakes and rivers in a canoe 

Kanotcentralen in Stockamöllan rents canoes and offers trips throughout central Skåne. They also arrange transport to make canoeing here both safe and family-friendly. The canoe trail is divided into different sections depending on whether you want your trip to last for one or several days. Don’t forget to book your canoe in advance.

Miniature model railway at Eslöv's toy museum
© Leksaksmuseet i Eslöv

Time to play at Eslövs leksaksmuseum

If you love toys – and who doesn’t? – take a trip to Eslöv’s Toy Museum. You’ll find toys from your childhood, no matter how old you are. Stroll around the 400 Barbie dolls, all in their original packaging, 4,000 toy and model cars in different scales, films, TV and computer game figures, PEZ figures and 9,000 tin soldiers. There’s even a complete Smurf world, Playmobil, an entire Lego world and a fantastic LGB and Märklin train collection. You’re never too old to play. 

Where to stay in Central Skåne

Large round tent with a dining area, located inside a forest.
© Apelöga

Nyrups naturhotell

Nyrup’s Naturhotell is the perfect place for hiking vacations or just an “away from it all-experience”. The hotel offers outdoor cooking and provides local ingredients for you to try and enjoy. Sleep in the woollen huts with two or three beds and wake up to the sound of birds in the morning. With no electricity, running water or WiFi and having to walk the last kilometre, you certainly get away from it all. 

Camp Oak, Skånes djurpark

When you sleep at Camp Oak, your neighbours are bears, wolves and elk in their pens. Stay in a tent village in the middle of the park and explore a whole new side of wilderness while you make a fire and grill your foo. Sit around the campfire and listen to the sounds of the forest, then wake up in the morning to enjoy an organic breakfast in a truly natural setting. 

Yangtorp, a Buddhist qigong temple inspired by Chinese architecture at dusk
© Visit Mittskåne

Yangtorp 

Yangtorp is a piece of China in the heart of Skåne. Nestling among leafy woods, fields and meadows this 12,000 square metre sanctuary is where you discover Qigong, meditation or just enjoy a quiet time to yourself. Yangtorp offers different treatments and a holistic approach to wellbeing. 

All rooms are individually decorated. The restaurant produces its dishes from organic ingredients and offers homemade treats for morning and afternoon snacks.

Discover more

Check out some of the other things on the site and discover more of Skåne.