Kranplatsen Malmö – Busy, breezy harbour view

I grew up in the landlocked midwestern United States, which is the only explanation I can come up with for my fascination with all things nautical. I’ve been drawn to large bodies of water and the boats that traverse them for as long as I can remember, and Kranplatsen at the end of Krankajen in the Dockan neighbourhood is a fantastic place to watch them come and go. 

Kranplatsen, being at the end of a wharf, offers nearly 300 degrees of water views with Malmö’s busy commercial harbour on one side and the entrance to Dockan Marina on the other. Plus, on a clear day, you can see the Danish skyline directly across the Öresund. There’s a nice combination of wooden deck space, cement seawall and park benches for lounging, as well as three elevated plots of grass where you can spread out a beach towel or a picnic blanket.

Naturally, it’s a popular spot for fishing, too, though there aren’t any dedicated facilities for it. There is a limited amount of public parking at Kranplatsen, but I recommend walking out and back if you have the time. You pass the small yet scenic Malmö Lighthouse on the harbour side, and a lovely row of private pleasure craft on the marina side, where there are also a couple of small restaurants for grabbing a bite to eat or a cold drink. But be prepared for the usual stiff breeze for which the harbour area is famous.