Karlshamn is an industrious city with cobbled streets, bubbling fountains and beautiful historic architecture. The city was once a hotspot for wealthy Swedish merchants and is filled with handsome buildings and warehouses. Hop between galleries and museums in the Cultural Quarter, stroll around the bustling harbourside district and embrace the much-loved café culture.
Things to do in Karlshamn
Learn about the city’s profitable tobacco industry at Karlshamns Museum in the Cultural Quarter. Along with exhibits on tobacco, the museum showcases traditional costumes and folk art. Don’t miss the wing dedicated to beloved Swedish children’s song composer, Alice Tegnér. Nearby is Skottsbergska Gården, an elegant farmhouse built by a wealthy merchant in the 18th century. It’s reimagined as a local history museum and filled with antiques and oil paintings.
See original liqueur distilling machinery from the 19th century at Punschmuseet. The museum celebrates the legacy of the famous “punsch” spirit, which has a sweet and smoky flavour. Learn about how the liqueur was distilled and walk through rooms filled with wooden barrels and glass bottles.
Entertain the kids at the hands-on Kreativum Science Center. Exhibits spotlight a huge range of topics, from astronomy and kinetic energy to recycling and sustainable forestry. Behind the centre is an action-packed outdoor area with a water playground, rope-powered raft and grassy picnic areas.
Board a ferry and sail to Kastellet, a centuries-old fortress marooned on an island in the bay. It was built to protect the city from invasions and features fortified walls and gun emplacements. Descend into the gloomy dungeon and peer into the original gunpowder cellar.
Getting around Karlshamn
Karlshamn is pedestrian-friendly and easy to get around on foot, while local buses are a fast and affordable way to get around the city or you can use taxis. Karlshamn is in Blekinge province, a 1.5-hour drive from Malmö and four hours from Gothenburg. Trains run between Malmö and Karlshamn in two hours. Malmö Airport is a two-hour drive away.