Walking in Båstad – 11km

1. We are now standing at the Square in Båstad, built between the sea and the protecting Hallandsåsen (The Halland Ridge) resulting in a mild climate. Here in Båstad you can find grapes, peaches and walnuts growing. Båstad is also known for it's leafy gardens and it's beautiful nature. The Church witnessed Båstad as a medieval village and an important trading centre in the Danish Kingdome founded in the 15 th century. The Church is built in a gothic style and has several medieval paintings. Every summer there is several Church Concerts of high class that you can go to and around Midsummer's Eve there is the annual Kammarmusikfestivalen (The Chamber Music Festival). On the lawn by the Churchyard wall stands Skyddsmantelmadonnan (The Protecting Cape Madonna) a sculpture by Lena Lervik. The Square is, as it has been for centuries, a market and gathering place for locals and visitors a like. In 1870 there was a great fire which left two thirds of the settlement in ashes. Left here by the Square stood, besides the Church, only a little school built in 1839 and today that's where you find the Tourist Information Centre. The houses around the Square reflect a building style from the end of the last Century. Församlingsgården (The Assembly Hall) was built in 1879 as a Community School . The stylish building in the east was constructed by the trader August Tiljander. The two story building in the south was an Inn or, as it would be referred to later, Hotel Viktoria. In the Annex just left of the old Inn is where we today find Tidernas Tennis (The Tennis Museum) a permanent exhibition about Swedish Tennis History.

2. We continue Köpmansgatan forward and when we get to SEB (The S E-Bank) we find The Goat Man , a sculpture by Allan Runefelt.

3. After that we turn right. At the end of Pershögsgatan we find Pershög . This is where our village's first Society Restaurant was built in the year 1851.

4. Just east of Pershög is Buena Vista . A former hotel built by the Swedish American John Andersson in 1906. He was the son of a crofter from Blekinge, emigrated to America and became a contractor. Buena Vista is today an apartment building.

5. Back on Köpmansgatan we find Hotel Båstad . In the 1920s Ludvig Nobel bought the Hotel and reconstructed it. Hotel Båstad became a first class hotel known for it's tasteful style.

6. We continue our walk down Lyckebacken. Opposite Fridhemsvägen is a grave from the Bronze Age called Klinkehöj . On the other side of Köpmansgatan on the lawn we find Ceramic Apples made by Ulla and Gustav Kraitz. Beyond these lies the Municipality Building .

7. Once again we continue our walk. This time we pass Lyckan , the new service centre here in Båstad, and further down the road we find Drivan – Båstad Tennis Centre . One of Sweden 's largest Tennis Centres with activities for all ages and all levels of players. This is also where the Tennis High School is situated. There is a total of fourteen outdoor- and six indoor courts. Other sports like soccer, volleyball and basketball can be played here as well. Drivan also offers a Cafeteria, Sports Shop and Youth Hostel. In the Northeast corner of Drivan stand two stones. These two stones are referred to as Galtar stenar (The Stones of Galtar) and they mark the spot of two graves from the younger part of the Iron Age (app. 400-1050 a.c). According to myth it's the Fylkeking Galter and his horse who are buried here. They were killed in battle, engaging another Fylkeking. On the mound above is Hakonhus (The House of Hakon), a magnificent villa built by Hakon Perrson.

8. We now follow Skåneleden and pass the boarding houses Enehall and Furuhem down towards the sea. This is where Malens Hafsbad och kurort (Malen's Retreat) was founded in 1903. The BathHouse and the Society Restaurant is no longer here but one can still see the Summer Houses of the Bathing Guests of that time (as well as from the present time) well kept in this area. Above Malenbadet is The Water Pavilion, where they used to serve water from a spring near by in the beginning of the 20 th Century. Where we today find Malenbadet there used to be a Park belonging to Malen's Retreat.

9. And now back towards Båstad, we take the path that's called Strandpromenaden

(The walk along the beach). We turn left by the School and after a few blocks we turn and walk along Agardhsgatan . Just a little further is Agardhsgården (The Agardh Manor) It was owned by the merchant, the ship- and factory owner Jurgen Agardh. It was here that his son Carl Adolf Agardh was born. A man who grew up to be a scholar in Lund and later the Bishop of Karlstad.

10. We continue along this street. This part was saved during the fire of 1870. Many of the old Sea Captain Manors are still standing like Stolpagården which is where we today find KISEK – an Antiquity Shop.

11. Further down the street, another one hundred meters, we find Hyllebäck , a stream that runs under Agardhsgatan. It was between this stream and Bokebäck (another stream in the west) that demarcate the old medieval town. East of the stream used to be a Brick Mill where the bricks of Copenhagen Castle where made in the 16 th Century.

12. Following the street a bit further we find Märta Måås-Fjetterström's studio for carpets and fabrics. Märta Måås came to Båstad in 1919. Her carpets and tapestries are famous far beyond our country's boarders.

13. By the former vicarage we turn to walk towards the Harbour . From the middle of the 15 th Century timber, wood and brick was shipped from Båstad to the rest of Denmark . During the 18 th and 19 th Century the shipping was extensive. In the year 1877 Skansen was built as a grain warehouse, where grain from the south of Halland was shipped out. Today the harbour is filled with pleasure boats and occasional sailing races. The sea near Båstad is considered to be very nice waters for sailing. On the ridge by Strandängen (The Beach Meadow) we fined a couple of old canons from the Russian War of Gustav III . Russian ships tried to plunder Båstad in 1788. The inhabitants managed to stop the attempt by patrolling the ridge with pitchforks while shooting the canons and scarring of the Russians with their fighting spirit – or so they say. The beach here is one of the most popular and child friendly beaches with changing cabins and WC. Båstad has been a popular town for the swimming and bathing possibilities since the beginning of the 19 th Century.

14. We now walk towards the Tennis Stadium . Tennis has been played in Båstad since the end of the 19 th Century. It was very popular among the bathing guests. The Tennis Tournaments started to be arranged on a more serious note in 1920. Ludvig Nobel was one of many who recognised the value of Tennis and helped develop it in Båstad. Synsam Swedish Open is today the largest Tennis Tournament in Båstad but there are many more.

15. We leave the stadium through the left exit and take Mr. G's Road straight a head. Behind the pseudonym Mr G hides King Gustav V. From 1930 and fifteen years on he took part in the Tennis Tournament himself. We walk Kastanjeallén, take a left on Lindallén and find ourselves standing in front of Skånegården, which was built by Ludvig Nobel during the years 1916 and 1918. The building was one of Båstads prominent Hotel. Today it's an apartment building. Ludvig Nobel came to Båstad as a bathing guest in 1905. He was so taken by the nature and the environment that he decided to come back. He wanted to develop Båstad and give it a new and more modern touch without abandoning its history and culture. Båstad is known for its style and quality, the very things that has grown from Ludvig Nobel.

With a direction of the Church and the Square our little walk ends. We have learned some of what Båstad has to tell and offer. There are many things left of course so please visit our Tourist Information Centre for inspiration.