Smygehuk in Skåne is Sweden's southernmost cape. There is a small harbour, some cosy little restaurants and beautiful nature. Above all, there are a number of signs that clearly indicate that you are at the southernmost point in Sweden.
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Smygehuk
Smygehuk is located at the town of Smygehamn, east of Trelleborg on the south coast of Skåne, and belongs to the municipality of Trelleborg. Even though the place is small, it is a popular destination for tourists. Who doesn't want to be able to say they've been to Sweden's southernmost headland?
Sweden's southernmost cape
At the waterfront in Smygehuk there is a viewing platform which is the southernmost point in Sweden - 55 degrees 20 minutes 13 seconds. Just behind it is a compass rose indicating the distance to different places in the world.
Even though we were early in the morning, and even though it was not yet the real high season, we had to queue for a little while to take the top picture. First we had to help some German cyclists to immortalise themselves on the spot.
Nearby, there are fixed binoculars where you can look out over the sea and the passing boats.
Protected snakes
It is not only people who like to visit Sweden's southernmost point, but also vipers. There is apparently a unique population of vipers here and the snakes are protected. We didn't see any snakes, but to be honest, we were just as happy about it.
The warehouse and memories of the lime industry
In Smygehuk there are a number of buildings and places that are reminders of history. These include the Köpmansmagasinet, which was built in the early 19th century and was one of four trading estates in the area. Today the building houses craftsmen and artists.
We could also see a lime kiln, built in the middle of the 19th century. At this time, the mining and burning of lime, along with fishing and trade, was one of the major industries in the area. The burnt lime was used as a soil improver and as a building material. Today, the reservoir and kiln are reminders of times gone by.
The harbour in Smygehuk
The harbour in Smygehuk is charming, full of small boats and harbour sheds (hoddor) where fishermen store their gear. There has been a small fishing village here since the 17th century. The harbour was built in the 1920s to facilitate loading and unloading.
West of the harbour there is also a lighthouse (which we never photographed). Smygehuk's lighthouse was built in 1883 and is a 17 metre high iron tower. After being extinguished for 25 years, it was relit in 2001 and now guides pleasure boats and local fishermen around the headland. Next to it is an old lighthouse keeper's house, now used as a hostel.
Cafés, eateries and shops
There are several food services in Smygehuk. We were here a little too early in the morning for them to be open, but we saw a fish smokehouse, Café Smyge and ice cream parlour.
Works of art and (violent) history
As you wander around the area around Smygehuk, you come across some works of art. In the photo, Peter is peering into part of an installation called 'Euphoria of the Senses', which is about the encounter with the sea.
One piece of artwork that can be seen from the road is a statue of a woman, stretched out towards the sea and the wind. The sculpture was made by Axel Ebbe and is called 'Famntaget'. Rumour has it that actress Uma Thurman's grandmother was once the model for the piece.
We also checked out a stone labelled 'Sly Stone'. What could this be? As we were looking around, a man passed by and said that "at that stone many men have lost their lives". And so it was apparently, that this stone was used in a whole series of executions, in the past.
See more around Smygehuk
In the neighbourhood of Smygehuk, you can take the opportunity to visit Trelleborg with "Trelleborgen" and Ystad with its charming historic neighbourhoods. It is also not far from Skanör and Falsterbo with its long beautiful beaches, with soft fine-grained sand.
Have you visited Smygehuk and Sweden's southernmost headland? Do you have any other tips on what to see and do in the neighbourhood? Let us know!
Facts about Smygehuk - Sweden's southernmost cape
- Municipality: Municipality of Trelleborg
- County: Skåne County
- Landscape: Skåne
- Location: The south coast of Skåne, near Smygehamn.
- The name: The prefix 'Smyge' is from the Scanian language and means narrow passage or sheltered area. The suffix 'Huk' is borrowed from Dutch and means headland.
- Read more: You can find more information at Visit Trelleborg.
Services and practical information
- Toilets: Free toilets are available in the area. There is also the possibility of emptying latrines. The toilets are not open 24 hours a day.
- Food service: There are several different food outlets, including a fish smokehouse and ice cream parlour.
- Tourist information: The Smygehuk tourist information centre is located in the harbour.
Animals and nature at Smygehuk
- Geology: Animals and nature in the area are characterised by the calcareous soil. Here you can also find fossils of sea urchins that lived almost 100 million years ago.
- Plants: The calcareous soil is home to, among other things, backanis, watercress and crabgrass. North of the harbour there is a marsh where orchids such as mayweed and meadowsweet thrive.
- amphibians: At Smygehuk there are newts, frogs and toads, including the endangered common toad.
- Ormar: The coastal meadows between Böste and the harbour in Smygehuk are home to a unique population of vipers. The snakes are protected.
Find your way to Smygehuk
- Car: Follow road 9 from Ystad or Trelleborg.
- Bus: Skånetrafiken bus line 190. In summer, the Palm Bus also runs from Trelleborg to Sweden's southernmost cape.
- Bicycle: There is a cycle path along the coast.
History in Smygehuk
- 17th century: Smygehuk and the town of Smygehamn developed as a fishing community, due to the rich fishing and fertile soil.
- 19th century: Four large trading centres were built, of which Köpmansmagasinet was the largest. Limestone mining, fishing and trade were the most important industries in Smygehamn. At the end of the century, lime mining and burning became an industrial activity.
- Early 20th century: Thanks to the railway, Smygehamn became a seaside resort. First the Östra Torp Strandhotell was built and later the Hotell Smygehus.
- Mid-20th century: The lime industry was no longer profitable, and instead the number of fishermen increased. The railway kept trade moving.
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Bear says:
It is not just a rumour, it was Uma Thurman's grandmother Birgit Holmquist, mother of Uma Thurman's mother Nena von Schlebrügge, who was the model for Axel Ebbe's Famntaget.
02 June 2021 - 8:07
Helena says:
Interesting! Thanks for your comment, and further enlightenment! We wrote rumour just because that's what the info sign said, but interestingly, we understand that it's also true!
02 June 2021 - 18:26
Daniela | Discovering The Planet says:
So very nice in this corner of Skåne. Think many miss it in favour of Österlen :). Nice trip you had.
02 June 2021 - 10:57
Helena says:
Yes really very nice! And you may be right, Österlen has a very good reputation, but there are more nice parts of Skåne!
02 June 2021 - 18:27
Daniel on FlyingDryden says:
Yep, did Smykehuk for the first time in 2014 when we did both Kebnekaise, Sweden's lowest point in Kristianstad, Treriksröset, Haparanda, Kosteröarna and Flataklocken (Sweden's geographical centre) in the same year. Have visited Smygehuk twice more since then, most recently this weekend. Nice place and beautiful surroundings, really worth a stop over lunch because even the food was good class, we think!
02 June 2021 - 12:57
Helena says:
02 June 2021 - 18:28
BP says:
I had never heard of Smygehuk. So I learnt something new there. I like the place. How cosy it looks there. Oh what luck with the weather you had:-)
02 June 2021 - 21:12
Lena+in+Wales+and+Spain says:
Yes, who wouldn't want to visit the southernmost tip of Sweden!
I have a friend in Trelleborg, so we have been there together. Although it was a while ago, we remember walking around and sitting by the water and eating ice cream, good ice cream.
05 June 2021 - 9:55