Overview of the

Trip overview

Type
Self-guided
Difficulty
Beginner
Accommodation
4 nights
Cycling
136 km
This is a self-guided beginner-friendly cycling holiday. The cycling takes place on both asphalt and gravel in a very safe traffic environment. E-bike and luggage delivery is available.

Book with Sweden by Bike

Why book with us

  • No extra fees - you pay the organizer's price
  • Accident insurance for everyone registered in the booking
  • Free 1-year membership (value 199 kr)
  • 20% discount in our webshop (single-use coupon)
  • Personal support throughout your booking
Do you have questions about this cycling holiday? Email us.

Practical Info

Before you book

Accommodation
  • Hotel
  • Bed & Breakfast
  • Ejagården Bed & Breakfast, Löderup
  • Central hotel, Ystad
  • Hotel, East Vemmenhög
  • Bed & Breakfast, Trelleborg
Season
1 Apr - 30 Sep
Type of cycling
Leisure
Surface
Asphalt and Gravel
Yes
Cycling takes place in a stress-free and very safe traffic environment.
  • Pet Friendly
    Pets are always welcome for a small fee - perfect for those who want to share the cycling adventure with their four-legged friend.
  • Family Friendly
    Cycling packages with accommodation and activities tailored to families with children - fun stops and safe routes for all ages.
  • Culture
    Explore art, historical sites and local traditions - a perfect mix of cycling and cultural experiences.
  • Romantic
    Escape the daily grind and make memories together - romantic cycling packages with cozy accommodation and beautiful surroundings.
We speak
English and Swedish

Discover the fascinating Viking history while basking in the scenic beauty of Skåne with our 5-day cycling package. Follow the Viking trails, witness charming small towns, stunning sea views, relish fresh air, savor delectable cuisine, and more. Whether you're a seasoned cyclist, a family with kids, or a Viking enthusiast, this package is designed to cater to your preferences.

This exciting cycling tour takes you from Simrishamn in the east to Höllviken in the west, with an unforgettable stop at Foteviken Viking Village. There are also many opportunities to tailor the cycling package to your own needs, such as adding a bike guide who will accompany you throughout the tour or taking a guided tour in the footsteps of Wallander in Ystad. The tour is available from April to October, so there are plenty of opportunities to find a date that suits you. From the cycling package's endpoint in Höllviken, you can either return to Simrishamn using public transportation or pre-book a private transfer for extra comfort on your journey back.

Presentation image: Foteviken Museum

Included

  • One night in a double room at Löderups Strandbad
  • One night in a double room at Our House, Ystad
  • One night in a double room on the South Coast at Pilehill, Vemmenhög
  • One night in a double room at the Clarion Collection Hotel Magasinet, Trelleborg
  • 4 x breakfast
  • Map and route description

Add-on Extras

  • Extra nights, the package is easily supplemented with one or two days
  • Single room supplement
  • Lunch and dinner
  • Rental bike classic: SEK 2,200, rental bike touring: SEK 2,500, electric bike: SEK 3,300 (including delivery at any place/time in Simrishamn/Höllviken) Helmets and bicycle bags can be provided free of charge.
  • Bicycle guide throughout the tour
  • Guided tour in Simrishamn and Ystad (eg in Wallander's footsteps)
  • Luggage transportation: 350 SEK/bag/day (minimum 2 bags/max weight 20kg per bag)
  • Private transfer Höllviken-Simrishamn: approx. SEK 1,000/person (incl. bike and luggage)

Day 1 - Simrishamn-Löderup

Ejagården Bed & Breakfast, Löderup
30 km
Löderup's beach bath

Simrishamn, dating back to the 12th century, is known for its pastel-colored houses with beautifully carved doors. Walking among these houses on a sunny summer day, one might catch a whiff of roses. South of Simrishamn lie the two Simris stones made of sandstone from the 11th century. Discovered in the churchyard wall during a restoration in 1716, the stones were carved in the Uppland style despite Skåne being under Danish rule at the time.

Cycle along the sea and past picturesque fishing villages Brantevik and Skillinge. Make sure to stop at Sandhammaren's long, fine-grained and white sandy beach which has been voted Sweden's finest beach multiple times.

You will spend the night at Ejagården Bed&Breakfast in beautiful surroundings near the sea and within walking distance to Kåseberga.

Day 2 - Löderup-Ystad

Central hotel, Ystad
Breakfast
22 km
Old Garden Hotel Bäckagråden - Ystad

One of the highlights of the day is a visit to the magnificent Ales Stones, Sweden's largest preserved stone ship setting, located in the picturesque fishing village of Kåseberga. The setting consists of 59 standing stones, is 67 meters long, 19 meters wide, and offers a breathtaking view of the sea. After the visit, take a stroll down to Kåseberga harbor and treat yourself to a smoked herring sandwich.

Head towards the charming medieval town of Ystad, with its cobblestone streets and over 300 half-timbered houses, some very colorful. The oldest preserved building in town is the S:ta Maria Church from the 1200s. Every night, the Tornväktarens copper horn sounds from the tower as a sign that all is calm in the city, a tradition dating back to the 1600s. Also, visit the Monastery and Per Helsas Gård.

You, who enjoy crime novels, surely know that Ystad is the hometown of Kurt Wallander, Henning Mankell's creation that was portrayed in 12 books and filmed in several adaptations. In Ystad, you have the opportunity to take a guided tour in Wallander's footsteps and learn more about Mankell's life and work. An exciting and unique experience for all crime fiction enthusiasts!

The hotel where you will spend the night is housed in a charming 19th-century building in the heart of Ystad.

Day 3 - Ystad - East Vemmenhög

Hotel, East Vemmenhög
Breakfast
25 km
South Coast at Pillehill

We leave Ystad behind and cycle westward along the coast. Enjoy the sea breeze and endless ocean views before turning inland and cycling through rolling fields of grain and crops. The landscape you're looking out over may have once belonged to the Danish Viking king Harald Bluetooth, who conquered parts of southern Skåne in the late 970s. By the way, it was he who brought Christianity to the region.

The overnight stay will be as picturesque as it is colorful at Sydkustens at Pillehill in Östra Vemmenhög. Their slogan "Good locally produced food, wine to die for" says it all about what they stand for. The cozy environment is a feast for the eyes, with comfortable beds and a breathtaking view.

Day 4 - Östra Vemmenhög-Trelleborg

Bed & Breakfast, Trelleborg
Breakfast
33 km
Sisters and beans - breakfast

When Tullstorp's old parish church was demolished in 1846, the Tullstorp stone was removed from the wall and instead placed lying on its side in the northern church wall. It was probably at this time that it was broken in two. Today, the runestone stands exposed in the cemetery. The stone depicts, among other things, a warship. The journey in the footsteps of the Vikings continues. On the way to Smygehuk, you pass Jordberga where you can see another runestone, namely the Källstorp stone, which is dated to 1000-1050 AD. It is the only runestone in Skåne that tells about a bridge construction (as is known, Skåne and Denmark were eventually connected by a bridge, but it was not inaugurated until 2000).

Take a look at Sweden's southernmost point - Smygehuk. Enjoy a cup of coffee and take a dip in the sea. Don't miss Famntaget, the statue in the harbor that is said to have been modeled after the grandmother of actress Uma Thurman.

The final destination for the day is the city named after the so-called "trelleborgs," which were large ring fortresses with earthworks. In Skåne, it was none other than the well-known Harald Bluetooth who built them to gain control. You will spend the night in another charming accommodation.

Day 5 - Trelleborg-Höllviken

Breakfast
26 km
Vikings Foteviken

Along the cycling route, you'll find more traces of Vikings. In Fuglie village, there are two runestones, one of which stands on a mound in a garden about thirty meters north of the cemetery. It is said that several attempts have been made to move the stone, but it always returns to the same place.

The final destination, Höllviken, is Foteviken, an entire Viking town built with the materials and techniques of the time, with 23 different buildings from the late Viking Age to the early Middle Ages.

If you want transportation back to Simrishamn, you can use public transport (bus and train) with a transfer via Malmö (Hyllie). The journey takes about 2 hours and there are departures about once an hour.

Simrishamn, Skåne

Map Cycle in the Footsteps of the Vikings

Travel

Getting Here

Booking Information

Payment & Cancellation

Payment

Confirmation and invoice are sent directly from the local tour operator. No payment is made to Sweden by Bike. 
 
Payment terms for this package:
- Booking fee of SEK 1,000 is payable by invoice no later than 10 days after receipt of confirmation (deducted at final payment). The remaining amount is payable no later than 30 days before the start of the trip.

Cancellation & Refund Policy

Free cancellation up to 30 days before the start date.
50% refund 29-15 days before start date.
No refund 14 days before the start date.

2 Ratings

4.3
Overall impression 4.5
Value for money 4.5
Treatment and service 5.0
Accommodation 4.0
Dining experience 4.0
Biking experience 4.0
September 2019Irene Algotsson5.0

Nice route with varied accommodation. The organizer heard about the trip and asked how everything was going. Positively. Only doubtful on a road map that we did not think was right.

Reply from the operator

Hi Irene and thank you for your feedback.

No one has said that the directions were incorrect, but we will certainly take note and re-scout the tour before the 2020 season.

August 2019Kristina åberg3.7

Very good bikes. Very good contacts. The hotel rooms are good but generally too warm, extremely warm where in several places the sun has gassed all day without the curtains being too. The section Sandhammaren Ystad is on the train too theatrical to be classified as a bicycle route. Really nasty! Took much of the pleasure.

Reply from the operator

Hi Kristina!

We appreciate your feedback about the warm rooms and will pass it along to our partners. The Sydkustleden was inaugurated in June 2019 and has a 2-year period to meet all the criteria to be classified as a national cycle route, including safety requirements. We understand that the safety of the route is a priority, and we are actively working on finding solutions such as changing the route or adding a parallel cycle path.

Price & Booking

Book this trip

5 500 SEK/ pers (4 nights)
4.3 (2)

You will receive your booking confirmation from the organizer with final price and availability.

Accommodation
4 nights
Location
Simrishamn
5 500 SEK/ pers (4 nights)
Cycle in the Footsteps of the Vikings
4 nights
4.3 (2)