As a small town all the way down there in the southern part of Sweden, Lund may not seem glamorous. But I am telling you, Lund is actually a hidden gem of Sweden. Why not? This town has a lot to offer. Do not worry. I will tell you some things you can expect from Lund within this article. Grab a coffee or a tea, and read this humble article peacefully.
Peaceful, small, and cozy
With less than one hundred thousand inhabitants, the town offers a quiet and peaceful atmosphere. Everyone in Lund is very friendly, and the traffic is not piled up so that you can definitely find peace easily here. Some small, cozy cafés are all over the places along the cobblestoned roads that decorate the city, which you can go to have a fika together with friends or study alone.
Considering its small size, some touristy places in the town are actually within a walk distance. You can walk or ride a bike to explore many things in Lund. However, suppose you prefer to take public transportation over walking or riding a bike. In that case, you are actually in the right place. Lund has three types of public transport you can use, like bus, tram, and train. Isn’t it fantastic?
Just because this town is very small, it does not mean that Lund has few or limited places to explore. Lund is actually very rich in history and culture, perfect for those who like the medieval style of a town. You can see some photogenic architectures everywhere, such as the iconic Lund Cathedral, the beautiful Lund University Main Library, and many other aesthetic buildings. Besides, the Danish influence on the architectural structures is very distinct from other regions outside Skåne, making it unique.
A student city
It is no longer a secret that the ‘life’ of Lund is actually coming from the high number of students living here. In fact, Lund University is the only university in the town, contributing to a large number of the city’s population. That is why many sparks of the city actually come from many student activities.
As a student city, Lund has also attracted a lot of students coming from across the world. Therefore, you can find many people speak English very fluently here. However, it does not necessarily mean that learning Swedish is useless. Learning Swedish is still essential if you want to mingle with Swedish people or watch Swedish TV without subtitles. If you are interested, you can get a free Swedish course, called SFI, from the municipality.
With a high number of students living in Lund, you can find a lot of friends. It will be easier for you to find friends if you join some student activities and try to mingle with them. In fact, with a lot of academicians and alumni from Lund University, the city serves as a great hotspot to expand your network. I was quite surprised to learn that my friends are friends of my other friends. It is actually a very great thing to experience while we are living abroad, of course.
Everything is cheap
The first time I arrived in Lund, I thought everything was expensive. I could not stop converting the Swedish Kronor to the Indonesian Rupiah, which blows my mind that everything was quite pricey compared to Indonesia. So, stop comparing the Swedish Kronor to the Indonesian Rupiah. It does not work that way!
In fact, aside from the currency, Lund offers much cheaper things than other cities in Sweden. When I went to Stockholm, Uppsala, and Göteborg for vacation, everything was expensive than what we have in Lund or Skåne in general. My friends who live in those cities also confirmed this when they visited Lund for the first time.
That is actually true because when I compared the price for the public transport here to the ones in Göteborg, they are much cheaper here in Lund or Skåne region in general. Furthermore, you can also get a lot of discounts here if you are a student. You can get significant price discounts or deals for food, clothes, electronics, public transportation, and many other things you fancy.
Close to Malmö and Copenhagen
I personally think that Lund is enough for me, as a person who prefers quietness to the hustle and bustle life of a big city. However, some people may find it boring. Fret not! You do not need to worry about that. Lund is not that isolated. Lund is only 15 minutes away from the third biggest city in Sweden, Malmö, by train.
There are definitely a lot of things you can do in Malmö. If you fancy swimming on the beach, you can go to Ribersborg in a western part of the city. It is free of course, and you can also enjoy the sunset there because it is very beautiful. Besides, Malmö city itself is also glamorous because Malmö has many malls, cafés, and restaurants. This city definitely fits for you who love the solace of a big city vibe.
If you think Malmö is not good enough for you, you can also go to Copenhagen, Denmark, less than an hour away from Lund by train. Many people commute from Lund to Malmö to do varied activities. Some are working there, some are also doing a short vacation there. In fact, many students at Lund University do an internship in Copenhagen because there are more opportunities to find some work in Copenhagen. You can also do it too if you are studying here in Lund.
Well, that is all I can say about how lovely it is to live in Lund, especially if you are a student. Perhaps, there are other things I have not covered in this article about how living in Lund has appealed to me so much. From its charm, Lund has successfully romanticized my memories to the level where I cannot ever forget them. That being said, I have another name for this town that reminds me of a movie called ‘La La Lund.’
Cheers,
Hamzah Dzikri Fadliansyah
MSc Media and Communication
Lund University
Editor : Putu Christ Wirawan
