Things to do on Ven – 11 experiences on our bike tour around the island

Writer: Helena Bergström

Updated October 2026 | What to do on Ven? We took our bikes on the ferry from Landskrona and set off among open fields, steep slopes and views of the Sound. Here are our best experiences on Ven – from Tycho Brahe and St. Ibb's Church to picnics, alpacas and a very good ice cream.

Ven – a small island to be experienced slowly

Ven is located in the middle of the Öresund between Sweden and Denmark, but it doesn't take many pedal strokes from the ferry port before the mainland feels considerably further away. The roads become smaller, the cars fewer and between the fields the sea appears time and time again.

We had our own bikes with us on the ferry and it was a perfect way to discover the island. Sometimes we cycled on small roads through the agricultural landscape, sometimes along the sea and sometimes through green passages like the Love Path. Somewhere along the way we realized that we didn't need to rush to the next attraction. On Ven is the journey's goal. The road between places is at least as important as the places themselves.

1. Cycle around Ven – and let the road be part of the experience

The classic way to discover Ven is by bike and after our own trip we understand why. We brought our own bikes on the ferry, but there are also bikes to rent on the island for those who come without.

The beauty is the variety. One moment you're cycling through an open agricultural landscape and the next you can see the Sound below the slopes. In other places you almost disappear into the greenery.

At Kärleksstigen the road becomes narrow and leafy. The name is said to come from the fact that lovers used to sneak away here, and regardless of the truth, the name fits the green little passage quite well.

There are hills on Ven, so don't expect the entire trip to be a Sunday bike ride on flat ground. But the island is small enough that you can stop often and let the bike be a way to experience the landscape rather than just a means of transportation.

2. Experience Vens Backafall – where the island plunges into the sea

One of the places we remember best from Ven is Backafallen. The steep slopes follow large parts of the island's coast and in places the landscape drops dramatically down towards the Sound. The strange thing is the contrast. Up on Ven there are fields and an open, almost tranquil landscape. Just a short distance away the land suddenly breaks off and disappears down towards the sea.

When we got here, the silence also became part of the experience. Despite the fact that many people visit Ven, there is little car traffic and in several places we mostly heard the wind, the sea and the birds. We stopped and did something very advanced. We had lunch.

We had brought salami, shrimp, fruit and vegetables from the camper and sat out in nature with our little picnic. No restaurant reservations, no table setting and no big plan. Just Peter, me, the food and Ven. Sometimes, that's all you really need.

3. Visit the Tycho Brahe Museum – Ven's great world name

If only we could recommend a historical attraction on Ven it will be the Tycho Brahe Museum. The Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe lived and worked on Ven for 21 years in the 16th century. Here he built Uraniborg with an observatory, residence and gardens and later the partly underground observatory Stjärneborg.

Tycho Brahe made extremely accurate observations of stars and planets at a time when the telescope had not yet been invented. His work later had great significance for the development of astronomy. The museum is located in the former All Saints' Church and here we met both the scientist and the much more colorful person Tycho Brahe. And colorful is almost an understatement.

An astronomer with a metal nose and a moose with a bad beer sense

The stories surrounding Tycho Brahe are almost as fascinating as his research. He lost part of his nose after a duel and wore a metal prosthesis. The famous story of his tame moose ends even more strangely – the moose supposedly drank too much alcohol during a party, fell down a flight of stairs and died. There are also various theories about Tycho Brahe's own death. Suddenly, the history of astronomy is not so dry anymore.

4. Go down to Stjärneborg – the underground observatory

Uraniborg is no longer there, but the area around the Tycho Brahe Museum still tells the story of his time on Ven. The Renaissance garden has been recreated and you can see the place where the great castle once stood. We found Stjärneborg to be the most exciting.

Tycho Brahe had the observatory built partly underground because he wanted to protect his sensitive instruments from the wind. Today you can go down and get a much better idea of how his research was actually conducted here more than 400 years ago.

It's easy to think of Ven as a small holiday island with bikes and ice cream. But for a period in the 16th century, this small island was also one of Europe's most interesting places for astronomical research. That perspective changes Ven quite dramatically.

5. See the view from St. Ibb's Church

We continued to the old church of Sankt Ibb at Kyrkbacken, one of those places where the location almost rivals the attraction itself. The church is located high above the harbor and from here you get a fantastic view of Kyrkbacken and the Sound. So don't just stop in front of the church gate, but walk around and look out over the landscape.

St. Ibb's Church has medieval origins and has been through war, decay and resurrection. For a period, a newer church was used on the island, but today St. Ibb is once again Ven's church. For us, it became above all another place where you understand how close to the sea you are almost everywhere on the island.

6. Look into Nämndemansgården and meet the old Ven

Tycho Brahe tells the story of the famous part of Ven's history. Nämndemansgården instead tells the story of the people who lived a much more ordinary life here. The old four-sided farm dates back to the late 18th century and was inhabited by the same family for five generations. Today it functions as a local history museum and museum.

We went in and looked at the old rooms, the carriages and all the objects that have been preserved. We think places like this often say more about a destination than large museums do. Suddenly you get closer to everyday life – how people lived, worked and organized their lives. At the farm there is also beekeeping and the opportunity to buy honey. It is a small stop compared to the Tycho Brahe Museum, but together the two places tell two completely different stories about the same island.

7. Eat Hven ice cream – we took our job very seriously

Somewhere between all the nature, astronomy and cultural history, one naturally has to devote oneself to more important things. Ice cream. Hvens Glassfabrik makes its own ice cream and we found it at the ferry terminal in Bäckviken. Peter chose rum raisin, among other things, while I had apple ice cream.

Both were very good. This may not be Ven's most historically significant attraction, and the ice cream has hardly changed modern astronomy. But we would eat it again. And sometimes that's a good enough rating.

8. Visit Spirit of Hven – the island has more than astronomy

Spirit of Hven is another side of the island. Whiskey and gin are produced here, among other things, and the facility has both a restaurant and a bar. It is possible to book guided tours and tastings for those who want to delve deeper into the production. We were content to just look around and skipped the whiskey this time.

For those interested in food and drink, Spirit of Hven can be an experience worth planning, especially if you stay overnight and don't have to think about cycling back to the ferry immediately after a tasting. On Ven, the experiences are close to each other, but they don't have to be similar. That's part of the charm.

9. Sunbathe and swim on Ven

On a hot summer day, there is another reason not to fill the whole day with sights. Ven has several opportunities for swimming and we passed swimming spots at Kyrkbacken and Norreborg, among others. The combination of a bike ride and a swim in the Öresund feels pretty hard to beat when the weather cooperates.

Even if you don't swim, the harbors are worth stopping by. Kyrkbacken is beautifully located below Sankt Ibb's church, while Bäckviken is where Ventrafiken's ferry from Landskrona docks. So feel free to bring swimwear even if swimming isn't at the top of your plans for the day. On an island, plans change quickly when the sun comes out.

10. Meet the alpacas at Ven

This wasn't planned either. But suddenly there they were. Alpacas. HvenAlpacka arranges hikes where you can go out into nature with the animals. Such an activity needs to be booked in advance and we hadn't done that.

We had to settle for stopping at the fence and looking at them. That was enough. They are incredibly charming animals and became another one of those little stops that don't necessarily end up at the top of a list of Ven's major attractions, but that you still remember afterwards.

11. Try a different activity on Ven

If you have more time, there are several activities that can be a break from cycling and sightseeing. On Ven there is a golf course and also football golf, where you play around a course much like golf but try to get big footballs into the holes. We didn't play ourselves, but it's definitely an activity we could consider trying next time.

At Camp Ven you can stay in your own tent, cabin or glamping tent. When we were there, there was also a minigolf course with the rather self-deprecating description ”Sweden’s worst minigolf”. It’s hard not to be a little curious about such marketing.

Do you have to cycle on Ven?

No, you don't have to cycle to experience Ven. You can walk, take the bus and use other transport options on the island. The Skåneleden also goes around Ven and is a good option for those who prefer to use their legs without two wheels. But after our own trip, we would still choose the bike again.

The distances are just right, you get close to the landscape and it's easy to stop when something looks interesting. Above all, the bike turns the transportation between the sights into part of the day itself. That's exactly how we like to travel.

Hike Ven around the Skåneleden trail

For those who want to experience Ven even more slowly, there is the Skåneleden trail around the island. The hike follows large parts of the coast and passes several of the environments that are also among our favorites. Here you get Backafallen, views of Öresund and Denmark, the Love Path, the Tycho Brahe area and St. Ibb's Church along the same hike.

This makes the trail an interesting alternative even for those who have already visited Ven by bike. The pace is different and you often discover more when you walk than when you roll by. In other words, Ven is not dependent on the yellow bicycles, even though they have become something of a symbol for the island.

How to get to Ven?

The most common way to travel to Ven is with Ventrafiken from Skeppsbron in Landskrona to Bäckviken on Ven. The crossing takes about 30 minutes and the ferries run all year round. During popular summer days it is wise to book the ferry in advance. This is especially true if you want to bring your own bike, as many others have the exact same idea when the sun shines over Skåne.

There have also been summer traffic from other locations and boat trips from both Sweden and Denmark during various periods. Such connections can change between seasons, so always check the year's traffic before your trip. If you come with your own boat, there are guest harbors on the island.

Where can you stay on Ven?

Ven does not have to be a day trip. If you stay overnight, the island will likely take on a completely different character when many day visitors have taken the ferry back to the mainland. There are different types of accommodation on the island, from hotels and guesthouses to cottages, tents and glamping. We cycled past the House of Hven near the Tycho Brahe Museum and looked at Camp Ven, where it is possible to stay in glamping tents, among other things.

Which area is best depends more on what experience you want than on distance. Ven is small. Kyrkbacken attracts with its harbor environment and sea, Bäckviken is convenient for the ferry and the central parts provide proximity to, among other things, the Tycho Brahe area. We ourselves would like to stay over sometime. It would be exciting to see what happens to Ven when the last large group of bicycles rolls aboard the ferry.

Can you bring a campervan to Ven?

It is possible to transport vehicles by ferry, but we don't think Ven is a destination where the camper needs to come with us. Instead, we left the camper on the mainland and took the bikes over. It suits the island much better and also makes the visit itself easier.

For campervan travelers, there is a parking space at Lundåkrahamnen in Landskrona. From there, you can do Ven as a day trip and then come back to the campervan in the evening. It's exactly the kind of combination we like: the campervan gives you the freedom to get to the place, but sometimes it's nice to leave it parked and continue the adventure on two wheels.

In that case, it is better to leave the camper in Landskrona, for example at the nice parking lot in Lundåkra harbor.

More to see and do in Ven

We didn't manage to do everything during our visit. The island is home to artists and artisans, farm shops and local produce. It's also possible to kayak and discover Ven from the sea, which would give a completely different perspective on Backafallen.

Plus, there are more restaurants and cafes than we had time to try. And that's perhaps exactly how it should be. A good trip doesn't have to end with everything checked off. There should be a few reasons left to come back.

Our best advice for your trip to Ven

It is advisable to book the ferry in advance during peak season and start the day early if you only have one day on the island. Cycling is our favourite way to get around, but don't try to make the bike ride a race.

Bring something to drink, clothes for the weather and swimwear if the forecast looks promising. Also check the opening hours of museums, farms, restaurants and other activities as many have clear seasons. And don't plan every minute. Some of our best memories from Ven are things that didn't need to be booked at all. A bike path. The sea. A picnic. Some alpacas behind a fence.

Things to do in Ven - on film

You can also watch a film from Ven here.

Several city guides nearby

• Things to do in Karlskrona
• Things to do on the Bjäre Peninsula
• Things to do in Ystad
• Things to do in Ängelholm
• Things to do in Helsingborg
• Things to do in Landskrona

FaQ - frequently asked questions about Ven

What is Ven known for?

Ven is primarily known for its beautiful landscape in the middle of the Öresund, its steep hills, cycling and the astronomer Tycho Brahe, who built Uraniborg and the Stjärneborg observatory on the island in the 16th century. The yellow rental bicycles have also become something of a symbol of Ven.

How long do you need to stay in Ven?

A full day is enough to get a good first experience of Ven. That will give you time to cycle a large part of the island, visit some of the most important sights and stop for food or a picnic. If you want to hike, visit more activities or experience the island after the day visitors have gone home, an overnight stay is a better option.

Do you have to cycle on Ven?

No. You can hike, take the bus and get around in other ways. The Skåneleden goes around Ven and is a good choice for those who want to discover the island on foot. However, we think that cycling is a fantastic way to experience Ven because the distances are relatively short and the landscape itself becomes part of the journey.

What shouldn't be missed at Ven?

We would especially recommend a bike ride through the landscape, Vens Backafall, the Tycho Brahe Museum and Stjärneborg as well as the view from Sankt Ibb's Church. If you have more time, Nämndemansgården is also worth a visit.

How to get to Ven?

The Ventrafiken ferry service runs all year round between Landskrona and Bäckviken on Ven and the crossing takes approximately 30 minutes. During high season it is wise to book in advance. There may also be other boat connections during the summer, so check current departures before your trip.

Can you visit Ven with a camper van?

It is possible to take vehicles by ferry, but we recommend leaving the camper on the mainland and doing Ven on foot or by bike. We think it suits the island much better. An alternative is to park the camper in Landskrona and do Ven as a day trip.

When is the best time to visit Ven?

Spring and summer are popular periods as cycling, hiking, swimming and other outdoor activities are the focus. During the height of summer, the most visitors also come. If you want a quieter Ven, a nice day in spring or early autumn can be just as tempting, but check opening times as many activities are seasonal.

Is Ven worth a visit?

Yes, especially if you enjoy combining nature, history and an active day outdoors. For us, it's not one single attraction that makes Ven special. It's the combination of cycling, the sea, Backafallen, Tycho Brahe's strange history and all the little stops along the way.

And maybe that's exactly why we still remember our day on Ven so clearly.

READ MORE: Things to do in Skåne - sights and experiences

READ MORE: Holidays in Sweden - your guide to Sweden's best destinations