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What to do on Ven in Skåne - 10 tips for a scenic island

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What to see and do on Ven? Located off the west coast of Skåne, this scenic island offers everything from nature reserves and cycling trails to exciting historical memories of Tycho Brahe's time.

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Visiting Ven is an excellent day trip if you are in north-west Skåne. We had a really nice day on the island, which we explored by bike, and can definitely recommend a visit here!

Göra på Ven

Ven is located 4.5 kilometres off the west coast of Skåne and 8.5 kilometres off Denmark. The island is part of Landskrona municipality and belongs to Skåne.

Getting to Ven

You can easily get to Ven by ferry from Landskrona. We bought a ticket at the harbour office the day before, but you can also buy the ticket the same day or online. We paid 180 SEK/person and 120 SEK/cycle for the return journey. Taking a car is possible, but relatively expensive, and on the island it is more pleasant to get around by bike.

Göra på Ven - färja

The crossing to Ven from Landskrona takes about 30 minutes. When we travelled we had good weather, and it was a really nice trip. During the summer months it is also possible to travel to Ven by ferry from Helsingborg.

Göra på Ven - färja

What can you do at Ven?

So what can you see and do on the Ven? All kinds of things, actually! We have collected our best tips here in a list.

1. Cycling around the island

One thing you definitely want to do on Ven is cycling. On this island, cycling all. We brought our own bikes on the ferry, but it is also possible to rent a bike on the island. The rental bikes are yellow and you can choose between regular bike, tandem bike, electric bike, bike with trolley for children or dog and many other variants. Renting a 3-speed bike for a day costs 120 SEK and renting a tandem bike for a day costs 260 SEK (2021).

Cycling on Ven is fantastic. You cycle largely on gravel paths with views of the sea or open fields. At "Kärleksstigen" you cycle into a narrow green oasis, where it is said that lovers used to sneak.

Göra på Ven - cykla

2. Find calm at Ven's hillside falls

If you want to find peace and quiet, Ven is the perfect place. Although many tourists come here to cycle, there are few cars and the noise level is low. In many places you can hear mainly the sounds of nature - the sea, the winds and perhaps the occasional bird. Here and there you will also encounter various domesticated animals, such as horses or sheep.

hästar

Perhaps one of the most beautiful places is the Vens hillside, which is both a nature reserve and a Natura 2000 site. The nature reserve covers a narrow strip along the coastline, with both unvegetated cliffs and green slopes.

If you want, you can settle down for a while in nature, perhaps for a picnic. We packed a few things from the camper van: salami, prawns, fruit and vegetables. What's in the bottle? Non-alcoholic sparkling tea (!) with pear and grapefruit flavour, bought at Systembolaget. Delicious!

Göra på Ven - picknick

2. Eat a Hven ice cream

Hvens glassfabrik offers homemade ice cream made from organic cream. We found the ice cream at the ferry terminal in Bäckviken. Peter chose rum raisin and I (Helena) bought a cone of apple ice cream. Very good!

3. play football golf or golf

There is a golf club on Ven, Sankt Ibbs Golf Club. Those who want to try something more unusual can try "football golf". You walk around a course that resembles a miniature golf course, but instead of putting small golf balls, large footballs are kicked into the holes. Football golf is organised by Allt om Ven, at Gamlegård. We did not play this time, but we would like to try this at some point!

Göra på Ven - fotbollsgolf

4. Visit the Court of Justice

Nämndemansgården is a farm dating back to the late 1700s. The farm was inhabited by the same family for five generations, until 1991 when it was bought by Hven's local community association.

Nämndemansgården

If you swipe 30 kronor, you are welcome to visit the interior of the farm. There are a number of furnished rooms, as well as carriages and collections of various old artefacts. There is also a bee farm, so if you want, you can take the opportunity to buy some honey before continuing!

5. Learning about Tycho Brahe at the Tycho Brahe Museum

If there's one thing you shouldn't miss doing in Ven, it's visiting the Tycho Brahe Museum and the Tycho Brahe Memorials. This scientist lived and worked on Ven for a total of 21 years. In 1576 he built the Uraniborg castle and observatory, and about ten years later the partly underground Stjärneborg observatory was completed.

Tycho Brahe's observatory was the largest and best in the world, and his observations were fundamental to the development of modern atsronomy. Today, Allhelgonakyrkan, a parish church built in 1899, has been converted into a museum about Tycho Brahe.

Tycho Brahe-museet

Inside the church, you'll find a neat exhibition on Tycho Brahe's life as a child prodigy, astrologer and engineer. Here you can also read about the myths surrounding his nose (it was made of brass and not silver or gold), his tame moose (which died after a wild party with too much alcohol) and his death (about which there are many different stories, and possibly he was murdered).

Tycho Brahe-museet

There is also a lot more to discover in the area! The castle (Uraniborg) no longer exists, but the ruins of Stjärneborg remain and have been rebuilt. In addition, the Renaissance garden around the castle has been reconstructed. In the green area outside the museum, you can also try different medieval games!

6. See the view from St Ibbs Church - over Kyrkbacken guest harbour.

St Ibbs Old Church is located in the village of Kyrkbacken and was consecrated in the 13th century. You can go to the church to see the view of the harbour in Kyrkbacken and the sea outside. The view from here is fantastic!

It is also interesting to peek into the lovely little church. The church was used extensively between the 13th and 17th centuries, but during the wars between Sweden and Denmark it fell into disrepair and in 1726 the tower was demolished. In the 19th century the population grew and a new church was built. The old St Ibbs Church fell into disrepair, but in 1939 it was reopened. Today, with the new church as a museum, the old St Ibbs Church is once again the only church on the island.

Göra på Ven - Sankt Ibbs kyrka

7. try whiskey at Spirit of Hven

One thing you can do at Ven if you like whiskey is to stop by Spirit of Hven. Whiskey and other spirits are produced here, and there is also a restaurant and bar.

Göra på Ven - spirit of Hven

During the summers, guided tours are organised every day (booking required!) and during the rest of the year, guided tours can be arranged on demand. Another option is to order a tasting tray with different whiskey varieties, for 295 SEK per person. We stayed away from whiskey for now, but several of the varieties are available at the System, so you can try them in the future too!

Göra på Ven - spirit of Hven

8. Try glamping at Camp Ven

We checked if there was a campsite on Ven and there is, although it is not aimed at motorhomes and caravans. At Camp Ven you can stay in your own tent, in a cabin or in a "glamping tent". There is also a restaurant and a minigolf course with the sign "Sweden's worst minigolf - fun from the time when grandpa was young" ...

Those who bring their own tent will have a beautiful view of the sea.

Tälta

9. Sunbathing and swimming

Weather permitting, you can of course sunbathe and swim on Ven. You can swim in many different places, but you will find bathing-friendly beaches in Kyrkbacken harbour and Norreborg harbour, for example.

Göra på Ven - sola och bada

10. Familiarise yourself with alpacas

HvenAlpacka offers trekking, i.e. nature walks, with alpacas, for those who book in advance. We had not booked any "alpaca activity", but just to stop and watch them over the fence is wonderful. Absolutely fantastic charming animals!

Göra på Ven - alpackor
Göra på Ven - alpacka

More to see and do in Ven

There is, of course, more to see and do on the Ven, beyond what we managed to do. Here are a few more tips:

  • Delicacies made on the island can be bought with you - honey, rapeseed oil and durum wheat flour. You can also check out the farm shop on Ven.
  • The lighthouses on Ven you can check it out.
  • Arts and crafts there are plenty of them. For example, you can find art galleries, silversmiths and jewellery shops in different parts of the island.
  • Kayaking you can do to experience Ven from the sea. Kayaks are available for hire from Venkajak, on the island's northern shore.
  • Restaurants there are also plenty of them. We passed Agnes tapas, Tuna krog and Spirit og Hven Backafallsbyn.
Hven
Bagge

Where can you stay on Ven?

On Hven there are many different accommodations to choose from. For example, we cycled past the House of Hven (pictured below), which is right next to the Tycho Brahe Museum. Another option is to stay in a cabin or glamping tent at Camp Ven.

House of Hven

We don't really recommend taking your motorhome to Ven, as it is expensive to take your motorhome on the ferry and there are no campsites or caravan parks. It's better to leave your motorhome in Landskrona, for example at the nice caravan park in Lundåkra harbour (picture below).

Lundåkrahamnen i Landskrona

Things to do in Ven - on film

You can also watch a film from Ven here.

More to see and do in the neighbourhood

When you visit Ven, you can of course also take the opportunity to check out Landskrona with its interesting citadel. You can also take the opportunity to visit beautiful cities such as Helsingborg, Lund and Malmö.

All our top tips for holidays in Skåne

More suggestions for things to do in Ven?

Have you been to Ven? How was your experience? Do you have any other good tips on what to see and do on Ven?

Facts about the island of Ven in Skåne

  • Municipality: Landskrona
  • County: Skåne County
  • Landscape: Skåne
  • Location: Approximately 4.5 kilometres from the west coast of Skåne and 8.5 kilometres from the nearest point on Zealand in Denmark. 
  • Area: About 7.5 square kilometres
  • Length: 4.5 kilometres
  • Width: 2.6 kilometres (maximum width)
  • Population: More than 370 people (2020)
  • Largest town: Tuna village
  • Read more: You can find more information on the iLandskrona website. website.

Travelling to Ven

  • From Landskrona: Ventrafiken operates between Landskrona and Ven all year round. The boat journey takes about 30 minutes.
  • From Helsingborg: Hartford rederi AB operates Helsingborg - Ven with the ship M/S Vike during the summer months. The trip takes about 40 minutes.
  • From Råå: Rååbåtarna is a family business that organises fishing trips and tours to Ven.
  • From Denmark: Boat trips to Ven are also organised from neighbouring Denmark.
  • With your own boat: If you come by boat, there are three guest harbours on Ven, at Kyrkbacken, in Norreborg and in Bäckviken.

Ven's history

  • The Ice Age: Ven did not exist as an island, but was part of the land bridge between present-day Scania and Zealand.
  • 1000: According to some historians, Ven may be the island referred to as "Svolder" in connection with the naval battle "Battle of Svolder" in September 1000.
  • 1576: Tycho Brahe built the Uraniborg castle and observatory, and about ten years later the Stjärneborg observatory was built.
  • 1658: Ven formally belonged to Denmark even after the Peace of Roskilde, but was occupied by Swedish troops in the same year.
  • 1660: Ven became Swedish with the Peace of Copenhagen.
  • 1676-1679: The island was occupied by Denmark during the Scanian War and remained Danish until the end of the war.

19th century to present

  • 1876-1877: The first harbour was built on Ven, at Kyrkbacken on the western side of the island. Soon after, two more harbours were built.
  • 1930s: During this time, around 1300 people lived on Ven, which is the population record for the island.
  • 1906: With the spelling reform of that year, h disappeared as the first letter before v in words and place names. However, the h in the place name Hven was retained for a while.
  • 1958: The H was deleted from the name Hven and the island was spelt Ven, despite protests from the local population.

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