Travel Guide Båstad

Nestled at the end of the wide bay of Laholmsbukten, in a region of green pastures, this former fishing village is now a posh seaside resort, with many hotels and luxury restaurants, which only really comes alive during the summer months.Almost completely destroyed by fire in 1870, the small town still has a few low houses with sloping roofs and white plastered facades covered with wooden beams painted in pastel colors along Agardsgatan Street, which is full of rose bushes. Located a little higher than the sea, Båstad stretches along Köpmansgatan, the main street around which are concentrated the main shops (you can buy the authentic wooden clogs, Båstad toffeln, made locally and sold even in Paris...).The Maria church, built in 1460 in white stone, is recognizable by its brown brick bell tower. Small cobbled streets lead down a few hundred meters to the harbor where luxurious yachts and humble fishermen's boats rub shoulders. Just next door, the sandy beach, hemmed in between the pier and vast meadows, offers a turn-of-the-century perfume with its wooden cabins.A little higher up, large tennis courts host the annual Swedish Tennis Open in July: Björn Borg and Jimmy Connors played a memorable final here. Much further east, another beach, a little wilder, Malens Havsbad, is accessible on foot or by bike along Strandpromenaden, the seaside promenade. There is also an open-air swimming pool with a large slide and a miniature golf course.