Havsprinsen-The Sea Prince at Malmö
2023-07-27
The Little Mermaid Statue (Den lille Havfrue) is located on the edge of Copenhagen’s harbor. This statue, created by sculptor Edward Eriksen in 1913, was inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale and has become one of Copenhagen’s most important landmarks.
When it comes to Copenhagen, it’s hard to miss the Little Mermaid Statue; it’s a must-visit spot and holds a unique charm with its petite size and solitary presence, guarding the bay’s entrance and immersing visitors in the world of Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tales.
My personal favorite way to enjoy it is grabbing some pastries and coffee from the Expresso House café near the station, then walking over to the Little Mermaid to sit and watch her amidst the overflowing crowd of tourists.
(Although Little Mermaid Statue in Copenhagen is still an attraction that some peoplw thinkg it’s a Must-Go and some people believe it’s overestimated, I personally really like the area as a place to having a short break with little lunch!)
The Copenhagen Little Mermaid Statue - Den lille Havfrue, literally translates to “Little Sea Lady” in English.
In 2023, a new statue of the Sea Prince appeared in Malmö, Sweden! Interestingly, it stands facing the Little Mermaid statue in Copenhagen, Denmark. To distinguish it, the statue is adorned with the familiar Swedish national flag hanging in the background.
The Havsprinsen-Sea Prince
Looking towards the Little Mermaid, you’ll find an excellent spot to watch the sunset.
There is a description on the statue telling us his story:
- Here is the Sea Prince!
His gaze fixed upon the sound.
Filled with anticipation.
But who is he, really?
What might his story be?
It’s intriguing that the Sea Prince probably never appeared in Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale. Instead, this statue was conceived by a local artist named Anders Skog and sponsored by a Malmö Investor community. With the imagination of the local artist and community, the long-lonely Little Mermaid finally found a matching counterpart to gaze upon.
Who knows, in the future, perhaps writers will begin to craft new stories for this Sea Prince.
From a map’s perspective, the Little Mermaid and the Sea Prince face each other across the sound. From here, you can also catch a distant view of the Øresund Bridge (Öresundsbron) connecting Copenhagen and Malmö, offering passage between Sweden and Denmark.
Transportation
If you plan to explore both Malmö and Copenhagen in a day, a 24-hour ticket on the Skånetrafiken app would be your decent choice. This ticket is convenient as it allows you to freely use buses and subways in both cities with just a QR code. No need to worry about buying a ticket right when the bus arrives or purchasing the ticket with wrong schedule; you can simply scan the QR code and hop on board without any hassle. (Some of stations do not require to scan the QR code.)
● Transportation App：Skånetrafiken
Skånetrafiken is the app that manages transportation within Skåne province in Sweden. Through this app, you can conveniently purchase single-journey tickets or 24 hour pass for buses and trains within Skåne province.
● Price of 24HR Pass：270 SEK (2023)
● How to purchase single journey ticket or 24HR Pass?：
Once you enter the app, search for your departure and destination stations (you can refer to the station names provided below). Next, click on the desired departure time. This will lead you to the interface for purchasing a one-day ticket. If you don’t have a specific time in mind, you can choose any of the available departures for the day.
Tip: If you’re purchasing 24HR pass, you may input any destination and departure place, it does not matter at this step.
After selecting your departure and destination stations, a confirmation screen will appear to ensure everything is correct. Once you have verified the information, click on “Select Ticket” to proceed with your ticket selection.
On this stage, you can choose between a single-journey ticket or a 24-hour ticket. Once you make your selection, you will be taken to the checkout screen, where you can proceed to pay with a credit card.
After completing the payment, you will find your QR code ticket. It is recommended to take a screenshot and save it immediately, as you can quickly open the app or show the screenshot when asked to present your ticket during inspections.
● Translation of Station Name ：
- Copenhagen Central- köpenhamn H (Danish:København H)
- Copenhagen Airport-CPH Airport Kastrup
- Malmo Central- Malmö C
Traveling between Malmö and Copenhagen is very convenient. Trains run every 20 minutes and are almost never delayed. The train cabins are clean and comfortable, equipped with charging outlets, and offer quiet car for commuters to rest. The service level is truly angelic.
My personal experience is that I sometimes would take the train directly to Copenhagen city center after arriving at Copenhagen Airport and return to Malmö in the evening. This 24HR ticket allows me to board the train within 10 minutes of arriving at the airport, making it extremely convenient. In fact, due to the high cost of living in Denmark, many people choose to live in Malmö and commute to Copenhagen daily.
Only thing is that please note that both Copenhagen and Malmö central stations do not have entry or exit gates. Some stations in the Copenhagen metro only have card scanners machine, so purchasing tickets through the app allows you to enter without swiping at the gates. However, you should be able to show your QR code on the app to station staff when requested. On Malmö buses, you need to scan the QR code when boarding.
I often witness people being caught without a ticket, and ticket inspections seem quite frequent here. It’s interesting to observe as I see people questioned almost every time I take the train here.
While being fined is one thing, the main concern is the embarrassment of being caught without a ticket! The fare evaders often come up with peculiar excuses, and nearby passengers would discreetly glance at the situation, pretending not to notice.
Swedish Seafood Snacks near the Sea Prince Statue - Smoked Seafood
Near the Sea Prince statue, there is a fish market and restaurant specializing in Swedish smoked fish and pickled seafood. It is a local place where residents buy fresh seafood, and for lunch, they serve simple dishes like fried herring and pickled shrimp sandwiches, making it a perfect spot to experience Southern Swedish seafood cuisine!
A friendly reminder: Swedish cuisine tends to be on the salty side, especially when it comes to pickled and smoked seafood. It might take some time for people getting used to it, so you may considter to start by trying the fried fish at first =)
Limhamns Fiskrökeri
That’s it! See you next time!