Surroundings, Ystad

5km/3mi northwest of Ystad is the 12th century church of Bjäresjö, with interesting wall paintings.

15km/9mi north of Ystad on Road 19 is Örups Stenhus, one of the oldest castles in Skåne (ca. 1490). It shows some similarity to Glimmingehus.

17km/10.5mi east of Ystad on Road 9 is the Vallaberga Kyrka (12th C.), Sweden's only surviving round church. It has the same ground-plan as the round churches on the Danish island of Bornholm, which at one time belonged to the same diocese. The font was the work of the 12th century Gotland stonemason known as the Magister Majestatis. The church's separate fortified tower, dating from the late medieval period, is now a museum.

On the coast to the east of Ystad is the little fishing village of Kåseberga, famed for the Ales Stenar, a Viking stone-setting in the shape of a ship, 67m/220ft long by 19m/62ft across, consisting of 59 standing stones. The stones, dating back 1400 years ago, are located in a spot overlooking the Baltic Sea. From the low hill there is a view extending in clear weather to the Danish island of Bornholm.

At Backåkra, between Lödderup and Sandhammaren, can be seen a house that belonged to Dag Hammarskjöld, Secretary General of the United Nations, now the Dag Hammarskjöld Museum.Dag perished in a plane crash before he could live there, however the house has been restored according to his instructions. The rooms are filled with items that belonged to him.

Glimmingehus, southwest of Simrishamn, is one of the best-preserved castles in Sweden, giving some impression of the life of a large landowner in the Middle Ages. It was built in 1499 by Riksamiral Jens Holgersen Ulfstad; the architect was Adam van Düren, who also worked on the cathedrals of Cologne and Lund. The castle has remained unchanged since it was built. It was a residence as well as a defensive structure, and was equipped with a heating system. The castle, which is mentioned in Selma Lagerlöf's "Wonderful Adventures of Nils", has belonged to the state since 1924 and is open to the public.

There are good beaches along the whole coastal strip between Ystad and Simrishamn, particularly at Sandhammaren, at the southeastern tip of Skåne. Simrishamn is a fishing town (pop. 20,000) founded in the 14th century with cobblestone streets, St Nicholas's Church and picturesque little houses with climbing roses.The town of Simrishamn is an ideal base for exploring some of the surrounding major attractions.

20km/12.5mi north from Ystad on Road 9 is Kivik, where Sweden's best-known summer market is held on the third Monday through Wednesday of July. Here too is the "King's Grave" (Kungsgraven), a Bronze Age royal tomb.It is Sweden's largest circular burial site, measuring 75 m in diameter.

South of Kivik, on the coast, lies the Stenshuvud National Park, a hill (98m/322ft) with a varied pattern of vegetation from which there is a good view of the Danish island of Bornholm.