
To celebrate the end of 2024 and to ring in the new year, my partner planned an entire mystery roadtrip for me, with my only clues being that I needed a suitcase full of winter clothes for ten days.
→ I documented the entire mystery roadtrip on reels; check it out on Instagram!
Heading north out of Munich, where my partner lives, we stopped along the way through Germany including the Eremitage Schlosspark in Bayreuth, the magical Duchess Anna Amalia Library in Weimar and then spent two nights in Lüneburg, a hidden gem of a city just an hour south of Hamburg. From there, we headed to the northern German coastline to catch a ferry across the border into Denmark and spent 24 hours in Copenhagen.
After Copenhagen, it was time to cross the Øresund Bridge, the 15km structure connecting Copenhagen in Denmark to Malmö in Sweden. This officially marked my entry into my 68th country and the destination of the mystery roadtrip!
We spent our first night in Sweden - a country that now firmly has a spot on my favourite countries of the world list - in Halmstad, an adorable little town on the west coast.
By car: We traveled to Halmstad from Copenhagen in neighbouring Denmark. We crossed the Øresund Bridge (with a pricey toll) which connects Denmark with Sweden. You cross the border (indicated only with the typical EU sign, there is no actual border crossing) while on the bridge. From Malmö, Halmstad is a 1.5-hour drive up the west coast. Parking is readily available in Halmstad; we parked near our hotel which offered free overnight parking.
By ferry: A ferry also connects Denmark with Sweden, crossing between Helsingør and Helsingborg in just 20 minutes. From Helsingborg, it is a one-hour drive to Halmstad. If you're in northern Denmark, you can also catch a ferry directly from Grenaa to Halmstad.
By flight: The closest international airport to Halmstad is either in Malmö or Copenhagen in Denmark. There are small domestic airports in Halmstad and Helsingborg for local flights.
→ Check out my guide on how to spend 24 hours in Copenhagen!
By train: A train station services Halmstad with arrivals from all across Sweden. Tickets can be booked with SJ.
By bus: The Flixbus connects Halmstad directly with 33 other cities.

Øresund Bridge between Denmark and Sweden
We realized, as we were sitting having smørrebrød for lunch in a café in Copenhagen, that we didn't yet have a place to stay for the night. As it was part of our mystery roadtrip, my partner told me we had a few options (as, at this point, I still didn't know the final destination): we could extend our time in Copenhagen or we could head across to Sweden and find a place to stay there.
After some time spent simultaneously eating the best smørrebrød ever and searching on Booking.com, I stumbled across the most idyllic boutique hotel situated in Halmstad on Sweden's west coast. A last-minute booking price sealed the deal and shortly afterwards, we were back in the car, heading to my 68th country and our first night in Sweden.
We both agree that the Hotell Mårtenson ended up being one of our favourites of the mystery roadtrip. From the moment we arrived, the service was warm and welcoming, the decor was tasteful and elegant and the beds were ohhhh so comfy. The breakfast spread was divine, with plenty of gluten free and vegan options for me. The gym in the downstairs basement was arguably the best we've ever seen in a hotel.
Roadtripping around Sweden? Make sure to make a stop in Halmstad!

Reception - also a coworking spot

Looking into the bar and restaurant







Our room - with the comfiest bedding


I wish we had had more time in Halmstad, a lovely, idllyic little town on Sweden's west coast. We only had the evening there before heading off for a long drive across Sweden the next morning so spent it wandering the streets all lit up in twinkling lights for the holiday season.
We dined at the mouthwateringly good Indian restaurant, Zakya.
And, if we had planned it far enough in advance, we would have loved to spend the evening in the Floating Sauna (must pre-book)!

Zakya Indian


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Hi! I’m Jana, a Dutch-German-British-Canadian with a dream of seeing every country in the world. I am a storyteller, photographer and adventurer passionate about documenting and sharing my travels.