Lund for Beginners

What are the things that you need to know during your first weeks in Lund, while you’re still busy getting a working phone and finding your way around? Dutch student Paula Dubbink feels that, after one semester in Lund, she has some knowledge of ‘Lund basics’ which could be of use to the new students.

How clearly I remember my own first days as an international student in Lund last August!  That beautiful time when all was new and exciting.

But also, when I couldn’t speak more Swedish than ‘tack’, nor could find my own room back without looking on a map.

As such, I would love to introduce the new internationals to Lund’s vibrant student life with all parties, lectures  and debates, mostly organized by the nations.

Unfortunately, most nations only resume their activities in two weeks. Therefore some advices are provided here on how to get to know that part of Lund that is not directly connected to student life. Yes, it exists.

Lund has several gyms where you can work out. The best-known is Gerdahallen, which is especially (though not exclusively) for students. Gerdahallen offers many group classes in aerobics, yoga, boxing, spinning and a lot more. Many classes are in Swedish, but some are offered in English as well. Of course, you can also work out individually in the gym.

You can find Gerdahallen at Helgonavägen 8. Students get a discount for all possible activities/cards. See an overview here.

Opened every day, Monday to Thursday even from 6.30-22 hrs. 

Want to hear some classical music for free? Every Saturday morning the Dom of Lund offers a free concert at 10 o’clock. More information can be found here. (Google Translate is your best friend.)

The concert lasts about 30 minutes.

If you haven’t been in the Cathedral, this is anyways a nice opportunity to have a look around. The Domkyrka was constructed in the late Middle Ages and is – in my humble opinion – very beautiful. Most tourists come in at 12 or 3 PM to hear the astronomical clock play. No clue what it is? Another reason to walk by shortly.

After smelling so much culture, you probably need some fika. Fika?! Yes, the most-used word by Swedes. (Or, maybe, the most-used word by emigrants to Sweden.)

Why? Well, simply: fika is kul. Fika is sött. Fika is fantastisk. It implies drinking coffee or tea with a snack, usually something sweet like kanelbullar or chokladbollar – two famous Swedish treats. Having several fikas on one day is perfectly acceptable.

In my opinion, you can have a very good fika at St; Jacobs Stenungsbageri, Klostergatan 9. Okay, the place is extremely crowded so you might have to fight for a table and the price of the cinnamon rolls is ridiculously high – but it’s worth it.

Trust me. Of course you can also buy your own fika in the convenience store or read the advices of more experienced Lund locals on where to go have a good drink.

Feel like escaping from all the nice Introduction activities and sitting in a corner with a book? Right in the city center, you can find Lund’s Public Library. Apart from a good collection of English books, books in smaller languages are also offered. I even found a shelf with Dutch books, so there’s a good chance that you’ll stumble upon your own language as well.

Membership to the library is free, just walk in and ask at the desk for a card. Like virtually all Swedes, the staff speaks English. The library is opened on weekdays at least from 10-19, and in the weekend from 11-16.

Are you – literally – up for some more culture? Lund’s extremely cool open-air museum goes by the name Kulturen, which surprisingly can be translated as ‘the culture’. It hosts many charming old Swedish buildings from former centuries. Most of them are open, so you can enter them and see

how both the rich and the poor used to live some centuries ago.

Kulturen also includes the University Museum, where you can find out all about Lund University’s history – dating back to the 1600s.

If you’re really into art and culture, you should also check out our earlier piece on Lund’s biggest museums.

Kulturen’s address:  Tegnérsplatsen, Lund. Opening times in until May:  12-16 hrs every day, closed on Mondays. 45 SEK for students.

Enjoy your time in Lund and let it become your (temporary) home!