Fjälkinge, Bromölla and Villands Vånga (north-east lakes)
Fjälkinge has the most of our Skåne cottages, in farmland below Fjälkinge backe, a lone wooded hill with views over the plain. Bromölla is on Ivösjön, Skåne's largest lake, and a free cable ferry from Barum crosses to the island of Ivö. Villands Vånga is a village of farms north of Kristianstad. Copenhagen airport is around an hour and a half by car.
Best for: Lake swimming, fishing and easy trips to Kristianstad
Not for you if: You want a sea view: these villages sit inland among fields and lakes.
Åhus and Yngsjö (Hanö Bay coast)
Åhus is a small harbour town where Absolut vodka is made, with a medieval church, smokehouses and a beach that runs for miles south towards Yngsjö. The water is shallow close in, which suits children. Kristianstad, 20 minutes inland, has the Vattenriket wetlands and a visitor centre on the river Helge å. Copenhagen airport is around an hour and a half away.
Best for: Families who want long sandy beaches backed by pine woods
Not for you if: You want rocky coves or cliffs: this coast is flat sand and dunes.
Båstad, Torekov, Vejbystrand and Ängelholm (Bjäre peninsula)
The Bjäre peninsula has the steepest coast in Skåne, including the cliffs and pebble beaches at Hovs hallar. Boats run from Torekov's harbour to Hallands Väderö, an island nature reserve with seals. Vejbystrand and Ängelholm face Skälderviken bay, with sandy beaches, and the Kattegattleden cycle route passes through. Ängelholm has a small airport with domestic flights; Copenhagen is around an hour and a quarter.
Best for: Coastal walking, cycling and island boat trips
Not for you if: You want quiet in early July: Båstad fills up for the Swedish Open tennis week.
Helsingborg
Helsingborg faces Helsingør across the narrowest part of the Öresund, and ferries cross every few minutes, so Kronborg Castle in Denmark makes an easy day out. On the Swedish side there is the Kärnan tower, a harbour front with restaurants, and Sofiero, the former royal summer palace with large gardens. Trains run to Copenhagen airport in around an hour.
Best for: A city base with a 20-minute ferry to Denmark
Not for you if: You want countryside around the cottage: this is a busy port city.
Simrishamn and Brösarp (Österlen)
Österlen is Skåne's south-east corner, known for orchards, potters' workshops and summer art trails. Brösarp sits among grazed, rolling hills known as Brösarps backar, and Stenshuvud National Park has beech woods and a sandy beach under the headland. Kivik, between the two, is the apple village. Simrishamn is a fishing town with a working harbour. Copenhagen airport is about an hour and a half away.
Best for: Couples, walkers and anyone interested in food and art
Not for you if: You need a station nearby: trains stop at Simrishamn, but most of Österlen relies on buses.
Höllviken and Bara (south-west, near Malmö)
Höllviken is at the start of the Falsterbo peninsula, with sandy beaches along both shores, and Skanör's small harbour is ten minutes away. Copenhagen airport is around 35 minutes over the bridge. Bara is a village east of Malmö, close to the beech woods of Bokskogen and Torup Castle. Malmö Airport, with domestic flights, is about 15 minutes away.
Best for: Short trips with the shortest transfer from Copenhagen
Not for you if: You want forest and lakes: the south-west is open farmland and coast.
Höör and Skånes Fagerhult (inland woods)
Höör sits between Ringsjön lake and the beech woods of central Skåne, and Skånes Djurpark, a zoo of Nordic animals such as elk, wolves and bears, is on the edge of town. Trains run to Malmö in about half an hour. Skånes Fagerhult is a quieter forest village in the north-west, near the border with Halland and around 40 minutes from Ängelholm.
Best for: Families who want lakes, woods and a zoo of Nordic animals
Not for you if: You want the beach every day: the coast is 45 minutes or more away.
