Ystad

Ystad is the perfect destination for those who want to combine scenic landscapes with rich wildlife experiences. The town’s coastline, forests, and wetlands provide some of Sweden’s best nature-watching opportunities, particularly for bird enthusiasts and those hoping to spot seals along the Baltic shores. The area’s diverse ecosystems make it a year-round haven for wildlife, from the rugged cliffs and beaches where seabirds nest to the inland valleys where raptors patrol the skies.

In addition to its natural beauty, Ystad retains an old-world charm, with cobbled streets, medieval buildings, and the nearby Ales Stenar—a mysterious megalithic stone formation overlooking the sea. It’s a place where history and nature seamlessly intertwine, offering visitors a chance to experience Sweden’s cultural heritage while staying close to the wilderness.

Short answer: Coastal wildlife watching, birding, nature walks, cycling, and exploring Sweden’s largest megalithic site.

Long answer:

For those drawn to the coast, Sandhammaren is a must-visit. Known for its pristine beaches, rolling sand dunes, and unique coastal ecosystem, this area offers excellent opportunities for birdwatching. It’s an important stopover site for migratory birds, and during certain times of the year, you can spot species such as terns, waders, and sea eagles patrolling the shoreline. The Sandhammaren Nature Reserve also features scenic walking trails through heathlands and pine forests, making it a great spot for a quiet nature walk. Birdwatchers will also enjoy the nearby Hagestad Nature Reserve, where the sand dunes and heathlands provide habitat for a variety of species, including nightjars and migrating shorebirds.

For a more inland adventure, Fyledalen Valley is an excellent destination, particularly for those interested in birds of prey. The valley’s open landscapes, forests, and steep cliffs make it one of the best places in Sweden to spot eagles, falcons, and hawks. You are also likely to come across both roe deer and fallow deer here.

Another peaceful spot for walks and birdwatching is Dag Hammarskjölds Park. Located just north of Ystad town, this park is dedicated to the memory of the Swedish diplomat and UN Secretary-General. It’s an area of tranquil beauty, with quiet walking paths through tall trees and meadows. The park is home to a diverse range of wildlife, including many different bird species and various small mammals, making it a serene escape into nature.

In the vast open countryside and the fields surrounding Ystad, there are many trails and pathways where you are likely to encounter flocks of rooks, pheasants, European hare, the occasional marsh harrier, and large numbers of the ever present red kite.

For a bit of history with your nature outing, a visit to Ales Stenar is a must. Perched on a cliffside overlooking the Baltic, this ancient stone circle is Sweden’s answer to Stonehenge and a spectacular place to watch the sunset.

The best time to visit Ystad for wildlife and nature experiences depends on what you want to see.

• Spring (March-May) is a fantastic season for birdwatching, as migratory species return to Sweden and the forests come alive with bird song. Wildflowers also begin to bloom, adding color to the landscape.

• Summer (June-August) is the best time for coastal exploration, seal spotting, and hiking. The long daylight hours make it easy to explore the forests and beaches, though some areas can be busy with tourists.

• Autumn (September-November) is an excellent time for raptor watching in Fyledalen, as birds of prey migrate south. The forests take on vibrant autumn colors, making it a scenic time for hiking.

• Winter (December-February) offers a quieter experience, with sea ducks and other wintering birds gathering along the coast. It’s also a magical time to explore Ystad’s medieval streets under a dusting of snow.

For the best overall experience, spring and early autumn offer the greatest balance of wildlife activity and pleasant weather.

Ystad is well connected, making it an easy destination to reach whether you’re coming from Sweden or abroad.

• By car: Ystad is about an hour’s drive from Malmö, with scenic routes along the southern coast. If coming from Copenhagen, Denmark, it’s about a 90-minute drive via the Öresund Bridge.

• By train: There are frequent train connections from Malmö, taking about 50 minutes. Trains also run directly from Copenhagen Airport, making it a convenient entry point for international visitors.

• By ferry: Ystad is a major ferry port with connections to Bornholm (Denmark) and Świnoujście (Poland), offering an alternative travel route for those coming from across the Baltic Sea.

• By bike: If you enjoy cycling, Ystad is part of Sydkustleden, a scenic coastal cycling route that stretches across southern Sweden, offering a beautiful way to arrive in town.

I went to Ystad municipality for five days in the middle of summer in 2024. It was a family vacation, but I had my photography equipment with me and got to explore some of the more notable wildlife areas of the municipality. We stayed in a house through Airbnb, located quite a distance east of Ystad town, between the small towns of Ingelstorp and Löderup. It was a flat open area with fields in all directions, and very picturesque. 

I had done some research on the top places for birdwatching before coming here, as well as where to find species I rarely get to see back home in Norway. Being in the far south of Sweden, there are species in Ystad that are extremely rare or absent in Norway. I had a list of species I hoped to see, based on what I had read and what people had told me. At the very top of my list were red kite and red-necked grebe (the municipal bird of Ystad), then I hoped to see rooks (which are found in Norway, but is a very localized species), pheasants, European hares, and tawny pipits. 

It didn’t take long before I got my first red kite, which is common to see all over Ystad, particularly at the open fields. They are not shy, and can get very close as they fly overhead. During my stay I got lots of red kite photos as they flew by, but I rarely saw them perched or on the ground. I also got my first pheasant very early on, as they hung around in the fields near the house we stayed at. They were mostly active very early in the morning and late in the evening, which meant that the lighting weren’t always great, but I did manage to get a few photos of some of the pheasants in the area.

The first place I went to specifically for bird photography was Dag Hammarskjölds Park, just at the northern edge of Ystad town. Because I went there quite early in the morning, I managed to get a few nice species on my drive over, such as my first decent photo of a European hare, a couple of pheasants, a roe deer, and a flock of rooks within Ystad town itself. When I got to the park I was met by a chirping garden warbler right at the entrance. It was a beautiful and scenic little park, and I got a decent amount of birds here. There was a lot of common whitethroats, as well as your typical chiffchaffs, willow warblers, and the like. The highlights were a couple of thrush nightingales and getting a decent view (and an ok photo) of a common cuckoo perched atop of a dead branch. Cuckoos are so shy and hard to photograph, so I was very happy with that one. 

I had read that some of the smaller lakes in the area close to this park could be home to the red-necked grebe, which is extremely rare to come by in Norway. I went out looking for it, but instead ended up finding a colony of black-headed gulls, with a few grey herons, mallards, and great cormorants nearby. I didn’t want to disturb these locally endangered gulls, so I left them before they realized I was there.

The evenings were spent walking around the area near our house, which provided me with lots of species as well. The red kites and pheasants were always around, but I also got a couple of western marsh harriers, a common buzzard, and a common kestrel (all just within a few hundred meters from the house). Other species of note were lesser whitethroat, starling, collared dove, common redstart, goldfinch, linnet, yellow wagtail, and, I finally got a photo of one of my favorite songbirds, the marsh warbler (such a great mimic).

On my third day I headed up to Fyledalen, which is at the northern edge of Ystad municipality. The early morning drive up there (around 4-5 AM) provided me with more good sightings of hares, pheasants, rooks, and roe deer. Entering Fyledalen was actually quite the experience. The drive up there takes you past flat open fields for many miles, but then you suddenly get to a forest. The road goes downwards though this forest, and on the other side you enter a large valley. A river flanked by meadows runs through the middle, and large forests grow on either side. This particular morning there was a mist over the river, which was just about touched by the rays of the early morning sun. It was a beautiful scene. The road ended at a parking lot down by the river, and there were multiple walking trails to choose from.

I had looked at a map, and knew where I wanted to go. There was a lake on the other side of the forest I wanted to reach, as it was known to be home to the red-necked grebe. I began following the road by the river (where there are kingfishers, but I never saw any). There were roe deer in the meadows and as I eventually entered the forest, I got my first sightings of fallow deer. The walk through the forest was fantastic, and it felt very different from any forests back home in Norway. The trees were massive, and the forest floor was wide open. I didn’t get too many birds in here, as most of them were high up in the tree tops, but I did get several sightings of fallow deer, and a couple of hares jumping around. 

The trail through this forest eventually had me entering a large clearing. As I looked around for anything interesting in this open area, a European honey-buzzard flew over and into the forest on the other side! That is a very rare bird of prey, and one I had never managed to get any ok photos of (or hardly seen at all). I followed a trail in the direction of its flight, hoping I’d see it again. Then, suddenly, it flew back out of the forest, but this time it flew in my direction and much closer! I managed to get a few photos as it flew by. That was a real highlight, and more than worth the trip up there!

When I eventually got out of the forest I followed a path along its edge until I got to a junction. The lake was just up ahead, but I didn’t see any trails leading up to it. I then used Google Maps and made my own way through the vegetation and eventually ended up at my destination. The first thing I saw when I got there was the red-necked grebe! A pair had been very close to the water’s edge, and got spooked by my presence before I saw them. I tried to get some photos as they swam off (in bad lighting), but soon they were too far away. There were lots of other species at the lake as well, such as cormorants, grey herons, whooper swans, greylag goose, goldeneye, great crested grebe, and little grebe. An osprey circled the lake a few times as well, and a pair of nightingales were busy in the trees nearby. I spent many hours at this lake, trying to hide and hoping the red-necked grebes would get closer for a few better photos, but they never did. I was also hoping for photos of the little grebe, a species I have seen many times before in both South Africa and India, but never gotten a decent photo of. I got very close this time, but passable photos of the little grebe still eludes me. 

When I eventually gave up waiting for the red-necked grebes to get within decent range, I began my long walk back to the car. On the way back, I got very close to a hare that didn’t seem that bothered by my presence and I got some really nice photos. I was hoping to see that honey-buzzard again at the clearing as well, but this time a common buzzard was circling above instead. Not the same, but still a cool bird. All in all it was a very nice day, and I’d recommend anyone who visits Ystad to take the trip up to Fyledalen for a different experience and a great forest walk (and it is a must for any visiting birder!). 

My last birding trip in Ystad went to Sandhammaren by the coast. It was a bit windy and chilly that morning, with a bit of rain in the air. I was hoping for the tawny pipit, which is found only in this part of Sweden in the whole of Scandinavia. Based on what I had read, it should have been plenty of them around in the sand dune vegetation. Sadly, I only saw one fly by very fast, and I never got any photos. Because of the weather and suboptimal lighting, I eventually left the area and tried my luck a bit further up the coast at Hammars Backar, but didn’t get much there either, apart from a flock of sand martins, which are always nice to see (but very hard to photograph).

That marks the end of my stay at Ystad. It was a great trip, both for birding and for photography, and I got back home with photos of several new species (which is always my goal on such outings). Even though I didn’t get the perfect shot of the red-necked grebe or got any photos of tawny pipit, I got plenty of other great photos and sightings, and left a happy man. There are still places to explore and species to find in Ystad, and the landscape is beautiful, so there is a great chance I’ll be back again!