Båstad

Description

NV Cruising Guide

Navigation

The approach to the fired harbour is possible day and night. A good landmark is the church of the village. A pair of beacons marks the dredging channel with a target depth of 3.3m. The channel, like the harbour itself, is prone to silting up.

Berths

Some guest berths with stern buoys are located at the northern bridge of the marina with water depths of 3.5m. Otherwise, you can moor on free spaces by arrangement with the harbour master. Or you can use the jetty directly in the entrance. Here, however, it is very restless with northerly winds. The fishing basin is reserved for small fishing boats.

Surroundings

The small but lively village offers very good supply possibilities. In the harbour itself, there are quite good sanitary facilities as well as a boat chandlery and a sauna.

NV Land Guide

In tennis circles, the place at Laholm Bay is internationally known. It is considered the Swedish Mecca of the white sport. Not only the Swedish Open and the championship matches of the tennis metropolis are a household name, but also the "talent factory" Baastad. Sweden's only tennis academy is located in this town, which is popular with active holidaymakers.

The tourist brochure also praises sporting opportunities such as golfing and horse riding, all sports that the sports skipper is unlikely to have the opportunity to do, unless the sports equipment is stowed on board just in case. Of course, you can also enjoy the less sporty activities of Båstad, the discotheques, the fine dining, the boutiques or the numerous ice cream parlours. Be warned, however, about the summer hustle and bustle at the harbour. Here, by the beach, the tennis courts and the "Warmbadhus", there is a sea of bicycles, cars and camping buses on warm sunny days. Escape is the only antidote.

Båstad is what is commonly called a modern seaside resort. Tourism is the number one industry. However - and on a positive note - multi-storey architectural blunders are a rarity. A number of wooden houses in every imaginable colour can be seen as you walk through the residential areas.

Around 1450, Båstad's Church of St Mary, which is well worth seeing, was built at the time when the Danish king bought a large piece of land to build a harbour here. The church, which is impressive for the early Middle Ages, bears witness to the heyday of Båstad, which was also a centre for herring fishing. Large merchants built warehouses at the harbour and the town experienced a brief but vigorous period of prosperity. The importance of the town can be seen today in the fact that the same taxes were levied in Båstad as in Helsingborg. The Swedish-Danish war put an end to the wealth. As late as 1685, the farmers of Båstad parish had to bake their bread from acorns, flax seed and mash instead of flour.

For a long time, the Bjäre Peninsula was just a province on the edge of the Danish kingdom. It was not until the mid-16th century, after the Danish king had ordered that as much wood as possible be delivered from the forests as firewood for the castles in Copenhagen and Elsinore, that unrest arose among the population. In the beautiful forests at Hallandsaasen, two kilometres south of Båstad, the so-called "snapphanarna" waged a veritable guerrilla war against the Danes.

Worth seeing is to be found mainly in the surrounding countryside, whereby the hiking trail leading along the coast should definitely be included in the excursions. Worthwhile destinations include the gardens of Norrviken, four kilometres northwest of Baastad. They were laid out at the beginning of the 20th century by the garden architect Rudolf Abelin. In seven differently designed gardens - each with its own unique charm - Abelin realised his design ideas, which had matured during long journeys abroad. The grounds include a Baroque garden, a Japanese garden, a Renaissance garden, a rose garden, a terrace garden and an oriental terrace. There is also a bird park, a playground and a mini zoo. Art exhibitions are held in two galleries and the stage at Norrviken's Gardens has played host to such famous stars as Chuck Berry.

Two kilometres south of the gardens you can visit the weaving mill at Båstad or study the farm life of times gone by at Bjäre Open Air Museum. Furnished farmhouses from the 17th and 18th centuries and fishermen's cottages give an idea of life 400 to 500 years ago.

The cliffs of Hovs Hallar at the northwestern tip of the Bjäre peninsula have been sculpted through millennia by sea, wind and ice (15 kilometres northwest). A unique geology has inspired many famous Swedish film directors, as have the diverse flora and fauna. Ingmar Bergmann, for example, filmed "Det sjunde inseglet" here. The Utsikten café with its attached kiosk is within easy reach.

A green oasis in Baastad itself is the "Brunnsparken", once laid out by an emigrant returning from America. Gustav Wilhelm Brandquist, who had come into money and honours, bought the marshy land by the sea, which his contemporaries considered worthless, and cultivated it. The municipality turned the park into an art gallery for sculptures and also holds folk festivals here.

Among the town's numerous restaurants and hotels, the "Reviera" and the manor house "Hemmelslöv" are probably the best known. Dining at the former (with a view of the sea) requires a wallet as well-filled as dining at the manor, which lies three kilometres east of the city centre. In return, a dignified atmosphere and "the special care of the guest" are offered. In the heart of town, the terrace of Borgen Båstad overlooks the bay (dancing, entertainment, nightclub). In view of the numerous other eateries, Båstad can be counted among the realms of the gourmets. And to ensure that the wealthy tourists get to the holiday resort quickly, the airline Linjeflyg offers direct flights from Stockholm and Helsingborg to the holiday peninsula.

Marina Information

Contact

Surroundings

Electricity

Water

Toilet

Shower

Restaurant

Imbiss

Crane

Atm

Fuel

Grocery

Ramp

Public Transport

Garbage