Why go
Stortorget, Lilla torg and Gamla Väster make a coherent central walk, while Västra hamnen gives that historic core a sharp architectural contrast. Pick the squares for civic buildings and street life; add the waterfront when design and open water matter more than another museum stop.
The full story
Begin at Stortorget, where the city hall and Jörgen Kock's house frame a large civic square. Lilla torg connects to it at a corner but feels smaller and more enclosed, with places to sit around its edge. From there, Gamla Väster lies on the way towards Malmöhus. Its quieter streets give the transition from the squares to the castle a different scale. Gustav Adolfs torg links the centre with the pedestrian shopping street, so it is useful for orientation even if you do not linger. South of the centre, Möllevångstorget has a market square and a different mix of shops and food businesses from the historic core. Davidshallstorg offers another small-square setting. For a stronger change of scene, go west to Västra hamnen: Turning Torso rises above the newer waterfront district, and its form is best appreciated from outside. Together, these places show Malmö as a set of distinct, walkable areas rather than one uniform old town.