Båstad

Tennis rules the day here. Jutting out on a peninsula surrounded by hills and a beautiful landscape, Båstad is the most fashionable international seaside resort in Sweden, 179km (111 miles) south of Gothenburg and 105km (65 miles) north of Malmö.

All the famous international tennis stars have played on the courts at Båstad. Contemporary Swedish players -- inspired by the feats of Björn Borg -- receive much of their training here. There are more than 50 courts in the district, in addition to the renowned Drivan Sports Centre. Tennis was played here as early as the 1880s and became firmly established in the 1920s. King Gustaf V took part in these championships for 15 years from 1930 onward under the pseudonym of "Mr. G," and Ludvig Nobel guaranteed financial backing for international tournaments.

Golf has established itself almost as much as tennis, and the Bjäre peninsula offers a choice of five courses. In 1929, Nobel purchased land at Boarp for Båstad's first golf course. The bay provides opportunities for regattas and different kinds of boating. Windsurfing is popular, as is skin diving. In summer, sea bathing is popular along the coast.

The Bjäre peninsula, a traditional farming area, is known for its early potatoes, which are served with pickled herring all over Sweden.

By car, head west on Route 115 from Båstad. If you're not driving, you'll find trains running frequently throughout the day between Gothenburg and Malmö. Six buses a day also arrive from Helsingborg; the trip takes 1 hour. For tourist information, Båstad Turism, Kyrkgatan 1 at Stortorget (tel. 0431/750-45; www.bastad.com), is open from June 20 to August 7 Sunday to Friday 10am to 6pm and Saturday 10am to 4pm, off season Monday to Saturday 10am to 4pm. You can book hostel rooms here from 135SEK to 170SEK ($19-$23/£9-£12) per person or rent bikes for 70SEK to 90SEK ($9.65-$12/£5-£6) per day. They also will provide information about booking tennis courts, renting sports equipment, or reserving a tee time for a round of golf.

Exploring the Area -- The best sights are not in Båstad itself but on the Bjåre peninsula. However, before leaving the resort, you may want to visit Mariakyrkan (Saint Mary's), Köpmansgatan (tel. 0431/787-00). Open daily from 9am to 4pm, it's one of Skåne's landmark churches. Saint Mary's was built between 1450 and 1500. Inside are many treasures, including a sculpture of Saint Mary and Christ from about 1460 (found in the sanctuary). The altarpiece is from 1775, but the crucifix is medieval. The angel with trumpet above the altar is from about the same time. The pulpit is from 1836, its hourglass from 1791. In the northern nave are a church clock from 1802 and various fresco paintings.

Båstad is the site of the Norrvikens Trädgårdar (Norrviken Gardens), in Kattvik (tel. 0431/36-90-40), 2.5km (1 1/2 miles) west of the resort's center, the most splendid gardens on the west coast of Sweden. Founded in 1906 by Rudolf Abelin, these gardens have been expanded and maintained according to his plans, embracing a number of styles. One is Italian baroque, with a pond framed with pyramid-shape boxwood hedges and tall cypresses. A Renaissance garden's boxwood patterns evoke for us the tapestry art of 15th-century Italy; in the flower garden, bulbs compete with annuals. There also are a Japanese garden, an Oriental terrace, a rhododendron dell, a romantic garden, and a water garden.

At Villa Abelin, designed by the garden's founder, wisteria climbs the walls and blooms twice a year. The villa houses shops, exhibits, and information facilities, and there are also a restaurant and a cafeteria on the grounds.

The gardens can be viewed from May 1 to September 1 daily from 10am to between 5 and 8pm, depending on business and the hour of sunset. Admission is 90SEK ($12/£6) for adults, and it's free for children under 15.

With the time you have remaining after exploring the gardens, turn your attention to the Bjåre Peninsula, the highlight of the entire region, where the widely varied scenery ranges from farm fields to cliff formations. Before exploring in depth, it's best to pick up a detailed map from the Båstad tourist office .

The peninsula is devoted to sports, including windsurfing, tennis, golf, hiking trails, and mountain biking. It has white, sandy beaches reaching down to the sea. Riding paths and cycle roads also are set aside for these activities. You can play golf on at least six different 18-hole courses from early spring. The Båstad tourist office can provide more information.

If you don't have a car, public transport is provided by bus no. 525, leaving Båstad every hour Monday through Saturday. It traverses the center of the peninsula. The Skåneleden walking trail runs the entire perimeter of the island and is also great for cycling. However, the terrain is quite hilly in places, so you need to be in fabulous shape.

On the peninsula's western coast is the sleepy village of Torekov, a short drive from Kattvik. Here you'll find a bathing beach and pier where early-morning bathers can be seen walking down to the sea in bathing gowns and sandals. From Torekov, you can take a boat to explore Hallands Väderö, an island off the west coast of Sweden. Ferryboats, some of them old-fashioned wooden vessels used during part of the year for fishing, make the 15-minute crossing every hour between June and August. From September to May, departures are every 2 hours. The cost is 80SEK ($11/£6) round-trip, with the last departure at 4pm daily. For more information, call Hallands/Väderö Billettkassan (tel. 0431/36-30-20).

One of Sweden's few remaining seal colonies exists on Hallands Väderö. "Seal safaris" come here to view, but not disturb, these animals. In addition to seals, the island is noted for its rich bird life, including guillemots, cormorants, eiders, and gulls.

Where to Dine -- The hotels in the listings all have good restaurants, although you should call in advance for a reservation. But if you're just passing through, consider dropping in at the Solbackens Café & Wåffelbruk, Italienska Vägen (tel. 0431/702-00). This bustling, gossipy cafe is locally famous, known since 1907 for serving Swedish waffles and other snack-style foods. If the weather is fair, opt for a table on the terrace overlooking the water.

Båstad After Dark -- One good option is Pepe's Bodega, Warmbadhuset Hamnen (tel. 0431/36-91-69), where spicy food and festive cocktails evoke southern Spain, northern Mexico, or some undefined hideaway in a forgotten corner of South America. It's open Wednesday to Sunday for both food and an active bar life, from 5 to 11pm for food, and until 1am for drinks. There's also an on-site disco.