We (4 adults) are attending a celebration in Arkelstorp and will spend August 2 - August 4th at a hotel that is about a twenty minute drive distant from both the Kristianstad train station and the venue for the actual celebration. I believe there are rental cars at the car station. At least 3 of us learned to drive stick shifts. My questions are twofold:
Is there anything we need to know about renting a car (and then driving) in Sweden (given that we don't speak or read Swedish); and, since we are planning for beyond the celebration (specifically August 4 - to August 9), should we rent the car for a longer period to explore - not too far - places of character, perhaps even a spa/resort area where we can sauna and jump into cold waters without segregating by sex, going nude (have tried that, myself, in Malmö but it would be a problem for some of the others in my party).
Originally I planned for my husband and I to go to Norway after August 4th but now can't. Those plans axed. We can easily just return the car to Kristianstad and train back to Copenhagen and just take day trips but my son-in-law and daughter were not planning for us to be "together" for the second leg of this trip so I would like to cobble together alternative plans to explore parts of Sweden proximate to Kristianstad. And decide whether/not we rent the car for longer (for us to explore more southwestern Swedish countryside) before I book the rental.
I, myself, having explored older threads on this forum, but without any understanding for geography, think I am interested in the moose farm outside of Vimmerling and Eksjo (very ancient cat sitting on my notes so relying on my memory re: how to spell the town/village/city now) ( a fire in 2015). Are they an easy grouping or, given that we need to return to CPH by 09.08.2024, at the latest, too ambitious. We won't want an ambitious schedule this time.
We loved to hike but I currently can't manage much elevation gain and, while I will bring hiking poles, my balance does not let me handle terrain where I have to step down more than 24 plus inches without a handrail. I could manage six miles if the terrain were not too challenging. I like small museums, architecture. We like strolling though towns that are interesting to look at, without a specific purpose. We generally don't "shop" (bookstores being an exception for me but, even then, he refuses to step inside). We like music. He loves visiting rich & famous people's houses. We definitely like food. I love oddball explorations and adventures. Him: he laughs at me. (I am very interested in the moose tours near Vimmerby).
Bottom line of question two of question two is whether or not there are compelling reasons to keep a rental car longer than August 2 to August 4, 2024, for the sake of exploring other parts of Skåne not as well served by a good public transit system.
thx