Österlen is in the southeast corner of Skåne, easy to reach from Copenhagen and Malmö but a long drive from Stockholm. Most international visitors fly to Copenhagen (CPH) and take a train across the Öresund bridge — Malmö Central is 30 minutes from the airport, and Ystad another hour on the regional service.
By train. Pågatåg regional services run hourly between Malmö and Ystad, and from Ystad on to Simrishamn. Both lines are scenic and good for car-free trips.
By ferry. Ystad has direct ferries to Bornholm (Denmark) and Świnoujście (Poland), making the area a useful stop on the way in or out of Sweden.
By car. From Copenhagen, the drive takes about two hours via the Öresund bridge and the E22. A car is by far the easiest way to explore the smaller villages and the coast once you arrive.