As the water from the Baltic Ice Lake withdrew, the land around present-day Sölvesborg became accessible to settlers from what today is Denmark.

The hill in the east, marking the border towards Karlshamn called Ryssberget, was a direct creation of the glacial movements.

The port town of Sölvesborg was founded in the 12th century, between the mountain Ryssberget and the bay to the east (Sölvesborgsviken), but the city itself has grown up around the church, the monastery and later on the castle.

The oldest part are slightly younger than the church, and although the earliest days are not well documented,[3] it is supposed that it was originally merely a fortress.

[3] One notable character to inherit the Sölvesborg castle, was Sören Norby, which he was granted after his leaving Sweden, as he had fallen out of favour with the Swedish king, Gustav Vasa.

In order to provide the factory with sand, a train line was built after a private initiative, to Olofström and Älmhult.

Outside the city, the fishing industry, especially in the harbour towns of Djupekås, Hällevik and Nogersund are important employers.

Private investments saw to it that a new railroad was built between Sölvesborg and Älmhult (city of IKEA) (the Sölvesborg-Olofström-Elmhult-Järnväg and on this route the first and longest natural tunnel, and also the only railway tunnel in Scania, came to place of its time near Barnakälla.

Between 1993 and 1999 Sölvesborg and Wolgast in Germany had hover boat traffic during the summer months (May to August).

Even after a near total fire in 1801, when the entire city except the church burnt down, it was decided to retain it instead of adapting a grid pattern.

In July, the village of Krokås hosts the day of eel fishing (Ålafiskets dag).

In central Sölvesborg, the twin hills of Kanehall and Vitehall, which up until the 18th century were magnificent lookout points, are still worth a visit as they are located in the beech tree forest, one of Europe's largest coherent beech tree forest.

Broadcasting international programming to a large area of Europe, its twin antenna towers, located some 10 kilometres (6 miles) from the town of Sölvesborg itself, are notable local landmarks.

[7][8] The trail leads hikers from the town center up onto Ryssberget, where they can experience the tranquility of old-growth beech forests and panoramic views of Listerlandet.