We have weekly practices very close to Malmö Central station actually, and when the weather gets rough we share a locale with escrima, judo and a gym only a bustrip away from the central station.
Now, we are not that full of ourselves in Europe, at least as far as I know, mostly because there is some overlap between larp and other reenactment areas. However, the sports are different and you will find people who fight in hidden hockey pads to keep speed as well as people who fight in full plate because that's what they find to be fun. There's some macho culture lingering around fighting, but it's small enough that you can avoid it.
The Persona aspect of sca is very, very downplayed in Scandinavia, I have yet to meet somebody with a persona-role that dictates how they act and what they wear.
Swedish sca focuses mostly on crafting, fighting, socialising and partying, we have everything from a brewer's guild to gorgeous clothes and armourmakers. We don't have that many pronounced skalds, but there is a developed singing culture that is growing due to a few of us not being able to shut up once the fires are lit.
When comparing LARP and SCA, think of larp as improvised theatre with roles (this you know), whilst European or at least Swedish sca is more about dressing in the clothes, living on the campsite and having fun together.
You should come to malmö for a Sunday practice sometime and check it out. However, beware that this is not only your first proper encounter, but it will be an encounter with a very small part of the hobby. You won't really see the clothes, the crafts (crafting evenings weekly in Lund), the brewer's guild is based in Stockholm and the fencers around gothenburg. But you should absolutely come, and come in with an open mind, some of what you know from larps can be applied, other things can't.
We don't strike to break bone, we calibrate and we go fight. There are bruises and loud bangs, but it honestly isn't that bad. Rattan is inherently more painful than Calamacil weapons and if that's a problem, you simply armour up more or learn to block better, there aren't any better solutions than this, but, coming from a squishy perspective such as myself, it honestly isn't that bad. We don't have an inherent jock-culture in Sweden, which I am soooo very grateful for. You don't have to do anything you're uncomfortable with, nor do we throw you in headfirst into heavy combat, instead, there's pellwork, warmups and drills. If you want to try, we first start low intensity just to see if you're comfortable or not.
Come to Malmö a Sunday and try it. Add me on Facebook and I'll invite you to the practice events. If it's not for you, we have crafting in Lund, mostly focused on sewing, but there are woodcarvers and many-doers in the group as well.
Best regards, Henrik Hand of Attemark