We knew that the big attraction in Gothenburg for nature lovers is the Gothenburg archipelago.
There are actually more than 20 islands to discover, and they are divided in northern and southern parts. No cars are allowed in the southern part of the archipelago which makes this the perfect destination for us, long walks enthusiasts!
How do you get there?
You can get to the southern part by ferry from the boat terminal Saltholmen. Tram 11 from central Gothenburg takes you to the terminal in about 30 minutes (tram 9 is also available during summer). Styrsöbolaget manage all boat traffic to the southern islands and they are available all year round – check out the timetables here. You can buy the ticket to the boat trip on convenience stores and it will cost you the same as any other bus or train ride – about 3 euros/per trip/per person – so its a very cheap trip.
Since we only had one day, and the weather forecast said it would be raining in the afternoon, we decided to explore 3 islands – Styrsö, Donsö and Vrångö. There is a short bridge connecting Styrsö to the neighbour island Donsö, so its easy to do it by foot.
So, our path was:
- Saltholmen to Styrsö by boat
- Styrsö to Donsö by walking through the bridge
- Donsö to Vrångö by boat
- Vrångö to Saltholmen by boat
Styrsö
Styrsö is located in the middle of the southern island and around 1400 people inhabits the island (although we didn’t see mutch people there). We only saw some locals passing by us by bike or using golf cars (weird, no? Yes, but it actually is a very used way of transportation to carry goods in these islands due to the cars prohibition).From Stora Rös, the islands high point, you can have a view over all the islands. Its a nice stroll trough the bridge to Donsö with good viewpoints of the two islands.
Donsö
During our way to Donsö, through the bridge, we met a sweeden men borned in this island. He told us about his childhood in the island and about the importance of the fishing industry had on the life of the island people. The city is in fact all turned to the sea – you have perfect views of the red huts used by the fisherman by the harbor (with a sign on top of the family fisherman names), statues impersonating the lifestyle of that time, and videos explaining its history. The harbor is big and very picturesque. We took tons of pictures of the beautiful landscape!
Vrångö
Vrångö is the most southerly island of the Gothenburg archipelago. This island is most famous for its beautiful nature reserves with lots of walking paths and for its beaches. Although the water is really cold, we understand that in a sunny day and after a long walk the cols water seems appealing. The inhabited areas of Vrångö lie like a belt across the island and the areas both north and south of this belt are protected nature reserves. We found an observation point in the nature reserve just next to the sea to eat our lunch with an amazing view! One of the most amazing things about this island is the unspoiled beauty of its shores. The water is clean, the walkable paths are extremely well taken care of and the beautiful red houses of the fishermen make the landscape unique.
As predicted, it started raining right after lunch! So we ran back to the boat and still had time to see from the boat other little islands were he stopped in our way back.
Visiting the archipelago was a perfect way to enjoy and experience the surroundings of Gothenburg. The nature and landscapes of these islands are amazing and the fact that they are car free makes the trip very pleasant. If we had better weather we would have loved to check out the other islands.
I’ve heard of the archipelago, but never seen what it really looks like up close. Walking sounds like the best way to really discover its natural beauty – although the red fisherman’s huts add a nice touch of colour. It’s a shame about the rain, but at least you had warning!!
Hello Red Nomad! Yes, going in the boat (that cost the same as a bus ride in the city) and getting to know the islands by foot is the best way of knowing them, for sure! Hope you get there someday (and with better weather)! Thanks for your comment!
Such a beautiful place. Sweden is already on my bucket list, and now I would like to try to visit these Islands while I’m there.
Hello The Wanderer! Yes, go and see the archipelago. In Gothenburg the Southern island we visited were beautiful, but in Stockholm you can also visit the archipelago. Either way, you will have fun, for sure! Thanks for your comment!
We really want to visit Sweden soon, hopefully in the Spring of 2018. The countryside and the style of those Swedish houses are beautiful.
Hello Marcus and Mel! Hope you do, and have so much fun as we did! Check out our other post about Sweden to see our journey! Thanks for the comment!
Looks beautiful, I have only been to Stockholm and loved the city. That is funny that cars are banned in Styrsö!
Hello Lucy! Yes, the cars are banned in all the Southern islands, so they drive golf cars… Its really funny! And the views are amazing! Thanks for your comment!
Gothenburg looks awesome. I’d love to visit these islands. I’d walk, better still, hop like you advise
Lol! Yes Lydia, we hopped trough 3 of these islands. Come and visit them all! They are truly amazing! Thanks for your comment!
I’ve only been to Stockholm, but would love to explore some of the islands. There’s some stunning scenery in these pictures – and a very dramatic sky!
Hello Jo Amos! Yes, you really should explore. And there are many more, we only covered 3! Its an amazing scenery! Thanks for your comment!
Never thought of island hopping in Sweden but it totally makes sense! I think it looks like a great time and the views are stunning. Great information!
Hello Harvey! Thanks for the comment! Sweden actually has a lot of archipelagos, so you can visit Gothenburg or Stockholm and enjoy some time away from the cities in this quiet and beautiful islands! Thanks again!
I would love to visit Sweden, and I’ve heard amazing things about the Gothenburg archipelago – seems to be becoming quite the hot destination at the moment, I’ve been hearing about the islands everywhere! Vrångö is one island which is particularily calling me, I’m a very big fan of nature and the outdoors, so am looking forward to exploring its beautiful nature reserves, enjoying those walking paths and the beaches 🙂
Hello Megan! Thanks for your comment. Yes, it is being talked about a lot, but surprisingly when you are there, you don’t feel like a tourist! Its a very welcoming place. Hope you go there someday!