Gothenburg Tours Archives

February 18, 2025February 18, 2025

How to best visit the Gothenburg Archipelago

8 out of 10 inquiries to Gothenburg’s tourist bureau relate to the Gothenburg Archipelago. Our website statistics confirm this. The islands off the coast of Gothenburg attract many visitors. They boast 13,000 years of rich history. Let’s clarify some details first before we show you the best ways to visit the pearl band of islands off Sweden’s West Coast:

The green line to the north depicts (part of) the islands of the Bohuslän Archipelago. This archipelago stretches to the border of Norway. Geographically, the “blue islands” also belong to the Bohuslän Archipelago.

Different Archipelagos

However, as they also lie just off the coast of the city of Gothenburg, the blue line depicts what is called Gothenburg’s Northern Archipelago. The red line marks the Southern Archipelago. The southern islands belong geographically to Västergötland. People typically refer to this area as the Gothenburg Archipelago. The “red islands” are part of the city of Gothenburg. The “blue islands” are an independent town called Öckerö.

I need to emphasize the differences between the “blue” and “red” islands. Apart from their size, the “blue islands” connect by car ferry to the mainland, making them accessible by car, bus, or taxi 24/7. The southern islands remain largely car-free, and public transport operates for about 18 hours daily, averaging one ride per hour.

How to best get to the Gothenburg Archipelago

Styrsöbolaget’s passenger ships take you to each of the islands in the Gothenburg Archipelago. Some even have a café on board

There is only one way to get to the southern islands, and that is by boat. If you’re on a budget, public transport is inexpensive. First, ride Streetcar 11 (and 9 in the summer) to Terminus Saltholmen. From there, walk the ~100 meters to the boat terminal, where currently four boat lines take you out to the islands of the Gothenburg Archipelago. The boat lines accept the same ticket as the streetcar:

– Line 281 via Styrsö and Donsö to the island of Vrångö in the south
– Line 282 via Asperö, Köpstadsö, and Styrsö to the island of Brännö
– Line 283 to the islands of Asperö and Brännö (fastest way to get to any island)
– Line 284 (high seasons only) to Stora Förö and Knarrholmen

For SEK 37 (tickets from Västtrafik) one way, you can reach all of the Gothenburg Archipelago from downtown. A somewhat more expensive way to get there and see the islands from the water are the many excursion ships and seafood cruises that depart downtown Gothenburg, eg. here or here. However, you will not be able to go ashore!

Summer, sunshine, and crystal-clean water. Don’t forget your swimsuit!

To truly experience the Gothenburg Archipelago, you can travel there with a private boat, which we arrange for most of our clients. We pick you up at Saltholmen (or your hotel) and take you out to one or several islands. We can show you a military island that no tourist can visit (from a distance). In addition, we can go ashore to show you the local architecture of various villages, natural sights, and ancient remnants of previous civilizations.

What to see in the Gothenburg Archipelago

Because the islands aren’t connected to the mainland road system, only a handful of cars exist out here (where I also live). Most people get around using golf carts, mopeds, bikes, or walking. Every island presents its uniqueness and establishes its own rules. On the islands, NO streets exist, only roads. Since there are no sidewalks, people are expected to walk on the left to make eye contact with oncoming traffic.

So please be mindful and always walk on the left.

Every island has villages or settlements, and each island’s history is a little different, so they all look different. Styrsö, the largest island in the Gothenburg Archipelago, has four (some even claim five) small settlements. Two-thirds of the island is uninhabited. A large forest area with species from faraway countries invites you for long walks if you’re tired of seeing people.

Beautiful nature treks, albeit not as long as on Styrsö, can also be found on Vrångö, Donsö, Asperö, and from Brännö to Galterö.

The Gothenburg Archipelago from one of the smaller islands.

Allow us to show you the Gothenburg Archipelago

These days, visitors come to visit the Gothenburg Archipelago all year round. I have lived here for thirty years, and it breaks my heart when people walk past amazing tree species, ancient gravesites, or maybe a bronze age camp, without realizing it. They walk through our villages without understanding why they were built the way they are. They are oblivious to the fact that 13,000 years ago, this was all still underwater.

With a guide by your side, you get to fully experience the Gothenburg Archipelago. I can show you things you’d otherwise miss and tell you all the stories you want to hear. I will answer any question (well almost…) you might have. I can make sure there is a steaming cup of coffee/tea or a hot meal at the end of the day waiting for you. This is not a small feat out here off-season.

Reach out and book your visit to the Gothenburg Archipelago

We are available all year round and offer anything you may need. Whether you want a walking tour starting on the islands or prefer a pickup at your hotel, we can organize transportation and meals just the way you like. Simply reach out and ask. We provide unique experiences that no one else offers here in Gothenburg.

Welcome to truly experience the Gothenburg Archipelago.

August 26, 2024August 26, 2024

We need to talk about “Swedish Fika”

“Swedish Fika” is the biggest tourist trap a visitor to our country can walk into. Why? Because it’s nothing but a four-letter-word and fancy marketing. Don’t be fooled by it. Certainly don’t let yourself be lured into paying extra for nothing special.

Jaw-dropping email

As a tour guide, you see everything. A couple of days ago my WhatsApp went crazy with a request from a faraway travel agent trying to book their guests currently in Gothenburg to arrange for a “tour” dubbed “Swedish Fika”. The idea? A guide takes you to a café to have a typical Swedish Fika. Cost? Yeah, plenty given that the company in question takes up to ten people on its tours…

What is a Swedish Fika, really?

The Swedish Board of Tourism claims that it is this unique Swedish tradition (it’s not!) to meet with friends in a café or at the workplace to have coffee/tea with something sweet. As a European immigrant to Sweden, I can vouch that other cultures meet up for tea (England for one) or coffee (Vienna, anyone?) with sweets as well. I mean let’s face it who doesn’t? Leaves us with the word “fika”, and that’s probably it. Right? I know of no other language (I’ve studied twelve) that has a word for “hot beverage with sweets” except Sweden.

From a fancy word to a tourist trap

If you walk into a souvenir shop in Sweden you’ll see a gazillion trinkets with the word “fika” on it, from spoons to mugs, cups, and platters, in the colors of the Swedish flag (cringe!) to the rainbow flag (not that I understand the connection there.) But when something is on every other item in a store, seriously threatening Sweden’s all-time favorite, the Dalecarlia Horse.

Would you buy a pen that says “five o’clock tea” or “high tea” on it? I have to hand it to our tourist board. They’ve really managed to hype this word into something it’s never been, a phenomenon, and even when you read their full shpiel it’s not factually false, but it’s not that big a deal either. We are not the only people eating cake with our coffee at a café. What else is there do to there?

Here’s an idea instead…

Now, before you pay €80 a pop to go to a café with a nanny, why don’t you spend that money on yourself? You don’t really need a guide to tell you to choose between a latte or an espresso or which cake to choose from. Instead, with the money left from your fika with your family or friends, go buy a great souvenir to remember Sweden by. If you’re here in Gothenburg, we are obviously famous for our streetcars which are available as fridge magnets or key chain accessories, but if you really want a typical West Coast souvenir, try to find a place where you can buy art from a local artist, e.g. a small painting or why not something made from wreckage goods. It’s a personal favorite of mine and typical for our region. It’ll beat a plastic fika plate any day with your loved ones. Here’s a local artist who excels at this, John Sanderson.

April 27, 2023November 12, 2024

You haven’t seen Gothenburg… until you’ve been to the Archipelago!

Stora Rös on Styrsö, the highest point in the entire archipelago. — Styrsö, the highest point of the Archipelago. From here you can see the entire river delta of Gothenburg.

Paris has the Eiffel Tower, New York the Statue of Liberty, and Gothenburg has its archipelago.

The archipelago is a string of pearls of islands off the coast to the north and south of the Göta River delta. The smaller islands to the south are part of the city of Gothenburg. You easily reach them by public transport. Simply take a bus or streetcar to Saltholmen and hop on a ferry taking you out.

The archipelago is a must-see for any Gothenburg visitor

Styrsö Halsvik was once home to sea captains living in the archipelago. — Styrsö Halsvik, one of the stops of the tour

We have designed an archipelago tour with our visitors in mind. A smörgåsbord of things that make our archipelago unique.

The focus lies on the island of Styrsö, the largest one in the southern archipelago. The walking tour will take you on a journey almost 13,000 years back in time. Back then, the island was still wholly submerged in the sea but began to emerge as part of the land rise. You will walk through our forest, and four (or maybe five depending on who you ask) distinct settlements, and also enjoy beaches and coastline.

When in the archipelago, you need to eat well. Swedish cuisine with a modern international touch. — Just an example of a dish you might be served at Öbergska, a shrimp and smoked salmon sallad.

Here are a few keywords to give you an idea of the tour: ice age, stone age, bronze age, Vikings, unique nature, stunning views, and delicious food. Combined into a coherent story by Gothenburg’s favorite VIP tour guide. He has lived here for more than twenty-five years and consequently knows the island and its long history intimately. He speaks several languages, has a great sense of humor and his storytelling is legendary!

What kind of tourist are you?

Whenever I have the pleasure of taking guests to show them my city I wonder: will they be happy to see things from the outside or would they rather go inside? This might sound like a weird question to you, but allow me to explain. One of the most frequent things I do is walking tours. I pick up my guests at their hotel and we go for a walk where I show them the beauty of Gothenburg.

Would you like to go inside?

There are so many great things to see in a city, but when you have a limited amount of time, we tend to simply scratch the surface. We walk past some of the most amazing buildings but don’t go in. We point out “here’s this museum, and this is City Hall, and over there is where the local parliament resides, and it’s a beautiful building.” We never go inside which is a shame.

There are two main reasons why: a) most buildings aren’t open to visitors, which is a shame. Our local stock exchange is one of the most impressive places we have to show, but it’s only open once every blue moon at specific times, which never suits visitors from abroad. I can tell them that their president or prime minister had dinner here with our king, but I can’t show them.

The second reason is time. Even if the building were open, if you have four hours for a walking tour, there’s not time to spend one or two hours in just one building.

You need a reason to come back…

Prosecco on St. Mark's Square and live music at night is one of the "musts" for me in Venice, no matter how many times I return. — Prosecco on St. Mark’s Square and live music at night is one of the “musts” for me in Venice, no matter how many times I return.

This is my MO for every place I visit: I miss something important, simply because I’d like to come back. And on a second visit, I may not have to do the “usual” again, but I can dive deeper. I’ve been to Venice countless times since I was a child, and while I have my “have to’s”, e.g. to drink a glass of Prosecco on St. Mark’s Square after dark and listen to live music, these days, my visits to this amazing city allow me to visit places most first-time visitors don’t see.

As a tour guide here in Gothenburg, I kind of see it as my responsibility to water my guests’ mouths, to make them want to come back for more. It’s a delicate balance and I always make sure to learn about hteir interests ahead of time, to make sure they experience exactly what they want, whether it’s walking past a building or going in (if possible.)

June 3, 2019June 3, 2019

Impressions of Gothenburg

East India Farer
Gothenburg and its figurehead
The Gothenburg in all her glory
Gunnebo Castle gardens
Gunnebo Castle gardens
Gunnebo Castle gardens
Gunnebo Castle
Gunnebo Castle
Sunset in the archipelago
Where are you headed, friend?
Deer at Koberg
Åstol island
Marstrand
My son posing on an old canon at Carlsten Fortress, Marstrand

May 21, 2019May 21, 2019

Expect the unexpected when you tour with us

I could promise you the moon, but I won’t…

What I can promise you though is the unexpected. Something you might not have thought about, or even considered with regards to my town. Yeah, I claim total bragging rights here, I know.

Let your soul dangle for a bit

When people think about Gothenburg, associations vary. Most people probably haven’t heard of our fair city, that we are home of the world’s largest truck manufacturing company, AB Volvo, or that we were once a sneeze away from becoming the capital of all Nordic countries. It’s a long story…

We are a great many things, and we have much to offer. I’m sure you’ll have seen that Gothenburg sits right on the ocean’s edge, on Sweden’s west coast. But did you also know that we are one of the greenest cities on the planet? There are parks, forests, and meadows surrounding the city and permeating it everywhere.

That greenery can also be found on our islands. On Styrsö, where I live, we have some twenty plus kilometers of official hiking trails along beaches, through our villages and the forest. You’d never know you’re on an island. Today, I was out walking and stopped to just listen to the birds singing. It’s a 360º view of what I say, just so I could capture the song. Don’t get dizzy. Close your eyes and let that soul of yours dangle for sixty-one seconds:

Yes, this video was taken on a small island just off the coast of Gothenburg, less than 300 meters from the nearest beach, but you’d never guess. This is one of the secret hikes on the island, known only to locals.

No matter what it is you expect to see in Gothenburg, expect the unexpected.

That’s a promise! Feel free to contact us today for a personal quote for your tour of our fair city. We’ll make sure to meet your expectations, and yeah, surpass those…

May 15, 2019September 10, 2023

Gothenburg on your own? Download our Gothenburg DIY guide!

100+ tips for places to see and things to do.

Having moved here decades ago, I was highly interested in this country and the region. I’ve helped visitors discover Gothenburg and the west coast ever since. I know a thing or two about the area. While my specialty is to guide people with very distinct tastes and the highest demands, I understand that there is a market for other types of tours, from walking tours of an hour or two to hop-on-hop-off tours, etc. All good. Hence the Gothenburg DIY guide.

“I’m a backpacker…” or “I just don’t need a tour guide”

Spring is in the air, and the sun is shining.

I hear you. I’m not unlike you. I love to discover places on my own. Not always, but sometimes. A couple of years ago, heading to Madeira, we contacted a local guide who’d put together a list of his fifty personal favorites. With that list, we were able to prepare for an amazing vacation, all by ourselves. Perfect for our family vacation.

Therefore, I figured, why not provide a list of my personal favorites as well? And not just include sights, but also include a couple of personal favorites when it comes to hotels, restaurants, cultural places, and even sporting arenas. And I’ve been to all of them, so I know what I’m getting you into… Although, with sports, there’s no guarantee your team will win!

100+ places, and it’s yours if you want it.

There are over one hundred places listed. This list is updated regularly. Some you’ll see in five or ten minutes, and others might take you weeks. Some are within the city, some are almost 200 km away. Still West Sweden. It’s a large county.

Some are expensive, some are dirt cheap, free even. I think there’s plenty for most people. And here’s how it works. Download the Gothenburg DIY guide to the left.

The Gothenburg DIY guide is free! A thank you email or a tip is appreciated if you find it useful.

Download your copy here.

So why would anyone still need a guide?

Easy! Many people don’t want to sieve through a ton of information, read tourist guides, etc. Also, they want to be able to ask questions and learn more about each site. Sometimes I don’t know the answer, but I know where and how to find it, in a timely fashion, while the guest simply enjoys their stay, a view, or a snack.

Most of my guests will simply tell me about their interests, likes, and dislikes and they trust me to prepare a tour that will satisfy those expectations and hopefully exceed them. Preparing for every guest individually takes time, and that time needs to be paid for somehow, hence a higher cost than for an off-the-rack tour which requires no preparation, as it’s the same, every time.

I hope you’ll enjoy this guide. As always, if you have questions, don’t hesitate to reach out.

October 20, 2018October 20, 2018

Fall colors grace the fair city of Gothenburg

Indian summer IS a thing around here

It’s fall, and according to the Swedish Meteorological Institute (SMHI), winter is on its way south. Sweden is a huge country, and while the northernmost parts are already snow-covered, the south is still, meteorologically, enjoying summer. I don’t know about you, but to me, these definitions are all a bit academic.

The Swedish Met Office’s strange definition of our seasons

In our country, the met office considers it fall if the temperatures over a period of five days have not surpassed ten degrees, but only (this is Sweden after all) if it happens after August 1. Silly, I know. Same with winter. We can’t have “spring” before February 15, no matter how hot it is.

Personally, I find the astronomical definitions more useful using equinoxes and solstices or even just the calendar: September-November is fall, December – February is winter etc. But I can see the value that SMHI’s definition has to their research and the maps they publish of the progress of a season, e.g. fall.

However, it leads to strange events, such as the fact that we currently have two seasons in Gothenburg: fall in the East and North-East and summer in the South and West of the city, due to the warm ocean waters.

Fall is the advent of colors around here (and elsewhere, and a peaceful and quiet time)

I like fall. Not as much as the summer, but it is a season when things calm down around us. Nature gets ready to go back to a slumber where plants and animals alike recuperate and get ready for yet another cycle of life. Humanity doesn’t really do that. For us, fall usually means back to school, back to work, back onto the treadmill.

In the hectics of our busy schedules with work and school, it’s a boon to be able to go out into nature to enjoy the changes in color, see the quiet ocean, pick mushrooms and just be outdoors. Come winter with its rain- and snowstorms, it’ll be too cold and wet to spend a lot of time outside.

Some pictures of what Gothenburg looks like right now…

To give you an impression of what our fair city looks like right now, have a look at these pictures that I’ve taken in the past couple of weeks. Enjoy!

Fall brings later sunrises and often provides us with the most amazing colorful spectacles in the morning.

And, as befits a country in the far north, the sun's trajectory is flatter and flatter and by three, four o'clock it is already low (we're still in DST), providing the typical pale blue skies. — And, as befits a country in the far north, the sun’s trajectory is flatter and flatter and by three, four o’clock it is already low (we’re still in DST), providing the typical pale blue skies.

Even in the middle of the day, the sun no longer rises as high as she does in the summer, but her light is still warming.

A typical, sunny fall day in Gothenburg. The picture is taken in Färjenäs on the island of Hisingen, where the ferries used to dock before the bridge connected it to the mainland.

A shot from the same place, straight across the river where the old port brewery has been turned into an upscale hotel, and where the run-ins of the old castle of Gothenburg can be found.

Finally, some color. I don't recommend eating this mushroom, amanita muscaria, but they sure do make a pretty picture. — Finally, some color. I don’t recommend eating this mushroom, *Amanita muscaria*, but they sure do make a pretty picture.

If you have questions, comments or plan to visit Gothenburg, send me a message. We look forward to showing you our town.

August 20, 2018

As we wind down the sunniest summer, ever? Lessons to be learned?

The summer of 2018 will go down in Gothenburg history

Spring was late and lasted all but a couple of weeks. An arctic inversion kept cold air pouring down over Scandinavia well into mid-April when suddenly things changed and a high-pressure system decided to park above us for the summer, bringing us virtually three months of unabated sunshine and literally no rain. You should see my lawn!

One crazy summer makes no climate change, but…

It's 9:35 pm and the sun is readying itself to set for the day. Summer in Sweden. — It’s 9:35 pm and the sun is readying itself to set for the day. Summer in Sweden.

As a “normal” citizen I’ve been having the summer of a lifetime, with daily swimming in our warmer than usual ocean, daily meals on the patio and a tan that built up over time, you know, the kind you develop carefully, without overexposure? A tan that lasts. Our farmers, however, have been suffering. Without watering (and we’re in Sweden, right, so who waters crops?) crops all over the country have been withering away, there’s been no hay for cattle to feed on and at its worst, farmers couldn’t even send their cattle to emergency slaughter. The queue to the slaughters were too long.

Papers have been filled with images from NASA satellites showing just how “brown” Scandinavia has become this summer, compared to previous years. And article after article discussed whether this is indeed a sign of things to come or just a “freak” summer.

It IS getting warmer up here…

This summer was unusual with ocean temperatures above 22 C (71.6F) making a swim after work a real pleasure.

Scientists all agree that one hot summer is no sign of climate change. However, 2018 is well on track to be another hot and warm year, seen on a global scale, and that is where signs of climate change can be tracked. The four years (including 2018) are the four warmest in recorded history. And if you look at weather phenomenon across the globe, things are crazy, everywhere. It seems to me, we keep saying this, year after year, and at some point, denying the impact of climate change becomes mute.

My memory serves me right!

During my second visit to Sweden, with my university at the time (you can see me trying to get the BBQ to light), this was not uncommon. Rain and cool temperatures forcing us to wear sweaters and jackets even in July. Photo: private

When I first moved to Sweden, in 1992, August was scorching hot, and I was in heaven. Finally a place with decent temperatures. Two years later we endured a cold and rainy, miserable summer. But what I do remember from the first summers after we bought our house is that we were usually unable to sit outside in the evenings, enjoy a glass of wine on the patio. It would be too cold unless you had some infrared heating device. We’d cherish the four or five nights that were the exception to that rule. Summer evenings could be chilly with temperatures as low as 10-12 degrees C (50-54F)

Nowadays, we would theoretically be able to sit outside almost every night, and still now in August, we wake up at six am and the temperatures outside are 18 degrees C (64.5F.) So yes, things have changed in the past twenty-two years that I’ve lived here on the island.

Climate change and tourism

How can we adjust our offerings to our visitors as they come all year round, not just for a few short and –hopefully–sunny summer weeks?

We cannot deny that climate change is here, nor can we deny that it affects tourism. We have plenty of water (in most parts of Scandinavia) for now, and while our farmers may need help in adjusting their crops and install systems to water them, overall, this peninsula might just be one of the few land areas on the planet that ‘benefits’ from it all. Warmer and probably wetter.

That impacts our offering with regards to tourism. A shorter winter season will gravely affect the north, where skiing and snow draw people from countries without such commodities. Here in the south, we may have to rethink what we offer and when we offer it. We still see people closing their restaurants in mid-August for vacation, while our ferry company is still operating on a summer schedule, bringing hundreds of tourist to the islands, every day.

Accepting that tourists, for different reasons, will visit us all-year round is an important first step. Once that lesson is learned, we can move on to offering different services to our visitors, according to the season.

What we do, offer

As a small tour company, our focus is flexibility. We can guide you walking, or using public transport, or in our own EV, a second generation Nissan Leaf. We can also try to show you just how the changing weather patterns and climate change affect our city if you are interested. From areas prone to inundation to plans of how the city is preparing for increasing sea levels. Ask us, we’re here for you.

June 19, 2018

Midsummer: Sweden’s most important holiday #Sweden #Gothenburg #tourism #GothenburgTours

Midsummer is only rivaled by Christmas, but summer. It’s summer!

I’m sure you’ve seen pictures from Sweden, people dancing around a colorfully dressed maypole. Unlike its counterparts from Germany and elsewhere, our maypoles are dressed with birch twigs and flowers. The songs we dance to aren’t traditional folk songs, but children’s songs including clever lyrics such as “ooh-ack-ack-a” in the evergreen “small frogs” (don’t ask…)

Midsummer marks…

Midsummer Sunset — This is what midsummer looks like in Gothenburg. 10:15 pm approximately.

Midsummer in Sweden marks not primarily the middle of summer, but the longest day, midsummer solstice, this year taking place the day after solstice, always on a Friday.

It’s really the beginning of summer, but even here in Gothenburg, this week and for another week or two, the sun doesn’t set until after 10 pm, and rises just after 4 am. Now imagine further up north. In a small town, I know well, Gávtjávvrie in Sápmi, way up north, but still short of the arctic circle, the sun sets for only one hour. Once you cross the arctic circle, the sun never sets during the weeks around midsummer.

It is our most important holiday, bigger than Christmas. Why? Is it the sunlight? The fact that is is as much an adult holiday as it is for kids? Is it the promise of a long vacation that awaits most Swedes around the corner in July? We’ll never know for sure, but midsummer is “da shit” around here…

Eat, drink, dance, sing, repeat

Our maypole here on the island. A big and traditional celebration.

Long days, sunshine, and flowers are key ingredients in our midsummer celebrations, along with the season’s first potatoes, small, sweet, delicious, herring in sauce, a Swedish delicacy, and strawberries, also the season’s first. And I’m sure you know we consume those with copious amounts of beer and different types of vodka, flavored schnapps etc.

Traditionally, you’d put seven kinds of flowers under your pillow, jump over seven fences and dream of your future partner. These days, you swipe seven times and start over. Sweden is a modern country. LOL

Where to celebrate

There are many places to celebrate Midsummer in Sweden, and if you happen to be here in Gothenburg, I can recommend the celebration at our amusement park. Always lots of people, professional song, and a great maypole.

Here in Gothenburg, there are celebrations, big and small, all across the city. One of the more famous ones takes place just a few hundred feet from our house, on our island, Styrsö. We have a large meadow where they put up the maypole. You can help decorate the pole in the morning and at four pm, the entire island and a ton of guests gather to sing, dance and have fun together, before we return to our homes for a barbeque dinner. There are several restaurants on the island, so you won’t have to starve, even if you’re just visiting…

But there are other places you can visit, all around our city. Check out this list from our tourist office.

The weather? Midsummer usually means moving indoors and outdoors because often enough the weather will be typical for the summer: sunshine and rain, changing constantly. For now, the forecast (the most serious topic we discuss these days) seems okay. Trust me, I checked with four (sic!) weather sites. As I said, the weather forecast for midsummer is not to be taken lightly.