Tag: West Coast

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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.

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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.

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Guiding our most valued guests to the West Coast

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This week, my dad is visiting us. I still remember the first time he came to see me here in Sweden. To show him my new home town is always an honor, and slightly scary. Will he approve? We’ve just spent two days on the West Coast, and he liked it, despite the cold and windy weather, something even the best guide isn’t able to influence.

Nobody’s as honest and critical as family

If you think that guiding your family is easier than clients? Think again. And to think you get any favors? No sir. Guiding family (and friends) is not a grateful job, but it provides great opportunities to learn and grow, not to mention test new things, try new restaurants (or make sure known ones are still up to par), etc.

A trip to the West Coast

Dad has been here many times over the years, and yesterday and today, I took him back to some of the places he’d been to before, although it’s been many years. He’d mostly forgotten and this time the weather was better.

We covered Marstrand yesterday, a small island city off the coast about 40′ drive north of Gothenburg, and today we drove even further, although we ended up just a good 15′ boat ride north of Marstrand, on the island of Tjörn and its outlying isles of Klädesholmen, Åstol, and Dyrön.

Good food and amazing nature to round off a successful day

Our first stop for today was Skärhamn, a coastal town on the island of Tjörn. It is famous for it’s arts museum, focusing on aquarelle paintings. But it also sports a beautiful harbor and a smiling church.

After a quick coffee (it was cold) we took the ferry from Rönnäng on a short trip around to Åstol (beautiful on a sunny, calm summer’s day), and Dyrön. Afterward, I drove us back to Klädesholmen for lunch at Salt & Sill. That little islet is famous for herring canneries and boy, their lunch is good. Six varieties of herring as an appetizer, followed by a fish burger with mashed potatoes and pees. Yummy!

Enjoy some pictures of today’s trip:

  • Åstol
  • The harbor of the island of Åstol
  • Marstrand, looking north
  • Typical street on Marstrand
  • Typical house on Marstrand (and the color, the light blue is indigenous to the West Coast)
  • The Fortress on Marstrand
  • Entrance to the fortress
  • Another view of the Fortress on Marstrand
  • Lunch with a view: Salt & Sill on Klädesholmen

Practical Information

To visit Marstrand from Gothenburg (incl. Carlsten fortress) you’ll need about five hours, two of which you’ll spend getting to and fro the city. In the summer, with a lot of tourist traffic, you may need to allocate more time as parking is scarce and you may need to walk longer from the parking lots to the ferry.

Tjörn and its islands are also a good hour and fifteen minutes away from Gothenburg, further north, but there’s more time on the freeway, so you cover more ground. Again, summer traffic will add time, particularly as you cross the bridge over to Tjörn. We’ve literally spent hours in queues. Parking is a thing, too and you may need to leave your car up to a kilometer or more from ferries, harbors, etc. The town roads are very narrow and you share the space with walking visitors and locals. Be mindful and patient. Five to six hours is recommended. If you visit Åstol or Dyrön, be mindful of the ferry timetable. Summertime (June-Aug) you might find an open café or restaurant, but off season, expect to eat on Tjörn or simply bring your own lunch.

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Welcome to Gothenburg! Are you hungry?

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Gothenburg is a temple for foodies

When I first moved to Gothenburg, back in 1992, I was shocked after my first visit to a grocery store: strange looking (and tasting) sausages, five types of cheese, tons of cabbage and apart from that, there really wasn’t much to choose from. I’m exaggerating, of course, but this country and its cuisine have changed so much in the years since.

1995, joining the EU, was revolutionizing for Sweden’s food industry

By Steffen Wurzel [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html), CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/) or CC BY-SA 2.5 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5)], from Wikimedia Commons
By Steffen Wurzel [GFDL, CC-BY-SA-3.0], from Wikimedia Commons
After we joined the EU and importing food from other countries became easier, our grocery shops changed, radically, and the range of supplies increased dramatically. But not only grocery stores, our restaurants changed, too, from serving “classic” cuisine, based on red meats, pork, venison and locally grown vegetables like carrots, potatoes, onions, and cabbages (we are, after all, a Nordic country, meaning, our climate isn’t ideal for a lot of produce.) and brown sauce and lingonberry jam.

Here on the west coast, people have always eaten fish, often pan-fried, served with potatoes, some vegetable and sauce. And there is something to be said about a delicious home-style cooked classic dish. Sadly, in the past quality was not necessarily something Swedish cuisine was known for.

If you’re interested in learning more about traditional Swedish cuisine, feel free to ask us. From IKEA meatballs to smörgåsbord and “halv special”, we’ve got you covered.

Modern Swedish cuisine is among the best in the world

I say this with pride. Our cuisine is among the top in the world. Our chefs are proud to use fresh ingredients, locally sourced products, and the suppliers are keen on trying out new ideas.

While Sweden may never be a cheese country like my own home country of Switzerland, there are some cheesemakers who produce some amazing cheese these days, a far cry from the industrialized and tasteless, wax-covered stuff you get in your next-door grocery store. For some, like my husband, a cheese plate for dessert is the highlight of a meal.

Fish, seafood and then some

Last night, I served my family a fillet of cod. Just lightly seasoned with salt and pepper. Delicious. You should see what a real chef can do with cod. One of my favorite fish. Or a catfish… Mouthwatering!

Definitively a favorite of mine is salmon, which you can catch right here in Gothenburg, in our moats. Swedes eat a lot of salmon! Most of it comes from farms in Norway where salmon are kept in huge basins in their deep fjords. Environmentally not without question marks, but things are getting better. If you go to a quality seafood store here in Sweden you’ll have a choice between Norwegian salmon and wild salmon, caught either in Sweden or abroad.

Salmon can be served in many different ways…

© Copyright Walter Baxter and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence..

It’s a very versatile fish. I’m having a bit of a love story with warm smoked salmon right now. It is pink in flesh, very tender, moist and tasty that I could eat it daily. But that wouldn’t be good. Salmon is a very fatty fish, healthy fat mind you, but still. Lots of calories, and besides, if you eat something as good as salmon every day,  you grow tired of it… There’s also cold smoked salmon, which I’m sure we all know, that orange thin slice you find on smørrebrød or canapés around the world. Here in Sweden we also eat cured salmon, which is available year-round, but particularly popular on our smörgåsbord and for Christmas.

Salmon is also easy to fry fresh or from the over. One amazing way to cook your salmon is to cover it entirely in salt and to cook the entire fish in the oven.

Seafood isn’t just shrimp

Shrimp are a staple food and Friday night favorite not just in our house, but all over the West Coast of Sweden. It’s a quickly prepared meal with a good baguette and aioli, paired with a dry, fruity white wine. Great when you have friends over. You can take your time and eat slowly.

But did you know that we have amazing oysters right here on the West Coast? And we also have amazing clams and scallops that are grown here? We even grow our own seaweed for Japanese inspired seaweed salad.

Crayfish or “scampi” is also a Swedish delicacy and while most of Sweden prefers sweetwater crayfish, cooked in dill, the West Coast prefers their ocean-dwelling cousins, bigger, cooked in salt water and with a pink/orange color. Needless to say that we’re about to begin our lobster season, and while our local lobsters may be smaller than what most people remember, properly prepared (which isn’t easy!), they’re an amazing dish.

Where to go? Where to eat?

Luckily, these days, there are few places where you will not eat well here in Gothenburg, whether it’s Swedish or international cuisine. There is a case to be made that you’re more likely to eat well when you eat local cuisine because it’s easier to get fresh ingredients. And more difficult to find a chef who truly knows how to prepare e.g. Szechuan, Salvadorian or Angolan dishes… Having said that, there are people from over 190 countries living in Gothenburg, and they all like to taste a meal from their ancestral home every now and then. You’ll find a lot of international restaurants in town, not just pizza and kebabs.

Welcome to Gothenburg. Enjoy your meal!

PS: Don’t eat meat? We have some excellent choices for vegetarians and vegans, too. Ask us!