GENERAL:
Island Guide
Göteborg has a great archipelago. Dozens of little islands which stretch into the sea next to the city’s coastline and sandy and rocky beaches just a ferry ride away. Monthly has together with our island expert Simon Linter made a comprehensive inside guide to some of the island in the rich archipelago of Göteborg. Enjoy!
Vrångö
If there is one island that has a lot going for it, it’s Vrångö. The majority of the island’s population live in the middle of the island which follows the path from the ferry. Here you find quite a number of large houses alongside some smaller summer houses. Towards the west of the island, there is a harbour kiosk which sells fresh fish which is also next door to the everyday shop. Here, you will find speciality seafood such as salmon burgers and shrimps which are always worth sampling. If you want to escape from the centre of Vrångö, then you have the choice of either a northern nature trail and southern nature trail. If you do decide to take either one of these trails, then be aware that they are fairly long to walk around (2.5km approx). But if you do decide to take them, then you will be able to view the rest of Vrångö and find the three sandy beaches that exist as well.
Vrångö has probably the best beaches on offer when compared to all of the södra skärgården. The first beach to the north features a huge grassy area and a sandy beach that is child friendly. This is the best place to set up a barbeque and features a great place to swim. However, if you follow the path from that beach to the second, you will find an even larger, sandier beach that also has a great place to swim. If this is not enough for you, then walk to the south and bath at the beach called “Nötholmen” which features a shallow swimming area suitable for children. All in all, Vrångö has a good slice of everything. If you combine the beaches with the nature trails, it should have enough to keep you busy for a while.
Brännö
The largest island within the southern archipelago is Brännö and it is also the most mentioned island in Swedish songs, thanks mainly to Lasse Dahlquist (singer/songwriter/actor) who lived and is buried on the island. Brännö was also the most strategic island for seamen and has been used for this purpose by Norway and Denmark. So, apart from the history aspect, is there anything that you should expect from Brännö? Well, from a short walk on the island from either of the two ferry ports, you should expect a sense of space. Brännö is mostly made up of countryside and although it has 800 inhabitants, there seem to be fewer island homes when compared to the other islands.
The main path from Rödsten and Husvik is the route that many people will stick to and this in turn will reveal most of what Brännö has to offer. This includes a café near Rödsten, a folklore museum and the restaurant guesthouse. When you make it to Husvik, you will find Brännö Brygga and the beach area. The beach area is fairly small but has a good section of decking and a diving tower. Compared to other islands, Brännö’s beach is not as large but is still perfectly ok to take it is easy here and have a swim. All in all, Brännö has a smaller beach and has fewer island homes to look at when you walk from end to end. The main plus point of Brännö is the fact that it does offer a huge slice of history being the home of Lasse Dahlquist and the most strategic of islands for mariners.
Vargö
Vargö literally means “Wolf Island” if translated directly. It is therefore ironic and a relief that there are no wolves on this island to mention. In fact, the closest you will get to an animal on this island is a sheep. But casting names aside, Vargö is one of the smaller islands that is classified as a nature reserve. Here, you will find many varieties of wild flowers, birds and shellfish.Once the ferry has dropped you off at the harbour, you will walk down the only path that leads through the reserve. The walk takes around 5 to 10 minutes until you reach “Bälviken”. The sandy part of the island has small amounts of seaweed but if you look towards the rocks, there are plenty of spots you can choose from. Another important factor to remember about Vargö is that there are no convenience stores.
If you make your way to this island, the best advice is to pack a cooling bag and have a picnic. The only facility that is available here is a toilet which is within easy reach from “Bälviken”. The main plus point of Vargö is “Bälviken” itself, a lagoon that offers a swimming area with no rocks on the seabed. In fact, you have to wade out a fair distance before you reach any type of seaweed to trouble you. This makes the whole area easy to swim in and is shallow enough for toddlers to enjoy a wave of the water. The other part of the island is mainly made up of granite rock cliff tops that offer a great view of some of the other islands featured in this guide. However, there are some tricky rock climbing routes on the east side towards “Minkviken”. If you do want to venture along this part of the coastline, be aware there are loose and wobbly rocks that you will have to careful about. On the east part of the island, there is a small rock face that offers a 10 metre drop into the water and is frequently used for diving.
Donsö
One of the most industrial islands is Donsö which is closely linked to Styrsö by a bridge. It plays host to seven shipping companies with 32 tankers between them although Donsö harbour is not used due to size restrictions. The ferry also uses this harbour which is the only one on the island. Once on land, you will find that you are straight in the middle of Donsö’s community. To your right, you will see a small street with fishing cabins on either side. During August, this street becomes part of the Donsö festival with all of the cabins opening to sell you hand crafted goods. Alongside this, the harbour festival also offers bands and shows as well as small fairground rides and water contests aimed at children.
Donsö also has a couple of bathing spots. The first spot is close to the pizzeria and is called Korsholmen. Although easy to get to, Korsholmen does not offer the same type of swimming spots that you could be accustomed to if you frequently visit the other islands. So, it is well recommended that you should make your way to Lökholmen which is a small island located off the east side of Donsö. This spot offers decking around a small part of the coastline and it easy to take a dip. The site also offers great toilet facilities and even has a small bathing spot dedicated to the elderly. Although this spot is not very sandy, it does offer a small sandy beach for children. To find the other sandy spots, you will need to head south and take the nature trail. Here you will find a few sandy spots where you can also take a dip and be fairly private at the same time. The bathing spots here are not hugely popular when compared to Lökholmen, but they do offer a quiet escape if that is what you are after.
Köpstadsö
Directly translated, Köpstadsö means “Buy City Island” which doesn’t necessarily mean that this island is up for sale or that there is anything to buy on it. Known as Kössö to the locals, Köpstadsö is one of the smaller islands which does not impress on first glance.
The harbour is made up of wheel barrows and rubbish skips and you would not really think to get off the ferry and look around at this point. But upon turning the corner and overlooking this initial blip, Köpstadsö is actually an impressive and nice island to visit.
The path from the harbour leads directly into the heart of the island and if you stick to it, it will double back on itself and bring you back to where you started. So although the island is quite small, it is fairly easy to find yourself becoming lost. Having said that, Köpstadsö gives you the sense of a compact community, walking down small paths with houses either side of you. If you wander off the main path and take some of the country trails, these will lead you to the bathing spots of which there are two. The first spot features decking around a small part of the coastline where it is fairly easy to take a swim and take it easy. The second path takes around 10 minutes to reach the end and is the trail that leads off from a small football pitch. If you follow this path, you will eventually get to a hidden beach that feels as if you have just been stranded from a boat accident. The forest offers a small hedged doorway to the sandy beach where it easy to take a dip and is very secluded.
Apart from that, Köpstadsö has a small café towards the harbour area but has no convenience store, so it is recommended that you bring your own food if you plan to stay for a while. With ferries running frequently here, Köpstadsö is well recommended for a visit and a swim with the added bonus of a small nature trail. Kössö has its own charm and has the most unique hidden beach that you will see if you visit all of the södra skärgården.
Stora Fårö
Stora Förö is one of the smaller islands to be featured in this guide. As soon as you leave the ferry, you get the impression that this island is very well looked after.Once on the island, you will see the only store in front of you called “delfin” (dolphin), which is also the name of the society that owns Stora Förö. To the right, you will find the bathing area which is child friendly and features a long platform that leads out towards the sunken rocks. Although there is no sand, the bathing area has a good size grassy bank to rest on. The rest of this area also includes a toilet, a playground and a pavilion. If you are not one to take it easy, then you can always follow the path that leads direct from the ferry. This path will lead you right around the island and takes some time to complete. The path is easy to follow due to the fact that it has been constructed by the islanders and is made up of loose stones and gravel. Along the way, you will find many ponds and summer cottages that have been there since the 1930s.
The only drawback to traveling to this island is that the ferries are limited. They run approximately every 3 hours and you will have to return to Saltholmen if you want to catch another ferry to go to another island. But if you want to see a well kept island that is full of countryside and traditional summer cottages, then this island is for you.
Styrsö
Styrsö is one of the largest islands in the southern archipelago and has been long associated with farming. Even up until this day, a small amount of locally grown produce is still sold on the island. Aside from the farming association, Styrsö is the only island to have 3 ferry ports, namely Skäret, Bratten and Tången. The recommended ferry port for this island would be Bratten because it drops you within easy reach of most of the top facilities on Styrsö. Here, you will find a couple of cafés and if you take a small walk to your right, you will find Bratten beach. This beach area offers a toilet and disabled facilities and although it is not the sandiest of beaches, it does have the advantage of being situated quite close to the main area of Styrsö. If you are feeling more energetic and like to walk, then try walking to the left of Bratten, towards Skäret. Here you will walk past the old people’s home and Pensionat Styrsö Skäret, one of the few hotel and bars situated within the southern archipelago. If you keep walking in this direction, you will find the bridge that links to Donsö. If you have the time, make sure you walk across this bridge and take in the view of Donsö.
If you chose to walk straight ahead from Bratten, then you will take in the populated part of Styrsö. Along the path that leads to Tången, you will see many examples of island homes and the local supermarket which is handy to visit to stock up on supplies. If you continue on the path from the supermarket and head west, you will find another beach area called Uttervik. If you want a place to escape and be by yourself, then you should be able to find a spot here. The path to the north of the supermarket will take you to the ferry port of Tången which has a café. So, if you are waiting for the ferry here, it is possible to grab a coffee and take it easy.
If you want to read more about the Göteborg archipelago we recommend you to visit the web site of Simon Linter:
www.swedishislands.com
By: Monthly
If there is one island that has a lot going for it, it’s Vrångö. The majority of the island’s population live in the middle of the island which follows the path from the ferry. Here you find quite a number of large houses alongside some smaller summer houses. Towards the west of the island, there is a harbour kiosk which sells fresh fish which is also next door to the everyday shop. Here, you will find speciality seafood such as salmon burgers and shrimps which are always worth sampling. If you want to escape from the centre of Vrångö, then you have the choice of either a northern nature trail and southern nature trail. If you do decide to take either one of these trails, then be aware that they are fairly long to walk around (2.5km approx). But if you do decide to take them, then you will be able to view the rest of Vrångö and find the three sandy beaches that exist as well.
Vrångö has probably the best beaches on offer when compared to all of the södra skärgården. The first beach to the north features a huge grassy area and a sandy beach that is child friendly. This is the best place to set up a barbeque and features a great place to swim. However, if you follow the path from that beach to the second, you will find an even larger, sandier beach that also has a great place to swim. If this is not enough for you, then walk to the south and bath at the beach called “Nötholmen” which features a shallow swimming area suitable for children. All in all, Vrångö has a good slice of everything. If you combine the beaches with the nature trails, it should have enough to keep you busy for a while.
The largest island within the southern archipelago is Brännö and it is also the most mentioned island in Swedish songs, thanks mainly to Lasse Dahlquist (singer/songwriter/actor) who lived and is buried on the island. Brännö was also the most strategic island for seamen and has been used for this purpose by Norway and Denmark. So, apart from the history aspect, is there anything that you should expect from Brännö? Well, from a short walk on the island from either of the two ferry ports, you should expect a sense of space. Brännö is mostly made up of countryside and although it has 800 inhabitants, there seem to be fewer island homes when compared to the other islands.
The main path from Rödsten and Husvik is the route that many people will stick to and this in turn will reveal most of what Brännö has to offer. This includes a café near Rödsten, a folklore museum and the restaurant guesthouse. When you make it to Husvik, you will find Brännö Brygga and the beach area. The beach area is fairly small but has a good section of decking and a diving tower. Compared to other islands, Brännö’s beach is not as large but is still perfectly ok to take it is easy here and have a swim. All in all, Brännö has a smaller beach and has fewer island homes to look at when you walk from end to end. The main plus point of Brännö is the fact that it does offer a huge slice of history being the home of Lasse Dahlquist and the most strategic of islands for mariners.
Vargö literally means “Wolf Island” if translated directly. It is therefore ironic and a relief that there are no wolves on this island to mention. In fact, the closest you will get to an animal on this island is a sheep. But casting names aside, Vargö is one of the smaller islands that is classified as a nature reserve. Here, you will find many varieties of wild flowers, birds and shellfish.Once the ferry has dropped you off at the harbour, you will walk down the only path that leads through the reserve. The walk takes around 5 to 10 minutes until you reach “Bälviken”. The sandy part of the island has small amounts of seaweed but if you look towards the rocks, there are plenty of spots you can choose from. Another important factor to remember about Vargö is that there are no convenience stores.
If you make your way to this island, the best advice is to pack a cooling bag and have a picnic. The only facility that is available here is a toilet which is within easy reach from “Bälviken”. The main plus point of Vargö is “Bälviken” itself, a lagoon that offers a swimming area with no rocks on the seabed. In fact, you have to wade out a fair distance before you reach any type of seaweed to trouble you. This makes the whole area easy to swim in and is shallow enough for toddlers to enjoy a wave of the water. The other part of the island is mainly made up of granite rock cliff tops that offer a great view of some of the other islands featured in this guide. However, there are some tricky rock climbing routes on the east side towards “Minkviken”. If you do want to venture along this part of the coastline, be aware there are loose and wobbly rocks that you will have to careful about. On the east part of the island, there is a small rock face that offers a 10 metre drop into the water and is frequently used for diving.
One of the most industrial islands is Donsö which is closely linked to Styrsö by a bridge. It plays host to seven shipping companies with 32 tankers between them although Donsö harbour is not used due to size restrictions. The ferry also uses this harbour which is the only one on the island. Once on land, you will find that you are straight in the middle of Donsö’s community. To your right, you will see a small street with fishing cabins on either side. During August, this street becomes part of the Donsö festival with all of the cabins opening to sell you hand crafted goods. Alongside this, the harbour festival also offers bands and shows as well as small fairground rides and water contests aimed at children.
Donsö also has a couple of bathing spots. The first spot is close to the pizzeria and is called Korsholmen. Although easy to get to, Korsholmen does not offer the same type of swimming spots that you could be accustomed to if you frequently visit the other islands. So, it is well recommended that you should make your way to Lökholmen which is a small island located off the east side of Donsö. This spot offers decking around a small part of the coastline and it easy to take a dip. The site also offers great toilet facilities and even has a small bathing spot dedicated to the elderly. Although this spot is not very sandy, it does offer a small sandy beach for children. To find the other sandy spots, you will need to head south and take the nature trail. Here you will find a few sandy spots where you can also take a dip and be fairly private at the same time. The bathing spots here are not hugely popular when compared to Lökholmen, but they do offer a quiet escape if that is what you are after.
Directly translated, Köpstadsö means “Buy City Island” which doesn’t necessarily mean that this island is up for sale or that there is anything to buy on it. Known as Kössö to the locals, Köpstadsö is one of the smaller islands which does not impress on first glance.
The harbour is made up of wheel barrows and rubbish skips and you would not really think to get off the ferry and look around at this point. But upon turning the corner and overlooking this initial blip, Köpstadsö is actually an impressive and nice island to visit.
The path from the harbour leads directly into the heart of the island and if you stick to it, it will double back on itself and bring you back to where you started. So although the island is quite small, it is fairly easy to find yourself becoming lost. Having said that, Köpstadsö gives you the sense of a compact community, walking down small paths with houses either side of you. If you wander off the main path and take some of the country trails, these will lead you to the bathing spots of which there are two. The first spot features decking around a small part of the coastline where it is fairly easy to take a swim and take it easy. The second path takes around 10 minutes to reach the end and is the trail that leads off from a small football pitch. If you follow this path, you will eventually get to a hidden beach that feels as if you have just been stranded from a boat accident. The forest offers a small hedged doorway to the sandy beach where it easy to take a dip and is very secluded.
Apart from that, Köpstadsö has a small café towards the harbour area but has no convenience store, so it is recommended that you bring your own food if you plan to stay for a while. With ferries running frequently here, Köpstadsö is well recommended for a visit and a swim with the added bonus of a small nature trail. Kössö has its own charm and has the most unique hidden beach that you will see if you visit all of the södra skärgården.
Stora Fårö
Stora Förö is one of the smaller islands to be featured in this guide. As soon as you leave the ferry, you get the impression that this island is very well looked after.Once on the island, you will see the only store in front of you called “delfin” (dolphin), which is also the name of the society that owns Stora Förö. To the right, you will find the bathing area which is child friendly and features a long platform that leads out towards the sunken rocks. Although there is no sand, the bathing area has a good size grassy bank to rest on. The rest of this area also includes a toilet, a playground and a pavilion. If you are not one to take it easy, then you can always follow the path that leads direct from the ferry. This path will lead you right around the island and takes some time to complete. The path is easy to follow due to the fact that it has been constructed by the islanders and is made up of loose stones and gravel. Along the way, you will find many ponds and summer cottages that have been there since the 1930s.
The only drawback to traveling to this island is that the ferries are limited. They run approximately every 3 hours and you will have to return to Saltholmen if you want to catch another ferry to go to another island. But if you want to see a well kept island that is full of countryside and traditional summer cottages, then this island is for you.
Styrsö is one of the largest islands in the southern archipelago and has been long associated with farming. Even up until this day, a small amount of locally grown produce is still sold on the island. Aside from the farming association, Styrsö is the only island to have 3 ferry ports, namely Skäret, Bratten and Tången. The recommended ferry port for this island would be Bratten because it drops you within easy reach of most of the top facilities on Styrsö. Here, you will find a couple of cafés and if you take a small walk to your right, you will find Bratten beach. This beach area offers a toilet and disabled facilities and although it is not the sandiest of beaches, it does have the advantage of being situated quite close to the main area of Styrsö. If you are feeling more energetic and like to walk, then try walking to the left of Bratten, towards Skäret. Here you will walk past the old people’s home and Pensionat Styrsö Skäret, one of the few hotel and bars situated within the southern archipelago. If you keep walking in this direction, you will find the bridge that links to Donsö. If you have the time, make sure you walk across this bridge and take in the view of Donsö.
If you chose to walk straight ahead from Bratten, then you will take in the populated part of Styrsö. Along the path that leads to Tången, you will see many examples of island homes and the local supermarket which is handy to visit to stock up on supplies. If you continue on the path from the supermarket and head west, you will find another beach area called Uttervik. If you want a place to escape and be by yourself, then you should be able to find a spot here. The path to the north of the supermarket will take you to the ferry port of Tången which has a café. So, if you are waiting for the ferry here, it is possible to grab a coffee and take it easy.
If you want to read more about the Göteborg archipelago we recommend you to visit the web site of Simon Linter:
www.swedishislands.com
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