Vrångö is the southernmost inhabited island in the Gothenburg archipelago. Known for its beautiful sandy beaches and beautiful walk through nature, this island is a popular day trip from Gothenburg, and the perfect destination to visit if you want a taste of the Swedish summer. The island is quite small but definitely one of the best to visit in the Gothenburg archipelago, with the most beautiful sandy beaches, cosy restaurants and ferry views. The island has a long history of being a fishing community and has been a nature reserve since 1979.
In this guide to Vrångö island I have included everything you need to know about visiting the island, what to expect, and where to head to get the most out of your day trip!
Spending more time in the city? Here you can find all my Gothenburg travel guides and tips on the Gothenburg archipelago.
This island guide includes:
- How to get to Vrångo island
- The best swimming spots on Vrångö
- Vrångö restaurants
- The round island walk
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How to get to Vrångö
Vrångö is a relatively small, car-free island on the edge of the southern Gothenburg archipelago, The island can only be reached by ferry which leaves from Saltholmen. The ferry takes 30 minutes to 1 hour 10 minutes depending on what ferry you take. Some ferries travel directly from Gothenburg to Vrångö, whilst some make their way around the archipelago stopping at different islands on the way. The express ferry usually travels via Styrsö, Donsö, and Kårholmen, while the longer ferry passes Asperö Östra, Köpstadsö, Styrsö, Donsö, and Sjumanholmen. This ferry is great to take in one direction if you want to get some good views during your travels and treat your ferry trip to Vrångö as more of an archipelago sightseeing tour.
The best way to plan your ferry trip to Vrångö from Gothenburg is to use the Västtrafik mobile app. Here you can search for ferry times and also buy your ferry ticket. For this trip, you will need to purchase an A zone ticket. These last 90 minutes. In the summer it can get quite busy at Saltholmen and they often have different queues for each ferry far before you can see the harbour. In this case, the ferry to Vrångö is always number 281.
The best swimming spots on Vrångö
Vrångö is known as the best island for swimming in the Gothenburg archipelago. The majority of the island is made up of sandy beaches, cliffs and harsh nature, there are so many great stops to stop for a swim. Not all of these swimming spots have names so I have tried to explain their location as best as possible.
Vrångö Strand
Vrångö Strand is a beautiful, long sandy beach that faces the other islands in the archipelago. Here, the water is usually calm and there is a lot of space to stretch out. On one end of the beach are rock pools great for kids to explore, whilst the other is a sandy paradise with open, shallow waters. Vrångö strand is located around a 20-minute walk north of the ferry terminal.
Djupvik
Djupvik is a beautiful swimming spot just north of the Vrångö ferry terminal. It is best reached by walking down Djupviksvägen. Here you will find a small harbour with a bridge. It is a very popular swimming spot for the locals.
Vättna
Vättna is another unnamed badplats just north of Vrångö strand. It is another sandy beach located in an inlet so it is a little more sheltered from the wind. Here there is a big grass patch behind the sand which is great for picnics and barbeques in the summertime.
Nötholmen
Nötholmen is the small peninsula just south of the ferry terminal. It is about a 5-minute walk to get here, and you will find small sandy beaches surrounding the edges of the land. This is a very calm place to swim, close to the Vrångö ferry and the nearby cafe.
Vrångö Fiskehamn
Finally, you can also swim from Vrångö Fiskehamn, a small boat harbour on the other side of the island. This is a much busier swimming spot, with access from all the private boats that visit the island from the archipelago, but also for people visiting the nearby cafes and restaurants.
Alternatively, you can also swim anywhere on the island that you feel is safe to access. The best thing about the islands in the Gothenburg archipelago is the ability to find your own secret swimming spot by following a track through the bushes, over the cliffs and down to the water.
Vrångö restaurants
Vrångö is one of the smaller inhabited islands in the Gothenburg archipelago and thus there are not too many options when it comes to eating out. However, the options available are definitely worth a visit! This old fishing village has several great seafood restaurants dotted around the main village.
Fiskeboa Vrångö
Fiskeboa is my favourite place for lunch on Vrångö, with a beautiful view of Fiskehamnen and wonderful seaside decorations. You really get a summer feeling sitting there. I recommend taking the fish and chips and eating outside on the deck that faces towards the sun.
Skärgårdens Café & Restaurang
A very cosy cafe located just next to the ferry terminal. Here is a great place for a fika stop, with fabulous views over the archipelago. Read more here!
Mittviks Grillen
This is a classic food truck serving baguettes, burgers and sausages. It has a small eating area outside but is best for takeaway food.
Alternatively, there is a Tempo grocery store on ICA. This is a good option to buy snacks or picnic food if you haven’t bought anything with you and don’t fancy that which you can buy at the restaurants.
The Vrångö Island Walk
There are three nature walks on Vrångö that make up the round island walk. These are the Södra slingan, the Norra slingan and the Tärnstigen. They are all connected and can be done as one walk or three individual walks depending on how far you wish to go and where you stop along the way. Combined the hike is around 8km long and takes several hours to walk.
Norra Sligan Hike Vrångö
The northern section of the walk is the Norra slingan. This hike starts at the end of Djupviksvägen, by the popular swimming spot. It then continues north around the island, passing by Vrångö Strandbad and Vättna. This hike is the best if you want to stop at several swimming spots as you discover Vrångö, however, you don’t want to do the whole island walk.
The Tärnstigen hike vrångö
The Tärnstigen hike intercepts the norra slingan just before the loop ends. This small walk takes you to the west of Vrångo and ends at Fiskehamnen. This is a very accessible trail and popular for people travelling with pushchairs or wheelchairs as it is flat and quite easy.
The Södra Slingan Hike Vrångö
The södra slingan covers the southern half of Vrångö, starting at Fiskehamnen and looping back to the ferry terminal. This section of the island is a nature reserve and the landscape here is very typical of the Gothenburg archipelago and the west coast of Sweden. The end stretch of this hike passes by Nötholmen, the popular swimming peninsula.
A Day Trip to Vrångö Island, Gothenburg Archipelago
Vrångö is definitely one of the best islands to visit in Gothenburg’s southern archipelago! The travel journey is super easy with the ferry that runs regularly, allowing for the possibility of island hopping. The archipelago is something really special to Gothenburg and definitely a place worth a visit on your trip to Sweden!
Continue Reading
- Read all about the islands in the Gothenburg Archipelago
- Southern Gothenburg Archipelago Islands of Styrsö, Donsö, Asperö, Brännö and Galterö
- Northern Archipelago Island of Hönö
- Take a day trip out to Vinga Island and Lighthouse
- Gothenburg Itineraries: One Day or Two to Four Days
- West Sweden Map with over 300+ Restaurants, Hikes, Villages, Viewpoints and more!
- All Gothenburg Guides
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