Gothenburg archipelago is one of the best places to visit during the summer-time. Made up of over 20 islands, there is something for everyone’s taste. The Gothenburg archipelago is split into the Northern and Southern islands, each with their own unique charm. Easily accessible from the centre of Gothenburg, it is one of the best places is Sweden for island hopping, and for exploring Sweden’s West Coast. The islands lend themselves perfect to day trips from Gothenburg, hiking, swimming and taking in real Swedish summer vibes. In this guide, I will take you through the best islands in the northern and southern parts of the Gothenburg archipelago, with tips on things to do there, how to get there, where to eat, and where to swim!
Want more tips for visiting Sweden? Here you can find all my Sweden travel guides!
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The Southern Archipelago
The southern archipelago is where you will find the picturesque car free islands that Gothenburg archipelago is known for. Cosy little villages and pristine swimming spots, these islands are all worth a visit if you want to experience a real Swedish summer feeling. The islands in the southern Archipelago are best reached by ferry from the port of Saltholmen. The best way to get here is by taking tram number 11 to the final stop. The ferries run regularly to all the islands in Gothenburg’s southern archipelago.
It is possible to do island hopping here, however, I would recommend leaving a whole day to visit some of the larger islands (such as Styrsö and Vrångö) and either staying overnight on the island of heading back to the city each evening so you can really see everything the island has to offer!
Vrångö
Vrångö is the southern-most island in the Gothenburg archipelago and takes the longest time to reach but having more of a quiet and natural atmosphere it is definitely one of my favourites! The island has a lot of beautiful nature, sandy beaches, and two very cosy lunch restaurants so it’s perfect to spend the whole day here exploring the walking tracks and different swimming spots. The ferry takes around 35 minutes to reach Vrångö from Saltholmen so make sure to start your day quite early if you want to make the most of the whole day here.
On Vrångö, I recommend spending the morning walking around the nature on Södra Slingan, stopping for lunch at Kajkanten Vrångö. Spend the afternoon exploring the north of the island, stopping for a swim at Vrångö Sandstrand, followed by a fika at Skärgårdens Café.
Read more: If you are interested in visiting this island, then make sure to read this detailed guide to taking a day trip to Vrångö!
Asperö
Asperö is one of the smaller islands, perfect for anyone looking for a beautiful place to swim. The rocky cliffs that surround the island are perfect for finding your own secluded swimming spot. Head to Kvistevik if you want to a bathing spot with a pier and more formal set up. This is on the northern part of the island and accessible by following the hiking path from the village. For a great view, make sure to walk up to Valen!
Asperö is one of the closest islands to mainland Gothenburg and is best reached with ferry from Saltholmen. This ferry continues on to Brännö, or Köpstadsö, Strysö and Vrångö, so this island is the perfect first stop for some Gothenburg archipelago island hopping.
Get the guide: The best things to do on Asperö
Styrsö
Styrsö is one of the bigger islands in Gothenburg’s southern archipelago. This island is both a summer island, and home to many people all year round which makes it a really lovely and lively place to visit. Don’t be surprised if you find small shops selling homemade jam, or garden sheds transformed into little flower boutiques.
Make sure to stop at Cafe Öbergska for a really good lunch outside in their cosy herb garden. If you want a walk, then spend a few hours wandering around the nature paths on the south of the island. Here you will find small sandy beaches and beautiful little forests.
The north of the island is where the towns are, Bratten, Tången and Halsvik. Tången is definitely worth a visit, with beautiful white, wooden houses and a lovely harbour. Once a week a fisherman stops by and you can buy the catch of the day right from the boat.
If you want a swim then head to Utterviks Badplats and either jump from the dock, walk along the sandy beach or head out onto the small island and jump from the rocks. Here there is a small snorkelling track you can follow if you want to explore the sea life. You can find the map by the toilets.
See more: If you are planning a trip to Styrsö, make sure to check out this complete guide to Styrsö island!
Brännö
Brännö is a beautiful island with a small village of picturesque houses classic to the west coast, mixed with a large natural area. This is the best island to head to if you want a day of beach hopping. Following the hiking trail that heads to Kalvik in the south of the island, you will end up on the neighbouring island of Galterö. This is a nature reserve where you will spot sheep wandering around the meadows. These two islands together make for the perfect Gothenburg archipelago island hopping day trip.
Brännö is very well known in Gothenburg for its’ summer dances help on the pier – Dans på Brännö Brygga. These dances are held every Thursday evening from the end of June to the middle of August. There is a live band and it is such a fun vibe. For the dances, there are special ferries that leave from Stenpiren, otherwise you can get to the island with the ferry from Saltholmen.
Read more: Day Trip Guide to Brännö!
Köpstadsö
Köpstadsö is one of the smaller islands in the southern archipelago. Closest to the harbour, it is only a 20minute ferry ride to this little slice of paradise. Look out for the colourful wheelbarrows lined up at the harbour here that locals use to ferry things back and forth from their houses. It gives such a charm to this little island.
Being much smaller than the other islands, Köpstadsö is a perfect first stop for anyone wanting to do some island hopping. Here, you can take a short walk around the island, admiring the pretty wooden houses and blossoming alleyways, and then hop back on the ferry and head to another island.
Donsö
Donsö is another of the bigger islands, connected by bridge to Strysö, the two make a perfect day trip when combined. The island is known for its picturesque houses, especially in the old town. If you want sandy beaches and perfect swimming spots visit the area on the south east of the island (Torholmen and Korset). You can get here by following the short hiking path that runs around the coastline. Don’t miss the viewpoints at Radar’n and Stora Onseberget that give beautiful views of the southern archipelago.
The best way to get to Donsö is either by taking the ferry directly from Saltholmen, or by taking the ferry to Styrsö and crossing over the Styrsöbron. There are no cars on these islands so make sure to bring a bike with you if you plan on visiting both Donsö and Strysö on the same day!
Vinga
Vinga is the most westerly island in the Gothenburg archipelago, home to one of Sweden’s most iconic lighthouses – Vinga Fyr. The island is only accessible by tour boat (unless you have your own boat) meaning to get here, you take a bit of an extraordinary route through the Gothenburg harbour before you reach the archipelago. When you reach the island you can explore the Vinga nature reserve, climb the lighthouse, visit the museum and home of Swedish songwriter Evert Taube, or take a dip in one of Gothenburg’s most beautiful swimming spots! This is one of my favourite day trips from Gothenburg and I definitely recommend it if you are only in Gothenburg for a short time and want to experience something a little special.
If you want to visit this island, make sure to check out my guide to visiting Vinga lighthouse.
The Northern Archipelago
The Northern Archipelago is made up of more inhabited islands, the most popular of which are Hönö, Öckerö, Fötö and Hälsö, a string of islands connected by bridges. These islands are easily accessible by car, with ferries departing almost every 10 minutes from Lilla Varholmens Ferry Terminal. Buses also depart regularly from the centre of Gothenburg to the ferry terminal! The islands in the Northern Archipelago have much more of a “lived in” vibe and are very popular to visit all year round.
The Skärgårdsleden
If you like hiking I recommend doing the Skärgårdsleden when visiting the islands in Gothenburg’s Northern Archipelago. It is made up of three sections that takes around 8 – 9 hours to complete. What I love about this walk is that it takes you around the coastline of each island meaning you get to discover all the small beaches and little hideaway spots that aren’t visible just looking at the map! The walk starts at Hönö Färjeläge (Hönö Ferry Terminal) and ends to the north of Hälsö, where there is a bus that can take you back to the start. If you want to find out more about the Skärgårdsleden you can find it here!
Make sure to read this post if you are interested and want to know more about hikes near Gothenburg!
Hönö
Hönö is one of the bigger islands in Gothenburg’s Northern archipelago. It’s a lively island all year round with locals still living in most of the houses and due to its ease of access from the centre of Gothenburg. Known for the town of Klåva where you will find some amazing restaurants and lovely little shops, this is likely where you will want to start your visit! I recommend trying Lilling Cottage or Klova Hamnkrog if it’s your first visit and you want some really good food!
The island is also home to some beautiful sandy beaches and swimming docks. Badplats Hönö Lapposand and Virgin Bay are two of the more popular ones. If you want something a bit quieter, all you need to do is wander around the coastline and you’ll be sure to find your own little beach! Otherwise head to the nature reserve Halse Långe. This is a great place for a short walk, barbecues and swimming! There is a short walk that starts at Klåva and ends at Hönö Kyrkogård if you enjoy hiking! If you like walking then Hönö is a great island for that, with two big nature areas and loads of different walking paths to explore. If you want something longer, try the Skärgårdsleden that runs along all three of the islands connected to Hönö!
In the winter, Hönö Klåva holds one of Gothenburg’s cosiest Christmas markets, as all the local businesses open up and market stalls fill the fishing museum. You can read more about all the different Christmas markets in Gothenburg here!
Make sure to read my complete guide if you want to know more about things to do on Hönö island!
Öckerö
Öckerö is another of the livelier islands, connected to Hönö and Hälsö by bridges. The northern part of the island is a big nature reserve while the southern section is filled with picturesque houses. The Skärgårdsleden runs along the western side of the island, past Saltaviken badplats up past the natural bays and inlets. Don’t miss visiting the medieval church or picturesque Öckerö hamn, with the amazing Nimbus restaurant.
If you feel like a swim make sure to visit Hjälviks Badplats or head down to the harbour where you will find the sauna (bastu) perect to heat up after an ocean swim.
The best way to get to Öckerö is to take the ferry from Lilla Varholmen to Hönö. From here you can either walk across the bridge or take the bus which departs regularly throughout the summer season.
Fötö
Fötö is a very small island, located to the south of Hönö and connected by a bridge. It has a lovely guest harbour with classic Swedish red boat houses lining the water and some very cute little cafes. At Fötö Gästhamn there is also a place for camping vans and tents! The spots here can fill up here quite quickly though, especially in the summer months.
If you feel like a swim, head to the very picturesque, sandy Vivik Badplats where you can either paddle in the shallow water or walk down the dock for a dip!
The best way to get to Fötö is to take the ferry from Lillla Varholmen over to Hönö and then take the bus or drive down to the island.
Björkö
Björkö has a very different feeling to the other islands in Gothenburg’s northern archipelago. It is the perfect island for anyone who enjoys hiking, with five different walking paths that run around the nature in the northen part of the island. Along the paths you’ll find some amazing bathing spots, beautiful lakes and forests and some incredible views over the archipelago. In Skutevik Harbour there are several restaurants, fish shops, and a hostel.
The best way to get to Björkö is to take the ferry from Lilla Varholmen. This ferry is only around 6 minutes long and is both for cars and persons!
Things to know when visiting Gothenburg Archipelago
How do you get around Gothenburg archipelago?
The best way to get around the Gothenburg archipelago is by ferry. These run directly from Saltholmen to the Southern archipelago, and Lilla Varholmen to the Northen archipelago. The islands in the north have car roads and are Lilla Varholmen is easily accessible by bus. The islands in the south are car-free and best explored by hiking or biking. The ferries are semi-regular and take a route that passes multiple islands making it the perfect place for island hopping.
The ferries in the northern archipelago is free and all you need to do is board them. Those that take you to the islands in the southern archipelago require a ticket. You can either purchase this in person, or using the Västtraffik app. This is also the best place to find the ferry departure times to both islands.
Can I do a tour of the Gothenburg archipelago?
Yes! There are a few different boat tours you can do in the Gothenburg archipelago. Some, such as this one, take you by boat around the Gothenburg archipelago with a tour guide. Another unique option is to take the Vinga Lighthouse Tour which takes you out to the small island of Vinga, the most westerly island in the archipelago.
Which archipelago to visit in Gothenburg?
Gothenburg has the Northern and Southern Archipelago. Which islands you visit is dependent upon what you want to do and how you want to explore. If you have a car and want to stay overnight, then the Northern Archipelago could be best (Hönö, Öckerö, Björkö). If you want to experience smaller villages and car-free islands with direct connections to the city, then I would suggest the southern archipelago (Strysö, Donsö, Vrångö).
What is the most beautiful archipelago in Gothenburg?
In the Gothenburg archipelago the islands of Vrångö, Björkö and Styrsö are the most picturesque. In the archipelagos north of Gothenburg, then Åstol, Käringön and Smögen.
What are the southern archipelago islands of Gothenburg?
The islands in Gothenburg’s southern archipelago are; Asperö, Donsö, Köpstadsö, Knarrholmen, Donsö, Vrångö, Styrsö, Brännö, and Galterö.
How many islands are in Gothenburg archipelago?
There are over 20 islands in the Gothenburg archipelago, all of different sizes. Some are accessible by ferry, and some you need a private boat to visit.
The Gothenburg Archipelago: An Overview
There are so many different islands to explore in the Gothenburg archipelago, it takes multiple summers to be able to see them all! If you want to make a real day trip out of it, I would say start with the southern archipelago and take the ferry out to Vrångö or Styrsö, but if you want to stay on an island and take day trips from there then I would recommend Hönö and the Northern Archipelago!
There are a few smaller islands I haven’t mentioned in this post (Grötö, Hyppeln, Rörö, Källö-Knippla, Kalvsund, Galterö, Rivö and Store Knarrholmen). These islands are slightly harder to reach and don’t get nearly as busy during the summer months. I haven’t visited any of these islands get which is why they don’t appear on this guide, but it will be continually updated throughout the summer as more and more get checked off the Gothenburg archipelago bucket list!
Continue Reading
- Southern Gothenburg Archipelago Islands of Styrsö, Vrångö, Donsö, Asperö, and 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
- Marstrand Island Guide – A fortress, nature and good food
- Åstol – The most picturesque island in West Sweden
- West Sweden Map with over 300+ Restaurants, Hikes, Villages, Viewpoints and more!
- All Gothenburg Guides
