Explore Idö - Day Trip from Västervik to the Tjust Archipelago

Idö is one of the small islands in the Tjust archipelago, just outside of Västervik on the east coast of Sweden. This slow, pretty island is rich in its historical roots which shine through as you explore the old pilot tower, flicking through books from the Cold War, or wander past the crumbling earth cellars by the old potato fields.

A day trip from Västervik to the Tjust Archipelago is one of the best things you can do during your vacation – and Idö is the perfect summer island for it. In this guide, I will take you through everything you need to know to plan your visit, and the best to visit, swim and eat!

So, let’s get started.

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How to get to Idö

Assuming you are starting your trip to Idö in the city of Västervik, there are two main ways to get out to the island. These are either taking your own boat or taking a day trip with the tourist boat.

The tourist boat to Idö from Västervik

If you are looking to do a day trip out to Idö from Västervik then you will likely want to take the tourist boat. There is only one boat which takes the trip to Idö – the M/S Kung Märta. This boat starts in Västervik and takes around 55 minutes to reach Idö, passing Gransö Slott and Västervik resort along the way. The boat only runs during the summer months and there are usually multiple departure times per day. The ferry can get busy in peak season, so I recommend booking in advance.

You can book the ferry and find the timetable here.

If you are interested in visiting the island, walking around, taking a swim and stopping for lunch I recommend taking one of the earlier ferry times. This way you have all day to explore. It is quite common for people to only come for lunch at Idö Skärgårdskrog and then head back to Västervik. If you too want to do this then you can take the ferry which leaves around 11.30.

The boat trip from Västervik through the Tjust Archipelago to Idö on the M/S Kung Märta

How long to spend on Idö

I recommend planning to spend around half a day to a day on Idö. We arrived on the earliest boat out (9.50am) and head back to Västervik in the early afternoon as it started to rain (3.15pm). If the weather had been nicer, we would have wanted to stay until the latest departure.

Depending how busy the island is on the day you visit you can book your return trip whilst on the island, meaning you don’t have to decide straight away how long you want to stay. If it looks busy when you arrive, I would instead recommend booking as soon as possible.

The best time to take a day trip from Västervik to the Tjust Archipelago

Like most islands off the coast of Sweden, the best time to visit Idö and the other islands in the Tjust Archiepalgo is during the summer months. This means from late June to the middle of August. While the island is still beautiful in the spring and autumn months, you will likely find it more difficult to find transport out there, and the restaurant and cafe will probably not be open.

Want to travel outside of the summer season? Here you can find all my tips for places to visit in Sweden during the Autumn, Winter and Spring.

Things to do on Idö, the Tjust Archipelago

While Idö is a small island, there is lots to do and explore – especially if you enjoy walking and swimming. Below, I have listed all our favourite stops around the island.

Walk the island path

The island walking trail around Idö begins at the harbour at heads past the café towards the old pilot tower. From here, you can either turn left towards Idö Havsbad and Idö sund, or right towards Idö village and out towards Idö Klabben. I recommend doing both parts of the walk. The left turn takes you through open fields, past the old earth cellars and down to some nice swimming spots. The right turn takes you to the picturesque fishing village and out through a forest to a rocky area.

During our visit we found that most people did not take the walking paths and instead head straight to the swimming spot or the restaurant. This meant that we had the whole forest and rocky area north of Idö by to ourselves.

If you want to find a map of these walks, you can find it here. Otherwise, there is a signpost at the harbour on Idö which displays all the paths.

Climb Idö Lotsutkikt

Idö Lotsstuga is the old pilot tower just inland from the harbour. What makes this tower so special is that nothing has been changed since it was last manned in February 1986. In the office on the upper floor, you will see all sorts of old treasures, interesting books and documents back from when this was an active pilots tower.

The tower is open to the public to climb. There are three or four flights of stairs and then a steep ladder and heavy door out to the door so I would be wary of your fitness level before attempting the climb. Saying that, it is not overly difficult so don’t be worried. From the rooftop, there is an incredible view over the Tjust archipelago. On a good day, you can see all the way to Öland in the south.

Stroll around Idö Village

Idö By (Idö Village) is located on the east of the island. It is about a 10-minute walk from the harbour and is a very cute little collection of houses and a small harbour. There is not much to do here other than walk around admiring the different houses, but if you like this sort of thing I would definitely recommend it.

Visit the old earth cellars

If you follow the path to the left of the Lotsutkikt (the old pilot tower) you will come across Källarbacke, a collection of old earth cellars which were once used to store the harvest from the farmlands on Idö. There are a few to wander around, all in different conditions. This part of Idö really helps you understand the cultural landscape and to imagine what it once would have been like to live out in the archipelago.

Take the Troll Trail around Norra Bockholmen

Connected to Idö by a small bridge is the island of Norra Bockholmen. This is another beautiful spot for a walk, with a short path looping through the forest. Along the trail, make sure to look out for the trolls hiding along the way. The trail passes the southerly edge of the island where there are beautiful flat rocks overlooking the water. This is a great place for a swim if the wind is not too high.

Lunch at Idö Skärgårdskrog

Idö Skärgårdskrog is the very charming restaurant on the hill by Idö Harbour. Sitting here on a sunny day, looking out at the view and enjoying some of their delicious food gives real summer vibes. Their menu is really unique, with unusual flavour combinations and twists to traditional Swedish dishes. We had a really great lunch here, tasting the Röding (Char) in a creamy lemon sauce and the veal with estragon butter.

Unfortunately, Idö Skärgårdskrog is only open during the summer season. If you want to visit, I recommend booking a table either beforehand or as soon as you arrive on the island as it can get really busy.

Find their website here.

Overview: Idö Island – A Gem in the Tjust Archipelago

A day trip from Västervik to Idö in the Tjust Archipelago is the perfect way to spend a summers day. Whether you plan to spend the whole day wandering around the island, swimming in the sea and exploring the small fishing village, or just taking a trip for a picturesque lunch at Idö Skärgårdskrog, you will definitely enjoy yourself.