Gothenburg is a beautiful city to explore, and can keep you busy for more than a week. But, whether you live in Gothenburg or are just visiting, it is definitely worth stepping outside of the city and exploring all of the unique places that surround West Sweden. Whether you are looking for a beautiful, quiet swimming spots in the Gothenburg archipelago, to visit a unique small town, take a trip out into nature, or to discover a bit of Swedish culture – there are so many day trips for everyone. In this guide I have outlined some of the best day trips from Gothenburg. Make sure to scroll to the end where I have linked all the other day trips I recommend, to unique places such as Vinga Lighthouse and Orust.
Without further ado, let’s get started!
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The 10 Best Day Trips from Gothenburg
The Gothenburg Archipelago
Taking a day trip out into the Gothenburg Archipelago is a must – especially if you are in Gothenburg during the summer! There are so many different islands to explore, secret beaches to find, and walks to do. The archipelago is split into two parts – the Southern and Northern islands. The northern islands (Hönö, Björkö, Fötö, Hälsö etc.) are easily reached by car and have so much to explore. The southern islands of Styrsö, Vrångö, Asperö, Donsö etc. are car free islands only reached by a ferry from Saltholmen. There is also the island of Vinga which is one of the best day trips from Gothenburg. This is the most westerly island in the archipelago and can only be reached by guided tour or your own boat. It has one of the most beautiful swimming spots in the archipelago, and the lighthouse on the island has such an interesting history.
Make sure to read my guide to the Gothenburg Archipelago islands where you can find out what to do on each island and choose the perfect day trip for you!
Floda and Nääs Slott
Floda and Nääs Slott are located to the east of Gothenburg, around a 26 minute train ride from the central station. Arriving at the station, you can explore the small industrial village of Floda. From Floda you can either walk the 8km hike around the Sävelången lake, or take the 533 bus to Nääs. Alternatively, you can hike the Gotaleden past Nääs Slott if you want a mix of nature, walking and culture.
In Näss you can visit the castle, known for its cultural history and upkeep of the area. Here there are several museums. One focuses on the history of Nääs Slott and their cultural methods, as well as guided tours of the house. The garden surrounding the castle is beautiful, with space for many walks on the grounds of Nääs Slott, and the parkland opposite.
Just down the river is Nääs Fabriker, an old industrial factory turned spa hotel, cafe and boutique for local designers. This is a very cool place to stroll through if you are in the area. Where the old factory meets the lake is a fantastic swimming spot. Just down from Nääs Fabriker you will find Sjölyckan. This locally run cafe offers canoe hire for half day, full day, and overnight trips. This is the perfect day trip from Gothenburg in the summer months as the lake lends itself to so many beautiful swimming spots. From here, you can canoe back up to Näss Slott and explore the gardens, as well as discover private swimming areas around the lake.
Find out more information about this day trip from Gothenburg to Nääs or the Gotaleden hiking trail.
Marstrand
Marstrand is one of the most popular islands in the West Sweden archipelago, just north of Gothenburg. With buses running regularly from Kungälv, it is an easy day trip from Gothenburg. In the summer months, the beach areas are thriving and all the summer restaurants and shops are open for business. In the spring, autumn and winter it is a calmer island, with the nature reserve the perfect place for a picnic. Here you will find some beautiful swimming spots, especially along the island walk.
Carlstens Fästning, and old fortress with a lot of history, is located in the heart of Marstrand. Built in 1658, this fortress was once a prison for criminals such as Lasse-Maja, one of Sweden’s most well known criminals. The castle is open for tours throughout the summer months. The courtyard is accessible all year round, and from the top you can get an amazing view over the whole archipelago.
You can find more tips on how to visit the island, the best swim spots, hikes and restaurants, in this guide to Marstrand island.
West Sweden Map
Get 300+ tips on West Sweden
In this map and guide to West Sweden you will find over 300 tips for places to visit in and around the region. These are places I have visited and personally recommend – some hidden gems and a few more well known spots!
Trollhättan
Trollhättan is one of the most underrated day trips from Gothenburg. When you arrive in this city, you should head straight down to the canal. Here you will find a tight water network with a constant flow of water traffic heading up to the Vänern. The island in the middle of the river is a great place to take kids in the summer, with several parks, mini-golf, and a small forest on the other side.
Walking across the park away from the canal system, you come to Olidan Power Plant. This hydroelectric power plant was once responsible for creating the majority of West Sweden’s energy, and is one of the first sustainable energy sources in the country. If you walk down towards the factory, you can see the turbines working away through the windows. From here you can hike the Edsvidsleden, down and across the river to the viewing platform Kopparklinten, where you get access to a view over the whole power system.
Alingsås
Alingsås is a very sweet little town just 30 minutes outside of Gothenburg. It is known as the city of Fika, with quite a few local bakeries and cafes that bake fresh, delicious bread and cakes every day. It is definitely worth visiting Ekstedts Bageri & Café for their outdoor courtyard and delicious bread! Nygrens Café is another known for their fresh salads and great lunches. If you are happy to venture out a little bit, then visit Nolbygårds Ekobageri! Here you will find a beautiful outdoor garden and home made unique pastries. Throughout the year, there are many “fika walks” held in Alingsås where you can discover the best of the city!
Not only is it known for fika, Alingsås has some beautiful parks and swimming spots. Head down to Nolhaga park and visit the small animal farm, Nolhaga Slott and walk through the castle gardens. Here you can also play frisbee golf, bird watch or go for a swim on the sandy beach by Alingsås angöring. If you follow the canal down you get to Plantaget, a beautiful city park that holds a sculpture and light walk in the summer.
On the other side of the town you have lake Gärdskin and the lakeside promenade which is the perfect place for swimming, hiring canoes and paddle boards. From here you can walk all the way around the lake, passing Mörtaberget view point and so many other great swimming spots.
Alingsås is one of the best day trips from Gothenburg in the summer time as there is so much to do in this little town.
Vättlefjäll Nature Reserve
If you are looking for a Gothenburg day trip where you can do some hiking, canoeing, stay in a wind shelter or perhaps pick some mushrooms than Vättlefjälls nature reserve is perfect. There are lots of different hiking trails here, including the Vättlefjällsleden and the Bohusleden. In the summer, you can hire canoes from Kanotpool in Vättlestugan and paddle around the connecting lakes. There are wind shelters and fire pits throughout the nature reserve perfect for taking a lunch break, cooking some food or even sleeping overnight.
Varberg
Varberg is one of the most well known cities on Sweden’s south west coast. Located in the county of Halland, Varberg is only 1 hour south of Gothenburg and makes for the perfect day trip with so much nature and history to explore. In the main city of Varberg you can visit Varberg Fortress and do a guided tour of the 13th century castle, visit Varberg Kallbadhus for a swim, sauna and dip in the sea! If you are looking for a more relaxed day trip you could spend the day at Varberg Stadshotell and Asia Spa! This is one of the best spas near Gothenburg, and definitely a good Swedish experience to immerse yourself in – especially in the autumn and winter months.
Varberg also has some great nature to explore! Getterön is a beautiful nature reserve with several walks, swimming spots, or you could head south to the beautiful Träslövsläge havsbad beach! For lunch you have to try Spiseriet, a smokery/ farmshop selling local goods and GREAT food! The best thing about this place is the way the food is presented – in wooden boxes with various picked dressings and extras for your meal.
Klädesholmen
Klädesholmen is one of the biggest fishing villages on the island of Tjörn, one of the closest islands north of Gothenburg. This is home to the Nordic Watercolour Museum, great restaurants, swimming spots and walks! The town itself is great to walk through, with narrow streets of white wooden houses which ones housed a thriving fishing community. This is a place that is best to visit in the summer as most of the restaurants and shops are closed during the winter months.
Here you can visit the Sill museum and learn about the tradition of Swedish pickled herring, eat at the renowned restaurant Salt och Sill, or take a swim from one of the many rocky cliffs. If you want to see a traditional fishing village with a rich history then Klädesholmen is one of the best day trips from Gothenburg!
Bohus Fästning and Kungälv
Bohus Fästning is one of the best medieval fortresses to visit in Gothenburg. Located in the city of Kungälv, it takes around 20 minutes to drive / take the bus to the castle. Throughout the spring, summer and autumn the fortress is open for guided tours. The grounds outside are beautiful in the spring as the hills become covered with wild flowers and you get a view over the Göta canal. You can spend the whole day here enjoying the fortress museum and the gardens.
During the first weekend in July, there is a medieval market that opens in the castle, and in the winter they have one of Gothenburg’s best Christmas markets. This is the best time to take a day trip to Gothenburg and experience a real historical atmosphere.
Fiskebäckskil and Grundsund
Fiskebäckskil and Grundsund are connected by a part of the Kuststigen. If you are looking for picturesque, authentic fishing villages then this is the best day trip to take. There is a bus route which takes you to these different towns, however, this day trip is best done with a car as the buses are not very regular. Starting in Grundsund, you can wak for several hours along the cliffs, through the forest, past the beach, until you reach Fiskebäckskil. Here, there is a nice restaurant and it is very much worth spending time walking around the village. There are so many little streets and flowering alleyways connecting the houses and fishing harbours.
The 10 Best Day Trips from Gothenburg: An Overview
These are just 10 day trips from Gothenburg. I have tried to keep those in this list quite varied in terms of activities, experience, and whether you can get there with public transport. However, there are so many more amazing day trips you can take to Gothenburg – most of which I have written blog posts about! So, make sure to look through the list below and continue exploring!
Awesome guide!
Thanks!