Visiting Nääs is one of the best to do in Gothenburg, especially in the summer!
The West Coast of Sweden is known for its beautiful rocky coastline and little seaside towns. This means that when looking for things to do in Gothenburg, especially in the summer, most travellers vier towards coastal day trips. Taking ferries out to the islands in the archipelago for a stroll around a small village is much more popular than looking inland. But over the last few years I have found that this where more of the hidden gems, or Smultronställe as they say in Swedish, are.
Nääs is one of those underrated special little places that makes for the most magical summer day trip. Whether you are interested in history, culture, canoeing or want to visit the spa, Nääs has something for everyone! Although technically not in Gothenburg, it is only a 25 minute drive or 1 hour by train ride from the Central Station.
The best things to do in Nääs:
- Canoeing in Sävelången
- Visit Nääs Slott
- Take a swim in one of the hidden swimming spots
- Sunbath, eat or visit the spa at Nääs Fabriker
About Nääs
Located in the town of Tollered, Nääs was an important industrial area in the 1800s. The local textile mill Nääs Fabriker worked with spinning, bleaching and dying cotton as well as running sawmills, planing mills and a carpentry. The owner of the factory owned a big house down stream, Nääs Slott, which is now a big estate with cultural museums and house tours. Nääs Fabriker has since been turned in to a hotel and market place. There is a big hall with local boutiques and merchants selling their products, as well as a few cafes and beautiful swimming spot.
How To Get To Nääs from Gothenburg
Nääs is around 25 minutes drive from the centre of Gothenburg and 40 minutes by public transport. The best way is to take the train towards Alingsås (usually starting with numbers (35__), stopping at Floda Station. From here you catch the bus 533 to Tollered. It is really easy to check the timetables on Vasttraffik. You can buy tickets with the mobile app or from machines at the station. Read my travelling in Sweden blog post for more information on how to do this!
What to do in Nääs when on a day trip from Gothenburg
To Do: Hiring a Canoe from Sjölyckan
The best part of our day was hiring a Canoe from Sjölyckan and spending the day exploring the lake. Canoe hire is 400kr per day and they can be collected between 10:00-11.30 and returned between 16:00-17.00. If you are feeling adventurous, one of the best things to do is take camping gear and hire the canoe for 2 days, spending the night one one of the forest edges by the lake. This is one of my favourite things to do in Gothenburg, especially in the summer time! It is so beautiful down there and not nearly as busy as canoeing or kayaking out on the closer islands!
I highly recommended you to book your canoe in advance! It gets really busy there, especially in the summer months! The best way is to either give them a call or fill out the hiring form on their website!
To Do: Visit some of the best lakeside swimming spots in Gothenburg
When you hire the canoe they do give you a map with a route and some information about the area! I have marked on the map below the best swimming spots that we visited!
To Do: Nääs Fabriker – Cafes, Butik and Spa
Nääs Fabriker is somewhere I have wanted to visit for a long time. As you drive past on the highway you can see the main alley between the factory and the cafe where flags hang down over the road. In the main building is a collection of boutique shops that sell hand made clothes, jewellery and homewares. At the end of the road is a wooden pier where you can swim.
Nääs Slott
Nääs Slott is a wonderful day trip from Gothenburg. It is known as the “cultural” centre of the West Coast as they still maintain many old building and gardening practices here. There is so much to do and see, including walks around the gardens and the museum, as well as a cafe.
This is a great rainy day activity from Gothenburg as much of the museum is indoors and there is still a lot to do in the bad weather!
This looks like such a fun adventure and of course, all of your photos are beautiful! 🙂