Imagine a place without cars and traffic noise, where you can breathe deeply in the fresh sea air and listen to the sound of the waves gently crashing, an archipelago of small islands with traditional fishing villages and wooden cabins on the rocks. A place where the rugged coasts meet the lush nature and sometimes the only means of transport are wheelbarrows.
This place exists and you can visit it if you are considering taking a tour of Sweden. It is about the Gothenburg archipelago and in this post I talk about how to get there and what to see.
The Gothenburg Archipelago is a group of islands in Sweden, in the North Sea (in the waters of the Skagerrak). It is divided into two parts; the northern archipelago with 10 islands and the southern archipelago with 14 islands.
They stand out for being a place full of peace, without traffic or cars, without urban noise and with beautiful landscapes, bathed in morning mist and the noise of the waves breaking against the rocks.
HOW TO GET TO THE ISLANDS OF THE GOTHENBURG ARCHIPELAGO
From the Saltholmen tram stop, on the outskirts of the city of Gothenburg, you will have to board a boat that will take you to the islands of the Southern Archipelago. Cars are prohibited from driving on these islands, so it is a perfect destination to relax. The landscapes are beautiful and you can walk among charming little houses and enjoy the peace that reigns in the area.
Getting to the islands is very easy. You must arrive at Saltholmen (accessible by tram 11) and there take the boat that touches depending on the island you go to. The two most visited are Donsö and Vrångö and can be done on the same day. Regarding the price, you don't have to worry. These ferries are part of public transport, so they are very cheap.
VISIT THE GOTHENBURG ARCHIPELAGO
You have many islands to visit, although I recommend some in particular; Styrsö, Brännö, Vrångö, Donsö, Asperö, Köpstadsö and Vargö. Although my favorite was Södra Skärgården and I'll tell you about her below.
We decided to visit Södra Skärgården, in the southern archipelago. We boarded the first ferry to arrive and find a landscape bathed in a very thick white fog.
As soon as we disembarked, we found little wooden paths that led towards the center of the island, meandering through rocks and meadows.
The atmosphere is very calm and pleasant. As I told you before, there are no urban noises and the sounds of the island basically come from the waves of the sea, the sheep, the birds, and the conversations of some neighbors who live on the island.
We were lucky to travel in low season, and although the atmosphere was colder, there were hardly any tourists around the island.
Without a doubt, it is a place that transmits a lot of peace. There is hardly any small restaurant, some cafeteria and local shop. It really caught my attention, that white colors predominate on the island. When generally, in Nordic areas, wood painted in dark colors predominates to conserve heat.
The whole island is full of white houses with doors in light grey, blue... there are hardly any red houses, something typical in Sweden.
The visit to the island, between the departure of the ferry, the visit and the return, can take you 5 or 6 hours. So I recommend that you go very early, to take advantage of the afternoon visiting the city of Gothenburg.
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PLAN YOUR TRIP STEP BY STEP
I hope you enjoy your trip to Sweden a lot and that this article has been useful to you. You can continue reading many more related articles on the blog.
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A hug and see you soon!