Recommended City Getaways From Gothenburg

There are many areas to be explored around Gothenburg. Take some time out and visit some of these listed below. You won’t be disappointed!

Just 11 miles out of Gothenburg, the ancient town of Kungdlv is part of the picturesque Bohusland coast, an area of mountains, green woods and lakes, perfect for hiking. Kungdlv, situated beside the Nordre Dlv river, is more than ten centuries old, and some of its old wooden houses and cobbled streets are actually hundreds of years old. Among the town’s main attractions are the local church and the town hall, but a little out of Kungdlv are other interesting sights. Best known of these, is the historical Bohus Fdstning, an old bastion which played a pivotal role in the wars between the three countries of the Kalmar Union (Norway, Denmark and Sweden). Once used as a prison, the bastion is today a popular attraction, and its tower offers a splendid view of the surrounding countryside.

Kungdlv is connected to Gothenburg by bus, and is the perfect place for an excursion out of Gothenburg.

Just about 2 hours’ drive from Gothenburg lies a treat for avid historians, especially those interested in ancient art: the rock carvings of Tanumshede. Classified by the UNESCO as a World Heritage site, the rock carvings of Tanumshede (there are four of them) date back to the Bronze Age and are one of the most important sites of its kind in Scandinavia. Tanumshede’s museum, known as the Vitlycke Museum, has a good section on the carvings, with extensive documentation and pictures. The museum also offers guided tours of the rock carvings, some at night.

Regular buses link Gothenburg to Tanumshede, and if you leave in the morning, you can spend the day at Tanumshede and be back in Gothenburg by teatime.

Known principally for the annual International Regatta which is the highlight of this quiet little town, Marstrand is another interesting place to visit. A pretty seaside resort, Marstrand is connected to Gothenburg by an hourly bus service, and is a town of small shops and pleasant little streets, all located on an island that was once a royal resort. Quiet through most of the week, Marstrand gets lively over the weekend, when it’s flooded with young people from Gothenburg.

Martstrand’s main tourist sight is the Carlsten Fortress, a 17th century castle which dominates the landscape and offers an exciting tour- especially if you walk through the tunnel which connects the main fortress to its private chapel.

Best known for its aquarium, Lysekil is a must-see for nature enthusiasts. A two-hundred year old town by the sea, Lysekil sits against a backdrop of pink granite rocks, and has lots to offer anybody who’s keen on wildlife. The area surrounding the town has been designated a protected zone, and has lots of interesting plants and animals- both terrestrial and marine. The terrestrial life is best seen on a walk through the area (guided walks are offered as well; check at the local tourist office), but marine life is best seen at the Havets Hus, Lysekil’s aquarium. The aquarium houses a stunning range of species, and its main highlight is the tunnel aquarium, where sea creatures swim all around you as you walk through a specially constructed transparent tunnel.

Lysekil is connected by bus to Gotenburg by a frequent bus service that runs from Gothenburg’s Central Station, and is a good getaway for a day or so.

90 miles from Gothenburg (to which it is linked by bus and train), Halmstad is famous for its excellent golf courses, of which the most renowned is the Tylvsand course. Other than the golf courses, there are also some fine beaches in the vicinity, and- as if that wasn’t enough- some interesting historical places. Halmstad was once an important medieval town, and many reminders of past days still stand in and around the town- best known are the church called St Nikolai Kryka, with the loveliest stained glass windows you’re likely to see in Sweden; the castle of Halmstad Slott, the Museum of Halmstad, and the Mjsellby Konstgerd, which displays paintings by the Surrealist artists who called themselves the `Halmstad Group’. The town’s narrow streets themselves are great for exploring- there are some very fine examples of medieval architecture, even in fairly small houses, around Halmstad.

Another of Sweden’s well-preserved medieval towns, Falkenberg is known less for its old buildings than the fact that its clean white beaches are probably the best in Sweden. A pleasant and extremely popular resort on the Swedish Riviera, Falkenberg lies 58 miles from Gothenburg and is connected to the city by train as well as bus. The town, which is, interestingly enough, named after the falcon, which was once hunted here, lies along the River Dtran, whose waters abound in fish, especially salmon. The town is a pleasure to walk through- it has lots of old and interesting buildings and cobbled streets. Among Falkenberg’s main attractions is the Falkenberg Museum (a good display of artifacts recovered from the area over the years, as well as a rather unusual- but good- display of life in the 1950s. The other sight to see in Falkenberg is the church of St Laurentii Kryka, best known for the 16th century ceiling paintings it houses.

Although it was once a town in its own right, Kungsbacka has today become a suburb of Gothenburg, only about 20 minutes’ train ride from the city centre. Kungsbacka is best known for the stately manor called the Tjolvholm Slott, an `English’ castle (so to say) that was built by a Scotsman, J F Dickson, at the start of the 20th century. Constructed in what is referred to as a `mock English’ style, the castle has fabulously decorated rooms, fine grounds, impressive stables, and a carriage museum. The manor house is renowned for its oak-panelled study, and its beautiful marble walls. A little further out from Tjolvholm Slott is an attractive open-air museum, called the Fjdres Bracka Musuem, some three or four centuries old, and with old timbered houses. If you’re coming to Kungsbacka and have the time to spare, a visit to the museum is recommended.