Sweden Archives - Caffeinated Excursions https://caffeinatedexcursions.com/tag/sweden/ Blog of a Traveling Coffee Addict Tue, 24 Feb 2026 09:21:15 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.1.3 https://i0.wp.com/caffeinatedexcursions.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/wp-1555570621336.jpg?fit=32%2C32&ssl=1 Sweden Archives - Caffeinated Excursions https://caffeinatedexcursions.com/tag/sweden/ 32 32 141833777 Exploring The Gothenburg Archipelago (Göteborgs Skärgård): A Visitor’s Guide https://caffeinatedexcursions.com/exploring-the-gothenburg-archipelago-goteborgs-skargard-a-visitors-guide/ https://caffeinatedexcursions.com/exploring-the-gothenburg-archipelago-goteborgs-skargard-a-visitors-guide/#respond Mon, 04 Aug 2025 17:00:00 +0000 https://caffeinatedexcursions.com/?p=40594 On my recent trip to Sweden, I was blown away by the natural beauty of the Gothenburg Archipelago. It’s an idyllic island chain full of colorful fishing villages, beautiful rocky coastline, and short hikes that lead to breathtaking views. If you’re staying in the city of Gothenburg...

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Exploring The Gothenburg Archipelago (Göteborgs Skärgård): A Visitor’s Guide

Published August 4, 2025

This blog post was proudly created without the use of generative AI. It was 100% written and edited by a human, for humans. Enjoy, and thanks for your support!

On my recent trip to Sweden, I was blown away by the natural beauty of the Gothenburg Archipelago. It’s an idyllic island chain full of colorful fishing villages, beautiful rocky coastline, and short hikes that lead to breathtaking views. If you’re staying in the city of Gothenburg, taking a day trip to the archipelago is easy thanks to the metro area’s excellent public transit network. You can visit the Göteborgs Skärgård using a combination buses, trams, and ferries.

As shown in the map above, the Gothenburg Archipelago is located in the Kattegat (the small sea that separates Sweden from Denmark) directly west of Gothenburg city. The archipelago stretches from Björkö and Öckerö in the north down to Brännö and Vrångö in the south.

A boat docked at a harbor in Öckerö

Because the Gothenburg Archipelago has two distinct sections, it’s often divided into a northern group (also called the Northern Gothenburg Archipelago, or “Göteborgs norra skärgård” in Swedish) and a southern group (also called the Southern Gothenburg Archipelago, or “Göteborgs södra skärgård”). This blog post will highlight most of the main islands in both groups.

A lush landscape near the ferry terminal in Vrångö

The Northern Group

Of the two island clusters that make up the Gothenburg Archipelago, the northern group is quieter and less touristy. On a map, it looks farther away from Gothenburg than the southern group. However, express buses allow travelers to get from the city center to the northern group in about an hour and a half.

One major difference between the two island clusters is that the Northern Gothenburg Archipelago allows cars, while the Southern Gothenburg Archipelago heavily restricts motor vehicle use. On the day that I visited the northern group, I explored the islands of Hönö, Fotö, and Öckerö entirely on foot. Needless to say, it was a lot of walking. For visitors who don’t want to be on their feet all day, a few local bus routes serve the Northern Gothenburg Archipelago. Read more about them here.

View from the Fotöbron bridge, which connects Hönö and Fotö

Hönö

Hönö is arguably the main island in the northern group, and it’s the first one you’ll step foot on if you take the ferry from Lilla Varholmen. The island of Hönö is mostly residential.

Klåvan

I spent much of my time on Hönö wandering from the ferry terminal in the northeast down to the village of Klåvan on the southwest shore. Klåvan is a bustling little hub for tourists that has numerous bars and restaurants, plus a local museum.

By this time, my stomach was rumbling, so I strolled up and down the main waterfront strip in Klåvan before settling on “Tullhuset Restaurang” for lunch.

Tullhuset Restaurang

Address: Västra Vägen 3, 475 42 Hönö, Sweden
Website: https://www.tullhuset.se/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Tullhuset/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/restaurang_tullhuset/

Lunch at this little bistro on Hönö was a culinary highlight of my entire Gothenburg trip! That’s because I got to try langoustines here. Also known as Norway lobsters, langoustines are a delicacy that I had never even heard of before visiting Sweden. They’re sort of like a mix between lobster and shrimp, but the shells are pretty tough.

I found the meat in the langoustines to be tender and not too fishy or salty. At least at Tullhuset Restaurang, they were served cold. The softest part of the langoustines is their claws, but because they’re so small, it’s difficult to get the meat out! The restaurant provided special utensils to break the shells and get the claw meat out, but it took some practice. Be careful as well of the sharp spines on the outside of the langoustines (especially on the underside). I accidentally pierced the skin on my thumb with one during this meal.

For my second course at Tullhuset, I ordered fish soup. Pairing this yellow stew with the langoustines as an appetizer made for a big meal, but I managed to finish all of it. The soup included white fish, crème fraîche, and saffron. It had a creamy texture and a pleasant, mild flavor.

Fotö

Fotö is the smallest island I visited in the northern group, and it’s located directly south of Hönö. The two are connected by a bridge that cars, pedestrians, and bikes can cross. As far as I can tell, the public ferry system does not have a terminal on Fotö, so the bridge is the only way to get there. One of the local bus routes also serves Fotö approximately once every half hour during the day.

This rocky island doesn’t have much vegetation. Although there are houses here, the island was very quiet while I was walking around. A few cafes can be found in the vicinity of Fotö’s small harbor, but there are significantly fewer dining options here compared to Klåvan on Hönö.

Öckerö

Öckerö appears to be the northern group’s second-most prominent island after Hönö. The ferry from Lilla Varholmen doesn’t travel directly to Öckerö, so I crossed the short bridge that connects Hönö to Öckerö on foot.

Since I visited the Northern Gothenburg Archipelago as a day trip from Gothenburg, I only had an hour or two to explore Öckerö’s southeast coastline. This area was somewhat industrial, but the views of colorful architecture and boats in the harbor are still picturesque.

The most noteworthy landmark I visited in Öckerö was the Björnhuvudets Naturstig, a small rocky hill close to the water that offers impressive views of Öckerö to the west and the small island of Kalvsund across the water to the east.

How to Visit the Northern Group

Getting from the center of Gothenburg to the Lilla Varholmen ferry terminal is pretty straightforward on the city’s public transit system. When I visited, I took the X6 bus. I would highly recommend using the Västtrafik mobile app to plan your trip (which looks like the screenshots shown below).

As of summer 2025, Google Maps navigation was often wrong about where bus and tram stations were located and what time they were scheduled to depart. The Västtrafik app was better. Once you arrive at Lilla Varholmen, you’ll be able to board the ferry. If you want to visit the islands featured so far on this blog post, make sure you get on the boat to Hönö, not Björkö.

The ferry I took from Lilla Varholmen to Hönö is shown in the two images above. The seating area for walk-on passengers is basically just a long bench, but it is sheltered from the elements. In contrast to the ferries that serve the southern group, these bulky yellow ones didn’t seem to have a cafe or lounge seating. Luckily, the ride from the mainland to Hönö was pretty quick, so these weren’t big issues.

The ferries that travel between Lilla Varholmen and Hönö are built to transport cars, so they don't have as many amenities for walk-on passengers as the ferries serving the southern group.

The Southern Group

The Gothenburg Archipelago’s southern group seems to be more popular among tourists than its northern islands. That’s partly because they’re a little closer to Gothenburg city. In addition, a tram runs from Gothenburg to Saltholmen ferry terminal, which acts as a gateway to the southern group. In contrast, visiting the northern group from Gothenburg city involves taking a bus (albeit an express one).

View from the Styrsöbron, or bridge that connects Styrsö and Donsö in the Southern Gothenburg Archipelago

For all intents and purposes, the southern group is car-free. That means to get around, you should expect to walk. Islands in the southern group are pretty compact, but they’re not tiny. As such, I suggest bringing comfortable shoes.

Brännö

I would say the island with the most tourism infrastructure in the Gothenburg Archipelago is Brännö. If you’re having a hard time deciding which island to visit first, this is a great option. It’s the closest major island to Saltholmen on the mainland, which makes it easy to get to.

Brännö Lookout Spot (Brännö Utkiken)

Location: Click or tap for Google Maps link

This panoramic viewpoint is only about a 15-minute hike from the Brännö Rödsten ferry terminal, so you shouldn’t miss it! The best view from up here is facing east, which allows you to overlook the town and see the neighboring island of Asperö.

Husvik

If you walk all the way to the south side of Brännö, you’ll find yourself in the village of Husvik. It’s home to a rocky beach, a small marina, and a ferry terminal. However, Brännö Husvik terminal seems to only have two or three services per day. In contrast, Brännö Rödsten has ferries scheduled hourly at the very least.

Le Shack Brännö

Address: Brygga, Husviksvägen, 430 85 Brännö, Sweden
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Le-Shack-Br%C3%A4nn%C3%B6-100092374238566/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leshack_branno/

I ate lunch at Le Shack Brännö, a little food vendor with outdoor seating located on the pier in Husvik. They serve drinks, snacks, and chilled seafood on toast, a classic Swedish treat! I tried one with fish and one with shrimp, plus a white wine. It’s very refreshing in the summer heat, and I love that it’s served with dill on top! My only issue at Le Shack Brännö is that wasps started swarming my food as soon as I sat down.

Brännö Ramsdal

Location: Click or tap for Google Maps link

This beach area has a few sandy shores, but it’s mostly made up of giant boulders sticking out of the water. I was surprised how busy Brännö Ramsdal was! If you visit during a sunny summer day, expect to share the sand and water with quite a few other visitors.

Galterö

Galterö was probably the most unique island I saw while exploring the Gothenburg Archipelago! It has no towns or villages; in fact, there aren’t even any buildings on Galterö. The entire island is a nature preserve that feels otherworldly in the best way possible!

The only way to get here is a wooded, unpaved path called the Galterövägen on the island of Brännö. It’s a beautiful walk, especially towards the end as it hugs the rugged shoreline.

Me on the Galterövägen, the trail that connects Brännö with Galterö

At the end of the Galterövägen, you’ll encounter a small stone bridge with a latched gate. Cross it, and you’ll finally be on Galterö! This island has some trails, but in order to get around, you’ll also have to walk across rocky terrain. Luckily, it’s generally flat and easy to navigate, but you’ll still want to exercise caution.

Galterö has a few sandy beaches, as well as some grassy meadow areas. When I was there, I only saw a few other people exploring, but the beaches were busier than other parts of the island.

Without a doubt, the best part of Galterö was the flock of sheep grazing in this general area. They were seriously so adorable! This grassy area was also such an idyllic spot to take photos. I don’t know if the sheep are there all the time, or if they roam the island, but keep an eye out for them if you hike around Galterö!

Styrsö

The island of Styrsö is located in the middle of the southern group between Brännö and Vrångö. The northern half of Styrsö is developed into a cluster of villages, while the southern half is mainly covered by woods.

Styrsö Lookout Spot (Stora Rös)

Location: Click or tap for Google Maps link

If you visit Styrsö, I highly recommend hiking up to Stora Rös. It was probably the longest uphill hike I did in the Gothenburg Archipelago, but the views from the top are also probably the most expansive. From the edge of town, the hike, which follows a wooded trail, takes about ten minutes. From the Styrsö Bratten ferry dock, it takes about twenty minutes.

From the top of Stora Rös, you’ll be able to look down on all of Styrsö. My favorite view from up here was facing east though, looking towards the neighboring island of Donsö.

Looking towards Donsö from Stora Rös

Donsö

I only spent about an hour on Donsö in the late afternoon before boarding the ferry to return to Gothenburg. Donsö is connected to Styrsö by a small bridge, which I walked across before heading further south along Donsö’s western edge.

The island’s only ferry port is not nearly as busy as the terminals on Brännö or Styrsö, so if you plan to use it, make sure to check the schedule and be on time for your boat. Donsö is small enough that there’s really only one town that takes up most of the island’s area. If I had more time, I would’ve loved to try a restaurant here or done a bit more exploring.

Vrångö

As the southernmost major island in the Gothenburg Archipelago, Vrångö feels more remote than many of the other islands featured above, especially Brännö. However, it’s one of the most gorgeous destinations in the archipelago! If you only have time to visit two islands in the southern group, I’d suggest seeing Brännö and Vrångö.

Vrångö Lookout Spot (Lotsutkiken)

Location: Click or tap for Google Maps link

Out of all the panoramic viewpoints in the Southern Gothenburg Archipelago, this one on Vrångö is probably the easiest to hike to. You basically just have to climb an outdoor staircase that brings you to an overlook right above the village rooftops. With these views to the east and water views to the west, this easy-to-access lookout spot was more crowded than the ones on Brännö and Styrsö.

Nötholmen

Location: Click or tap for Google Maps link

This tiny peninsula on the south side of Vrångö makes for an excellent short hike through a little beachside meadow. It only takes about ten or fifteen minutes to walk here from the Vrångö ferry port, Nötholmen offers a glimpse of the island’s natural beauty.

Hamnkrogen Lotsen/Fiskeboa Vrångö

Address: Kattholmsvägen 31, 430 83 Vrångö, Sweden
Website: https://www.hamnkrogenlotsen.se/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hamnkrogenlotsen/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hamnkrogenlotsen/

Vrångö doesn’t seem to have tons of options for restaurants, so no matter where you go, expect a bit of a crowd. That was the case at Hamnkrogen Lotsen/Fiskeboa, but the delicious fish and chips here were worth the modest wait! They also serve local beers, and their dining area is an open-air covered space with fun nautical decor.

How to Visit the Southern Group

Before embarking on a day trip to the Southern Gothenburg Archipelago, consider downloading the Västtrafik mobile app (see what it looks like in the screenshots below). As of summer 2025, Google Maps seemed to have many errors regarding Gothenburg’s tram lines, especially the locations of stops. The Västtrafik mobile app was much more accurate. Västtrafik also allows you to buy electronic day passes that work on trams, buses, and ferries.

Two different tram lines connect Gothenburg city center with Saltholmen ferry terminal: the 11 and the 9. Both run regularly throughout the day. Saltholmen is the end of the line for 11 and 9 trams heading westbound, so it’s unlikely you’d get lost along the way.

A tram in Gothenburg city center

Once you get to the ferry terminal, you’ll have to decide whether you want to take ferry route 281, 282, or 283. Each one is labeled with its final destination, and most of them stop at other islands along the way. In my experience, ferry staff were approachable and helpful if you’re not sure which boat you need to board.

Saltholmens Brygga (Saltholmens Ferry Terminal)

The ferries that travel around the southern group all look like the one shown in the picture below. Their white exterior and distinctive shape make them easy to spot even from a distance.

Onboard, most ferries have a cafe that sells snacks and drinks. The passenger seating areas are decently comfortable. Part of the fun of visiting the Gothenburg Archipelago is taking in the view from the ferry as you sail between ports! Be sure to spend some time on all the passenger decks (front, back, and upper level when applicable). The front of the ship was my favorite spot for photography.

Enjoy Your Swedish Island-Hopping Adventure! 🇸🇪

A trip to Gothenburg is not complete without at least one day trip to the archipelago of the same name! In fact, on my five-day trip, I spent three of those days roaming the islands of the archipelago. That’s how stunning they are!

Although I visited most of the major islands in the Göteborgs Skärgård, I didn’t see them all. If I ever get a chance to go back, I’ll be sure to check out some of the islands I missed on this trip and update this post!

Are you heading to the Gothenburg Archipelago? If you’ve already been, which island was your favorite? Leave me a comment below to let me know, and thanks for reading!

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This post was published on Aug 4, 2025

This blog post was proudly created without the use of generative AI. It was 100% written and edited by a human, for humans. Enjoy, and thanks for your support!

The post Exploring The Gothenburg Archipelago (Göteborgs Skärgård): A Visitor’s Guide appeared first on Caffeinated Excursions.

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Guest Post: Stockholm – The City Of “Swede” Dreams https://caffeinatedexcursions.com/guest-post-stockholm-the-city-of-swede-dreams/ https://caffeinatedexcursions.com/guest-post-stockholm-the-city-of-swede-dreams/#comments Thu, 06 Sep 2018 17:00:00 +0000 https://caffeinatedexcursions.com/?p=2854 Check out Caffeinated Excursion's very first guest post written by my friend and coworker, the lovely Alexis! In this post she discusses her recent trip to Stockholm, Sweden. Read on to learn how to shop, dine, and "fika" in this charming European capital...

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Guest Post: Stockholm – The City Of “Swede” Dreams

Published September 6, 2018

About the Guest Author - Alexis

My name is Alexis and I’m from the Philadelphia area! However, I recently moved to Italy. I went to college in the least-known state in the US (Delaware), and after graduation I lived in Charlotte, NC for about a year.

I love traveling, exploring, and drinking coffee. I met everyone’s favorite Caffeinated Wanderer through work and he so graciously let me write a guest post on his great blog.

Kevin and I with our other friends, Andrea and Sigfrido!

In Italy...

a great thing happens in August. Everyone takes vacation and when I say everyone, I mean everyone. My company closed for two weeks in August which gave me the opportunity to do a bit of traveling and visit some friends. I have a friend who lives in Sweden, so we met in Berlin for the weekend then I followed her back to Stockholm for the following week. After that, I spent the next weekend in Helsinki. Stockholm was definitely my favorite city on this trip, which is what this post will focus on!

Stockholm's Vibrant Coffee Culture

Swedes. Love. Coffee. There is no question about it! From the second I met up with my friend, she kept mentioning “fika” and after the first couple times I had to ask her to explain. Coming from Italy, I thought I had learned everything I needed to know about coffee breaks, but I was wrong. She explained that fika means to slow down and enjoy time with friends. There is usually a pastry or sweet of some sort consumed, and time is taken to relax. She informed me that fika occurs at work and coworkers take turns providing the sweets. Personally, I love coffee, so I couldn’t have been more excited about this concept. Also, I was a little espresso’ed out and ready for some other types of coffee.

The word fika comes from the old Swedish slang word for coffee (kaffi). It all came about when coffee was temporarily banned in Sweden and everyone had to broker some black market deals to get their caffeine fix.

Armed with this new knowledge, I embraced the Swedish culture and stopped for fika whenever possible. Two of my favorite places were Drop Coffee Roasters and Mr. Cake.

Drop Coffee Roasters

At Drop Coffee Roasters, I had the large pot of their regular coffee and it was delicious. Apparently the rest of the world agrees, because they have placed in the top 5 in the World Roasting Championships five times. If regular coffee isn’t your thing, there were many other things on the menu I was dying to try! The staff is also incredibly knowledgeable. At breakfast, I had a piece of toast with a hard-boiled egg and an avocado mayo on it. It was good, but nothing special. The coffee is great and definitely worth a visit. They are located in Mariatorget on the island of Södermalm.

Mr. Cake

If you’re looking for a great pastry for fika or breakfast, head to Mr. Cake. This place is what dreams are made of! I got a latte and salted caramel popcorn pancakes to eat there as well as a red velvet croissant and rose lemonade to go. If you prefer, they have some savory dishes, but once you walk in, the sweets will be hard to resist. The pancakes come topped with vanilla ice cream, and they were amazing.

The indoor section of the cafe had a great atmosphere, but I sat on their large outdoor patio because the weather was so nice.

International Dining Options

While I can’t say I ate a lot of “Swedish” food in Stockholm, the great thing about the city was that there were so many different places to eat with different types of food.

Hermans

My favorite place was Hermans, a vegetarian buffet overlooking the water. The buffet is about $13 for the weekday lunch. It’s all you can eat and includes coffee (of course!), tea, and water. There was lasagna, salads, soups, and all kinds of other dishes. They had the most delicious homemade bread with sun-dried tomato butter. Everything was amazing! I bought a beer as well (a cotton candy popcorn sour) because they had so many interesting ones.

The view from Hermans looking toward the Museum of Photography (more on that below).

A big selling point of this place is the view, so try to sit outside if possible. There is quite a large outdoor seating area so this should be easy. There are also some nice hammocks to hang out in. I decided to stick around with a cup of coffee and a book just to relax. Be aware that this place can be easy to miss. There is a smaller sign out front, then follow the stairs down to find it.

La Neta for Tacos, StikkiNikki for Ice Cream, and Omnipollos Hatt for Beer & Pizza

Stockholm can get a little expensive, so if you’re looking for something a bit cheaper and a little different head to La Neta. Tip: Menus are located at the register and there is an English version. This way you don’t need to spend fifteen minutes like my friend and I did trying to translate the Swedish menu. We both got tacos and we split an order of guacamole. We were so full when we left and the food was great! The line was a bit long, but it went quickly and was worth it.

After our taco trip we headed to StikkiNikki for some homemade organic ice cream. I had the lavender chocolate and it was amazing. My last food recommendation would be Omnipollos Hatt. This is a beer and pizza place. They have tons of fun and interesting beers on tap and the pizza was pretty good too.

Shop Till You Drop

I was surprised to find that Stockholm is a pretty great place for some second-hand and vintage shopping. Everywhere I walked there seemed to be another store to check out. I ended up with 4 dresses and a skirt and each piece was under $40.

Some Recommendations

My favorite by far was Beyond Retro located on Drottninggatan. I know they have another location in the city, but I only went to this one. It has a mix of its own clothes and some second-hand and vintage things. It was huge and there were tons of dresses I wanted to try on. Luckily some things didn’t fit or I would’ve been in financial trouble! The people working there were also ridiculously nice. I got stuck in a dress and a very helpful employee helped me get out. I ended up walking out with two dresses.

The other three stores I enjoyed were Ritz Vintage, Emmaus, and POP; all were located in the SoFo area of Södermalm. Ritz is on the smaller side but had some fun stuff. POP also has a mix of their own clothing and second hand/vintage stuff. I can honestly say I wanted to buy everything in the store. If nothing else you have to go to Emmaus just for the Instagram pic.

Emmaus

Clogs!

Of course, something everyone always wants to buy in Sweden is clogs. I bought mine from Swedish Hasbeens. While there are a couple shops in the city, the place to buy them is the outlet on Gamla Stan. The sizes of each style are a bit limited but the discount is worth it if you can find a style you like. I got mine here and saw them for twice the price at the other store. These run small, so don’t hesitate to go up a size.

Sightseeing

There are some great sights to see in Stockholm as well. My first day in the city I decided to go into the Museum of Photography (Fotografiska) on Södermalm and I was not disappointed. There were awesome exhibits and the cafe inside has the most beautiful view of the water. There is also an outdoor cafe that overlooks the water if you prefer. It’s about $14 to enter, but I definitely recommend it!

Another sight to see on Södermalm is the Mariaberget walk. It’s a bit higher up all along the water with some great views. It’s a fairly easy walk and if the weather is nice, grab a snack or a bottle of wine and just hang out up there.

The island of Galma Stan is also known as Old City. This is where the the royal palace is located along with a few other museums and churches. I happened to walk up to the palace during the changing of the guard and it was quite an interesting (and free!) sight. I spent my day walking around there and then I grabbed a drink at one of the many places on the water. It was a nice way to spend the afternoon.

Return to Italy

Before I returned to Italy, I spent a quick weekend in Helsinki to visit another friend, but I can still say Stockholm was my favorite city on this trip. I could see why my friend enjoyed Stockholm so much and why she wanted to stay. Unfortunately, she had to go back to the USA shortly after my visit and I had to go back to drinking espresso in Italy. However, Milan opens their first Starbucks in September so maybe I can get my pumpkin spice fix after all!

Europe has so many great cities to visit, so it’s hard to say I’d want to return to the same place twice, but given the opportunity, I would totally go back to Stockholm to visit or even live. It’s easy to navigate and has lots of water (including free water in restaurants)! I hope these suggestions make your trip just a bit better and help you enjoy the city as much as I did!

~ Alexis

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This post was published on Sept 6, 2018

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