Marstrand is one of the most popular islands on the West Coast of Sweden. A summer paradise and an excellent hiking destination, this is the perfect trip for those that who want to discover the beautiful Bohuslän coast. With such a short distance from Gothenburg to Marstrand, it makes a perfect day trip or short weekend away. The island is definitely a summer island, with most of the restaurants and bars on Marstrand closed between September and April, however, it is still a great place to visit during the off-season! In the winter, they have a Christmas market and you can visit Carlstens Fästning for Julbord, while in the summer the island is better known for its swimming spots and lively island life. It is one of my personal favourite places to visit for a little adventure close to Gothenburg and somewhere I recommend to everyone visiting the West Coast of Sweden.
This Marstrand island guide includes:
- What is Marstrand known for
- The best things to do on Marstrand
- When to visit Marstrand, Sweden
- How to get from Gothenburg to Marstrand
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What is Marstrand known for?
Marstrand was traditionally a fortress island, located just north of the city of Gothenburg it was in the perfect position to protect it from threats from the west coast. Remains of this are still visible today with Carlstens Fästning, a fortress built in 1658 that looks over the whole island. For the next 300 years, Carlstens Fästning was used for military purposes, including as a prison, with its most known inmate being the infamous Swedish criminal Lasse-Maja. Today, Marstrand is known for being one of the best summer destinations in Sweden, with pretty white houses intertwined with rocky cliffs, spectacular swimming spots and great restaurants.
The Best Things To Do in Marstrand, Sweden
Visit Marstrands Havshotell for a Spa Day
While technically not on the island, one of the best things in Marstrand is visiting Marstrands Havshotell for a spa day. Not only a hotel, here you will find a wellness centre and spa with floating sauna down in the harbour. From here there’s an amazing view across the water towards Marstrand that makes this experience feel really special. There is an age limit of 12 within the spa which means unfortantely it is not something to do with kids, but it does make for a very relaxing and quiet environment!
Stay the night: Stay the night at Marstrand’s havshotell for the ultimate weekend escape. Find out more here.
Walk Around the Town
Marstrand is typical of West Sweden, with little red, yellow and white houses clustered by the harbour and a rugged rocky landscape covering the rest of the island. Once you disembark the ferry, make sure to wander around the town and explore some of the pretty little alleyways. Several of these pretty houses are in fact restaurants, bars and boutiques that you should make sure to visit for some unique locally made souvenirs and tasty west coast seafood. You will find most of the restaurants along the harbour front, lining Hamngatan.
Visit Carlstens Fästning – The 17th Century Fortress
Carlstens Fästning is hard to miss as you disembark the ferry to Marstrand, sitting atop the hill in the centre of the island. The fortress is still in fair condition and is open during the spring and summer season for tours. Built in the 17th century, it is a very impressive structure to wander around. If you don’t want to take a guided tour, parts of the courtyard are open to the public, however I recommend paying for entry as you can see and learn so much more!
Inside the fortress you will find a small waffle cafe and restaurant. The restaurant is open throughout the year for special events, celebrating the history of Marstrand with music and food within the stone walls. We were here for a Julbord (Swedish Christmas Table) a few years ago and it was amazing! The experience started off with a fire torch lit walk from the harbour up to the castle, a short guided tour with glögg (mulled wine) and gingerbread, followed by a traditional buffet in the tower. It was so much fun and I definitely recommend the unique experience!
You can read more about the festivities and how to visit Carlstens Fästning here!
Tip: You can even stay in the old Soldiers quarters within the walls of Carlstens Fästning. The accomodation is simple but the experience is like nothing else! This is one of the coolest places I have stayed on the West Coast and I recommend it if you want somewhere unique! Find more information here.
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Hike Around Marstrands Nature Reserve
Marstrand is not only a summer town, half the island is also made up of a nature reserve. This is the perfect place for a short round-island hike with a picnic where you can find some great hidden swimming spots along the way. The walk starts at the end of the town by Marstrand badplats and continues up and around the edge of the island. From Piren at the edge of the island there are several different paths you can take back, either across the island and past St Eriks Grotta, a cave buried into the rocks, or continue around the edge of the island until you reach Badplats Sandstrand. The walk is best on a wind free day – whether it is in the summer or winter! My personal favourite time to visit Marstrand for hiking is in the late winter (February to March) when the days are generally brighter and calmer.
Try the Local Swedish Cuisine
There are a lot of great restaurants to choose from on Marstrand that serve traditional Swedish cuisine. My personal favourite, and one that is open all through the year, is Lasse Majas Krog. Here I suggest ordering the creamy seafood soup because it was the best I have ever had! Another great restaurant is Le Comptoir Marstrand. This is a french restaurant serving some amazing different cheeses and wines!
Other recommendations are Johans Krog, a cosy restaurant nestled in the centre of the town or Societetshuset for the amazing interior!
Take a Swim
Being an island, Marstrand is obviously a great place for swimming! The west coast of Sweden is mainly rocky so expect lots of cliff jumping, ladders leading down into the sea, and sea baths! The best swimming spots on Marstrand are:
- Badplats Sandstrand: A sandy beach great for kids
- Marstrand Badplats: A sea pool with rocky area good for families
- Nakenbadet: A naked beach hidden round the back of the island
- Piren: A small dock that leads out into the sea
- Tåudden: A rocky alcove slightly protected from the bigger waves
As well as these suggestions, something that is great about this rocky island is you can basically swim anywhere! Just go towards the water and set up camp! Just make sure to watch out for muscles and barnacles that may be hiding on the rocks that can be quite damaging to your feet!
Hiking on Koön
Across from Marstrand, on the mainland you will find the Koön hiking trails. There are three different walks here that loop around the coastline, with amazing views over the rocky cliffs all the way over to the island of Åstol. I recommend walking the black trail (svart led) which is about 5km in total. It passes by Terassen, a beautiful lookout spot which is really magical around dusk. You can find a map of the Koön hiking trails on this page.
Tip: If you’re spending more time in this area I recommend taking a day trip out to Dyrön where there is even more hiking possibilities in nature that is a little more rugged! Read the guide here.
When to Visit Marstrand
Marstrand is a great place to visit in Sweden throughout year! if you want to go hiking and have an outdoor picnic, the spring and autumn months are often better as it is less busy. If you want to experience Marstrand at its peak then Swedish summer is the best time to visit the island. This is from June to September. During these months all of the cafes, hotels and restaurants are open and it is warm enough to take a swim! If you want to take a spa weekend on Marstrand then this works at any time of the year! Summer if you want to enjoy the restaurants and island life, winter if you want a cosy romantic getaway with some cold ocean dips and heating up in the sauna.
See more: Find all your accomodation options here!
How to Get From Gothenburg to Marstrand
There are a few different way to get from Gothenburg to Marstrand. The journey, whether done by car or public transport, is quite straight forward and quick making this a great day trip from Gothenburg! In fact, Marstrand is one of the most accessible islands in the southern bohuslän archipelago from Gothenburg by public transport.
If you are driving, the journey takes around 45 minutes in total to get from the centre of Gothenburg to Marstrands Färjeläge where you can then catch the ferry over to the island. There are two main parking areas – both of which can be very busy during the summer months. I recommend first looking for spots in the Brandstationen Parkering (map) or Danke Sten Parkering (map) and arriving either early or late in the day.
To get from Gothenburg to Marstrand with public transport there are a few different route options. The best way to check which is best is to search for the trip on Västtrafik, the local public transport network. Usually, this trip takes around an hour. You can either catch the Marstrand Express which leaves Gothenburg Nils Ericson Terminal (MEXP) or take a tram to another spot along the route and transfer there – depending on where you are staying. You can buy tickets on the Västtrafik mobile application. You will need to purchase an AB single ticket for each leg of the journey.
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