The West of Sweden has one of the most beautiful and underrated landscapes in the world. There is something so special about the little seaside villages and harbours lined with wooden red houses. Living in Gothenburg, we have spent a lot of time over the past few years taking both day trips from Gothenburg and longer trips during the summer exploring the islands. I can’t wait to share all the amazing places we found with you in this West Sweden road trip guide!
This road trip is not something I have done in itself, but a perfected itinerary based on all the day trips and weekends away I have done in the area over the last 5 years. I have chosen 7 different villages that really show the beautiful of West Sweden, however, there are obviously lots more places to discover in the region on top of this! So, use this road trip guide as a base, and see what you discover on the way. You can find all my guides to the West Coast on this page, my West Sweden map with over 300 great places marked, or my ultimate West Coast Guide here.
It can be complicated planning any travels to Sweden, especially when it comes to finding information out there about places to go, what to do and where to stay! I hope I can answer a lot of those questions here or in one of my other blog posts! If you want more tips make sure to check out my West Sweden map with over 300+ hikes, hotels, restaurants and swimming spots!
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- Travelling around Swedens’ West Coast
- The Best Islands and Villages in West Sweden
- Road Trip Stop 1: Explore Fjällbacka
- Road Trip Stop 2: Beautiful Smögen
- Road Trip Stops 3 and 4: Brastad and Lysekil
- Road Trip Stop 5: Uddevalla or Käringön
- Road Trip Stop 6: Enjoy Mussels In Ljungskile
- Road Trip Stop 7: The Island of Orust
- Road Trip Stop 8: Tjörn
- Road Trip Stop 8: Marstrand, West Sweden’s most known island
- Day 9: Gothenburg
- A Rough West Coast Road Trip Itinerary
- Be inspired with these other West Sweden trips
- You might also enjoy these posts!
Travelling around Swedens’ West Coast
How to get to Gothenburg And The Bohuslän Coast
Depending on where you are coming from, you are most likely to arrive in one of Sweden’s major cities – these being Stockholm, Gothenburg or Malmö. From here it is quite easy to make your way to Sweden’s West Coast in a number of ways. I would not recommend flying as it is quite expensive and doesn’t save you any time in the long run. The best ways are by train, bus or car.
Travelling to Gothenburg by train
If you are travelling by train, you can catch any regional trains to Gothenburg with either SJ or MTRX. Both trains run regularly throughout Sweden and are quite good value. If you are travelling by bus, you are best to look at Flixbus. They run quite regularly but depending on traffic conditions etc. they are notorious for being delayed. In any case, you can plan your trip really easily and find the best route here.
From Gothenburg, you can either hire a car and start your road trip, or look at Vasttrafik for the best connections up the coast! Depending on your plans after you trip, I would recommend starting as north and possible and working your way back down the coast, that way you can end your trip in Gothenburg and have a bit more of a relaxed city stay after a week of adventures!
I have written this post with the intention of making it a West Sweden road trip guide, however, it is still possible to do this trip using public transport! There are buses that travel out to all the islands throughout all seasons. The best place to see the timetables in on Västtrafik.
The Best Islands and Villages in West Sweden
Road Trip Stop 1: Explore Fjällbacka
Spend the morning walking around Vetteberget nature reserve, there is a beautiful view of the archipelago and the town below. You can then walk into Fjällbacka and explore all the pretty streets, taking a walk out to Kungsklyftan Fjällbacka for a swim. Spend the afternoon a little further north in Grebbestad exploring an old fishing village before heading back to spend the night at Tanum Strand. Here you can enjoy the spa, a great dinner and a walk around the cliffs. Read more about Tanum Strand and our stay there here!
Where to stay: Tanum Strand
Don’t Miss:
- Vetteberget
- Väderöarnas Värdshus
- Kungsklyftan Fjällbacka
- Grebbestad
Road Trip Stop 2: Beautiful Smögen
Smögen is a gem of the West Coast, the town centre and harbour a mix of small cobble stone alleyways and colourful wooden houses. It is a very popular summer destination for both tourists and Swedes so if you are visiting in high season you should expect it to get quite busy. Although, it is always relatively easy to find your own hidden spot if you are exploring a little more off the grid, especially when it comes to swimming spots!
On your way through Smögen you should make sure to stop off at Smögen’s Hafvsbad for a relaxing spa day, followed by a walk around the old town and Smögen Bryggan, dinner at The Barn, and a swim off the rocks at Kleven.
Where to Stay: Smögen’s Hafvsbad
Don’t Miss:
- Smögenbryggan
- Sandö
- Nippon Smögen
- Allamens Bad at Badhusparken
- Skärets
- Take a boat ride out to the lighthouse Hållä
Take a look at my more detailed blog post here!
Road Trip Stops 3 and 4: Brastad and Lysekil
On your way down the coast you should definitely make a stop in Lysekil! This seaside town is a beautiful place for a swim and a walk around Stångehuvuds Naturreservat. If you manage to time it right, you will see the most amazing sunset over the rocks from here! Below you will find a few tips, but I also have a whole guide on the best things to do in Lysekil.
On your way back up take a stop at Vann Spa for the night. This is another of our favourite spas along the West Coast, with multiple saunas, steam rooms and temperature controlled pools in traditional Swedish style. It is a lot bigger than some of the others and they often hold conferences there so if you visit on a weekday it can lose a little of its calming vibe. However, the spa itself is amazing! Each indoor pool has a different temperature, scent, and sound to create a different experiential feeling of relaxation. They have a room where you can almost fall asleep, self spa treatments, and an outdoor sauna by the water!
Don’t Miss:
- Stångehuvuds Naturreservat
- Pinnevik
- Luna Cafe – Vingård and Restaurang
- Långevik
Where to stay: Strandflickornas Annex Gula Villan
Road Trip Stop 5: Uddevalla or Käringön
Uddevalla
Uddevalla is one of the bigger cities along the West Coast. Although not on the coast itself, it is definitely somewhere to add to the list if you have time and want to visit a bit of a bigger city and experience a less touristy side of Sweden.
Start your day here by taking a walk through Hasselbacken to the waterfall, followed by breakfast at Wienerkonditoriet. Explore the many antique shops of the town, or visit the Bohuslän Museum for a bit of culture, before stopping off for a lunch at Råg or Lilla Huset. Finish the day with at Strandpromenaden with stroll along the board walk and an evening at Gustafsbergs Badhotell och Vandrarhem.
Where to stay: Gustafsbergs Badhotell och Vandrarhem
West Sweden Map
Get 300+ tips on West Sweden
In this map and guide to West Sweden you will find over 300 tips for places to visit in and around the region. These are places I have visited and personally recommend – some hidden gems and a few more well known spots!
Käringön
Käringön is a real gem of the West Coast of Sweden. It is a little further afield so better to add to your road trip itinerary if you don’t mind a little extra driving. Käringon is a beautiful, car-free summer island around 45 minutes by ferry from the coast of Orust. The island is a popular summer spot, with several sandy beaches, cosy restaurants and saunas to enjoy.
To plan your road trip stop on Käringön make sure to read my full guide to the island!
Road Trip Stop 6: Enjoy Mussels In Ljungskile
Ljungskile is a beautiful small town just down the coast from Uddevalla. If you drive down to the harbour you will find Musselbaren Lyckorna, a beautiful little bar and restaurant that serve fresh seafood and mussels! If you are visiting at the right time (I think from April to October) you can join them for a Mussel Expedition in to the archipelago where you pick mussels and eat them on a near by island!
To get to Ljungskile, you can either drive, catch the bus, or take the ferry down from Uddevalla! This is the best way to see a little more of the coast line!
Road Trip Stop 7: The Island of Orust
Orust is one of the biggest islands on the coast. It is home to so many small amazing swimming spots, farm shops and boutiques. The best way to see this island is to just drive around the coast line, stopping off at any place that looks interesting along the way! I would take a whole day to do this part of the trip, maybe stopping for lunch at Töllås Fårgård, an afternoon walk around Morlanda, heading to Bryggvigen for dinner.
Don’t Miss:
- Bryggvingen
- Töllås Fårgård
- Småholmarna
- Hälleviksstrand
- Mia’s Sjöbod
- Morlanda
Where to stay: Nosund Havshotell
If you want to know more make sure to read this detailed guide to Orust island.
Road Trip Stop 8: Tjörn
Tjörn is another big island along the coast, known for it’s beautiful nature! Start the day off at Silbräcka Prästgård picking strawberries before driving to Skärhamn for a food truck lunch on the dock. Spend a few hours at the Nordic Watercolour Museum, then take the car around to Klädesholmen for a swim and dinner at Salt and Sill.
Don’t Miss:
- Klädesholmen
- Skärhamn
- Nordiska Akvarellmuseet (The Nordic Watercolour Museum)
- Skärhamn Beach
- Sibräcka Prästgård
Where to stay: Tofta Gård
Road Trip Stop 8: Marstrand
One of the most popular islands in the summer time for good reason. Marstrand is only an hours drive away from Gothenburg and can be easily accessed by public transport! It is one of the most popular spots on any West Sweden road trip! We often go here for day trips in the summer just for a wander or a swim! The best thing about Marstand is you can basically swim anywhere! Just wander down the the coast line and set up camp! Marstrand is home to a giant fortress – Carlstens Fästning – dating back to the mid 1600s. You can visit the inside for special events sometimes, and if not it is just nice to walk around the gardens.
From Marstrand you can catch a ferry over to the nearby island of Dyrön. I totally recommend this as it is one of my favourite island along the coast! Most restaurants and cafes are only open in the summer time, but throughout the rest of the year it is beautiful to walk around the cliffs and even book the public sauna for the afternoon!
Don’t Miss:
- Carlstens Fästning
- Marstrand Havshotell
- Marstrand Värdhus
- Piren
- Marstrand Naturstig
- Dyrön
Read my full blog posts for what to do on Marstrand, or a sauna day trip to Dyrön!
Where to stay: Marstrand Havshotell – one of the best spas near Gothenburg.
Day 9: Gothenburg
If you want to extend your West Sweden Road Trip then make sure to spend some days in Gothenburg! There is a lot to do in this Gothenburg, especially in the summer! You can take a ferry out into the islands in the archipelago and visit islands such as Vrångö, or spend the day fika-hopping from some of Gothenburg’s best cafes.
You can find all my guides to Gothenburg and things to do there here!
A Rough West Coast Road Trip Itinerary
This road trip is best done slowly. I would recommend spending at least a week so that you can get the most out of every place you visit! You can do this trip either by starting in Gothenburg and driving up to Fjällbacka or the other way around. If you have time at the end, I recommend spending a few days at the end of the trip enjoying Gothenburg!
- Spend day 1 slowly driving to Fjällbacka
- Day 2 can be spent exploring Fjällbacka, hiking and enjoying the town
- Drive to Smögen on day 3
- Spend day 4 in Smögen, visiting the Smögen’s Hafvsbad or exploring the harbour
- On day 5 drive to Lysekil via Brastad
- Day 6 can be spent around Uddevalla or Käringön, ending in Orust
- Spend day 7 slowly exploring Orust and Tjörn
- Drive to Marstrand on day 8
- Spend day 9 driving down to Gothenburg
Where to next?
Want to explore more of the West Coast? Here’s some ideas!
- A complete guide to Sweden’s West Coast
- Dyrön Island
- Marstrand Island
- Åstol Island
- Hönö – Gothenburg’s Northern Archipelago
- The islands in Gothenburg’s Archipelago
- Kinnekulle – Sweden’s flowering mountain
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Great article
Thanks so much Ben!
Hi Katie
It’s an amazing article. This year I am also planning to visit west coast of Sweden after reading your blog. Thanks a lot.
Anurupa Nagchowdhury