Enjoy freshly caught fish and seafood
The cold seas around Gothenburg makes the fish and seafood extra tasty here. And what better place to enjoy freshly caught delicacies from the sea than the archipelago?
There are plenty of restaurants to choose from, like Seaside on Björkö, Hamnkrogen Lotsen och Fiskeboa on Vrångö, Isbolaget on Donsö and Tullhuset and Skärgårdshotellet on Hönö.
Bake traditional “Hönökaka” flatbread
“Hönökaka” might just be the most famous bread from the Swedish west coast. This classic flatbread has been baked and eaten by fishing families in the region for generations, and since 1934 Åkes Hönökaka produces it on a larger scale. Visit the “micro bakery” in the original family bakery shop on the island Hönö – Hönökakans Hus.
At Havskatten Hotel & Hostel on Hönö, you can learn how to bake a traditional “Hönökaka” flatbread in an open wood-fired oven. A great activity for the family or a group of friends that takes about two hours.
Swedish Fika in the archipelago
Café Öbergska is found next to the ferry stop Styrsö Bratten on Styrsö, and they have the perfect garden where you can enjoy food, Swedish fika and cool drinks in the summer. A petanque court and summer quizes can also be found here! There is a shop in the cafe where residents fill the “local shelf” with everything from crafts to seasonal produce.
On the neighbouring island Donsö you’ll find Popsicle, a cafe with home-made ice cream and Swedish pastries. Popsicle also invests in “blue seafood” – sustainable food from the sea of the future, with both coffee and bread with seaweed and beach plants and bookable activities such as guided seaweed harvesting.
Enjoy salty swims and sunkissed cliffs
The Gothenburg archipelago offers almost endless opportunities to go for a swim – no matter which island you’re on, the cliffs, beaches and protected bays are never far away.
In the southern part of the archipelago, you’ll find gems like Vrångö’s family-friendly sandy beach, the swimming islet Utterviksbadet on Styrsö and the spacious Ramsdalsbadet on Brännö.
On the northern islands, there is Hästens badplats at walking distance from Hönö Klåva, popular Hjälviks badplats with a volleyball court and accessibility ramp on Öckerö and Viviks badplats with a trampoline and a diving tower on Fotö.
Learn more about the archipelago’s wildlife
Walkers naturturer offer everything from guided hiking tours and kayak tours, to birdwatching and forest bathing. Here you get the chance to relax and unwind, far from the city’s stress, screens and noises, while you learn more about the rocks, the forest, the plants and the birds and how they interact.
Sustainability is important to Walkers, who want to help more people to get to know – and start caring for – nature. The food is mostly locally produced, vegetarian and Fairtrade, and they always bring a garbage bag to pick up trash on the various tours.
If you want to explore the natural life near the sea on your own, there are several operators who rent out kayaks, for example Kajkanten Vrångö, Styrsö Kajak, Donsö Sea Kayak and Björkö kajak & äventyr.
Discover the archipelago by foot
Want to go hiking this summer? The hiking trail Skärgårdsleden is 26.2 kilometres and stretches over four islands in the northern part of the Gothenburg archipelago, from Hälsö in the north to Fotö in the south. The start and end points are found at the bus stops for buses 290 and 291. Be aware that parts of the hiking trail are not suitable for strollers and prams.
Rörö, Vrångö, Styrsö and Galterö are other popular islands for hiking. Don’t forget to bring enough water, choose comfortable shoes and follow the golden rule of outdoor life – take nothing but memories, leave nothing but footprints!
Go on a seal safari or fishing tour
To get a sense of the true culture and history of the archipelago, there is really no better way than going on a boat trip and enjoy the foaming waves, the fresh sea breeze and the company of friendly locals.
Get on board and look for seals on a seal safari, visit Evert Taube’s childhood island Vinga, or go fishing for crabs and mackerel!
Cool down with a local craft beer
Gothenburg has been named “the beer capital of Sweden” thanks to the many top-class craft breweries in town. Of course there are also local brews to enjoy in the archipelago!
Barlind Beer make an effort to work more sustainably – they leave the used malt from the brewing process to the island’s pigs to eat, and they make all their deliveries using an electric cargo moped. Hönöbryggeriet want to transmit a sensation of the sun, the sea and the seagulls and Rörö öl believe in a thriving archipelago and local production.
