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GOTHENBURG

Five great day trips to do from Gothenburg

Gothenburg has a lively culture scene, plenty of green spaces and food and drink in abundance, but sometimes you just need to escape the city. The West Coast and nearby towns provide plenty of opportunities for a memorable day trip from Sweden's second city: here are five of our favourite destinations complete with insider tips.

Published: 23 February 2019 06:59 CET
Updated: 20 May 2023 17:57 CEST
Fjällbacka
These are our top five favourite destinations for an unforgettable day trip getaway from Gothenburg. Photo by Ivan Zhirnov on Unsplash

Brännö

If you’ve got longer than a day or two in Gothenburg, a boat trip out to the archipelago is a must. Any one of the islands (most of them car-free) will offer spectacular nature and opportunities to relax with a view, but Brännö is slightly livelier than most, famous for its summer folk dances and mentioned as an important town in several Icelandic sagas.

You can learn about the island’s history by visiting its local museum, housed in a barn: the information is in Swedish, but staff are usually happy to explain in English. Whether using it as a base for island-hopping or just visiting for the afternoon, take in the views out to sea by walking or cycling around, and stop off at any of the beaches or cliffs for a swim or sunbathing opportunity. 

Brännö

Brännö is located in the Göteborg Municipality of Västra Götaland County, Sweden. It is conveniently accessible from central Gothenburg through frequent boat transportation. Photo by Jessica Pamp on Unsplash

How to get there: From the city centre, take the 11 tram to the Saltholmen ferry terminal. There, take the ferry: the 283 or the 282, with the latter taking slightly longer (around 40 minutes) and arriving at the south side of the island.

Don’t miss: Crossing the bridge over to Galterö, an even smaller and more rugged island which has some great secluded spots for swimming.

Eat and drink: Head to Brännö Varv in the former shipyard to sip a coffee or cold beer in a hammock or an old wooden boat. In the summer there’s often live music here too.

Fjällbacka 

Lovers of film and literature alike should put Fjällbacka on their travel bucket list for a cultural day trip. Not only was it the summer home of Ingrid Bergman, but the fishing village is also the setting of books by crime writer Camilla Läckberg, though the reality is thankfully far sleepier than her fast-paced thrillers. Bergman fans can appreciate the statue of the actress in the town’s main square, and readers of Läckberg’s novels can either join an organized tour to spot locations from her books or simply keep an eye out.

If you have the chance to visit for longer than a day, Fjällbacka also makes a good base for exploring the nearby islands, the westernmost in Sweden, such as postcard-perfect Smögen. Alternatively, if you’re not attracted by Bergman or Läckberg and especially if you’re using public transport, Strömstad is reachable by train and bus from Gothenburg and has plenty of beautiful nature and family-friendly activities too.

Fjällbacka

Fjällbacka is a quaint fishing village situated in Tanum. The village gets its name from the prominent rocky mountain that defines its charm. Photo by Maxime Gerph on Unsplash

How to get there: If you’re not driving, you’ll need to take a train in the direction of Strömstad and change to a bus at Dingle. The total journey time is around two and a half hours.

Don’t miss: Walking through the Kungsklyftan and up the rock behind the harbour, from where you can enjoy incredible views of the surrounding area and islands.

Eat and drink: Seafood is fresh and delicious in many of the town’s restaurants: try Restaurang Matilda for its stunning sea views, especially at sunset.

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Marstrand

Gothenburgers have been escaping the city for this seaside town for centuries, so why not follow their example? A wander around the harbour allows you to admire the charming wooden houses and impressive boats (there are important sailing races here in summer), though it gets crowded during the warmer months. A visit in the off-season will give you a more peaceful day out, or in the summer you can head away from the very centre by looking for the nature trail leading to the far side of the island.

The fortress Carlstens Fästning overlooks the entire town, and you can even stay there overnight if time and budget allow; otherwise, simply climb the Battery Tower for views and explore the fortress’ underground tunnels.

Marstrand

Marstrand offers an ideal environment for sailing and swimming, featuring charming neighbourhoods. Photo by Oleh Holodyshyn on Unsplash

How to get there: Take the Marstand Express bus from Gothenburg’s bus station (50 minutes), and access the town’s main island by one of the shortest ferry rides in the world. During the summer, you can travel from Gothenburg to Marstrand by boat to take in the West Coast views, which takes around three hours.

Don’t miss: The Strandverket art museum, housed in an atmospheric old fort and featuring a varied collection with an emphasis on sculpture, including a permanent sculpture park.

Eat and drink: The historic Bergs Konditori in the harbour is a great spot for stocking up on pastries or bread before you start your tour of the town.

Trollhättan

For something a little different from seaside towns and picturesque islands, Trollhättan has its own attractions. You can see the impressive waterfalls and locks along the Göta canal, the first of which was opened more than 200 years ago, and in the summer, there are boat trips along the water.

The city is best known as the home of Saab, so car enthusiasts can explore the Saab museum, or head to the old industrial neighbourhood, now a place for museums, art and food. But it’s also got plenty of green spaces to explore on foot or by bike, and the opportunity to head to the nearby Ecopark Halle- and Hunneberg, which is not only a good hiking area but offers excellent chances of spotting elk.

Trollhättan

Trollhättan, located in western Sweden, is famous for its impressive waterfalls, as well as being the birthplace of the car manufacturer Saab. Photo by Marcus Hjelm on Unsplash

How to get there: Trains from Gothenburg to Trollhättan are regular and take around 35 minutes.

Don’t miss: The King’s Cave, a rock where visiting royals have signed their names since the 1700s. 

Food and drink: There are two good tapas restaurants, Pinchos and Majo Bar, while the Ritz Teatercafé offers delicious fika options.

Nääs Slott

There are several castles and impressive estates to visit in the towns and villages around Gothenburg, but this is one of the most spectacular. Wander around the impressive rooms (check in advance to find out the times of guided tours), but make sure to leave time to explore the surrounding nature, with water in every direction.

It’s easily doable in a morning or afternoon, but if you want to extend your day, it could be combined with a trip further northeast to Alingsås, known as Sweden’s fika capital. This is easiest by car, otherwise bear in mind that the castle is a bit of a walk from the nearest train station.

Nääs Castle

Nääs Castle, a magnificent 17th-century mansion, is located in close proximity to Gothenburg, Sweden. Photo by: Harri Blomberg / CC BY-SA 3.0

How to get there: Take a train to Floda, followed by a half-hour walk or the bus 533 to Lilla Nääs.

Don’t miss: If you’re interested in arts and crafts, look into the courses on offer at the castle. In the 19th century, Nääs was known as the best place in Sweden for handicraft.

Food and drink: The castle’s cafe and restaurant in what used to be the stables have a menu focusing on local produce, and the weekend brunch is highly recommended.

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TRAVEL NEWS

EES: Could the launch of Europe’s new border system be delayed again?

After being postponed several times already Europe's new biometric Entry/Exit border system (EES) is set to be rolled out in October, but with fears of lengthy queues, problems with a new app and demands for more time, could it be postponed again?

Published: 26 April 2024 11:50 CEST
EES: Could the launch of Europe's new border system be delayed again?

Could the entry into operation of the EU entry/exit system (EES), the new biometric passport checks for non-EU citizens at the Schengen area’s external borders, be delayed yet again?

Originally planned for May 2022, EES has already been postponed many times.

The current launch date, set for October 2024, was chosen to avoid periods of peak traffic and France in particular had requested to avoid it being launched until after the Paris Olympics this summer.

When asked to confirm the October start date this week a spokesperson for the EU’s Commission told The Local that the “roadmap” for the EES IT system foresees it will be ready for Autumn 2024. But the actual start date, in other words, the day when passengers will have to register, would be confirmed nearer the time.

The spokesperson said: “The exact date will be determined by the European Commission and announced on the EES official website well in time for the start of operations.”

READ ALSO: Your key questions answered about Europe’s new EES passport checks

But the reasons are adding up to suggest an October start date is optimistic, perhaps even unlikely.

In the annual report on the ‘State of Schengen’ published last week, the European Commission spelt out that severe challenges remain if member states are to be ready on time.

“In 2023, efforts to ensure the entry into operation of the Entry-Exit System in the autumn of 2024 were accelerated… While important progress has been made across the Schengen area, some Member States are still falling behind, notably regarding the effective equipment of border crossing points. The Commission calls on all Member States to urgently accelerate preparations to ensure the timely implementation of the system…”

A map in the report shows that preparation is still “in progress” in 13 Schengen area countries, including Germany, Norway and Switzerland. “Outstanding issues” still impact Portugal, Malta and Bulgaria.

The state of play for the preparations for EES across EU and Schengen states. Image: European Commission.

There are also reports that EU heavyweight Germany is trying to persuade Brussels to delay.

Matthias Monroy, editor of the German civil rights journal Bürgerrechte & Polizei/CILIP claimed on his website that “the German government is lobbying in Brussels to postpone the date once again, as otherwise the German tests of the EES cannot be completed in full. Other EU countries are also behind schedule, with only eight of them having reported successful integration.”

Even on a French government website it talks of EES being rolled out some time “between the end of 2024 and 2025” rather than stating October 2024.

And according to recent media reports, French airports have been advised to be ready for November 6th, rather than October. 

READ ALSO: EES and Etias – what are the big upcoming travel changes in Europe?

A planned EU app, believed to be essential to the smooth operation of EES because it would allow non-EU visitors to register in advance of travel will not be ready, Gwendoline Cazenave, Managing Director of Eurostar International, the company operating train services via the Channel Tunnel, has told the BBC. The EU however insists the app does not need to be up and running before EES is introduced.

In the UK, which will be heavily impacted by EES due to the fact it is no longer in the EU and so British travellers are no longer EU citizens, the House of Commons European scrutiny committee is conducting an inquiry on the potential disruption the introduction of the EES will cause at the border.

Several respondents have recently raised the alarm about the possible delays the system could cause, especially at the UK-France border, which is used by millions of passengers each year who head to France and other countries across Europe.

Ashford Borough Council in Kent has warned of the possibility of more than 14 hours queues to reach the Port of Dover, which has already been struggling increased checked after Brexit.

The BBC reported that back in March, a P&O Ferries director said the IT system should be delayed again.

Airlines have also complained about the fact pre-travel EES requirements would make last minute bookings impossible.

The Union des Aéroports Français (UAF), which represents airports in France, has simply said more time is needed.

In other words, it would be little surprise if the roll out was delayed again beyond October 2024.

But the Commission spokesperson told The Local that “the timeline for the entry into operation of the EES took into account all the necessary activities to be performed by all relevant stakeholders to ensure a timely entry into operation. 

“The Commission is working very closely with eu-Lisa [the EU agency in charge of the IT system], the Member States and carriers to ensure that everything is ready for the timely and successful launch of the Entry Exit System.

“The roadmap for the delivery of the new IT architecture foresees that the Entry/Exit system will be ready to enter into operation in Autumn 2024.”

New digital border

The EES is a digital system to register travellers from non-EU countries when they cross a border in or out of the Schengen area, the travel-free area. It will be deployed in 29 countries across Europe including 25 EU states plus Norway, Switzerland, Iceland and Liechtenstein. Ireland and Cyprus are the only EU members who won’t apply the EES system.

It doesn’t apply to non-EU nationals who are legally resident in an EU/Schengen area country or those with dual nationality of an EU /Schengen county. The system was designed to increase security and to ensure that non-EU nationals visiting the Schengen area short-term do not stay more than 90 days in any 180-day period.

Instead of having the passport stamped, travellers will have to scan it at self-service kiosks before crossing the border. However, fingerprints and a photo will have to be registered in front of a guard at the first crossing and there are huge concerns the extra time needed could generate long queues in the UK, where there are juxtaposed border checks with the EU.

Preparations are ongoing throughout Europe and some countries have made good progress.

In France, Getlink, the operator of the Channel Tunnel, has recently reported that new EES infrastructure is finished at its French terminal of Coquelles, which will allow travellers to register their biometric data while travelling.

Eurostar is also installing 49 kiosks in stations for the registration of passengers. But the Union des Aéroports Français (UAF), which represents airports in France, said more time is needed.

Exempted

Meanwhile, the Polish government has urged UK citizens who are beneficiaries of the EU-UK Withdrawal Agreement to get a residence permit “in the context of EES/ETIAS”, even though there was not such an obligation to stay legally in Poland post-Brexit.

“Having such a document is beneficial as it will exempt from future Entry/Exit System (EES) registration when crossing external borders and from the need to obtain an ETIAS travel permit in relation to short-term travel to EU/Schengen countries,” the government page says.

This article as published in collaboration with Europe Street news.

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