Bohuslän

Bohuslän is a fascinating corner of Sweden. Its distinctive rocky coastline is home to some 8000 weather-beaten, sun-baked islands and islets and probably an equal number of adorable red wooden fishing huts and harbour shopfronts. The landscape resembles few other parts of the world – maybe for that reason, the area is a favourite among artists. Don't forget your camera.

Explore Bohuslän

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Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Bohuslän.

  • Gallery

    Nordiska Akvarellmuseet

    Skärhamn is home to the superb Nordiska Akvarellmuseet, a sleek waterside building housing exhibits by the likes of Arne Isacsson, whose watercolors…

  • Museum

    Vitlycke Museum

    If you’re bewildered by the long-armed men, sexual imagery and goat-drawn chariots of Bohuslän's prolific Bronze Age rock carvings, drop by Vitlycke…

  • Island

    Koster Islands

    Boat trips run from Strömstad’s north harbour to the beautiful cluster of forested Koster Islands every 30 minutes from July to mid-August, less…

  • Aquarium

    Havets Hus

    Havets Hus is an excellent aquarium with sea life from Gullmarn, Sweden’s only true fjord, which cuts past Lysekil. Peer at such cold-water beauties as…

  • Fortress

    Carlstens Fästning

    Looming over town, Carlstens Fästning is a fortress built in the 1660s after the Swedish takeover of Marstrand and Bohuslän. Marstrand's ice-free port was…

  • Archaeological Site

    Stone-Ship Settings

    One of Sweden’s largest, most magnificent stone-ship settings (an oval of stones, shaped like a boat) lies 6km northeast of Strömstad. There are 49 stones…

  • Zoo

    Nordens Ark

    Snow leopards, wolves and lynxes prowl Nordens Ark, a well-conceived safari park 12km northeast of Smögen. It shows off animals and plants from countries…

  • Island

    Käringön

    This picture-perfect island boasts plenty of good swimming holes, some complete with floats and trampolines for the enjoyment of those frolicking in the…

  • Church

    Skee Kyrka

    Open by appointment only (contact the tourist office), the Romanesque stone Skee Kyrka is about 6km east of Strömstad and has a 10th-century nave. There’s…

  • Island

    Hållö

    This small, rocky, windswept island is home to a historic lighthouse and a number of bird species. Its otherworldly landscape is great for photographers,…

  • Island

    Fiskebäckskil

    Passenger/cyclist-only ferry 847 (25kr) crosses the Gullmarn fjord roughly hourly to Fiskebäckskil, of the cute cobbled streets and wood-clad houses. The…

  • Museum

    Herring Museum

    The tiny herring museum ('Sillebua') delves into the history of the island's canneries, salt houses and fishing industry, which peaked around 1750. It…

  • Market

    Smögen Fish Auction

    Fishing boats unload their catches of prawns, lobsters and fish at the Smögen harbour. You can score some über-fresh shellfish if you get to the small…

  • Nature Reserve

    Stångehuvud Nature Reserve

    Out at the tip of the Stångenäs peninsula, the Stångehuvud Nature Reserve, crammed with coastal rock slab, is worth a stop for its secluded bathing spots…

  • Museum

    Strömstads Museum

    Housed in an old power station, this museum displays local photography and objects from nautical history.