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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.
These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Bohuslän.
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Skärhamn is home to the superb Nordiska Akvarellmuseet, a sleek waterside building housing exhibits by the likes of Arne Isacsson, whose watercolors defined the form for a generation of artists in Bohuslän, and Lars Lerin's compelling cityscapes, seemingly illuminated from within. The museum's cafe serves a damn fine cup of coffee, and the attached restaurant is a draw in its own right.
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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 Museum, which has a determined go at explaining them. Digital handheld guides can be hired for 40kr, but it’s much better to catch the English tour (10:30am and 2:30pm). Trails lead from the museum to some of the area's key rock carvings – pick up a map in the foyer. Don't miss the Bronze Age farm out back.
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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 frequently at other times. Tiny North Koster is hilly and has good beaches. Larger South Koster is flatter and better for cycling, with bike-rental facilities, numerous restaurants scattered about and two large beaches at Rörvik and Kilesand. Trips are booked through the tourist office.
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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 wolffish, lumpsuckers, anglerfish, cranky-looking flatfish, rays, and ethereal jellyfish; watch a magnified shark's embryo grow; walk through an underwater tunnel; and learn about the pirate history of the area.
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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 key to trade, so King Karl X Gustav built the fortress to defend it. The port continued to be fought over for decades. Carlstens has also been a prison, known for especially brutal conditions. Admission includes a guided tour. It's worth walking up even if you don't go in: the views of the archipelago are stunning.
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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 in total, with the stem and stern stones reaching over 3m in height; the site has been dated to AD 400 to 600. Across the road is a huge site containing approximately 40 Iron Age graves. The tourist office can help with transport. Alternatively, there’s a gorgeous walking path from the north of town.
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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 with a similar climate to Sweden’s and has breeding programs for critically endangered species, such as the Amur tiger and Amur leopard. A 3km path allows visitors a glimpse of the wild beasts as it runs past the spacious enclosures, and guided tours are available daily in peak season (included in entry price).
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This picture-perfect island boasts plenty of good swimming holes, some complete with floats and trampolines for the enjoyment of those frolicking in the water. The plenitude of flat, broad rocks makes Käringön an ideal location for picnicking on a summer’s day. Regular ferry 381 runs roughly hourly from Tuvesvik (on the northwestern coast of Orust island); check up-to-date timetables at www.vasttrafik.se.
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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 also a painted wooden ceiling and an unusual 17th-century reredos with 24 sculptured figures. Nearby lie Iron Age graves, a curious bell tower and a mid-Neolithic passage tomb (c 3000 BC).