Vrångö –a peaceful island with lovely beaches
There are many magical islands in Gothenburg’s archipelago, Vrångö being one of them. You’ll find beautiful scenery, classic seaside villages and lots of great beaches. It’s a lovely island to visit in winter as well as summer.
What’s on!
How to get to Vrångö/Styrsö
Vrångö is a short tram and boat trip away from the centre of Gothenburg. Hop on the Ö-snabb bus 114 or tram 11 at Brunnsparken and travel to Saltholmen. Change here to ferry 281 to Styrsö/Vrångö. The whole journey takes 57 minutes and you can get there all year round.
The best of Halland and Bohuslän
Vrångö is the southernmost of the all year round inhabited islands in the archipelago. It’s known for its beautiful scenery and fantastic swimming spots. The surroundings offer a blend of the sandy beaches Halland is known for and the rocky coastline common in Bohuslän. So when you visit Vrångö you’ll get the best of both worlds!
Photographer: Emil Fagander/Göteborg Co
Flatbed trike mopeds, bikes or walking
There are around 20 islands along Gothenburg’s coastline, all of them chraming in their own way. Many of them, Vrångö included, are completely car free, so you get around on foot, by bike or with a flatbed moped.
When the boat lands and you set foot on Vrångö it’s hard to imagine that there’s a city nearby – but Gothenburg isn’t far away. In the harbour you’ll be met directly by the welcoming Popsicle Café Vrångö, a restaurant, cafe and ice cream kiosk.
Photographer: Jonas Ingman
Sleep in cosy boathouses.
On the west side of Vrångö, in other words the opposite side from where the ferry docks, there is a larger harbour. It only takes about ten minutes to walk from one to the other. In the western harbour you’ll find the popular hotel Kajkanten, where you can have a comfortable stay in modern boathouses, with shower, toilet and kitchenette for self-catering. If you want to maximise your island experience, hire sea kayaks from Kajkanten and paddle out into the archipelago. The kayaks are available for hire all year round.
Three experiences not to miss on Vrångö!
1. Shop at Fiskeboa
You can buy a bag of fresh prawns at Fiskeboa on Vrångö to enjoy on the rocks. Or have a seat in the covered outdoor serving area and eat at your leisure with a view of the harbour. The fish and shellfish couldn’t be fresher or more local! Fiskeboa can be found in the western harbour.
2. See the view from the pilot’s lookout tower
The old pilot’s lookout on Vrångö is really worth a visit. The pilot used to sit up there and keep a lookout for ships to guide into Gothenburg. Nowadays the spot offers a panoramic view of among other things Vinga lighthouse, the Öckerö islands and the mainland. The pilot’s lookout is not far from Vrångö’s western harbour.
3. Kajkanten’s relaxation raft
If you have time you should definitely book Kajkanten’s relaxation raft with room for 10-15 people. There’s a hot tub, kitchen with fridge/freezer, as well as both indoor and outdoor eating areas. During summer the raft is in Vrångö’s outer harbour, and in winter it’s in the inner harbour nearer Kajkanten.
Popular nature reserve for bathers and waders
If you want to explore the island on foot there are three circular walks of 2-3 km each. Tärnstigen is the easier trail which is fine to get around with wheelchairs or pushchairs. The northern trail is reached from Tärnstigen and as the name suggests, goes round the northern side of the island. The southern trail starts almost directly from where you get off the boat from Saltholmen. Just after the jetty walk left towards Nötholmen, which is a popular beach in the summer.
Photographer: Jonas Ingman
Both the northern and the southern trails go through open country in the Vrångöskärgården nature reserve. In addition to passing several nice bays for swimming, you can also come across rare plants, and about 60 breeding bird species. Along the beaches you can see waders, oystercatchers, common ringed plover, lapwings and redshanks, looking for mussels and snails.
Come here in summer, come back in winter!
Vrångö is a magical place in summer, but every bit as fantastic to visit in spring, autumn and winter. The landscapes look quite different, and you can experience a stillness and quiet that’s hard to find elsewhere. Go out winter paddling, or if you’ve never tried cold water swimming before then that’s a hot (or cold!) tip.
Photographer: Jonas Ingman
Next to Gothenburg
There’s a whole lot to discover in Gothenburg. And there’s even more to explore outside the city. All you have to do is ride just a few stops beyond the city limits to enjoy some really memorable experiences.
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What’s on!
How to get to Vrångö/Styrsö
Vrångö is a short tram and boat trip away from the centre of Gothenburg. Hop on the Ö-snabb bus 114 or tram 11 at Brunnsparken and travel to Saltholmen. Change here to ferry 281 to Styrsö/Vrångö. The whole journey takes 57 minutes and you can get there all year round.