Gothenburg Archipelago with Kids: A Local's Guide to the Car Free Islands
- minna
- Jul 3
- 7 min read
Updated: 6 days ago
If you are visiting Gothenburg with young children and want a safe, quiet escape from the busy city streets, you absolutely need to take the tram out to the southern archipelago. These stunning islands are completely car free, incredibly easy to reach using standard public transport, and are beautiful to visit and magical to stay on.
I grew up on the island of Styrsö, and I have been swimming, crab fishing, and celebrating Midsummer on these islands for my whole life. After travelling to 45 different countries, I can honestly say this remains my favourite place in the world. Here is exactly how to navigate the ferries with a pram, which islands have the best swim spots for toddlers, and the best places to stay for a peaceful island retreat.
Getting to the Archipelago
The southern islands are part of the Västtrafik public transport network, which means a single travel ticket covers your tram ride to the ferry terminal and the actual ferry crossing itself, so the whole journey from the city centre costs exactly the same as any standard tram trip!
Simply take tram 11 (in the summer months, you can also take tram 9) from central Gothenburg to the final stop at Saltholmen. From Saltholmen, passenger ferries run to all the southern islands constantly throughout the day. The tram journey takes about 25 to 40 minutes, depending on your starting point and the ferry journey to the islands takes anywhere between 15 and 40 minutes depending on which island you choose to visit.
A 90 minute Västtrafik ticket easily covers the tram and ferry combination and costs just 35 SEK. A full day pass for Zone 1 costs 115 SEK, which covers unlimited travel including all the southern island ferries for the full day. Children aged 0 to 6 travel completely free with a paying adult, and children aged 7 to 15 receive a 50% discount.
When to go: Between June and August, the sea temperature reaches a nice 20°C thanks to the Gulf Stream, the ferries run highly frequently, and all the lovely local cafes and restaurants are fully open. Late August and early September is actually my personal favourite time to visit. It is still warm, quieter than peak summer, and if you're lucky, you can see bioluminescence in the water after dark!
Which Islands to Visit?
Styrsö
Styrsö is where I grew up and where I go back to see family all year round. It is the largest island in the Southern Archipelago and has a small village, 2 supermarkets, several cafes, a newly opened spa and plenty of good swim spots.
The smooth granite rocks are a beautiful defining feature of the whole south archipelago - they are warm in the sun and very gentle to walk on, which is useful when you have a toddler who desperately wants to be barefoot. Uttervik on the north side of the island is my favourite spot and is great for a family day by the sea. It has a sheltered beach with shallow entry and calm water.
Brännö
Brännö is the island I always recommend to anyone who wants the quintessential west coast Swedish summer experience. It has great places for swimming, lovely walking trails, and the famous Dans på Brännö Brygga. This is a wonderful local tradition of Thursday evening pier dances with a live band, held throughout the summer from late June to mid August. If you visit Brännö, I would higly recommend walking across the small bridge to Galterö, a small island and nature reserve adjacent to Brännö and the perfect place to bring a picnic and spend the day swimming.
Donsö
Donsö is connected to Styrsö by a bridge, which means you can easily visit both islands on the same day by walking/cycling between them. Donsö features its own lovely village, a great cafe with sweeping harbour views, and some great swim spots like Lökholmen. If you want to do something different, there is also bowling at Donsö in the harbour at Willys Bowling.
Vrångö
Vrångö is the southernmost island in the archipelago and takes the longest to reach, taking about 40 to 55 minutes from Saltholmen. However, it is one of the most nature rich and least visited. A massive nature reserve covers most of the island. There are two great circular walking trails, a hidden beach in the forest, and a shop and restaurant near the ferry landing. On a heavily busy August day in the city, Vrångö still feels completely quiet and peaceful!
Best Things to Do on the Islands with Kids
Toddler Swimming The sea temperature between June and August is around 18 to 21°C, which is warm enough to stay in the water for a while (at least if you're a Swede!). The water is very calm in the sheltered bay, which makes it great for young children. The smooth granite rocks, public jetties and sand beaches mean there are entry points absolutely everywhere, though you might want to bring some water shoes for the rockier entry points.
Note: the islands do tend to get jellyfish blooms and although most are completely harmless (the clear 'moon jellyfish'), you do get the odd brown stinging jellyfish so make sure you keep an eye out!
Traditional Crab Fishing
This is basically what I grew up doing every summer - fish for crabs from the wooden jetties using just a string and a tiny bit of bait. You can buy proper crab fishing gear at the supermarket on Styrsö, or easily assemble a basic version with some string and a clothes peg. The crabs come up, the children excitedly examine them, and then they safely go right back in the water. Hours of free entertainment!
Experiencing Swedish Midsummer
If you happen to be in Gothenburg during the third weekend of June, the archipelago is where Midsummer happens properly. On Styrsö alone there are two completely separate local celebrations, which gives you a great sense of exactly how seriously the island takes it. There is a huge maypole, a live band, traditional songs, beautiful flower crowns, and a massive amount of seafood and aquavit. It is the absolute most Swedish thing you can possibly do in Sweden, and the islands are undoubtedly the best place to do it. Read this here if you want to know more about it: Swedish Midsummer - What Is It and How Is It Celebrated?
Spotting Magical Bioluminescence In late summer and early autumn, the water around the Gothenburg archipelago can produce incredible bioluminescence on calm, dark nights. This is a stunning natural phenomenon caused by single celled algae that emit bright light when physically disturbed. Swimming in it is something truly remarkable. It does not happen every single night and is highly weather dependent, but if you are staying on the islands overnight in August or September, it is absolutely worth going down to the water after dark just in case.
Where to Stay on the Archipelago
Staying overnight on the islands is the experience that most visitors miss. Whenever I go back and sleep on the islands it's a different type of sleep. The mix of salty air, complete silence and no light pollution always knock me out so if you can manage a night or two out here, it is a really special place to visit as part of your Gothenburg trip.
1. Kusthotellet Styrsö (prices from around £160 per night)
Best for: Families who want a highly polished island hotel with sea views, a brilliant restaurant, and the best Styrsö beaches right on the doorstep.
Kusthotellet is easily the most complete and beautiful hotel on the southern islands. Positioned perfectly on Styrsö with sweeping views across the Kattegatt, it features a brilliant restaurant focused entirely on local west coast produce, a gorgeous sauna, and lovely bright rooms that face the sea. For a family wanting the true archipelago experience with proper luxury hotel facilities and absolutely none of the logistics of self catering, this is exactly where to book. A cot is available on request at this hotel.
2. Nice home in Styrsö with sauna (prices from around £80 per night)
Best for: Families who want a simple self-catering island home with a garden, outdoor sauna and children's play area.
A two-bedroom cottage a short walk from the rocky coast, with a fireplace, a cosy outdoor sauna and a private terrace looking out over the rocks and sea. The property sleeps five comfortably and comes with a fully equipped kitchen, washing machine, air conditioning, and a barbecue, which covers essentially everything you might need! It's well equipped for children with a cot available and a kids play area in the garden with swings and a small pool. The rocky coast is a few minutes' walk for swimming, the island's supermarkets and cafés are nearby, and the ferry terminals are within easy reach on foot.
Why You Have to Visit
I know it's home but for me it is easily one of the most beautiful places I've been to. It is calm, car free, and packed with swimming spots. The fact that you can easily get there from the city centre by public transport in under an hour, at the exact cost of a standard tram ticket is a sign you have to visit, but if you want to make your stay in Gothenburg memorable then book a few nights on the islands.
For absolutely everything else to do in the city with young children, read our Top 10 Things to Do in Gothenburg with Kids: A Local Guide. For exactly where to base your family in the city, read our Where to Stay in Gothenburg with Kids guide.
