An active adventure in West Sweden and Gothenburg

Experience the extraordinary natural environment of the Gothenburg archipelago, made up of about 1,000 islands, with the wind in your sails. Watch the craggy islands slide past as you weave your way through. Call in on one of the fishing villages along the way to taste island life and find a fabulous selection of restaurants serving the freshest seafood. Make things easy and rent a yacht with a skipper for a week. The captain will be on hand to help you navigate a perfect course through this stunning archipelago, looking out for the best places to stop and swim and helping you decide which of the harbours are home to the best restaurants. Alternatively, join a trip with a set departure for a day trip or a few days at a time.

A beautiful way to experience the archipelago is silently to glide along in a sea kayak. Among the small islands you can spot sea birds and seals and enjoy the unique scenery of the Swedish West Coast north of Gothenburg. Stay in a picturesque fishing village or camp out on one of the many skerries or islands. Several fishing villages along the coast rent out kayaks – try Grebbestad and the islands of Marstrand and Orust, for instance; there are set departures for guided group trips.

Probably more than anything else, the wilderness area of Dalsland is known as a mecca for kayakers and canoeists. In fact, Sweden’s toughest canoe race, the 55km Dalsland Canoe Marathon, takes place here each year in August. Visitors can easily spend a few days paddling in this region by making use of the campsites dotted all across the lake system for overnight stays.

If you don’t fancy a paddle, how about a pedal? Scenic routes take cyclists through farmland, past lakes and rivers, and special packages for cyclists, including airport pick-ups and luggage transportation, are available to make it a really easy ride. Celebrate the 300th anniversary of the birth of Carl Linnaeus - the Swedish genius who invented the Latin classification system of plant and animal species – by cycling the route he travelled by horse in 1746 around Lake Vänern. Or try out a special package along historical Göta Canal, the waterway between Gothenburg and Stockholm. With hardly any traffic on the small country roads, West Sweden is perfect for a family, couple or solo traveller on two wheels.

Try Swedish eco-tourism at its finest with newly accredited nature tour. Wauglen Vildmark, a green hostel in West Sweden offering walking tours, is the latest company in the region to receive the Europe-wide Nature’s Best accreditation for eco-tourism nature trips.Located within the wilderness of Kynnefjäll, 90 minutes from Gothenburg in the coastal Bohuslän province, the hostel offers walking packages which can be combined with canoeing through the area’s wild lakes.

The picturesque province of Dalsland is a paradise for fisherman thanks to its abundant lakes offering a wide variety of fishing opportunities. The scenic beauty of the area is matched only by the excellent standard of fishing available.