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Beautiful car-free islands

Catch a ferry to one of the car-free islands in the South Bohuslän. Go ashore, explore the island on foot and enjoy the nature, peacefulness or the throng of people.

Dyrön
A leafy island in the Älgö Fjord south of Rönnäng. The settlement is well sheltered in a valley and the village road goes between the two harbours on the island. There are walking trails in the hills and the view from the highest points is breathtaking. If you’re lucky, you get to see Dyrön’s wild mufflon sheep. The north harbour, Sweden’s first fishing port, built in 1902, is where the passenger ferry from Rönnäng arrives. Visitors are greeted by Vadbinderiet, the old rope works, which was shipped to Dyrön from Rönnäng. Vadbinderiet is open all year round. In the summer with coffee shop and restaurant and the rest of the year mainly for groups. The south harbour is also teeming with life, with a kiosk and ice-cream café, 18-hole crazy golf course and Gallery Bockeberget. Both harbours offer guest berths for boats.

Åstol
This barren rock-island, unique in its type, lies west of Dyrön. The island sticks up out of the water, hilly and with wooden houses typical for Bohuslän clustered close together. Small, narrow footpaths wind their way between the houses. In the west, over-looking Marstrand and Pater Noster, nature has created its own artwork and the rocks are beautifully veined in different colours and tinges. The protected, deep harbour with traditional, red boat-houses has a genuine charm. By the harbour is also Åstol Smokehouse, where they sell freshly smoked delicacies and hold popular folksong evenings with famous artists. Also worth a visit are Åstol’s Museum and Åstol’s Café in the harbour.

Härön
The island, with its cultural heritage landscape is a nature reserve and situated outside Kyrkesund. On offer here are magnificent nature and walking trails in difficult terrain. The artist Karl Nordström rented the house by ‘The English Garden’ for more than 20 years. His artist friends Anders Zorn and Carl Wilhelmson were also frequent visitors to the island. Today Härön is still a paradise in its own right, but combined with life and bustle. When you have enjoyed the nature you can eat well at the restaurant Magasinet.

Klädesholmen
A living coastal community in the outer archipelago, where the houses are close together. On Klädesholmen you’ll find several canneries, take the opportunity to buy cans of pickled herring. The Herring Museum, ‘Sillebua’, shows the development of the cannery industry. Worth visiting are the church from 1797, Claes Hake’s sculpture and the art galleries. Gastronomic experiences are served up by Restaurant Salt & Sill and Malanders Krog.

Tjörnekalv
A genuine, peaceful island. A small fishing community situated by the strait near Rönnäng. Tjörnekalv in-cludes two villages, Stora Kalven and Lilla Kalven. Tjörnekalv offers guest harbour and walking trails.

Käringön
A typical and untouched fishing community, to which the first fishermen arrived as early as in the 16th century. As time went on the holidaymakers started to arrive and with them came both boarding-house and inn. The islanders lived the good life until 1849 when the strict Pastor Simon took the post as parish priest. The inns were closed and he demanded that islanders should bring back a bag of soil every time they visited the mainland. In this way he managed to establish a churchyard on the barren island and Simson’s own garden also became glorious in the process. Today, the former pub-life has partly been revived with among others Peterson’s Krog.

Gullholmen
Far west in the archipelago of Bohuslän is where it and Härmanö together form an outpost. On the northern side of Gullholmen is Stenstugan, a simple house for the poorest, built in the 19th century and one of the oldest buildings on the island. Its opposite can be found in another house, Skepparhuset, a captain’s house from 1893 where everything has been left just as it was a hundred years ago. Gullholmsbaden, which overlooks the strait, Hermanöränna, offers food and accommodation. On Härmanö is also Gullholmen’s Museum of Arts with works by a group of artists who have painted this unusual island landscape.

Marstrand
A car-free seaside town as far west as you can get, with lots on offer. Amble along the pier, hear the wings of history beating at Carlsten Castle, follow a regatta from the rocks, shop in boutiques and eat well.

Guided tours Shopping a pleasure The Children’s Best Coast Boat taxi Boat hire Canoe & kayak Fishing trips

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