Daytrip to the classic island of Brännö
Brännö has everything you need for a day full of different experiences. How about a cup of coffee among the wooden boats and old barrels in Brännö’s charmingly dilapidated shipyard? Or perhaps a bite to eat at the traditional restaurant, Brännö Värdshus?
Remember that the choice of activities, and opening times of restaurants, shops and hotels can vary over the year. Check the companies’ own websites for current information.
By the way, did you know that the inn is a former harbor pilot’s house, built around the 1900s with lots of period features, including crystal chandeliers and a glazed veranda? It’s also well worth taking a stroll among the timber houses on the old village street in Husvik. If you like shady broadleaf woodland and rugged shorelines then Brännö is definitely the place for you!
Departure to Brännö
The 282 and 283 ferry services run every day, all year round. Both lines go either from Stenpiren in central Gothenburg or Saltholmen, a 35 minute tram ride from the centre. Line 282 goes to Brännö Husvik on the southern part of the island and line 293 lands in Brännö Rödsten in the north east.
There is something special about Brännö. You feel your body and spirit relax as soon as you set foot ashore. The quayside is dotted with flatbed mopeds and bikes. The flatbed mopeds are a familiar sight on Brännö, in fact they are the only motor vehicles allowed here, and a popular means of carrying goods and getting around for the 900 permanent residents of the island.
Coffee at Brännö Varv Café & Bar
Explore Brännö on foot. A good way to start is the stretch between Rödsten and Husvik. A couple of hundred metres along Rödstensvägen you come to a large white sign on the left side of the road. This leads to one of the island’s gems, Brännö Varv Café & Bar, which is open daily May-September. Follow the gravel path towards the shipyard, past the red shacks and an old rail siding. Brännö Varv is a wonderful mix of the Swedish west coast and the Caribbean. The café and bar are filled with palms, sun chairs, hammocks, old wooden boats and an assortment of old pottery. If you want some luxurious treats to take on your outing you can buy them from the deli there, which offers a take-away selection, and if you feel like challenging your nearest and dearest to a game of minigolf then you can, because Brännö Varv also has a minigolf course. Next to the restaurant is Brännö Varv’s own Bed & Breakfast which has four rooms which can be booked from early spring until the middle of September.
Discover more of Brännö
The island’s history stretches back to Viking times and the oldest buildings on the island are in the heart of the village, and along the road to Husvik. Some of the houses here date from the 18th and 19th centuries, although most of the other ones are later additions. Rose bushes and leafy hedges surround the fine old timber houses and lead the way to the island’s little heritage museum, Brännö Lagård, housed in an old barn.
Before you reach the museum it is well worth climbing the hill to the highest point on the island – Brännö’s old harbour pilot lookout with its fantastic views of the archipelago and entrance to Gothenburg’s harbour.
Just past Brännö Handel grocery store you will find a steep hill that winds its way up to the right between the cottages. All of a sudden you enter the forest and all signs of habitation are left behind. The small road leads through beautiful broadleaved woodland to a footbridge across to Galterö, an uninhabited island that is mostly nature reserve, with sheep grazing freely and several lovely spots where you can swim. Please close the gates on the bridge behind you to stop the sheep escaping! If you would like to make a detour to Galterö and walk around the island you should allow a couple of hours at normal walking pace.
Photographer: Emil Fagander, goteborg.com
Lunch or dinner at Brännö Värdshus
Walk back the same way you came and continue heading south for a few minutes along Husviksvägen. You will soon reach Brännö Värdshus, a beautiful old harbour pilot’s building that has now been converted into a restaurant serving lunches and evening meals. If you prefer something lighter you can also get sandwiches, coffee and pastries from the inn’s own bakery. The inn is open throughout the year, but not every day. If you visit Brännö outside of peak season check the Brännö Värdshus website to make sure it is open. You can stay overnight here all year round, either in one of the restaurant’s guest rooms or at cosy Baggen guest house nearby.
