The granite rocks
Ice-smoothed stone for swimming and sitting.
Nathan Meijer — CC BY 2.0 · Averater — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Averater — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Averater — CC BY-SA 3.0
Take tram 11 to Saltholmen, the end of the line, then the ferry directly from the quay — the whole journey from central Gothenburg is about an hour on a single transport ticket. There is not enough parking at Saltholmen, so the tram is the practical option even if you have a hire car.
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The southern archipelago is a group of small islands off Gothenburg's coast, reached by regular public ferries from the Saltholmen quay in about half an hour — and their defining feature is that they are entirely car-free. There are no private vehicles on any of them at all, and movement is by bicycle and small electric carts. Each island has its own character: Styrso is the largest with its village, harbour and restaurants; Vinga is the furthest out with its historic lighthouse and bare rock facing the open sea; Branno and Aspero have their beaches; and Kostero is the smallest. What they share is the same landscape: smooth granite polished by ice, red timber houses, and small harbours full of boats. This is a full-day trip rather than a quick visit: take the morning ferry, walk the island trails, swim from the rocks if it is July or August, eat at a harbour and return in the evening. Gothenburg's public transport ticket covers the ferries, so the cost is no more than an ordinary bus fare.
Ice-smoothed stone for swimming and sitting.
The furthest island, facing the open sea.
Styrso, Gothenburg southern archipelago