Southern Sweden lake
19 Aug
Travel Tips

Explore Skane, Southern Sweden | Traveldudes.org

 

Skåne is a province located at the most southern tip of Sweden, just a stone’s throw across the water from bustling Copenhagen in Denmark.

The province is well known for it’s beautiful scenery, outstanding culinary experiences and high quality of life.

Here are top tips for your trip to Skane:

A unique and charming countryside “shopping mall” opens in Kivik, Skåne

Dating back to the beginning of the 17th century, Svabesholm Kungsgård is a horse farm that has been transformed to now offer a charming countryside ‘shopping mall’, with accommodation, dining, farm shops and event space, whilst maintaining its farm work. Perfectly situated by the most southern national park in Sweden and surrounded by apple orchards, the farm is perfect for food and nature lovers to explore.  Visit the café and country kitchen, the English garden or why not peek into any of the shops on the farm.

Stand Up Paddleboard in Skåne’s capital, Malmö

Visitors to Skåne’s capital, Malmö, can choose a guided tour or hire a private SUP to explore the city’s canals with What-Sup Malmö. To encourage saving the canal, the company also offers a 10% discount to those who collect any plastic they come across along route.

Brand new watersport in Skåne, Red Bird Watercycling

Red Bird Watercycling is a brand new experience, the first of its kind in Scandinavia, offering guests the opportunity to enjoy the nature of lakes and coast from out on the water, in a way that doesn’t impact on the beauty and the wildlife, or other people.

Lake tours include Snogeholm or Sövde lakes, home to a diverse range of wildlife. Tours last two hours, after which guests are invited to enjoy a breakfast or Fika on the shore. The coastal tour offers a relazed experience to explore the coastline of the Baltic Sea at Ystad. Starting at Ystad Saltsjöbad, the tour heads east in the direction of Kåseberga and offers 360 degree views of the Baltic Sea, as guests follow the marine equivalent of the Österleden and pass the nature reserve Sandskogen.

There is a choice of two different styles of water cycle – the UP and the RECUMBENT. The UP is sitting in a position exactly the same as a regular bike, upright and with pedals, handlebar and seat in the usual way. Balancing is not an issue as the two red inflated floats offer support. For those who would feel more comfortable in a position lower on the cycle, with legs peddling in an extended motion, there is the RECUMBENT option. Price starts at £45 per person.

New Rooftop spa at Hotel Skansenin Båstad, Skåne

An amazing new spa has opened at the premium Hotel Skansen in Båstad. From the rooftop spa, with a combination of indoor and outdoor pools, a Jacuzzi, rooftop bar and relaxation areas, guests have an amazing view of the bay of Laholmsbukten. Båstad is well known as an area for wellness and outdoor activities, and the new spa will give the destination even more reason to travel to the Northwest parts of Skåne.

 

Malmö West Sweden from the top
07 Aug
Travel Tips

Nature Experiences in West Sweden

 

Just a short journey outside the city of Gothenburg is the wildnerss of Dalsland,  the unique Bohuslän archipelago with its beautiful smooth granite shoreline against the open horizon, and the scenic plains, hills and forests of Västergötland.

Here’s our roundup of how to discover West Sweden’s nature at its best:

Canoeing in Dalsland

Experience nature close-up, wild and genuine with a Dalsland canoeing trip. Feel like an adventurer, find serenity and experience privacy even though you are only 180 kilometers from Gothenburg. This is by far one of Europe’s finest lake systems, rich in nature with clean air and fresh water. More than 1000 lakes, Dalsland Canal and water is so clean and clear that you can drink it!

Kayaking in Bohuslän

All the way from the Gothenburg archipelago in the south to the Koster islands in the north, is a paddler’s paradise of marine national park, nature reserves, deserted isles, fishermen’s huts and clear blue waters. This is Sweden’s first marine national park and takes in the Koster Sea and the Koster Islands; above and below the water line some 12,000 species live here. The Bohuslän coast and its islands is one of the top 10 last great wilderness areas in the world, according to CNN. You find more than 8 000 island, no tide water and kayaking rentals or guided tours along the coast.

Hiking

Hiking in Sweden’s western regions is a nature experience like no other. You get the best of the wonderful coastal scenery, magical forests, endless lakes and historic landscapes rich in culture. Combine your walk with charming accommodation and food from the area.

The Gotaleden is a walking trail close to the city of Gothenburg, which has been divided into nine stages covering a total of 71 kilometres. Proximity to train stations on the different stages makes it easy to adapt the walk as you want. Natural landscapes along the trail are varied and beautiful, with lakes you can swim in, fantastic viewpoints and undulating countryside.

Making a pilgrimage is an ancient tradition that occurs throughout the world. Two of Sweden’s most beautiful pilgrim paths run through West Sweden’s primeval forests and historic cultural land. Adventurous walkers sought the peace and tranquillity of the countryside as early as the Middle Ages, until Gustav Vasa banned pilgrimages in the mid-16th century.

The Kuststigen is one of the most scenic hiking trails in West Sweden. It stretches from the island of Tjörn in the south, all the way up the west coast to Oslo. Some of the stages are on islands in the Bohuslän archipelago.

Bohus Path in West Sweden is a classic long-distance footpath that stretches from Strömstadin the north to Lindome in the south.

Seafood safaris and experiences

Fish and shellfish from West Sweden are as good as any in the world. In the cold, fresh, salty waters off the west coast there are prawns, langoustine, lobster, mussels, oysters – and fantastic fish, of course. So if you love seafood, the west coast offers the finest available, as well as a wide range of wild experiences.

72h cabin in Dalsland

Swedish nature helps you become less stressed, according to a new case study from Sweden. By spending 72 hours in glass cabins on an island of their own, five people with stressful jobs got to experience the Swedish ‘close to nature’ lifestyle. “The participants decreased their stress levels with almost 70 percent”, says Walter Osika, Researcher in Stress and also Associate Professor at Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm. Now, Sweden invites the rest of the world to wind down in nature like a Swede, making the glass cabins available for everyone to book for a 72 hour stay.

In Dalsland you find 3 locations for the glass cabins: Dalslands Aktiviteter, Happy Celery Glasscabins and Henriksholm. Each of them is a unique experience.  Dalslands Aktiviteter is great for those who love outdoor activities and adventures.Happy Celery Glass cabins offers vegan food, meditation, yoga and life coaching (NEW for May 2020). Henriksholm is the island where you can find the 5 original glass cabins.

 

Gothenburg
05 Aug
Travel Tips

Nature Break Spots Close Gothenburg, Sweden

 

Gothenburg (Göteborg), is Sweden’s second biggest city. Visitors can explore the beautiful coastal city, magical islands and some of the best seafood in the world.

Located on the west coast of Sweden, Gothenburg has a city pulse with nature on its doorstep.

Go cycling

Rent a bike and explore the city with brand new rental bikes from Styr & Ställ. Styr & Ställ has launched more than 130 stations and 1,750 bicycles around town during summer 2020, which can be rented via a new app-based booking system. Single-ride passes start from 20 SEK / 1.70 GBP.

For those who want to head out of town, the säröbanan route awaits. Ride from Gothenburg down the old railway line to Särö and experience spectacular views of the sea and beautiful nature along the way. The last train to Särö departed in 1965. But that doesn’t mean that the old railway line no longer attracts visitors, in fact it’s quite the contrary. Today, Säröbanan is a highly popular bicycle route, taking you from Linnéplatsen in central Gothenburg to Särö, passing the cliffs, beaches and natural areas along the coast.

Swimming

Delsjön is one of Gothenburg´s most central swimming and nature areas. Here you can take a relaxing walk in the nature reserve, go on a canoe trip, take a delightful swim at the beach Delsjöbadet or from the surrounding cliffs. At the beach you find jetties, playgrounds, a barbecue area and a beach volleyball court. In addition, Skatåts fitness centre offers a number of running tracks.

Alternatively, head to The Sauna Frihamnen. The sauna is situated in the park Jubileumsparken which is part of the city’s quatercentenary. It was created by German architect collective Raumblabor Berlin and in large parts it’s constructed from recycled material.

Climbing

The rock climbing in and around Gothenburg is considered some of the best in Sweden. Visit the crags of Utby and you’ll soon realise why. Or get a boat to the island of Hönö and go bouldering in a unique environment. If you’d rather stay indoors, there are several challenging indoor climbing walls to try.

Discover parks and gardens

At Gothenburg botanical garden you’ll find around 16,000 species of plants in the different greenhouses and the rock and herb garden. The Botanical Garden offers a vast and impressive collection of plants and flowers and is a great place to visit all year round. With over half a million visitors a year it’s one of the most popular attractions in the region. Although you can still find your own spot or path.

Änggårdsbergen Nature reserve, within walking distance of the city centre, is a popular spot for outdoor activities ranging from strolling through the woods to downhill mountain biking. The varied ecological environment and fauna contains several examples of nature typical of Western Sweden, such as heathland and moorland. Änggårdsbergen lies next to the Botanical Gardens and stretches from the green parks of western Gothenburg towards the nature area Sisjön, south of the city of Mölndal. Forest bathing is a must for those who really want to get back to nature.

Slottskogen is Gothenburg’s main park. Take a stroll along the winding paths lined with leafy greenery and you’ll see why Slottsskogen is the locals’ favourite place to unwind. You’ll also be able to see elks, Gotland ponies, Gute sheep and other Nordic animals in the park zoo. In Slottsskogen you’ll find large, open spaces, perfect for children to play in or for outdoor activities. There are also volleyball courts, miniature golf, outdoor gyms and playgrounds. One of the popular playgrounds is adventure playground Plikta. On the other side of the park is the exciting playground Naturleken that uses nature to create a fun environment for children. The observatory Slottsskogsobservatoriet is located in the northern part of the park, on the top of the hill, and it’s a great spot to visit if you want to learn more about stars and planets.

Vättlefjäll nature reserve is one of the larger open-air recreation areas in the region. Here you can go canoeing or fishing in the many lakes, hike along the trails Bohusleden, Vättlefjällsleden and Pilgrimsleden and enjoy the moorlands, forests and hills.

Explore the northern archipelago

The Gothenburg archipelago – with several islands within short distance of each other – is perfect for a weekend trip.