Sweden tops the world in number of islands – 10 of the most beautiful in the Gothenburg Archipelago

Gothenburg is located by the ocean, and its rugged coastline consists of thousands of islands just offshore. This makes it quick and easy to reach the islands by public transport with a ticket costing 37 Swedish kroners. Experience lovely swimming beaches, charming small coastal villages, and open sea views. The white houses are typical of Sweden’s west coast, but you will also find red fishermen’s huts and numerous boat piers. The archipelago is fascinating to visit in any season; on a windy autumn day, a quiet winter day, or a budding spring day, you may have the islands almost entirely to yourself. On a perfect summer day, however, it can be much busier, so consider visiting outside the Swedish holiday season in July.

Here is a guide to the 10 most beautiful islands in the Gothenburg archipelago

Vrångö – most southern located inhabited island with a rich fishing heritage (car free)

Vrångö (pronounced wrong-eh) is the southernmost island in the Gothenburg archipelago, and the boat journey here takes between 35 and 50 minutes. Around 350 people live on this car free island year-round, and you get around on foot, by bicycle or by cargo moped. The island is best known for its beautiful natural scenery and fine sandy beaches. There are several swimming spots, and many consider it the best island in the archipelago for swimming. The settlement stretches like a belt across the island, and both the northern and southern areas beyond the inhabited zone are protected nature reserves.
Stay: Kajkanten Vrångö
Eat: Hamnkrogen Lotsen
Do not miss: The old pilot lookout point, which offers panoramic views of Vinga lighthouse, Fotö, Hönö and the mainland

Styrsö – island hub in the southern part of the archipelago with great swim spots, cafés, and restaurants (car free)

Styrsö is located in the heart of the southern archipelago and is home to around 1,400 residents. The island offers shops, cafés, restaurants, and guesthouses, along with excellent swimming spots ranging from sandy beaches to piers and smooth granite cliffs. From Stora Rös, the island’s highest point, visitors can enjoy sweeping views across the archipelago and out towards the open sea.
Styrsö is made up of four small villages, each with its own character, from the historic village of Byn to the former fishing community of Tången and the seaside resort atmosphere of Bratten.
Stay: Kusthotellet Styrsö
Eat: Tångbaren
Do not miss: To book a seaweed safari with Algblomman

Brännö - island with a well-known pier dance, a child friendly swimming area and a traditional inn (car free)

Brännö is a lively island in the southern Gothenburg archipelago with around 900  year-round residents, known for its traditional summer dances and strong maritime heritage. The island’s narrow lanes and wooden houses create a charming, old-fashioned atmosphere, while the former pilot lookout point offers sweeping views over Vinga and the harbour entrance.
Brännö offers plenty of swimming opportunities, from child friendly beaches at Ramsdal to sandy Gröna Vik with bathing piers. A small bridge connects the island to Galterö, an area of untouched nature with rich birdlife, popular for kayaking and summer grazing sheep.
Stay: Brännö Värdshus & Pensionat Baggen
Eat: LeShack
Do not miss: The pier dance at Brännö Husvik, Thursdays during Summer. You can also go by boat from Stenpiren to the dance with Styrsöbolaget

Donsö - island with magnificent scenery and world renowned for its shipping companies (car free)

Donsö is a vibrant island in the southern Gothenburg archipelago where fishing and shipping still play a significant role. Home to around 1500 year-round residents, the island offers scenic walking trails, inviting swimming spots and beautiful coastal landscapes in both the north and south. Visitors will find cafés, shops, a bakery, and a smokehouse, as well as a hotel and restaurants serving fresh, locally caught seafood. A short bridge connects Donsö to neighbouring Styrsö, making it easy to explore two islands in one day.
Stay: Isbolaget Hotell & Restaurant
Eat: Popsicle
Do not miss: The unique general store Hamnaffären selling everything from screws to Italian delicacies and vintage clothes

Vinga – a breathtaking island famous for its lighthouse and scenic nature (car free)

Gothenburg’s most westerly point. The childhood home of Swedish music legend Evert Taube and well worth a visit for its stunning nature. The island is well worth a daytrip but is not part of the regular public transport system. Instead, you can get there with tour boats departing from Hönö island in the northern part of the archipelago, for example Hönö Tourist & Fishing, Kastor Boat Trips or Marine Events. In the summertime you can take tour boats from the city centre with Strömma.
Eat: onboard the boat that takes you to Vinga or at the small café Winga Vänner in the harbour Do not miss: Guided lighthouse tours with Winga Vänner on weekends in the spring and fall and every day in the summertime

Fotö – island with a calm and laid back atmosphere

A peaceful gem in the Gothenburg archipelago, Fotö is home to around 600 year-round residents and offers an authentic island atmosphere shaped by sea, light and everyday life. The island is well suited for active exploration, with coastal walking routes along the Gothenburg archipelago trail, great swimming spots and diving platforms. During the summer months, Fotö comes to life around the guest harbour, while sauna experiences and easy access via neighbouring Hönö make it an appealing destination for both short visits and extended stays in the archipelago.
Eat: Café Boa in the harbour
Do not miss: Book a slot in the sauna with probably the most beautiful view from the window

Hönö – island hub in the northern part of the archipelago with restaurants, shops and activities

Located in the northern part of the Gothenburg archipelago, Hönö is known for its lively marina with several restaurant and cafés as well as a wide range of activities, including kayaking and scuba diving. The island has a strong fishing heritage, best explored at the Fishing Museum in Hönö Klåva, where the harbour is also lined with restaurants and cafés offering sunny terraces by the water.
Hönö’s coastline is shaped by smooth granite cliffs and scenic walking paths, particularly in the Ersdalen nature reserve in the northwest and along the island’s southwest coast. There are several popular swimming spots, from well-equipped piers close to the harbour to quieter bays such as Jungfruviken and Halse Långe on the opposite side of the island, making Hönö an attractive destination for both activity and relaxation.
Stay: Skärgårdshotellet Hönö, Havskatten
Eat: Tullhuset, Franses
Do not miss: Boalder climbing in Ersdalen nature reserve and the small beach Hästen

Källö-Knippla - a calming and picturesque little archipelago island

Källö – Knippla, home to around 300 year-round residents, has the most genuine old Bohus province buildings. The island is situated by the main sea lane between Göteborg and Marstrand. The guest harbour is very popular due to the untouched archipelago setting. Here you will find restaurants, a supermarket, a fish wagon and a hostel with a cafe.
Källö-Knippla is the perfect place to take a dip in the sea, have a barbeque and watch the stunning surroundings.
Eat: Matjes, located directly on the quay in the small harbour
Do not miss: The great walking trail on the northern part of the island

Åstol - the rocky island with white wooden houses

Located between Tjörn and Marstrand on Sweden’s west coast, Åstol is a small, traffic free island defined by white wooden houses clustered tightly among dramatic, sea sculpted rocks. Home to around 200 year-round residents and easily reached by ferry from Rönnäng, Åstol is ideal for a day trip, with sweeping sea views, picturesque boathouses and a striking natural setting. The island’s narrow lanes lead through a compact fishing community where cafés, terraces, a gallery and small local services add to the relaxed atmosphere. With refreshing saltwater swims, unique rocky landscapes and light shaped by the surrounding sea, Åstol offers a distinctive and tranquil island experience in the heart of the Bohuslän archipelago.
Stay: At Tjörns Havspensionat in Rönnäng, where the ferry departs to Åstol or in the boat houses at Dyröns Värdshus, on the neighbouring island Dyrön
Eat: Åstols Rökeri - open almost all year round. Check for opening times during off season
Do not miss: The water slide for kids at the natural salt pool

Marstrand – Sweden’s sailing capital and home to Carlstens fortress

At the western edge of Sweden, where the archipelago meets the open sea, lies Marstrand, one of the country’s most iconic seaside destinations. Known for sailing, swimming and a lively harbour atmosphere, Marstrand attracts visitors with its car free streets, charming neighbourhoods and stunning coastal setting.
The island is reached by a short ferry crossing and offers sea views in every direction, with Carlstens Fortress rising dramatically above the town. Along the quays of Sweden’s largest guest harbour, boats gather year-round, and in early July Marstrand becomes the nation’s sailing capital during major international regattas.
With excellent restaurants and cafés, scenic coastal walks, salty swims and a vibrant social scene, Marstrand combines maritime energy with relaxed island charm, making it a must visit destination on Sweden’s west coast.
Stay: Kurhotellet Marstrand, Marstrands Havshotell, Grand Hotel Marstrand
Eat: Arnell på Kajen, Carlstens Våffelcafé
Do not miss: Walking the trail around the whole island and a visit to the old Carlsten Fortress

Bonus

Hamneskär/ Pater Noster– the island at the horizon

Hamneskär is a small island located just under ten kilometres from Marstrand. The island is one of Sweden’s approximately 1,700 crown islets, owned by the state, and forms part of the protected Pater Noster archipelago nature reserve.
It is here that Pater Noster Lighthouse rises above the sea. Built in 1868 and decommissioned in 1977, the lighthouse takes its name from the surrounding Pater Noster skerries, a dramatic group of 97 islands and islets. Long before the lighthouse was built, sailors are said to have recited the prayer when the skerries came into view, hoping to pass through the treacherous waters alive. Strong currents and hidden shallows have caused countless shipwrecks here over the centuries.
For more than a hundred years the lighthouse masters lived out here, on the terms of the island and the sea. Now the door to the Lighthouse Master's home has opened again. A destination for seafarers from near and far, for nature lovers and pleasure seekers, for those who seek tranquillity or community. Enjoyment in a place where all your senses are amplified. After careful renovation, the historic lighthouse residence from 1868 has been transformed into an internationally award-winning hotel.
Stay & eat: Pater Noster
Do not miss: Soaking in the dramatic views