You can reach Marstrand Island by a small ferry from Koön. Park your car at one of the many parking lots nearby, for example at Brandstationen Parkering. Things to do at Marstrand Island
Visit Carlsten’s FortressWatch a sailing competitionHike around the island (5 km)
Åstol is a popular stop for vacation sailers, giving the harbor a somewhat vibrant atmosphere. The island is famous for its narrow streets, and tightly located white houses. A must-do is to go for a walk to the western side of the island, where you find a great swimming spot and have a spectacular view of Carlstens Fästning at Marstrand Island. Things to do at Åstol Island:
Wander the cute narrow streetsEnjoy the view of Carlsten’s Fortress from the western sideEat at the unique restaurant Åstol Rökeri (Smokehouse)
If you’re interested in art you should visit Pilane sculpture park, an outdoor art exhibition with giant modern sculptures. Skärhamn is also home to the Nordic Watercolour Museum. Things to do at Tjörn Island, near Skärhamn:
Wander around the harbourVisit Pilane sculpture parkVisit the Nordic Watercolour Museum
Gullholmen is, in my opinion, one of the most spectacular islands in Bohuslän. It’s tiny, packed with small wooden houses, and only has a few small paths to walk on. There’s not much to do on this island, besides admiring the unique and incredibly beautiful environment. Grundsund is easily reachable by car. Set your Google Maps to ICA Grundsund, from where you’ll have a good starting point to explore the village. Things to do in Grundsund:
Wander the streets near the canalVisit Islandsberg cape
Besides walking around and admiring the beautiful wooden houses, you can have a yummy lunch at Brygghuset Fiskebäckskil or Gullmarsstrand Hotell & Konferens. If you need a place to spend the night I can highly recommend Gullmarsstrand Hotell & Konferens. Their spa is wonderful! Things to do in Fiskebäckskil:
Take a walk through the villageHave lunch at Brygghuset Fiskebäckskil – both serve great foodVisit the spa at Gullmarstrand
Top thing to do at Bohus-Malmön is to visit the beach Pärlane, a small sand dune connecting Bohus-Malmön to a smaller nearby island. Another great thing to do at Bohus-Malmön is to visit Snurrans Fyr, from where you get a picture-perfect view of the harbor and the small red wooden houses. If you’re into hiking, Bohus-Malmön offers a coastal hike trail called Kuststigen. The trail goes through varied landscapes and passes by several monuments from the stone-cutting era. By the end of the 1800s, the first cobblestone was cut, and the island became one of the most important sources of pink Bohus granite. You can get to Bohus-Malmön by car ferry from Tullboden. However, as the island is pretty small it might be easier to park your car on the mainland and explore the island by foot. Things to do on Bohus-Malmön:
Visit Pärlane beachEnjoy the harbor view from Snurrans FyrExplore the unique cliff formations from the stone-cutting era, preferably at UddestenbrottetHike Kuststigen
In Smögen you will find lots of restaurants and boutiques, all located along the dock. Don’t miss the iconic Smögenbryggan, a part of the dock lined with beautiful colorful boathouses. If you feel like going for a swim you can find several swimming spots in Smögen, for example Vallevik Badplats. If you want to stay over I recommend Smögens Hafsbad. Smögen is connected to the mainland with a bridge, which makes the island easy to reach by car. Things to do in Smögen:
Visit the picturesque colorful boathouses at SmögenbrygganEat seafood at Skäret KrogSea swimming at Vallevik Badplats, just a short walk beyond the boathouses
Things to do in Hunnebostrand:
Hike up to Hunnebostrand’s viewpoint for a 360-degree view of the archipelago
Ulön / Dannemark is a horseshoe-shaped island (it used to be two islands) and a popular stop while sailing in Bohuslän. Even though there is no proper harbor, you will most likely not be alone here. However, you can usually find a private spot to berth at. Walk to the west side of the island to see the sun set over the horizon. Camilla Läckberg fans can take a Murder Mystery guided tour of the village and locations from the books. Others might simply enjoy walking around in the village or hiking up to Kungsklyftan Hill for great views of the village and nearby islands. Things to do in Fjällbacka:
Hike to KungsklyftanWander around the village and the popular harborTake a Murder Mystery guided tour
Thanks to the Swedish Right of Public Access (Allemansrätten) you can choose to berth at deserted islands as long as you don’t disturb. Don’t forget that you have to pay a berthing charge for every night you spend in a harbor (and don’t arrive too late as the harbors get filled up quite early during peak season). OBS! You should not rent a boat if you don’t have enough experience. The archipelago can be hard to cruise around in, and during peak season there are many other boats around.
