Uddevalla

Travel Guide

Uddevalla
Uddevalla

See one of the world’s largest shell banks and one of Sweden’s most popular museums in the same place, enhanced by a charming seaside location.

Though Uddevalla’s history is marked more by warfare than by peace, today it is a vacation playground, full of museums and pleasant promenades. Passed between Sweden and Norway for centuries, and often besieged by Danish forces, it found new life in the 1800s. A Scottish businessman was so taken with its natural beauty that he settled here and revitalized the town it remains just as beautiful today. Visit Uddevalla for a mix of the stately grace of the old spa town and the natural beauty of its countryside.

Start along the seaside at Skalbankarna, a nature reserve with a shell bank built up over 10,000 years. In the summer, learn all about the geology of the phenomenon at the on-site Skalbankarna Museum.

Continue along the Strandpromenaden to Gustafsberg, the site of Sweden’s oldest spa resort, where regal forests and rocky coasts blend with elegant 18th-century architecture. Leave from Gustafsberg on foot down the Kuststigen. Take a ferry back into town.

Budget a few hours to properly appreciate the Bohusläns Museum. See more history at the Dragsmarks Kloster, the remains of a 13th-century abbey, once the intellectual and cultural heart of the area. Let kids explore the Tureborg, built by an eccentric 19th-century journalist. Learn more about the strange local character who built it at the Villa Elfkullen.

Located roughly halfway between Gothenburg and the Norwegian border, Uddevalla is relatively easy to access from either country. Take the train or drive from Gothenburg in about 1 hour. Oslo is a 3-hour train ride or 2.5-hour drive away. The closest airport is in nearby Trollhättan, a 30-minute drive away, which has air connections to Stockholm and several other destinations. Inter-city buses travel through town. A public transportation system operates around the town.

Bohuslän, Uddevalla’s region, is one of the most interesting areas of Sweden, so linger in the small towns on its seaside before rushing back to Gothenburg.

Bohusgården Hotell & Konferens

Bohusgården Hotell & Konferens

4 out of 5
Nordens Väg 6, Uddevalla
$138 nightly
The price is $155 total per night from Aug 5 to Aug 6
$155 total
Aug 5 - Aug 6
Total includes taxes and fees
Stay at this 4-star spa hotel in Uddevalla. Enjoy free breakfast, free WiFi, and free parking. Popular attractions Beach Promenade and Bohuslans Museum are located ...
8.4/10 Very Good! (1,014 reviews)
Room with a view
"Quit room, had one with balcony on 10th floor. Exellent view of the fjord. Very good breakfast."

Reviewed on Jul 21, 2025

Bohusgården Hotell & Konferens
Quality Hotel Carlia

Quality Hotel Carlia

3 out of 5
Norra Drottninggatan 26, Uddevalla, Västra Götaland County
Fully refundableReserve now, pay when you stay
$76 nightly
The price is $86 total per night from Aug 31 to Sep 1
$86 total
Aug 31 - Sep 1
Total includes taxes and fees
Stay at this 3-star spa hotel in Uddevalla. Enjoy free breakfast, free WiFi, and a full-service spa. Popular attractions Bohuslans Museum and Beach Promenade ...
8.6/10 Excellent! (1,035 reviews)
"Our room was fairly small, and also the double bed. The Sky Bar was spectacular, even if the beer pumps didn't function! Breakfast was very good."

Reviewed on May 31, 2025

Quality Hotel Carlia
Bokenäset Hotell & Konferens

Bokenäset Hotell & Konferens

3 out of 5
Bjälllansås 320, Uddevalla
$197 nightly
The price is $221 total per night from Aug 18 to Aug 19
$221 total
Aug 18 - Aug 19
Total includes taxes and fees
Stay at this 3-star beach hotel in Uddevalla. Enjoy free breakfast, free WiFi, and free parking. Popular attractions Dragsmarks Kloster and Dragmarks Monastery ...
8.6/10 Excellent! (222 reviews)
"Such a nice place with an amazing location and view. Restaurant is great too"

Reviewed on Jul 24, 2025

Bokenäset Hotell & Konferens
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.
5 Person Holiday Home in Uddevalla

5 Person Holiday Home in Uddevalla

2.5 out of 5
Uddevalla
Stay at this vacation home in Uddevalla. Enjoy free parking and a garden. Popular attractions Dragsmarks Kloster and Dragmarks Monastery are located nearby.
5 Person Holiday Home in Uddevalla
4 Person Holiday Home in Uddevalla

4 Person Holiday Home in Uddevalla

3 out of 5
Uddevalla
Stay at this 3-star vacation home in Uddevalla. Enjoy an in-room coffeemaker. Popular attractions Dragsmarks Kloster and Dragmarks Monastery are located ...
4 Person Holiday Home in Uddevalla
4 Person Holiday Home in Uddevalla

4 Person Holiday Home in Uddevalla

3 out of 5
Uddevalla
Stay at this vacation home in Uddevalla. Enjoy free parking. Popular attractions Ormeskratt and Beach Promenade are located nearby.
4 Person Holiday Home in Uddevalla
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.

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