Visit three former towns in this combined community. Each has its own distinct character against a bay dotted with islands.
You’ll find plenty of herring in Kungshamn. An amalgamation of three former fishing towns, Gravarne, Bäckevik and Fisketången, and still largely referred to by those former names, the city has retained a distinct small-town atmosphere, with the smell of salt filling the air. The sea created the town, drawing people from across Europe since the Middle Ages to harvest the herring that swim through the cold water. Hike in the surrounding countryside and return to town for delicious seafood dinners.
Just before entering Kungshamn, stop for a moment at Hovenäset, a small lakeside community whose bridge is said to be Sweden’s largest granite archway.
For more “hygge” waterside atmosphere, start in Fisketången, which has preserved its sea sheds, all trimmed in white, hugging the shore. Early in the morning, watch the fishermen return with the day’s catch, accompanied by seagulls swirling and cawing overhead.
Take a boat or the bridge to Smögenbryggan, or Smögen Island. Dive into the refreshingly cold water of the ocean off Sandö, which also has a 1-mile (1.5-kilometer) hiking trail, or just stroll along the Smögen Wooden Pier.
See endangered animals from around the world at Nordens Ark, which preserves threatened species. Finish with a hike through Ramsvikslandet, where mind-boggling geological formations turn nearly red as the sun sets over the ocean.
Kungshamn is in southwestern Sweden, about midway between Gothenburg and the Norwegian border. The closest airport is a 1-hour drive away in Trollhättan, which has daily flights to Stockholm. Train services travel from Gothenburg to Trollhättan and Uddevalla, and regular buses connect Kungshamn to those two cities. Drive to Kungshamn from Gothenburg in about 1.5 hours. Oslo is a 2.5-hour drive or 4-hour train ride away. Kungshamn’s relatively decentralized urban fabric makes it somewhat difficult to explore without a car. A small regional bus service connects the area’s more remote locations.
Bring a pair of binoculars because the craggy recesses of Kungshamn’s granite cliffs are perfect spots to observe sea birds nesting.
